Freelance Retainer Pricing Calculator
Estimate a monthly freelance retainer price based on your target income, billable hours, client workload and buffer for overhead or revisions.
Overview
This freelance retainer pricing calculator helps you estimate a monthly retainer based on your target monthly income, billable capacity, expected client hours, business expenses and pricing adjustments. It is useful for turning an hourly target into a clearer monthly fee for ongoing work.
How it works
The calculator first works out how much monthly revenue you need by adding your target income and business expenses. It then divides that figure by your available billable hours to estimate the hourly rate you need to earn. For the client retainer, it multiplies that hourly rate by the expected monthly hours, adds a buffer for overhead or revisions, and then subtracts any retainer discount you choose to offer. The result is a simple estimate of a sustainable monthly retainer price.
How to use this calculator
- 1Enter your target monthly income.
- 2Add your monthly business expenses.
- 3Estimate how many hours you can realistically bill each month.
- 4Enter the hours you expect to spend on this client each month.
- 5Add a buffer for admin time, revisions or scope drift.
- 6Apply a retainer discount if you want to reward recurring work and review the suggested monthly fee.
Example Calculation
Target monthly income
$5,000
Billable hours per month
80
Hours needed for this client each month
20
Overhead and revision buffer
15%
Retainer discount
10%
Monthly business expenses
$500
Recommended monthly retainer
$1,423
With a target monthly income of $5,000, monthly expenses of $500, 80 billable hours and 20 client hours, the base hourly rate is about $68.75. After adding a 15% buffer and a 10% retainer discount, the suggested monthly retainer is about $1,423.
Frequently asked questions
What does this freelance retainer pricing calculator estimate?
It estimates a monthly retainer price based on your income goal, expenses, available billable hours, expected client hours and any pricing buffer or discount you apply.
Why should I include monthly business expenses?
Expenses affect how much revenue you need to earn. Including them helps you set a price that supports your business, not just your personal income target.
What is the overhead and revision buffer for?
It helps cover time that often comes with retainer work, such as meetings, messaging, project management, revisions and small scope changes.
Should I offer a retainer discount?
Some freelancers offer a discount in exchange for predictable recurring work, but it should still leave enough margin to make the retainer worthwhile.
How many billable hours should I use?
Use the number of hours you can realistically invoice in a month, not your total working hours. Many freelancers bill far fewer hours than they actually work.
Does this calculator include taxes?
No. If you want taxes or other costs reflected in the result, include them in your expense figure or adjust your pricing separately.
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Assumptions and warnings
Assumptions
- Results are estimates based on the hours, expenses and percentages you enter.
- The calculator assumes your billable hours are realistic and can be consistently achieved.
- The overhead buffer is intended to cover non-billable time such as communication, revisions and administration.
- Taxes, payment processing fees and bad debt are not included unless you build them into your expenses or pricing inputs.
Warnings
- This calculator provides an estimate only and is not financial advice.
- Review your scope, deliverables and contract terms before agreeing to a retainer price.