Who it's for
Consultants, agencies, and freelance professionals deciding what to charge for a retainer, or explaining to a prospective client why a retainer costs what it does.
Key features
- Hourly rate and estimated monthly hours fields
- Straight monthly fee calculated automatically
- Adjustable retainer discount percentage
- Discounted retainer fee calculated automatically
- Projected annual retainer revenue calculated automatically
- Exports to a real .xlsx file
How to use it
- Click "Use this template" to open it in FLYNT Sheets
- Enter your real hourly rate
- Enter the estimated monthly hours for this client
- Adjust the retainer discount to what you're actually willing to offer
- Review the discounted retainer fee and annual revenue before quoting a client
What's included
- Hourly rate, monthly hours, and retainer discount fields with example numbers
- Monthly fee, discounted retainer fee, and annual retainer revenue formulas already wired up
Common use cases
- Quoting a new retainer client a specific monthly number, not a rough estimate
- Deciding how much discount a retainer can actually afford to offer against hourly billing
- Projecting annual revenue from a client before committing to an ongoing retainer
Frequently asked questions
- How much of a discount should a retainer offer?
- It varies by practice, but many consultants offer roughly 10-20% off the hourly-equivalent rate in exchange for the predictability of guaranteed monthly hours. This template lets you see the real dollar impact of whatever percentage you're considering, rather than picking a number blind.
- Can I use this for more than one client at once?
- Yes — it's a real spreadsheet. Duplicate the sheet per client to compare retainer terms side by side.
- Is this free to use?
- Yes, on FLYNT's free plan — no credit card required.