Freelance pricing · Practical guide
A retainer needs a shared understanding of capacity, priorities and what happens to unused time.
Why this matters
A retainer needs a shared understanding of capacity, priorities and what happens to unused time.
Write the recurring amount, included work, response expectations and review rhythm.
Do not let a recurring invoice become an undefined promise of unlimited availability.
Practical playbook
Use this sequence before the situation becomes a long thread of messages. It is designed for a freelance project where both sides need the same understanding of what happens next.
A retainer needs a shared understanding of capacity, priorities and what happens to unused time.
Write the recurring amount, included work, response expectations and review rhythm.
Do not let a recurring invoice become an undefined promise of unlimited availability.
Common question
No. Dealokr helps protect the commercial steps of a freelance deal through clear terms, a protected payment journey via the configured provider, protected delivery and approval. Legal, tax and accounting obligations remain those of the parties.
Keep the relevant terms, the version or event in question, the client response and the next agreed action together so the timeline can be understood later.
Protect the next deal
Dealokr helps reduce the risk of starting work without a protected payment journey or handing over final files too early. Stripe Connect handles payments where configured; Dealokr connects the payment state to protected delivery and validation without holding client funds or replacing professional advice.
Dealokr