How marketing agencies typically bill
Most agencies run a monthly retainer covering a defined bundle of channels, with project-based fees layered on for one-off work like a website refresh or a rebrand. The retainer needs to survive a light month without becoming a fight over unused hours, and the invoice needs to make clear what each dollar bought.
- Monthly retainer: a fixed fee for an agreed bundle of channels and deliverables
- Project fees: one-off work billed separately from the retainer, often milestone-based
- Ad spend: usually passed through or billed separately from the management fee, not bundled in
Common invoice line items
A marketing invoice reads clearest when each channel or deliverable gets its own line, not one "marketing services" total.
- Paid Social Management — $3,000
- SEO Content Production (4 articles) — $2,500
- Campaign Creative — $1,500
- Email/Lifecycle Management — $1,200
- Monthly Reporting & Strategy Call — included
Working with international clients
Agencies increasingly work with clients outside their home country, especially for e-commerce and DTC brands. Hanko invoices accept card, ACH, wire, or a stablecoin option on the same invoice, so an international retainer doesn't require a separate cross-border payment process.
- Bill in USD (or your currency) with a stablecoin option for clients avoiding wire fees
- Recurring retainer invoices generate and send automatically each period
- Every payment reconciles to the invoice regardless of method
What the client portal should show
A marketing client wants to see what's live, what's pending, and what they've been billed for, without emailing to ask. Hanko's client portal collects every proposal, signed retainer agreement, and invoice sent to that client automatically, so a routine "what did we pay for this month" question is self-service.
- Current and past retainer invoices with payment status
- The signed retainer agreement for reference
- Payment history, including receipts for stablecoin payments
Frequently asked questions
How should a marketing agency invoice a monthly retainer?
As a recurring invoice with each channel or deliverable itemized separately (e.g., paid social, SEO, content), rather than one lump "marketing services" line, so the client can see what the retainer actually covers.
Should ad spend be included in the retainer invoice?
Most agencies bill ad spend separately from the management fee, either passed through at cost or marked up, to keep the retainer fee itself stable and easy to explain regardless of how much was spent on media that month.
Can a marketing agency bill international clients through Hanko?
Yes. Invoices accept card, ACH, wire, or a stablecoin option on the same invoice, and recurring retainer invoices generate automatically each period regardless of where the client is based.
What happens if a retainer client wants to pause mid-month?
That's a policy decision for the retainer agreement itself — most agencies bill the full month once work has started, since capacity was reserved for that period. State the policy explicitly in the signed agreement so it isn't renegotiated after the fact.