The Retainer blog
Hourly, retainer, and the conversion between them — with the billing that has to follow.
Pricing is the decision; billing is whether you actually collect it. A monthly retainer quoted from a made-up round number, or an hourly rate that never becomes an invoice, both leak the same way.
Start from a defensible hourly floor, then choose the model. These notes walk that path, including how to raise a rate on an existing client without it feeling like an ambush.
How to turn an hourly rate into a consulting retainer clients will accept — committed hours, a deliberate discount, and worked examples.
Read the guide →Jul 21, 2026Hourly and retainer pricing optimize for different things. A practical framework for choosing the right one, and when to switch.
Read the guide →Aug 21, 2026Timing, framing, and notice: how to raise your rate on an existing client without it feeling like an ambush.
Read the guide →Aug 10, 2026A flat invoice that never changes, or an itemized one based on hours logged against the allotment — two different ways to bill the same retainer, worked out with real numbers.
Read the guide →Aug 27, 2026The best retainer clients start as project clients. How to spot the signals and make the pitch right after a win, not months later.
Read the guide →Aug 4, 2026Monthly fee isn't profit. A framework for comparing what clients actually cost you in hours, and when to renegotiate.
Read the guide →