Invoice templates

Retainer invoice template

For a recurring monthly bill — scope reference, fee, billing period and payment terms, built to repeat cleanly each month.

What this is

A retainer invoice bills the recurring monthly fee under a retainer agreement, referencing the period covered and the scope included — designed to be sent (or generated automatically) on the same schedule every month without being rebuilt from scratch.

When to use it

  • Billing the recurring monthly fee under an active retainer agreement
  • As a recurring invoice template set up once and scheduled to send automatically

What to include

Billing period

Which month (or period) this invoice covers.

Scope reference

A short reference to what the retainer covers, so the client sees the value even on a routine recurring bill.

Overage, if any

If the prior period had billable overage beyond the retainer scope, itemize it separately from the base retainer fee.

Payment terms

Consistent net terms each period, since this invoice repeats.

The template

Copy this into your own document, or build it directly as a branded page in Hanko. Bracketed text like [Client Name] is a placeholder to fill in.

Invoice

Invoice #: [INV-2026-XX]

Issue date: [Date] | Due date: [Date]

Billing period: [Month Year]

From

[Your Agency/Consultant Name]

[Address]

[Email / Phone]

Bill to

[Client Company Name]

[Client Contact Name]

Retainer fee

Description Amount

Monthly retainer — [scope reference, e.g., $[amount]

'SEO retainer per Agreement dated [Date]']

Overage (if applicable)

Description Hours Rate Amount

[Additional work beyond retainer] [X] $[rate]/hr $[amount]

Totals

Retainer: $[amount]

Overage: $[amount]

Tax ([rate]%, if applicable): $[amount]

Total due: $[amount]

Payment terms

Due within [15] days of issue date. This invoice recurs monthly per the Retainer Agreement dated [Date].

Payment methods

Card, ACH, wire transfer [and stablecoin — USDC, if applicable]. A saved payment method can be used to pay this automatically each period.

How to customize it

  • Keep the scope reference line consistent each month so the client always sees what the retainer covers
  • Only add the overage section in months it applies — don't leave a $0 line by default
  • If offering automatic payment via a saved method, say so clearly, since not every client wants to be auto-charged
  • Number invoices sequentially by month/year for easy reference

Common mistakes

  • No scope reference, so a routine retainer bill looks like an arbitrary recurring charge with no visible value
  • Overage billed silently within the retainer total instead of itemized as its own line
  • Inconsistent due dates or amounts month to month without explanation, which erodes trust in a recurring bill
  • No reference to the governing retainer agreement, making the recurring charge harder to justify if questioned

Frequently asked questions

Should a retainer invoice be sent automatically each month?

Yes, if the retainer terms are stable — that's the point of setting it up as a recurring/scheduled invoice rather than rebuilding it manually every period.

How should overage be shown on a retainer invoice?

As a separate, clearly labeled line item apart from the base retainer fee, so the client can see exactly what pushed the total above the standard monthly amount.

What if the client wants to change the retainer amount mid-term?

Update the recurring invoice template going forward — past invoices shouldn't be retroactively changed, so any adjustment applies from the next billing period.

Other templates

Put this invoice on a recurring schedule

Set it up once in Hanko and let it generate, send and reconcile automatically every period.

One account for proposals, agreements, invoices and client payments.

Get Started

Product updates and the occasional tip, about once a month.