2.008
Founded
Like a sprint — but all year long.
For companies with living software that constantly needs small improvements — where a separate proposal for every change would just be too slow. You book a fixed monthly hour quota, and we turn it into real improvements month after month — no fresh brief each time, planned across 12 months. From 600 €/month.
01 · What a retainer is
Development that doesn't stop.
A sprint solves one scoped task. Maintenance keeps operations stable. The retainer is the third thing: ongoing development capacity for a product that keeps growing. You get a fixed hour budget per month — flexible for features, optimisation, integrations or advice.
- Fixed monthly hour quota — used flexibly
- Unused hours don't simply expire (fair partial rollover)
- Prioritised: a guaranteed response time, not a queue
- One shared roadmap instead of loose individual tickets
- Clearly separate from maintenance — this is about development
02 · With or without
With a retainer vs. going it alone.
WithoutEvery little thing a separate quote.
With retainerFixed hours, drawn on demand.
write a quote, approve, wait
Ship a new idea
this week, from the quota
sits until it costs revenue
Urgent bug
fixed with priority
grows to an expensive rewrite
Technical debt
reduced continuously & safely
full ad-hoc rate
Hourly rate
from 100 €/h, committed
firefighting
Planning
fixed roadmap & monthly report
Standstill costs more later
Result
Ongoing development, predictable
Standing still isn't free — it just costs later, and more.
02 · Hour quotas
Three tiers. You set the pace.
Hours as an annual quota, drawn flexibly across the months. The larger the quota, the better the hourly rate — from 120 €/h down to 100 €/h. All prices excl. VAT. Your hours don't expire at month-end — the quota runs for the whole year.
Retainer S · Care+
Retainer S
600 €/month
- 5 h/month · 60 h annual quota
- Hourly rate 120 €/h
- Smaller features & ongoing optimisation
- Bug fixes without a separate quote
- Response time < 48 h (business days)
- Monthly progress report
Retainer M · Development
Retainer M
1.100 €/month
- 10 h/month · 120 h annual quota
- Hourly rate 110 €/h — 8% below standard
- Continuous feature development
- A shared product roadmap
- Code reviews & tests included
- Response time < 24 h (business days)
Retainer L · Active product
Retainer L
2.000 €/month
- 20 h/month · 240 h annual quota
- Hourly rate 100 €/h — 17% below standard
- Your own sprint rhythm
- Prioritised delivery (P1 < 8 h)
- Quarterly strategy call
- A direct line to the founder
03 · What you spend the hours on
Hours you put to good use.
FeaturesNew functionality, continuously.From a small improvement to a complete module — prioritised by what brings you the most.→ Learn moreOptimisationFaster & more stable.Performance, Core Web Vitals, refactoring and the deliberate reduction of technical debt — before it gets expensive.→ Learn moreAdviceThinking along, not just executing.Architecture, tool choices, roadmap.→ Learn moreIntegrationsNew connections.CRM, payment, APIs — as the need grows.→ Learn moreFixesBugs without ticket ping-pong.Straight from the quota, not a separate quote.→ Learn more
04 · How the retainer runs
From audit to a monthly rhythm.
01
Audit & roadmap
We review your system and prioritise together what brings the most impact over the coming months.
02
Set the quota
You pick the tier that fits your pace — adjustable when your needs change.
03
Monthly rhythm
Fixed slots, clear prioritisation, delivery on staging. You see progress, not just invoices.
04
Report & steering
A monthly report on hours used and results — full transparency, adjustable at any time.
In numbers
0+
Projects delivered
0+
Years of experience
< 0 h
Response time
FAQ
Common questions about the retainer.
01What's the difference between a retainer and maintenance?
Maintenance keeps operations stable — updates, backups, security, monitoring. The retainer drives development forward: new features, optimisation, integrations. Many customers combine both, but they're two separate contracts with different purposes.
02What's the difference from a single sprint?
A sprint is a self-contained package with a fixed goal and date. The retainer is ongoing development capacity across 12 months — like a sprint, but continuous and re-prioritised month by month.
03What happens to unused hours?
They do NOT expire at month-end. Your quota is an annual quota: in a quiet month you bank hours, in a busy one you draw more — the hours stay usable all year. Only a remainder left at year-end expires. That's exactly what sets us apart from retainers where hours vanish monthly.
04Is there a minimum term?
The retainer runs on an annual basis — that makes planning reliable for both sides. You can adjust the tier when your needs change.
05Can I change the tier?
Yes. Moving up or down is possible, typically at the quarter boundary, so the quota always matches your current pace.
06How quickly do you respond?
Depending on the tier there's a guaranteed response time — from under 48 hours to prioritised. Urgent issues are handled before planned features.
07What can I spend the hours on?
Development in the broadest sense: features, optimisation, integrations, bug fixes and advice. Pure operations tasks (updates, backups) run through the maintenance contract.
08What does the retainer cost?
Pricing follows the hour quota: 600 €/month for 5 h, 1.100 €/month for 10 h and 2.000 €/month for 20 h — each excl. VAT. The larger the quota, the lower the hourly rate (120 → 110 → 100 €/h). Billed monthly, no hidden surcharge.
09Do I own the code?
Yes, entirely — as with all our engagements. The repository, access and documentation are yours, no lock-in.
Still got a question?Write to the founder directly
Straight talk
What might still hold you back.
01Why a retainer instead of just commissioning task by task?
Because commissioning one-off tasks for ongoing development is expensive and slow: a quote, a brief and ramp-up every single time. On a retainer the developer already knows your system — small improvements start immediately, and you get more substance per hour instead of start-up cost.
02You're a single founder — what if you're unavailable?
Every improvement runs in a standard stack, with clean, tested code and documented deployment — and the repository is yours. Any competent developer can take over seamlessly. The retainer makes you more productive without making you dependent on one person.
03Am I locked in if the collaboration doesn't work out?
No. The retainer runs monthly and is cancellable at short notice — no annual contract holding you. You stay because the results are right, not because a contract forces you to. Code, docs and access are yours anyway.
04What if I need more hours in a month than I booked?
Then we top up flexibly — either once for that month or by moving to the next tier (possible any time). You're never blocked because the quota is empty; we agree it up front, never quietly over your head.
05How do I know the hours are billed honestly?
Every month comes with a transparent breakdown: what was done and how long it took. You see where your hours go — no flat fee hiding idle time.
An objection we didn't cover?Write to the founder directly