Quick answer: Buy a one-off project if you need one main video a year, such as a homepage explainer or a launch video. Move to a retainer once you are publishing video every month, roughly $10,000 or more of video a year, because the monthly price drops and turnaround gets faster. Most SaaS teams start with a project, then add a retainer when social and sales need a steady flow of clips.
What is a video retainer?
A retainer is a fixed monthly fee for an agreed amount of video work: for example, one short explainer plus eight social cuts a month. In 2026 most B2B video retainers start around $3,000 to $5,000 a month (source). A one-off 60-second demo from a mid-size agency runs $6,000 to $15,000. Boutique studios like ours start lower, from $1,485 for a full explainer.
When does a one-off project make sense?
- You need one flagship video: homepage explainer, launch video, investor piece.
- Your product or message is still settling, so you do not want to commit monthly.
- You want to test a studio before a longer relationship.
- Budget is fixed and you need a clear price up front.
When does a retainer pay off?
- You post video on LinkedIn or YouTube every week. See LinkedIn video for SaaS.
- Sales asks for feature clips and customer stories all the time.
- You ship product updates monthly and each one needs a short video.
- You are spending $10,000 or more a year on video anyway. At that point a retainer is usually 20 to 30 percent cheaper per video.
What should a monthly plan include?
- A clear list: how many videos, what length, which formats (16:9, 9:16, 1:1).
- Turnaround time per piece, usually 5 to 7 working days.
- Revision rounds per video.
- Source files and rights to everything, every month.
- A rollover rule for unused work, or a way to pause.
Contract red flags
- No cancellation for 12 months.
- “Unlimited” work with no delivery times.
- The studio keeps the source files.
- Extra charges for each format or for captions.
- No named person on your account.
Our honest take
Start with a one-off explainer. Every explainer we produce already ships with vertical and square cuts, ad hooks and 90 days of free changes, so a single project covers a lot of ground. If you then find yourself wanting new clips every month, that is the moment to talk about a monthly plan.
Quick questions
Can I pause a retainer?
You should be able to. Ask before you sign.
Is a retainer cheaper per video?
Usually yes, by 20 to 30 percent, because the studio already knows your product and brand.
What is the minimum length for a retainer?
Three months is common. It gives both sides enough time to find a rhythm.
Not sure which fits? Tell us how much video you plan to publish and we will suggest the cheaper route. Get pricing.
