Retainer Check

Which model actually pays better — retainer or project-by-project?

Retainers feel like stability. Projects feel like freedom. But once you account for scope creep on projects, the dead time between retainer months, and how long clients actually take to pay — the numbers often say something different than the gut feeling.

Annual estimates. Assumes a single client relationship in each model for comparison.

• Fill in the retainer terms and the equivalent project work on both sides
• Set scope creep and payment delay for each — these are the hidden variables
• Read which model nets more per year and per effective hour