When you need HubSpot development support, one of the first questions you'll face is how to pay for it. Should you commit to a monthly retainer? Buy a bundle of prepaid hours? Or stick with hourly billing? Each model has its place, but choosing the wrong one can lead to wasted budget, frustration, and misaligned expectations.
At SpiderHub, we've tested multiple pricing models over the years. We've seen what works, what doesn't, and why. This guide breaks down the real differences between hour bundles and monthly retainers so you can make an informed decision for your business.
Hour bundles are prepaid packages of development time. You purchase a set number of hours upfront—typically 20 or 40 hours—at a discounted rate. Those hours are yours to use within a specified timeframe, usually 60 to 90 days.
Think of it like buying bulk. You pay less per hour than you would for one-off projects, but you commit to a specific amount upfront. The hours sit in your account, ready to use whenever you need them, until they expire.
How hour bundles typically work:
You purchase a bundle (e.g., 20 hours for £1,520). The hours are valid for a set period (e.g., 60 days). You submit development requests as needed. Each task consumes hours from your bundle. You receive regular updates on your remaining balance. Unused hours may rollover once for a limited time (e.g., 30 days). When hours run out, you can purchase another bundle or switch to hourly billing.
The key advantage is flexibility. You're not locked into ongoing monthly payments, but you still get better rates than pay-as-you-go pricing.
Monthly retainers are ongoing subscriptions where you pay a fixed amount each month for a set number of hours or services. The relationship is continuous—you pay every month, and the developer or agency commits to being available for your work.
Retainers create predictability on both sides. You know exactly what you'll pay each month, and the developer knows they have guaranteed income and can plan their capacity accordingly.
How monthly retainers typically work:
You commit to a monthly fee (e.g., £2,400/month for 40 hours). The retainer auto-renews each month. Hours usually don't roll over month-to-month (use it or lose it). You get priority access and faster turnaround times. The relationship is ongoing with a minimum commitment (often 3-6 months). Cancellation requires advance notice (typically 30 days).
The key advantage is consistency. You have a dedicated resource who knows your business, and they have the security of recurring revenue.
On the surface, hour bundles and retainers might seem similar—both involve prepaying for development time. But the differences run deeper than pricing.
Hour Bundles: Low commitment. Buy once, use the hours, decide if you want more. No obligation to continue. Perfect for businesses testing a new developer or with sporadic needs.
Monthly Retainers: High commitment. Typically require 3-6 month minimums. Cancellation requires advance notice. Best for businesses with ongoing, predictable development needs.
Hour Bundles: Maximum flexibility. Use hours when you need them. Take breaks between bundles without penalty. Scale up or down based on current needs. No pressure to "use it or lose it."
Monthly Retainers: Less flexible. Pay the same amount every month regardless of usage. Unused hours typically expire at month-end. Changing your commitment level requires renegotiation.
Hour Bundles: One-time payment. Discounted rate compared to hourly (typically 5-10% off). No recurring charges. Clear expiration date creates urgency to use hours.
Monthly Retainers: Recurring monthly charge. Deeper discounts possible (15-25% off hourly rates). Predictable monthly expense. Auto-renewal means no action needed to continue.
Hour Bundles: Transactional relationship. Developer works on your projects but may have other priorities. Less integration with your team. Good for defined projects with clear scopes.
Monthly Retainers: Partnership relationship. Developer becomes an extension of your team. Deeper understanding of your business and goals. Better for ongoing strategic work and long-term planning.
Hour bundles work best in specific scenarios. If any of these describe your situation, bundles are probably the right choice:
You're testing a new developer. Before committing to a long-term retainer, you want to see quality, communication style, and turnaround times. A 20-hour bundle lets you evaluate the relationship with minimal risk.
Your development needs are sporadic. Some months you need 30 hours of work, other months you need zero. Paying a monthly retainer when you don't have work is wasteful. Bundles let you buy capacity when you need it.
You have a defined project. You need a custom theme built, or a set of modules created, or a specific integration completed. You can estimate the hours needed, buy the appropriate bundle, and complete the project without ongoing commitment.
Cash flow is variable. You prefer to pay for services when you have budget available rather than committing to fixed monthly expenses. Bundles give you control over timing.
You want to avoid "use it or lose it" pressure. Monthly retainers often expire unused hours at month-end. With bundles, you have 60-90 days to use your hours, plus a rollover period. This reduces waste and pressure.
You're a small team or startup. You don't have consistent development needs yet, but when you do need help, you want it to be affordable. Bundles provide discounted rates without long-term commitment.
Retainers aren't wrong—they're just right for different situations. Consider a retainer if:
You have consistent, ongoing needs. Every month you need landing pages built, modules updated, workflows created, and performance optimization. You can reliably use 30-40 hours of development time monthly. A retainer ensures you have dedicated capacity.
You want priority access. When you submit a request, you need it done within days, not weeks. Retainer clients typically get first priority in the queue because the developer has committed capacity to them.
You value deep integration. You want a developer who knows your brand, understands your goals, and can proactively suggest improvements. This level of partnership requires ongoing engagement that retainers facilitate.
