Free Webflow Retainer Agreement Template [Docs / DOCX]

Your work doesn't end after that Webflow site is launched. You'll do so much more, like setting up the CMS, monitoring the technical SEO aspects of the website, and ensuring it is safe and secure for users, especially if it has an e-commerce plug-in. 

However, you also need to ensure you're paid for your work. Or better, you need to perfectly articulate your services so the client can understand what you’re doing for them and the amount it will cost them. 

In this article, we’ll explain what a Webflow retainer agreement is, why you need one, and how to create yours. 

What is a Webflow Retainer Agreement? 

A Webflow retainer agreement is a contract between a Webflow developer or agency and its client. The developer provides a set of services and is paid in return for those services. This agreement spells out those services, the terms of the client-agency relationship, and other details that secure the developer and the client's interests throughout the contract term. 

Why You Need a Webflow Retainer Agreement 

All a retainer agreement does is formalize your relationship with your clients. However, without it, everything agreed to is not legally binding. Aside from the legality of any agreement, the following are other reasons why you need a retainer agreement: 

1. It protects both parties' interests: Your agreement explicitly explains the services you’ll provide to the client. This ensures you and your client are aligned on expectations, deliverables, and timelines and reduces the risk of miscommunication or unmet expectations. 
2. It guarantees reliable and consistent income. 
3. It prevents scope creep because the agreement includes every task you’ll carry out for the client. Any extra task will be billed separately. 

However, if you don't explicitly state your scope of work with a retainer agreement, it's easy for the client to assume you'll handle ALL their Webflow design, development, and maintenance needs without extra payment. 

For any extra task outside the scope of the contract, you can write a contract to bill for it differently. You can also use our add-on service feature on ManyRequests. Our add-on service lets you create extra services for clients with other needs and bill for them differently. 

You can then share the service link with the client, who can pay for the service if it covers their desired scope. 

4. It clarifies payment terms: Payment terms are often contested—clients may forget to pay early or not know they agreed to pay a certain amount. A retainer agreement helps communicate how much you’re charging, when you want to be paid (the first day or the 15th day of the month), and the payment platforms (Wise, PayPal, or others). 

📌 Tip: Here is what you can do to get paid faster and what to do when a client doesn’t pay. 

5. It offers legal protection: A retainer agreement is a legally binding contract that protects you in case of disagreements over project scope, deliverables, or payment terms. The documented agreement will help resolve any dispute before it escalates. 

Disadvantages of Not Using a Webflow Retainer Agreement

Skipping the retainer agreement stage can leave you and your client vulnerable to misunderstandings and mismanagement. Some of the risks include: 

• Clients may not understand the services you provide or the deadlines you set for each deliverable. This can lead to confusion and unrealistic expectations after the contract starts. 
• The client may not pay (or pay late) because they are not obliged to pay early. A written contract prevents this; it states your payment terms (and late payment penalties), which clients must abide by. 
• Clients might ask for extra work (outside the original agreement) without pay. 
• Without a retainer, consistent work is not guaranteed, leaving you with unstable work and income. 

Key Components of Your Webflow Retainer Agreement 

Businesses include different clauses in their retainer agreements. I have read that some consultants include logistics and welfare costs when clients want them to visit their headquarters. I have also read an agency owner includes coverage for third-party tools in theirs. You can have your ideas on what you want the client to be responsible for, but these are important clauses to include in your contract: 

1. The parties involved. Write the name, address, contact information, and other relevant information of the parties involved: you and your client. 

You can also write the details of a secondary point of contact in case you need access to something and the primary point of contact isn't available. 

2. Be specific about the services you'll provide. For example, rather than a vague description of your service, write, "Conduct a website audit once in two months to analyze the site page speed and see if there's anything to optimize. " To improve this, include the specific day (or range of days) you’ll dedicate to this service. 
3. Write the payment terms. Here, specify how and when payments will be made. You can choose between the monthly retainer or upfront payment systems. You can also charge per milestone, depending on what those milestones are. 

