Direct debit is usually the most practical way for a marketing agency to collect monthly retainers. Your client authorises it once, ideally when they sign the proposal, and each retainer invoice raised on the 1st is then collected on its due date without anyone having to remember to pay it. Payment links by card or pay by bank suit deposits, one-off project fees and the occasional client who won't set up a mandate.
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The short version
- Direct debit is usually the most practical way to collect monthly retainers.
- One mandate can cover a retainer that changes from month to month.
- Card fees grow with the retainer, while Adfin caps direct debit and bank payments, not cards.
- Deposits and one-off fees suit a payment link by card or pay by bank.
- Ask for the mandate when the client signs the proposal.
Which payment methods work for monthly retainers?
Most agencies end up with a mix. A few clients pay by bank transfer when the invoice reaches the top of someone's list, one has a standing order that hasn't changed since the first month, and another pays by card after a reminder. Each method puts the monthly effort in a different place, and that shows at the end of the month when payroll goes out.
| Method | Who has to act each month | Copes with a changing amount | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | The client, after reading the invoice | Only if they pay the invoice total | Usually no fee, but time spent matching and chasing |
| Standing order | Nobody, once it's set up | No, the client has to change it | Usually no fee, though the amount drifts out of step with your invoices |
| Card by payment link | The client, every time | Yes | A percentage fee on each payment |
| Card on file | Nobody, once the card is saved | Yes | A percentage fee on each payment |
| Direct debit | Nobody, once the mandate is signed | Yes, and the client is told in advance | A per-payment fee, usually lower than card on larger amounts |
Direct debit and a saved card are the only methods here that don't rely on your client remembering. For most retainers direct debit comes out ahead, mainly on cost once the monthly figure runs past a few hundred pounds, and because a mandate doesn't expire the way a card does.
Why direct debit suits retainers invoiced on the 1st
A retainer invoice goes out on the same day each month for an amount that's usually the same and sometimes isn't. You might add extra hours, recharge ad spend or bill for a shoot. Direct debit was built for that pattern. Your client gives you permission once, you request each payment when it falls due, and their bank pays it.
Your clients are protected along the way. They're told the amount and date before each collection, and the Direct Debit Guarantee entitles them to a full and immediate refund from their bank if a payment is taken in error. They can also cancel through their bank whenever they like, so nothing about it locks them in.
With Adfin, the amount and date of every collection come straight from the invoice, so you can bill a different figure in a busy month without a new mandate. Your client gets notice of each payment at least three working days ahead, and you don't need your own Service User Number. The money reaches you within three working days of the collection date, which lets you plan payroll around a date you set yourself.
The mandate has no end date. If your retainer runs for a fixed term or has a notice period, that belongs in your contract, not the direct debit.
Card fees, by contrast, grow with the retainer. Take a £1,480 monthly retainer on Adfin's public pricing of 1% + 20p per successful payment, where the percentage is capped at £4 on direct debit and bank payments but never on cards. Collected by direct debit, each payment costs £4.20. Paid by a standard card it costs £15.00, and by a business card or Amex at 2% + 20p it costs £29.80.
Across a year, you'd pay £50.40 by direct debit, £180 by standard card or £357.60 by premium card. On a small social retainer of £240, direct debit and a standard card both cost £2.60 a payment, so a saved card is a reasonable option for clients who prefer one. Direct debits over £2,000 carry an extra charge, which is worth checking if some of your retainers sit above that.
Deposits, project fees and one-off charges
Direct debit handles the regular money well. A project deposit works differently: you'd like it before you book freelancers or start a build, and the client is usually ready to pay the moment they've signed. A payment link sent by email, SMS or WhatsApp lets them pay there and then by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or pay by bank. On a larger deposit, pay by bank keeps the fee within the same cap as direct debit, while a card payment doesn't.
For clients who already have a mandate, project invoices don't need a separate arrangement. Because each collection follows the invoice's amount and due date, a website build or campaign fee can be collected under the same mandate as the retainer, as long as you've told the client that's how project work will be billed. Write it into the proposal so nobody is surprised by a larger collection.
One-off extras, such as a rush job or a print run, can go either way. If the client is on direct debit, collecting them alongside the retainer keeps everything in one place. If they're not, a payment link is quicker than waiting for a transfer.
When to ask for the mandate
The easiest time to set up direct debit is the moment your client says yes. At that point they're signing things anyway, and a mandate reads as part of onboarding. Asking six months in can feel like a change of terms, even when it isn't one.
Put the payment arrangement in the proposal or contract: when invoices go out, when they're due and how they'll be collected. The Small Business Commissioner advises agreeing payment terms at the outset and in writing, and offering a choice that includes direct debit. Then send the mandate link with the signed proposal or the welcome email, so it's in place before the first invoice on the 1st.
If a client won't use direct debit, ask them to save a card or agree a due date that matches their own payment run. Either keeps you out of the monthly chase, and you can revisit it when the retainer renews.
Common questions
Can a retainer be a different amount each month by direct debit? Yes. One mandate can cover varying amounts, and your client is told the amount and date before each collection.
Should agency clients pay retainers by card or direct debit? Direct debit usually costs less on larger retainers and doesn't expire. On small retainers the difference is slight, so a saved card can be fine.
When should a new client set up their direct debit? When they sign the proposal or contract, before the first invoice goes out. It's easier to agree as part of onboarding than to raise later.
Do clients have to sign a new mandate when an agency changes direct debit provider? Not if you move to Adfin. Your clients don't re-sign their mandates.
How do you take a deposit or one-off project fee from a retainer client? Send a payment link they can pay by card or pay by bank, or collect it under their existing mandate if your proposal says project work is billed that way.
What if a client refuses to pay by direct debit? Offer to save a card instead, or agree a due date that matches their payment run and send a reminder a few days before it.
Sources
- Pay.UK - Using Direct Debit (accurate as of October 2026) https://directdebit.co.uk/using-direct-debit/
- Pay.UK - The Direct Debit Guarantee (accurate as of October 2026) https://directdebit.co.uk/direct-debit-explained/direct-debit-guarantee/
- GOV.UK - Invoicing and taking payment from customers: payment obligations (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.gov.uk/invoicing-and-taking-payment-from-customers/payment-obligations
- Small Business Commissioner - Building good payment practice in your new business (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.smallbusinesscommissioner.gov.uk/help-and-guidance/all-advice/building-good-payment-practice-in-your-new-business/
