Compare a retainer with a project price
Enter a project price and hours, a monthly retainer and hours, and how long a client stays. See the hourly rate, profit and the month the retainer overtakes the project. Free, no account.
Retainer vs project
Example inputs, pre-filled so you can see how it works. They are not typical prices or hours: replace every number with your own.
Over 6 months, the retainer earns more profit: the project makes $1,600 and the retainer makes $3,720 at your $35 hourly cost. The project pays $75 an hour and the retainer $112.50 an hour.
| One-off project | Retainer over 6 months | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $3,000 | $5,400 |
| Hours | 40 | 48 |
| Cost of your time | $1,400 | $1,680 |
| Profit | $1,600 | $3,720 |
| Rate per hour | $75 | $112.50 |
- The retainer overtakes the project's profit after 3 months.
- The retainer has billed more than the project price after 4 months.
- Retainer profit a month: $900 − 8 hours × $35 = $620
Copy the numbers
This compares only what you enter, over the months you enter. It ignores time spent selling, churn before the month you chose, tax and any gap between projects. How long a real client stays is your own number to measure: the pre-filled value is an example.
Retainer or project?
A project is paid once for a fixed piece of work. A retainer is paid every month for ongoing hours, so it earns less per month but keeps earning while the client stays. The calculator compares the hourly rate of each, and the month the retainer's total passes the project. If clients rarely stay that long, a project may suit you better; if they do, the retainer wins. Compare it against what you measure about your own clients.
- Count revision and support hours in the project, not only the build.
- Count calls, reports and admin in the retainer's monthly hours.
- Try a shorter stay to see how fragile the retainer's advantage is.
Find clients for either offer
Search 67Leads by trade and city. Projects suit businesses with no website and broken websites; retainers suit businesses with few reviews and low ratings.
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Questions
Compare them on your numbers: hourly rate, profit and how long a client really stays. The calculator shows the month a retainer overtakes the project.
It depends on both prices and your hours. The result shows the month the retainer's profit passes the project's, or says it never does.
All the time it takes you: the work, calls, reporting and account admin.
No. It compares only the revenue, hours and hourly cost you enter.
No. The result is worked out when the page is served and not saved.
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