Most manufacturers start per project and then find themselves commissioning something every two months. At that point a retainer is usually cheaper. Here is where the line sits.
The per-project model
Each machine is quoted separately. Best when you launch once a year, have one trade show, or are testing a studio for the first time. You pay setup on each project unless the studio keeps your prepared models.
The retainer model
An agreed monthly amount buys a standing production slot and an output plan. Ours start at $2,900 a month for a catalogue programme and $5,900 for a studio partner arrangement. See pricing.
The break-even
As a rule of thumb, when you commission more than four significant projects a year, or when two trade shows fall in the same calendar, a retainer usually wins on cost alone. Add the scheduling benefit and the gap widens: retainer clients get slots before show season, when good studios are already full.
What else changes
- Consistency. A single visual standard across machines produced over years.
- Speed. No quoting cycle for each small asset.
- Model library. Your prepared machines accumulate, and each new asset gets cheaper.
- Planning. Visual production is scheduled against your launch calendar rather than reacting to it.
What to put in the agreement
- An output plan, in deliverables rather than hours
- Rollover rules for unused work
- Priority scheduling before named trade shows
- Notice period, typically 30 days after a minimum term
- Ownership and storage of prepared models
Start small
Run one project first. If you commission a second within three months, ask for the retainer maths. Talk to us with your launch calendar and we will tell you honestly which is cheaper for your year.
Send one CAD file for a free assessment.
We open it, tell you what is usable, and return a fixed price and delivery date within one working day. NDA first if you need it.
