Graphic design retainers ongoing support
Looking for ongoing design support, but don’t need a full-time in-house designer?
My graphic design retainer service gives your business flexible, professional design support each month – a simple, cost-effective alternative to hiring in-house or juggling outsourced graphic designers.
Think of it as having a dedicated graphic designer on hand – without the overheads of employing one.
Book pre-set design time each month for everything from marketing materials and social media graphics to website updates and presentations. Reliable, consistent ongoing creative design support that keeps your business looking sharp – without the cost or commitment of hiring full-time in-house designer.
With a design retainer, you get:
Why a design retainer makes perfect sense
Hiring a full-time designer is expensive. Outsourcing graphic designers can be unpredictable.
A retainer gives you the best of both — dependable, professional design support each month, at a consistent cost. It’s like having your own in-house designer on call, minus the salary, desk, and HR paperwork.
Design retainers are ideal for ongoing marketing and creative work — from social media graphics and digital campaigns to brochure design, presentations, and website updates. Your time is always set aside, keeping your brand consistent and your marketing on track.
Before we begin, we’ll discuss your priorities, workload, and budget to shape a retainer that fits your business. Once in place, you’ll have priority access, predictable costs, and reliable creative support whenever you need it.
What are the benefits of working with a designer on a retainer?
A design retainer doesn’t just make life easier — it gives your business a more consistent, professional approach to design.
Design retainers don’t just make life easier for designers — they make smart business sense for clients too.
Working with a retained graphic designer gives you consistent, reliable design support month after month — without the overheads of hiring or the unpredictability of one-off projects.
A designer who knows your brand inside out
Every brand has its own tone, style, and quirks — and a retained designer gets to know them all.
The longer we work together, the more seamless each project becomes. That means fewer revisions, faster turnaround, and creative results that hit the mark first time, every time.
Consistency that builds credibility
When your logo, marketing, and digital design all align, your brand feels stronger and more trustworthy.
Ongoing design support keeps your style, tone, and quality consistent across everything — brochures, social media, web design, and beyond — reinforcing the message your customers already trust.
Priority access when you need it most
Good designers get busy (thankfully!). With a retainer, your time is pre-booked — so you skip the queue and get priority turnaround on urgent projects.
Need last-minute graphics, campaign tweaks, or website updates? You’re already at the front of the line.
Simple, predictable budgeting
One regular monthly fee makes cash flow a breeze.
No surprise invoices or fluctuating project costs — just predictable design support you can rely on. It’s easier on your accounts, your stress levels, and your spreadsheet.
Peace of mind & reliable quality
When your business has an ongoing creative partner, you can focus on running it — not chasing quotes or juggling freelancers.
You’ll know exactly who’s looking after your brand, and that every design is delivered with care, consistency, and professionalism.
Preferential rates that reward loyalty
Pre-booked retainers come with exclusive discounts — up to 35% off my standard hourly rate, depending on the level of support you choose.
The more time you retain, the more value you get — simple as that.
Graphic design retainer support for PR & marketing agencies
Running a marketing or PR agency without an in-house web & graphic designer?
A design retainer gives you reliable creative support without the overhead of hiring – helping you take on more work, deliver consistently, and keep projects moving.
You’ll have priority access, discounted rates, and dependable turnaround — so you can offer a complete service to your clients while keeping your workload streamlined and your margins healthy.
Retainer support can include:
Think of it as having a dedicated graphic designer on hand – without the overheads of employing one.
Priority • Consistency • Value
Graphic design retainer packages
Kickstart 10
£495pcm
Pro 20
£880pcm
Premium 30
£1150pcm
My monthly graphic design support packages start from 10 hours of monthly design time per month, purchased at the beginning of each month, payable via direct debit, time is used up on any design tasks you brief me on. On occasions you may require more time, this can be purchased on an ad-hoc basis and is charged at my regular hourly rate of £55 per hour, subject to availability.
Retainers are booked with a minimum of 3 months initial commitment. We can then re-assess your plan to ensure you are getting exactly what you need, we can then agree on a new 3, 6, 9 or 12 month retainer agreement, cancellations require one month’s notice. Please note that retainer hours do not roll over each month.
The real cost of hiring a graphic designer (vs a retainer)
Junior designer
2–3 years experience
£22.50 per hour
£40,000–£42,000 salary
£48,000–£55,000+
employer cost*
- Paid holidays & downtime
- Training & ramp-up time
- Long-term commitment
Senior designer
25+ years experience
£35 per hour
£60,000–£65,000 salary
£75,000–£85,000+
employer cost*
- Paid holidays & downtime
- Long-term commitment
Freelancer
Ad-hoc support
£40 per hour
Pay as you go
No employment costs
- Availability varies
- No guaranteed priority
- Unknown outgoings
Design on retainer
Ongoing monthly support
From £40–£49.50/hr
£495–£1,200/month
£5,940–£14,400/year
- Priority support
- No long-term overheads
- Fixed outgoings
From under £500/month vs £50,000+ per year
*Employer costs include National Insurance, pension contributions, paid holidays, sick pay, software, equipment, and overheads.
Frequently asked questions
Let’s attempt to clear up the mystery before you email me.