You need strategic support, not just execution. Beyond building what you request, you want a developer who can advise on best practices, identify opportunities, and help plan your roadmap. This consultative relationship develops over time with retainers.
Budget predictability is critical. Your finance team needs to know exactly what development will cost each month. Retainers provide that certainty, making budgeting and forecasting easier.
You're scaling fast. Your HubSpot instance is growing rapidly, and you need reliable, consistent support to keep up. A retainer ensures you always have development capacity available.
Here's what many businesses don't realize: you don't have to choose one model forever. The smartest approach is often to start with hour bundles and graduate to a retainer if the relationship proves valuable.
The progression typically looks like this:
Phase 1: Test with a bundle. Purchase a 20-hour bundle to evaluate the developer's work quality, communication, and fit with your team. Use it for a specific project or set of tasks.
Phase 2: Scale with larger bundles. If the first bundle goes well, purchase a 40-hour bundle for your next project. You're getting better rates and building a working relationship.
Phase 3: Consider a retainer. After 2-3 successful bundles, if you're consistently using 30+ hours per month, a retainer might make financial sense. The deeper discount offsets the commitment.
This progression minimizes risk while maximizing value. You're not locked into a long-term commitment before proving the relationship works.
Misconception 1: "Retainers are always cheaper per hour." While retainers often have deeper discounts, they're only cheaper if you actually use the hours. If you're paying for 40 hours but only using 25, you're wasting money. Bundles with 60-90 day validity and rollover policies can be more cost-effective for variable workloads.
Misconception 2: "Bundles mean lower priority." Not necessarily. Many developers treat bundle clients the same as retainer clients, especially if you're a repeat customer. Priority is often more about relationship and communication than payment structure.
Misconception 3: "You need a retainer for complex work." Complexity doesn't require ongoing commitment. A 40-hour bundle can handle sophisticated projects just as well as a retainer. What matters is having enough hours and clear communication, not the payment model.
Misconception 4: "Bundles are only for small projects." Bundles scale. You can purchase multiple bundles for large projects, or buy a 40-hour bundle and extend with another if needed. There's no inherent size limit.
Still not sure which model fits your needs? Ask yourself these questions:
How predictable are my development needs? If you can reliably estimate monthly hours, retainers work. If needs fluctuate significantly, bundles are better.
How much risk am I comfortable with? Bundles are lower risk (one-time payment, defined expiration). Retainers require more commitment but offer more stability.
What's my relationship with this developer? New relationship? Start with bundles. Proven track record? Retainers make sense.
Do I have consistent budget available? Retainers require monthly payments. Bundles let you pay when budget is available.
How quickly do I need work done? If speed is critical, retainers often provide faster turnaround. If you can be flexible, bundles work fine.
Am I building a long-term platform or completing a project? Long-term platform development benefits from retainer relationships. Defined projects work well with bundles.
We've deliberately chosen to focus on hour bundles rather than monthly retainers, and here's why:
Lower risk for you. You can test our work with a 20-hour bundle before making any long-term commitment. If we're not the right fit, you've only invested in one bundle.
Better alignment with real needs. Most businesses don't actually need 40 hours of development every single month. Needs spike and dip. Bundles with 60-90 day validity accommodate this reality.
No "use it or lose it" pressure. Our bundles include one-time 30-day rollover for unused hours. This reduces waste and gives you flexibility.
Transparent, predictable costs. You know exactly what you're paying and what you're getting. No surprises, no auto-renewals you forgot about.
Easy to scale up or down. Need more hours? Buy another bundle. Need a break? No problem—no cancellation notices or awkward conversations.
That said, we're exploring retainer options for clients with proven ongoing needs. If you're consistently using 30+ hours per month across multiple bundles, reach out—we can discuss a custom arrangement.
There's no universally "right" answer. The best pricing model depends on your specific situation, needs, and preferences.
Choose hour bundles if: You want flexibility, have variable needs, are testing a new developer, prefer one-time payments, or want to avoid long-term commitment.
Choose monthly retainers if: You have consistent ongoing needs, want priority access, value deep partnership, need budget predictability, or are scaling rapidly.
Start with bundles if: You're unsure. It's the lower-risk option that lets you evaluate the relationship before committing further.
The most important factor isn't the payment structure—it's finding a developer who delivers quality work, communicates clearly, and understands your goals. Get that right, and the pricing model is just logistics.
At SpiderHub, we offer flexible hour bundles designed to give you quality HubSpot development without long-term commitment:
20-Hour Bundle: £1,520 (£76/hour) - Valid for 60 days with one-time 30-day rollover. Perfect for testing our services or completing defined projects.
40-Hour Bundle: £2,880 (£72/hour) - Valid for 90 days with one-time 30-day rollover. Best value for larger projects or ongoing needs.
Pay-As-You-Go: £80/hour - No commitment, billed after completion. Ideal for small one-off tasks.
Every bundle includes direct developer access, clear timesheets, regular balance updates, and priority turnaround times.
Not sure which option fits your needs? Get in touch for a free consultation, or explore our complete pricing details.