Free template
A retainer agreement that protects your time and your cash flow
Most retainers quietly turn into “unlimited work for a fixed fee.” This one doesn't. Free, plain-English, ready to send.
The whole point of a retainer is predictable money. But a loose retainer is just scope creep with a monthly invoice attached — you end up doing 50 hours of work for a 20-hour fee and slowly resenting the client.
This template caps that. Clear hours, clear boundaries, clear money.
New to running retainers? The full playbook — models, invoicing, rollover policy — is in retainer billing for agencies: the complete guide.
What’s inside
Scope + hours cap
What the retainer covers and where it stops.
Rollover / use-it-or-lose-it rules
Pick one, in writing, so it's never a fight.
Overage language
What happens when they go over, and at what rate.
Payment terms
Billed in advance, net 14, the way retainers should work.
Scope-creep clause
Anything outside the retainer becomes a separate, approved change order.
Notice + cancellation terms
How either side exits cleanly.
The hours cap, live
See the cap before you blow through it
The agreement sets the included hours. In Handl the retainer shows hours logged against that cap as they land, flags the overage in amber, and bills the month in advance on schedule.
Send the template first. When the “6 hrs over” conversation keeps happening after the fact, that’s what this is for.
Worth knowing
Bill in advance, every time
Free download
Get it free
Drop your email and the document lands in your inbox as a Word file (opens in Google Docs too). The download link is on screen as well, so you're not waiting on email.
Reclaim your time
Stop being your own debt collector.
Get paid faster with automated invoicing and reminders.