This helps you align your expectations with the client’s thoughts or budget. 

4. Write what your specific deliverables and timelines are. The more specific these are, the better. Here is an example: 

"The service provider will submit design updates and performance reports on the last Friday of every month." 

5. Write the duration of the contract and include a termination clause. A termination clause provides either party enough time to round up existing work and make other plans for the available time. 

You may use the time to find new clients since you'll need to fill the vacant spot with another project. 

📌 Tip: Read our article on how to get new clients. 

🔥 Here’s another tip: include a page that compares your strengths like a Webflow agency did below: 

This way, clients can see what they’ll gain by hiring you for their Webflow development needs. 

6. Write the client's responsibilities. These are things they would need to provide to facilitate your work. This may include access to their Webflow account, analytics tools, or other necessary resources to make your work successful. Write them in the agreement so they know what to provide access to. 
7. Include a data privacy and confidentiality clause to protect sensitive business information or proprietary designs. You can also define what constitutes “confidential information” and how it should be handled. 
8. Write a process for resolving disputes,— whatever they are. It can be about missed deadlines, unmet expectations, or non-payment. A well-structured dispute resolution clause can help both parties avoid lengthy legal battles and maintain a productive relationship. 
9. Provide a space for signatures and dates. This formalizes your agreement with the client and makes it legally binding. 

Tips and Best Practices for Creating a Webflow Retainer Agreement 

To make your contract one of the best— one that protects your interests, do the following: 

1. Be clear and specific about your deliverables. Don't just write what you will do. Write when you will do them. 
2. Set clear payment terms. If you're charging 50% upfront monthly, write when you'll be paid: the second business day of a new month or the end of the second week. 

You can also be like this agency. They broke their services into tiers and had their pricing for each service (and the perks) for each: 

On another page, they wrote the dedicated hours their team will work with the client. For the Essential, it’s 70 hours. For Advanced, it’s 110 hours/m; for Professional, it’s 160 hours/m. 

Also, if you want to be paid monthly, specify if you're net 0 (immediately after work is done) or 15 (15 days after the task is submitted). 

3. Align on communication channels. Decide if you'll contact the client via email or if they'd prefer to use Slack or other messaging software. 

You can also consider the messaging feature in our custom client portal, ManyRequests. Through ManyRequests, you'll onboard your clients on a portal that's 100% customized with your agency’s brand elements. Here, they can make requests for agreed-upon deliverables, you can assign each task to your team members, and you can also chat with them directly. 

This keeps all communication in one place, and you'll get an email notification every time they send a text. 

4. Write that you're open to extra work outside the scope of the agreement, and the client will be billed for it. 

This helps you manage scope creep so that if clients need more help, you'll be compensated for the extra work. 

5. Intentionally review hour agreements regularly. Some of the agency owners I speak to review their agreements every six months, so they use their experience to update any loophole they might see in their contracts. 
6. If necessary, consult a legal professional to vet the credibility of your retainer agreement. 

How to Use Our Free Webflow Retainer Agreement 

• Fill in your details where necessary 
• Customize the scope of services to reflect yours 
• Set payment terms and structure 
• Customize the deliverables and timelines 
• Add your branding elements (colors, logo, etc.) 
• Adjust the confidentially and dispute clauses to reflect your personal/business interest. 

Wrap up 

A Webflow retainer agreement helps you clarify service expectations and secure your interest while working with a new client. We’ve provided an easy-to-use retainer agreement template. Use it to build yours—With the contract out of the way, use ManyRequests to manage your client work, team members, and track every project you've assigned. 

You can join the likes of Maximilian Fleitmann, Co-Founder of Magic Design, who says ManyRequests “handles our customer service workflows from top to bottom and is fundamental to our daily operations.” 

Sign up for a free 14-day trial today (no credit card required) to see how ManyRequests simplifies business operations. If you need help using any feature, visit our help center. 

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