Key takeaways
- Project: defined scope, fixed price. Retainer: ongoing capacity, flexible work.
- Hybrid is common: project for the build, retainer for support.
- Match the model to the work. Don't force-fit.
Project pricing: fixed scope, fixed price. Retainer: ongoing capacity, flexible work. Both have a place. The right choice depends on your needs and how you work.
Project pricing
Best for: defined deliverables, clear scope, one-off builds. A new website, a rebrand, a specific feature. You know what you're getting. We know what we're building.
Retainer pricing
Best for: ongoing work, flexible priorities, evolving needs. Content, support, iterations, continuous improvement. You get capacity; we allocate it as priorities shift.
Hybrid
Many clients do both: a project for the big build, then a retainer for ongoing support and iteration. It's common.
What to avoid
Project pricing for vague scope—leads to scope creep and disputes. Retainer for one-off work—you're paying for capacity you don't need.
FAQs
Discovery call, then a proposal with deliverables, timeline, and price. We'll outline what's in and what's out.
Usually a set number of hours or days per month. We allocate to your priorities. Flexible, but with clear expectations.