Why people say the retainer is dying
The complaint is rarely about paying monthly. It is about paying monthly without knowing what was done: a fixed fee, a long lock-in, a monthly report full of activity and nothing tied to leads or sales.
Clients now expect to see the work, own their accounts and leave without a fight. That is pushing agencies towards clearer models.
The main ways agencies charge
Each model fits a different kind of work.
- Retainer: a fixed monthly fee for ongoing work. Suits ad management, SEO and social, where the work never really finishes. The risk is vagueness.
- Project: a fixed price for a defined result, such as a website or a brand. Suits work with a clear end. The risk is scope creep, so agree the scope in writing.
- Performance: payment per lead, sale or result. Sounds safe, but the agency will chase the cheapest results that meet the definition, and someone has to pay for the ads. It needs a very clear definition of a qualified result.
- Hybrid: a lower fixed fee plus a bonus tied to agreed results. Shares the risk, but needs reliable tracking both sides trust.
- Hourly or day rate: payment for time spent. Suits consulting, audits and training. The risk is open-ended cost, so agree a cap.
What a fair monthly fee looks like
If you pay monthly, the fee should come with:
- A list of what is included each month, in plain words.
- A minimum term that matches how long the work takes to show results, and a short notice period after that.
- Ad accounts, analytics, Search Console and the website in your name, with the agency added as a user.
- Reporting tied to leads, sales or cost per result, not just clicks and impressions.
- A price that is published or agreed in writing, including what would change it.
How Drivix prices
Ongoing services are fixed monthly packages with prices published on the pricing page, in AED for UAE clients and USD for clients outside the UAE. They run for a minimum of three months, then continue month to month with 30 days’ notice. One-off work, such as a website, is quoted as a project.
Accounts stay in your name, and the client portal shows the work, the reports and the invoices.
Questions to ask any agency before you sign
- What exactly do I get each month?
- How long is the minimum term, and what is the notice period after it?
- Who owns the ad accounts, the data and the website?
- What does the report show, and how is a lead or sale counted?
- Is the ad spend separate from your fee, and who pays the platform?