Free Retainer Agreement Template [Docs / DOCX]

Looking for a ready-to-use retainer agreement template? You're in the right place. 

This free retainer agreement template includes clauses about the address and details of each party, scope of services provided, terms of agreement, responsibilities & deliverables, means of dispute resolution, termination clause, and signatures. 

We speak to a lot of agencies who use our client onboarding software to manage their business, and we know it sucks to work without a retainer agreement. It's like navigating uncertainty and potential instability because verbal agreements are not generally reliable promises. 

We've provided a free, customizable retainer agreement template to protect your business interests. We take it a step further by explaining what a retainer agreement is, why you need it, and the important provisions it must cover. 

What is a Retainer Agreement? 

A retainer agreement is a formal contract between a service provider (an agency or freelancer) and a client. It seals the agreement that the client will pay a regular fee, often monthly, to ensure your availability and commitment to working on specific tasks or projects over a set period. 

It sets the terms for your working relationship by describing the scope of services, payment structure, and other essential details, such as what deliverables should be or how to settle disputes. This legal agreement protects your business interests from misunderstandings during your professional relationship. 

Our retainer agreement template is ready to use and easy to customize, but to learn more about it and why you need it, read more: 

Why Do You Need a Retainer Agreement?

You need a retainer agreement to establish a professional foundation for your relationship with a client. This is because: 

• It clarifies the scope of services offered, the timelines, and what deliverables should be. This helps you prevent misunderstandings and aligns your expectations with the client's from the start. 
• It's a guarantee of consistent work (and income). 
• It specifies how and when payments will be made to ensure billing cycles and payment schedules run smoothly. 
• It describes proprietary rights to the creative output and the client's responsibilities during the professional relationship. 
• It provides a default way to resolve conflicts to reduce potential legal hassles. 
• It sets boundaries for the expected workload to prevent scope creep— it also clarifies "extra work" and how it will be billed. For example, if your contract is to provide monthly social media graphic designs, an extra work would be Figma designs for blog posts. 
• It encourages long-term partnerships over one-off projects and positions you as a trusted partner. 

Disadvantages of Not Using a Retainer Agreement 

Some of the disadvantages of not using our retainer agreement template to form yours include: 

• Lack of unclear expectations because there is no formal agreement on the services you're rendering, the payment terms, and payment schedules. 
• Without a contract, clients can refuse to pay in full or on time, putting you at risk of unpaid work and unfulfilled agreements. 
• Without a contract, you lack legal protection in disputes. A clear agreement enforces your rights and protects your business. 
• Clients might ask for extra work beyond the original agreement without offering extra pay. A contract makes provisions for these “extra requests” and helps you avoid unpaid work. 

Create add-on services on ManyRequests to manage additional services that weren't part of the initial scope. This lets you bill for extra work differently without affecting the flow of projects in your retainer agreement. 

Creating your Retainer Agreement

Now, how do you create the agreement? While we have a retainer agreement template specifically for you, here is all you need to know about creating yours: 

Key Components of Your Retainer Agreement

Your contract should have sections that clearly express what your job is, how & when you'll be paid, and other details that protect your business and guarantee consistent work. Here are some of the essential sections to have: 

• The Parties Involved: This section should include business names, addresses, and any relevant means of identification of your business (as a service provider) and the client. It should be the first thing on the page. 
• The Scope of Services: This is where you explain the specific services you'll offer in detail (without ambiguity). If you provide SEO services, elaborate on the specific services you’ll offer in the retainer. For example, monthly services include keyword research for 5 articles, on-page content optimization for 5 articles, and monthly reports on agreed KPIs for content published in the previous month. While I used the ambiguous term “agreed KPIs”, yours should be specific so the client knows specifically what they’re paying for. 

You can find out the intended scope of services during initial client conversations. 

• Payment Terms: Write how and when you want to be paid. Mention the amount, payment frequency (monthly, quarterly, etc.), and preferred payment method (bank transfer, Wise, Stripe, etc.). 

Specify if there are late payment fees and the conditions under which additional fees may apply. 

• Scope of Work Adjustments: Explain the process for handling any changes or extra work requests outside the original agreement. This can include the number of edit requests you'll grant per task and how you’ll bill for additional tasks. 
• Duration and Termination: Write the duration of the agreement (is it a six-month or yearly retainer?). This section should also specify the exact date when the agreement begins (the start date) and the date when it ends (the end date), for example, from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. 

Also, write the terms for termination by either party and make provisions for the notice periods and any penalties or conditions for early termination. 

• Responsibilities and Deliverables: Write the deliverables and any responsibilities the client has to support the project (e.g., providing timely feedback and access to necessary resources). Specify how deliverables will be measured and reported and what a completed deliverable looks like. 
• Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Clauses: Include a section about how both parties will protect sensitive information shared during the project. This can cover proprietary strategies, client data, or any information deemed confidential by either party. (See our retainer agreement template for more context.) 
• Dispute Resolution: Define how disputes will be handled if they arise. This can include mediation, arbitration, or legal proceedings. Specifying this in advance can save you time and money. 
• Indemnification and Liability: Write the extent of liability and indemnification for both parties to protect yourself from legal issues when the client uses your work or follows your advice. You can also define the maximum liability cap to limit exposure to potential claims. 
• Intellectual Property Rights: Specify who will own the rights to the work created during the project. 
• Signatures and Date: Leave a space for signature and date. This confirms that you and your client understand and agree to the terms of the contract. 

Tips and Best Practices in Creating a Retainer Agreement 

Some of the best practices while creating a retainer agreement include: 

• Be clear and specific about the scope of services, deliverables, payment terms, and deadlines for each deliverable. 
• Use simple language that both parties can understand. 
• Write your payment terms in a way your client understands. If you want to include late payment fees, write it and explain how it works. For example, “The (agency name) will charge a standard $25 weekly for late payments.”

Or

“The (agency name) will charge 2% of the unpaid invoice per month of delay. If an invoice of $1,000 is unpaid for a month, a 2% penalty would add $20 to the total owed.” 

• Set expectations for communication frequency, preferred channels, and availability. Some agency owners say they won't respond to emails anytime after 4 PM and on weekends. You can include this in your contract, too. 
• Regularly review the agreement to reflect current services and pricing and tighten any loopholes. 
• If necessary, have a lawyer review your agreement to ensure it meets legal requirements and protects you against potential risks. 
• Use clear formatting and allow digital signing options. 
• Document every terms & conditions or changes in writing to avoid reliance on verbal agreements. 

How to Use Our Free Retainer Agreement Template

• Edit the text to include your name, address, and other details you should fill in. 

• Customize the document with your logo, fonts, and colors

• Review it thoroughly before sending it to your client  

Wrap up 

I'm glad you read to this point. 

By now, you should know what a retainer agreement is and how it can protect your business interests. 

Once your contract is in place, use the ManyRequests client portal to automatically manage your clients, their projects, invoices, and payments in one easy-to-use platform. This helps you focus on scaling your business without using 4 or more software for administrative tasks or automation. 

Sign up for a 14-day free trial today to use a fully customizable platform to onboard clients, handle all communications, and assign tasks to your team members or freelancers. 

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