The pros and cons of a design / website retainer

Working with a creative agency enables you to utilise our knowledge and expertise without hiring a whole team of in-house employees. 

Ad-hoc and project based work is ideal if you are starting out or if you’ve moved to a new agency, and is a great way to start building a long term relationship. However with most of our longer term clients and those who want to get the best out of working with a multi skilled team, the most effective way of working is via a monthly retainer. 

Retainers differ slightly depending on the services an agency offers, essentially though they all have the same pros and cons. 

Our website retainers cover maintenance, technical support, updates and bug fixes; however the main purpose is to move your brand and business forward, so design and development work is included. It’s key for us to never lose sight of what your brand and website is trying to achieve, whilst always considering your target audience and what they are looking for.

It’s dangerous not to evolve! So, would a retainer work for you?

Pro: It allows you to make the most of your agency’s skills whilst saving you money.

Perhaps the most obvious benefit is that you’ll get greater value as a retainer client, as a retainer rate is cheaper than ad-hoc or project based work.

Pro: The agency does what you haven’t got time to do

Unless you have a dedicated in-house employee or even team to manage your digital activity, you aren’t going to have the time and most importantly expertise. 

For this reason, many businesses are suited to retainer relationships. With a dedicated amount of time set on your account each month, you know the work will just get done – no chasing or waiting required. 

Con: You aren’t using your retainer time

In certain months, it might be a struggle to find enough work to send to your agency, leading to unused retainer time and, potentially, wasted money. 

Before starting a retainer agency a realistic amount of time should be allocated per month based on previous usage (your agency should have an understanding of how much time you need). Your Account Manger will be the go link between you and the agency and will be proactive and make suggestions on how to use your time as effectively as possible. 

We have monthly or quarterly sessions with retainer clients where priorities and goals for the upcoming months are set. This way there’s always something to be worked on.

Pro: Your agency knows your business

Your agency will have a deep understanding of your business, who are you, what you offer, who are your audience, etc. We never lose sight of what the website is trying to achieve and utilise that knowledge after the website is launched and continue to build from it.


Pro: Costs are fixed

Spending is predictable and budgeting is made easier. 

Con: You can’t track how your time and money are spent

A concern is that you could lose the ability to monitor how time is being used and, therefore, whether what you’re being charged for services is accurate. 

We are transparent with our time usage. Retainer clients have full live access to their work logs, giving detailed breakdowns of what has been worked on, when and for how long. 

A retainer contract might sound like a big commitment but, when planned carefully, is a great  solution for many businesses and a great way to get the most out of your agency.

As long as the contract is clearly outlined and time is accurately tracked, the work can only become more efficient as time goes on. With ongoing transparent communication, our relationships continue to grow and clients enjoy the peace of mind that comes from having a dedicated team at their disposal.