Hourly vs Project vs Retainer Pricing

Choose a billing model without confusing it with the occupation benchmark.

Hourly

Useful when scope is uncertain or time is the clearest unit. Track time and define what is billable.

Project

Estimate hours, add explicit risk and revision allowances, and price the defined deliverable. The occupation benchmark is an input, not a project-price guarantee.

Retainer

Define reserved capacity, response expectations, rollover rules, and out-of-scope work. Recurring volume may affect negotiation, but it does not rewrite the wage source.