Freelance Retainer Calculator

Why retainers are worth a small discount

A retainer trades a slightly lower effective rate for something valuable to you: predictable income and reserved capacity. A modest commitment discount (often 5–15%) is reasonable because the client is buying priority access and you are buying stability.

Start from the hours you will reserve each month and your normal rate, apply the discount, and you have a defensible monthly figure plus its annual value.

Protect yourself in the terms

State clearly whether unused hours roll over (usually they do not) and what happens when the client exceeds the reserved hours (billed at your standard rate). A retainer should guarantee your capacity is paid for whether or not it is fully used.