Creative Project Billing: The Smart Way for Agencies in 2025

You’ve nailed your creative process, so why is project billing still the bottleneck? Here’s the issue: manual tracking, delayed project invoicing, unclear retainer usage—they are clunky and inconsistent. While the rest of your agency runs on systems, billing may still be that one part of your workflow that hasn’t caught up.

Smart billing systems in 2025 are clear, transparent, and flexible. They move as fast as your projects do, support retainers, and lock in cash flow without all the admin drag. In this blog, we’ll break down what “smart project billing” looks like and how you can implement it.

The two common billing models for creative agencies

Regarding getting paid, most creative agencies default to one of two pricing models: one-off projects or monthly retainers. Let's compare the mechanics of each and understand their nuances.

1. One-off projects

This is the traditional model for project-based work. You scope the creative work, set a timeline, agree on a price, and get to work. Project billing is typically tied to the completion of specific milestones or upon final delivery.

Pros:

• Each project can be quoted based on current market conditions, staff availability, and complexity.
• The scope is well-defined at the outset.
• Flexibility in client portfolio since you can work with a diverse range of clients on different types of projects.

Cons:

• Income can be unpredictable, making financial forecasting more challenging.
• You constantly need to find and close new projects, each requiring a proposal, contract, and project invoicing process.
• There’s scope creep risk because projects can easily expand beyond the initial agreement.

2. Monthly retainers

With a retainer model, the client pays your agency a fixed fee on a recurring basis (typically monthly) in exchange for a predetermined amount of your team's time and resources. This is the subscription model for creative agencies.

Pros:

• Predictable income makes financial planning and forecasting much easier.
• Long-term retainer relationships are generally more valuable.
• Ongoing relationships create natural openings for additional services.

Cons:

• Long-term commitments restrict flexibility to pursue new opportunities.
• Without regular scope/fee reassessment, inflation and increased complexity can reduce margins.
• Client dependency risk—losing a major retainer client can be a significant financial strain.

Why do many agencies tend to mix both?

Most “mature” creative agencies don’t choose one or the other—they use a hybrid project billing model that combines the best of both worlds. This lets them maintain a stable income while capturing the upside of side projects. It also aligns better with how creative work actually happens in 2025, that some needs are predictable and recurring, but others are time-bound.

Also, most service agencies naturally gravitate towards a hybrid pricing model by offering:

• Recurring retainers with project-based add-ons: Talk about ‘some needs are recurring, but others are time-bound.’ A client might have a monthly retainer service for ongoing social media management, but then need a one-off project like a website redesign. 
• Project-based work leading to retainers: A successful one-off project sets the stage for a longer-term retainer relationship. If a client experiences the agency's capabilities firsthand, they may be more inclined to engage them for ongoing support.

4 strategies for smarter project billing

You've got the basics of the billing model down. Now, let's discuss the strategies for smarter project billing.

Strategy #1: Set expectations from the start

Scope creep often starts with vague billing terms. The initial proposal should clearly outline not just what you'll deliver, but exactly how and when you'll bill for it. Be crystal clear about payment terms, late fees, and what happens if the scope changes.

• What's included and what isn't? Document everything meticulously. No vague promises!
• How much will it cost? When are invoices sent? When are they due? What are the accepted payment methods? Spell it all out in your contract. Don't be shy about late payment penalties.
• What happens if the scope changes? Outline the process for requesting and approving additional work and the associated costs. 
• How often will you provide updates? Who is the point of contact for billing inquiries? Setting these boundaries early minimizes disputes.

Strategy #2: Automate everything you can

Let's be real—you didn't start a creative agency to spend your time chasing invoices. So, if possible, automate your billing ecosystem. This is about saving time and, at the same time, creating a professional experience for your clients. Clients see you as more established and trustworthy when your billing runs smoothly. Here’s what you can automate:

• Invoice reminders, it's best to send a friendly reminder a few days before the invoice due date and follow-up emails at set intervals (e.g., 3 days past due, 7 days past due, 14 days past due)., automatically.
• Use auto-generated invoices tied to the calendar for retainers or monthly service bundles.
• The status updates because clients should know when payments are due, what’s been paid, and what’s next—without asking.

