Recurring invoicing automates billing for work that repeats on a schedule — a monthly retainer, a subscription, a maintenance contract — instead of someone manually rebuilding the same invoice every period. In Hanko, a recurring invoice is set up once with its line items and cadence, and it generates and sends itself on schedule from then on.
How a billing schedule works
A recurring invoice has the same line items and pricing controls as a one-off invoice, plus a cadence — weekly, monthly, or a custom interval. Once set, Hanko generates and sends the invoice on schedule without anyone rebuilding it.
- Monthly, weekly or custom billing intervals
- Same line items, taxes and discounts as a one-off invoice
- Clients can save a payment method for automatic charging
- Every period's invoice lands in the client's portal
Retainers vs. one-off invoices
A retainer is billed the same amount on the same schedule for as long as the engagement runs. A one-off invoice is for a single deliverable or milestone. Most agencies run both — a recurring retainer invoice plus one-off invoices for scope that falls outside it.
What changes when a retainer changes
Retainer amounts change — a client adds scope, or a rate goes up. A recurring invoice's line items can be edited going forward without disturbing invoices already sent for past periods.
Frequently asked questions
How does recurring invoicing work?
A recurring invoice is created once with line items and a billing cadence, then generates and sends itself automatically on that schedule going forward.
Can clients be charged automatically each period?
Yes, if the client has a saved payment method on file. Otherwise the invoice sends and the client pays it manually each period, the same as a one-off invoice.
Can I change a retainer's price without affecting past invoices?
Yes. Editing a recurring invoice's line items applies to future periods; invoices already generated and sent are not retroactively changed.
Is recurring invoicing available in fiat and crypto?
Yes. Recurring invoices support the same payment methods as one-off invoices, including card, ACH, wire and stablecoin.
Where do past recurring invoices show up for the client?
In the client's portal, alongside any one-off invoices, proposals, and agreements sent to them.