Consulting Retainer Pricing Calculator

About this calculator

A consulting retainer is a fixed monthly fee a client pays for a set scope of hours, priced as Scoped Hours × Hourly Rate, minus a retainer discount typically offered in exchange for the guaranteed, recurring revenue the arrangement gives the consultant. This calculator computes that monthly price along with the effective hourly rate after the discount and the annualized contract value, so you can see exactly what you're trading away for the discount.

Independent consultants, agencies and fractional executives use retainer pricing to smooth out the feast-or-famine cycle of project-based billing, trading a modest discount (commonly 10–20% off standard hourly rate) for predictable cash flow and priority access on the client's calendar. Knowing the effective hourly rate matters because it's easy to underprice a retainer by discounting too generously — the annual value figure is what most consultants actually use to compare a retainer offer against their target yearly revenue.