Why I ditched monthly retainers for project-based pricing

After 3 years of fighting with clients over scope creep, I finally switched to flat project fees for my small agency. Everyone told me retainers were the only way to keep cash flow steady, but I was losing money on clients who kept adding "small requests" every week. Last quarter, I billed $12,000 on a single website project that would have been a $4,000 monthly retainer before. The client actually preferred it because they knew the final cost upfront. Sure, I have to hustle harder to find new work each month, but I sleep better knowing I'm not chasing hours or arguing about what's included. Has anyone else tried ditching retainers and found a better rhythm?

2 comments

2 Comments

lee.diana29d ago

Wait, you billed $12,000 on one project that would've been $4,000 a month?

miller.jason28d ago

Yeah @lee.diana I used to think smaller was safer. This changed my mind.