Retainer vs project pricing: how to pay a marketing agency
Pay a project fee when the work has a clear end, like a setup, audit, or site build. Pay a monthly retainer when the work never stops, like ads, SEO, or email. Get the scope in writing either way.
This page is about how you pay, on any channel.What an email or CRM retainer covers is the email scope. It does not publish email fees.
The short answer
| Retainer | Project | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fits when | The work continues each month. | The work has a clear end. | The scope is hard to fix in advance. |
| How you are billed | A set amount each month. | One fee for the agreed job. | The hours worked. |
| Budget certainty | The monthly fee is known. | The job fee is known. | The total moves with the hours. |
| Scope risk | Extra work needs a new agreement. | Work outside the brief needs a change order. | Extra hours are billed. |
| Exit terms | A notice period ends it. | It ends when the job is delivered. | It ends when you stop the hours. |
What each model costs
Ahrefs' pricing survey found SEO agencies charge$3,209 a month on average. That figure is an SEO retainer average. It is not a fee for every channel.
Ahrefs builds that average from the high end of each price band.
Promethean Research's 2026 Digital Agency Industry Report found29% of agencies bill$175 to $199 an hour.
That row is one hourly band. It is not a single rate for every agency.
Ask each agency to price the same project scope. This page states no project fee.
The full table of public figures is onhow much a marketing agency costs.
How common each model is
Promethean Research's 2026 Digital Agency Industry Report says the most common setup is a mix of time and materials, fixed bid, and retainer.
A retainer is a way to bill each month. The work inside it is still time and materials or a fixed bid.
When a retainer fits
Use a retainer for ads, SEO, or email that continues each week.
Skip a retainer for a one-time setup.
Ask for a written list of tasks or hours.
Ask for a reporting schedule, a named owner, and a notice period.
When a project fee fits
Use a project fee for a setup, an audit, or a site build.
The job ends when the deliverable is done.
A change order is a new charge for work outside the original scope.
Agree how change orders are priced before you sign.
Start with a project, then a retainer
Run a project first.
Review the results.
Move to a retainer after that review.
Write a new scope for the retainer. Do not reuse the project scope in silence.
Contract terms to check
Check the scope list.
Check the notice period.
Check the hours or the deliverables.
Check whether unused hours roll into the next month.
Check who owns the accounts.
Check the handover when you leave.
Keep accounts in your company's name. Give the agency user access.
Where this shows up
A Shopify setup is a project. Ongoing work on Shopify is a retainer.
A HubSpot setup is a project. Ongoing work on HubSpot is a retainer.
Open Shopify agencies and HubSpot agencies. Read the line about who each agency serves.
Both lists are A to Z. An agency's position is not a rank.
FAQ
Is a retainer or project better for a marketing agency?
Use a project fee for one-off work with a clear end. Use a retainer for ongoing work that needs weekly effort.
How much is a typical agency retainer?
Ahrefs' pricing survey found SEO agencies charge $3,209 a month on average. Ask each agency to price the same scope.
What should a retainer include?
A written list of tasks or hours, a reporting schedule, a named owner, and a notice period.
Can I switch from a project to a retainer?
Yes. Many teams run a project first, review results, then move to a retainer.
What is a change order?
A change order is a new charge for work outside the original project scope. Agree how they are priced before you sign.
Related guides
Next step
Know how you want to pay? Pick a specialty andshortlist two or three agencies.