Freelance Retainer Rate Calculator
Calculate monthly retainer fees from your hourly floor rate and guaranteed hours per month.
Retainers trade flexibility for predictable income — price them at or above your hourly rate, not below. This page models 20 guaranteed hours per month for a marketing freelancer at $80k annual take-home target.
Market reference
| Metric | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Typical retainer hours | 10–40 hrs/mo | per client |
| Retainer vs hourly premium | 0–15% | for guaranteed access |
| Overage billing | hourly rate | hours above cap |
| Minimum term | 3 months | common B2B |
Interactive example — freelance retainer rate calculator
Defaults match this page's scenario. Adjust numbers to see your rate update instantly.
- Minimum hourly
- $101
- Day rate (8h)
- $810
- Typical project
- $4,857
- Monthly retainer
- $10,954
Recommended next step
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Frequently asked questions
How do I price a monthly retainer?
Hourly floor × guaranteed hours, optionally add a small premium for reserved capacity.
Should retainers be cheaper than hourly?
Only if you get guaranteed volume and payment — never discount without a contract term.
What happens when retainer hours run out?
Bill additional work at your standard hourly rate or pre-agree overage blocks.