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Freelance Retainer Calculator

Price a monthly retainer for ongoing work and set an overage rate for extra hours. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

Works in any currency: enter amounts in your own currency (USD, EUR, GBP, INR…).

Retainer

Results

Monthly retainer fee
Annual contract value
Effective hourly rate
Client saves / month
Overage hourly rate

How to price a retainer

Monthly fee = hours reserved × hourly rate × (1 − discount). A small discount (5–15%) rewards the client for commitment while you gain predictable income and lower sales effort. Define what happens to unused hours (expire or limited rollover) and bill extra hours at the standard rate or a premium.

Value-based retainers (a fixed fee for outcomes or availability) can be priced higher than the hours suggest.

FAQ

Should I discount a retainer?

Optional; 5–15% is common in exchange for a minimum term, such as 3–6 months.

Do unused retainer hours roll over?

That's up to your contract. Many freelancers let hours expire monthly or allow one month of rollover.

How long should a retainer last?

Monthly with a 30-day notice period, or fixed terms of 3–12 months.