Getting paid
A retainer fee is money a client pays up front to secure your ongoing work — either as a recurring payment for a set scope each period, or as an advance you draw down against hours. It turns unpredictable project income into scheduled revenue.
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In short
A retainer fee is an advance or recurring payment a client makes to reserve your services. The two common models are recurring retainers (a fixed amount each month for an agreed scope) and draw-down retainers (an advance held and billed against as work happens). Retainers work best when the scope, the billing schedule, and the rollover rules are written into the agreement — and the invoices go out on schedule without being rebuilt by hand.
Pick the model that matches how you work — and write it into the agreement:
Price the retainer from the scope, not from your hopes:
The retainer only works if the invoice goes out on the same schedule every period without anyone rebuilding it. Recurring invoices and payment plans in Workspace369 bill retainers automatically, automated reminders chase anything outstanding, and reporting shows retainer revenue per client — so the scheduled revenue actually arrives on schedule.
A deposit secures a specific project and is consumed by it. An advance is any up-front payment. A retainer secures ongoing availability or scope over a period — it is the recurring relationship, not the one-off job. Many agreements combine them: a retainer for ongoing work, a deposit for a specific project inside it.
FAQ
That depends on the agreement. Recurring retainers for a defined scope are usually earned when the period is covered; draw-down balances are often refundable for the unearned portion. State it explicitly in the agreement to avoid the dispute later.
Price the agreed scope per period at your target rate, then adjust for what the client values most — priority access, guaranteed availability, or saved headcount. Review the amount quarterly as scope drifts.
Recurring invoices with payment plans. In Workspace369, the retainer invoice goes out on the same schedule every period, automated reminders handle follow-up, and reporting shows retainer revenue per client — plans start at $29/mo for one seat.
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