Contract template
Creator Retainer Contract Template
Quick answer
A creator retainer contract is a written agreement where a brand pays a recurring fee for a set amount of work each month. It should say exactly what is included, how extras are handled, what happens to unused work, when you are paid, and how either side can end it.
Key takeaways
- A retainer gives you steady income only if the monthly scope is specific and extras are priced.
- Decide in advance what happens to unused deliverables and to your content after the retainer ends.
- Payment should be due at the start of each cycle, with the right to pause work if it is late.
- Renewal and termination terms matter, because exclusivity and usage often continue past the last month.
When to use this template
Use this when one brand wants recurring work from you each month. For a single campaign, use the UGC Creator Contract or the Sponsored Content Contract.
The template
Copy the text below, fill in every part in square brackets, and delete any optional clause you do not need. Read the notes under the template before you send it.
Creator Retainer Agreement
This agreement is made on [date] between [creator legal name] (“Creator”) and [brand legal name] (“Brand”).
Term. This agreement starts on [start date] and runs for [number] month(s). It [renews month to month / ends on the end date unless both parties agree in writing to extend it]. Either party may end it with [number] days written notice.
Monthly scope. Each month Creator will deliver: [number] video(s), [number] photo(s), [number] cutdown(s) or edit(s), and [other items]. The monthly fee covers only these items.
Monthly brief and timeline. Brand will give Creator a brief by [day of the month]. Creator will deliver first drafts within [number] business days of receiving the brief and any product or materials. Brand will reply within [number] business days. If Brand is late, Creator’s dates move by the same number of days.
Unused deliverables. If a month’s deliverables are not made because Brand was late with the brief, product, or feedback, they [expire / roll over for [number] month(s)].
Extras and rush. Extra items, reshoots, new concepts, and requests with less than [number] business days notice are extra. They need Brand’s written approval and a fee of [rate or fee structure] before work starts.
Revisions. The fee includes [number] round(s) of revisions for each deliverable, as long as the changes stay within the brief.
Usage rights. Creator keeps ownership of the content and grants Brand a license to use each piece as follows. Channels: [list]. Type of use: [organic only / paid ads / whitelisting or partnership ads / other]. Term: [length] from the date each piece is delivered. Territory: [region]. After this agreement ends, Brand may keep using pieces that were delivered and paid for until their end dates, but may not renew or extend the license without Creator’s written agreement and an added fee. Any other use needs Creator’s written agreement and an added fee.
Likeness, voice, and AI. Brand may use Creator’s name, image, and voice only in the final content and only as this agreement allows. Brand will not use the content, or Creator’s likeness or voice, to train AI tools or to create new content without Creator’s separate written permission.
Exclusivity (optional). [None. / Creator will not make paid content for [competitor category] while this agreement is in effect [and for [number] days after it ends], for the monthly fee or an added fee of [fee].]
Fee and payment. Brand will pay Creator [monthly fee] in [currency] each month, due [on the first day of each month / at the start of each cycle]. If a payment is more than [number] days late, Creator may pause work until Brand pays, and delivery dates move by the same number of days. Late payments may be charged [late fee or interest], where the law allows.
Fee review. Either party may ask to review the fee on [date or interval]. Any change must be agreed in writing.
Cancellation and kill fee. If Brand ends this agreement during a month, Brand will pay for that month [in full / for work done up to that date and at least [kill fee amount or percentage] of the monthly fee].
Confidentiality. Each party will keep the other’s non-public information private until [date], except as needed to carry out this agreement or as the law requires.
General. This is the whole agreement and replaces earlier talks. Changes must be in writing. The laws of [state or country] apply. The parties may sign electronically and in counterparts.
Signatures. Creator: [name], [date]. Brand: [name and title], [date].
What to look for in each clause
| Clause | What to look for | What you can ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly scope | “And similar content,” or no count for each type of item | A list of each item and its count, and a statement that the fee covers only these |
| Unused deliverables | No rule for what happens when the brand is late | A rule that unused items expire or roll over, and that the brand’s delays do not extend your work |
| Extras and rush | Extra requests folded into the retainer | A price list for extras and a rush fee, with written approval first |
| Revisions | No cap, or revisions that carry over each month | A cap on rounds per item |
| Usage after the retainer ends | Rights that continue with no end date | An end date for each piece and no renewal without agreement |
| Exclusivity | A category that blocks work for the whole term and beyond, with no fee | A narrow category, an end date, and its own fee |
| Payment and pause rights | Payment in arrears, or no consequence for late payment | Payment at the start of each cycle and the right to pause work if it is late |
| Renewal | Automatic renewal with no notice | Renewal by written agreement, or clear notice before it renews |
| Ending the agreement | One-sided notice, or no pay for the month in progress | Mutual notice and pay for the month in progress |
Ways retainer deals go wrong
- The scope grows each month while the fee stays the same.
- Rights keep running after the retainer ends because no end date was set.
- Exclusivity continues after the last payment.
- Payment is late, and the work keeps going anyway.
Frequently asked questions
What is a retainer agreement?
It is a written agreement where a brand pays a recurring fee for a set amount of work each month or period. It gives both sides steady planning, as long as the scope is clear.
What happens to my content after the retainer ends?
That depends on the usage terms. A good contract gives each piece its own end date and requires your agreement to renew or extend.
Can I pause work if the brand pays late?
Only if the contract says so. Add a clause that lets you pause work after a set number of days and moves your delivery dates.
What if the brand wants more work than we agreed?
Treat it as an extra with its own price, and get approval in writing before you start.