Agency day rate and retainer calculator
Work out what your studio needs to charge to cover take-home pay, overheads and a sustainable profit margin.
Currency
1. Your target numbers
What you want to pay yourself each year.
Software, accountancy, insurance, equipment, marketing.
2. Realistic capacity
52 weeks minus holidays, bank holidays and sick days. 44 to 46 is typical.
Most studio leads bill 20 to 25 hours. The rest goes on proposals, admin and meetings.
Covers scope creep, delays and money to reinvest.
Hourly baseline: $115/hr
- Target total billings
- $127,200
- Billable hours per year
- 1,104
- Utilisation (of 40 hrs)
- 60%
Suggested monthly retainers
Light support (2 days a month)
Maintenance, reviews, small requests
Core delivery (4 days a month)
Regular creative production
Embedded partner (8 days a month)
A dedicated lead on the account
Setting your day rate is the first step. Bettro brings proposals, tracked hours, client approvals and invoices into one clear workspace.
Request early accessWhy creative studios underprice their work
The 40-hour myth
Dividing income by 40 hours a week ignores reality. Briefs, client calls and feedback rounds mean most studio leads bill closer to 24 hours.
Overheads are not profit
A margin protects you from late approvals, scope changes and quiet months. Without it, every delay comes out of your own pay.
Better organised work. Better informed clients.
Keep client work moving.
Early access is open. Set up a real project, invite a client and see how the working relationship feels in one place.