And for monthly billing with optional add-ons for extra work? Your billing or project management platform should allow you to set up automated monthly invoices for the retainer fee and easily add line items to invoices for extra work (detailing the service, rate, and quantity). 

Strategy #3: Milestone billing: Align invoices with progress

Breaking projects into logical phases is the oldest trick in the agency playbook. But it works for a reason. When payment coincides with meaningful progress, everyone wins. The client feels comfortable paying because they're seeing tangible progress, and you get steady cash flow throughout the project.

Structure your milestones around natural project phases like Discovery, Design, Development, and Delivery. Each phase becomes a payment trigger, and your clients will be engaged with progress.

• Discovery phase: This is the initial stage where you deep-dive into the client's needs, goals, target audience, brand, and overall project objectives. Usually, this process includes client meetings, research, workshops, and the creation of a project brief or initial strategy document.
• Design phase: Based on the insights from the Discovery phase, your team starts to visualize and create the project's look and feel. This involves wireframes, mockups, mood boards, graphic design elements, and other initial creative concepts.
• Development phase: In this phase, the designs come to life. It might involve coding, developing the actual ad creatives, writing the copy, and setting up the campaign infrastructure.
• Delivery phase: This is handing over the final deliverables to the client and ensuring everything is working as expected. 

Strategy #4: Track progress and payments in one place

Ditch the scattered spreadsheets and endless email threads. Like other top-performing creative agencies, we have a single source of truth for project status and payment tracking. This gives both your team and the client complete transparency. Here's what a truly effective dashboard should show you at a glance:

• A visual indicator of where the project is in its lifecycle (e.g., Discovery, Design, In Progress, Completed, On Hold).
• Total project value or the initially agreed-upon budget for the project.
• The cumulative amount invoiced to the client for the project so far. And the amount yet to be billed for the project.
• A critical metric highlights invoices past their due date, the total amount overdue, and the number of clients with outstanding payments. This flags immediate action items.
• A quick snapshot of your current income against your financial goals.

🔥 Pro tip: Consider a platform that includes a client portal. A good client portal shows exactly where the project stands, what's been delivered, what's been paid, and what's coming next—it's just a central place to engage with your agency.

How ManyRequests can help streamline your project billing

ManyRequests is built for modern creative agencies that want their billing to be as smooth and scalable as their client work. Here’s a breakdown of its key features for streamlining project billing. 

Invoicing on specific requests (perfect for scope add-ons)

These are ManyRequests’ custom invoices for ad-hoc work. You can now generate invoices directly from individual tasks or requests. Just mark the task as billable, generate an invoice on the spot, and send it with one click. Payment links and email notifications are built in. No more lost revenue from forgotten extras. Clients see exactly what they’re paying for, and you get paid faster for every piece of added work.

Create recurring and on-demand invoices easily

Most agencies live in a hybrid world—steady retainer work with bursts of project-based add-ons. ManyRequests supports both. You can create project invoicing structures that match how you actually work while keeping payments consistent and predictable. For monthly retainers or service bundles. Set it once, and the system handles the rest. And for anything outside the norm—project phases, scope changes, custom work—bill anytime.

Built-in payment reminders and client notifications

The platform has integrated tools to automate payment reminders and keep clients informed. You can set up automated email reminders to be sent to clients and customize the messaging to maintain a professional tone. 

Likewise, clients receive automated notifications when a new invoice is issued, when a payment is received, and potentially for other billing-related events.

Keep everyone in the loop with a central client portal

Every client gets access to a branded client portal—their home base for project updates, file sharing, and project billing. 

Clients can submit new requests, view all invoices (past and present), make payments directly, and track the status of ongoing work. Plus, your team sees exactly what's been invoiced, paid, and outstanding. All communications related to billing are documented and accessible. So, project invoicing becomes part of the overall client experience—everything’s transparent, organized, and easy to manage for both sides.

Focus on what you do best with ManyRequests

Thriving creative agencies mastered the basics of operations that keep cash flowing and clients happy.  Project billing challenges can weaken even the most talented teams. So in 2025, your creative work deserves a just as streamlined system. ManyRequests is the all-in-one solution built for you.

The software brings your creative projects, clients, and billing workflow under one intuitive platform. That’s clear communication, a self-service portal, and transparent billing. And your team will love the simplified workflows and reduced administrative burden. Sign up for a free trial of ManyRequests today.

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