FreelanceTools

Retainer Fee Calculator

Turn committed monthly hours and your hourly rate into a clear monthly retainer fee.

This tool is provided for convenience and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Check figures and documents with a qualified professional before relying on them.

Optional discount for guaranteed monthly income.

Monthly retainer fee

$1,350.00

Effective hourly rate$67.50
Annual value$16,200.00

FAQ

Should I discount my rate for retainer clients?
It's common but not required. A small discount (often 5-15%) can be a fair trade for the guaranteed, predictable income and reduced sales effort a retainer gives you -- but it's a business decision, not an obligation.
What happens if the client needs more hours than the retainer covers?
That's worth spelling out in your agreement upfront -- common approaches are billing extra hours at your standard (non-discounted) rate, or rolling unused hours over to the next month, capped at a limit.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser -- nothing is sent to a server.

Related tools

Send the retainer as a recurring invoice with the Invoice Generator. See all tools.