They inflate the base retainer to absorb small surprises without hourly nickel-and-diming.

Can retainers cover multiple services?

List included rows to communicate caps; legal wording still belongs in contracts.

Does this track actual usage?

No—pair with the time tracker operationally.

What is the 3-tier tab?

It compares three packaged hour bundles with optional tier discounts before buffer—useful when clients choose between good/better/best.

What does rollover mean here?

A checklist-style flag to remind you to state whether unused hours expire or roll to the next month—material for cash flow on both sides.

What is client “value” vs hourly?

It contrasts the retainer to the same hours at your list rate so you can show savings—or justify a premium for priority access.

Why warn when service rows exceed included hours?

If listed work adds up to more hours than the retainer covers, your narrative and contract hours are misaligned—fix before signing.

Retainer Calculator

Price included hours, buffers, and overage multipliers for predictable monthly revenue.

100% Private — Your data never leaves your device.

Intermediate

Used in:Raise My Rates

📖 Understand this document

The retainer calculator helps you price ongoing monthly retainer agreements. It factors in your hourly rate, expected monthly hours, and a retainer discount to calculate the monthly fee.

Key components

Base hourly rate — your standard rate.
Expected monthly hours — how many hours the retainer covers.
Retainer discount — the percentage discount for committing to a retainer.
Monthly retainer fee — the final monthly amount to charge.

Currency

Hours included / monthYour hourly rate

Buffer (%)

10%15%20%

Custom %

Overage rate (% of base hourly)125% = 1.25× your rate — set what your contract actually says.Model unused hours rolling over (mention in contract)Agreed retainer (optional)For client “savings” math: leave blank to use the buffered suggestion.

Included services

Scope summary (for contracts)

Recommended numbers

Base retainer: $1,600.00

With 15% buffer: $1,840.00

Overage: $100.00/hr

Client vs list rate

List-rate equivalent: $1,600.00/mo

vs retainer $1,840.00/mo → pays $240.00/mo (-15%)

Annual delta ≈ $-2,880.00

Copy-ready summary (markdown-friendly)

## Retainer summary
- **Included hours / month:** 20
- **Your rate:** $80.00/hr
- **Buffer:** 15% → suggested retainer (with buffer): **$1,840.00**
- **Base (hours × rate):** $1,600.00
- **Overage rate:** $100.00/hr (125% of your base rate)
- **Rollover:** Not included — unused hours expire unless you negotiate otherwise.
### Included services (contract narrative)
- Design & revisions — ~15 h/mo

### Client “value” vs pay-as-you-go
- At 20 h × $80.00/hr they would pay **$1,600.00**/mo ad hoc.
- Retainer at **$1,840.00**/mo → **$240.00**/mo more (-15% vs list rate).
### Renewal
Note review dates, CPI/indexing if needed, and a 30–60 day notice window so neither side is surprised.

Works well with

Hourly Rate Calculator

Find the minimum hourly rate you need to hit your income goals

Use Tool

Break-Even Calculator

Find break-even revenue and units from fixed costs and variable margins

Use Tool

Invoice Generator

Create professional invoices and download as PDF instantly

Use Tool

Frequently asked questions

Contracts differ—some use 1.25×, some 1.5×, some flat rush rates. Set the percent of your base hourly that matches your paperwork.

Retainers trade upside for predictability. Showing included hours, buffer, and overage rate upfront avoids toxic surprise invoices on both sides.

Document outputs beside clause builder payment sections for coherent paperwork.

Retainer Calculator

Key components

Recommended numbers

Client vs list rate

Works well with

Hourly Rate Calculator

Break-Even Calculator

Invoice Generator

Frequently asked questions

Further reading