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Fee Check

Retainer billing and client payments for marketing agencies

One agency client account mixes a fixed monthly retainer, milestone invoices as a project ships, and pass-through media spend that changes every month. RapidCents charges the retainer automatically with recurring payments, invoices milestones as they are reached, and sends a payment link for a one-off ad buy the client approves mid-cycle. A customer profile holds the card so variable charges do not need a new authorization each time. Agencies process under MCC 7311.

Marketing Agencies team reviewing payments in the RapidCents dashboard beside a card terminal.
A Marketing Agencies team manages checkout and transactions in the RapidCents dashboard.
  • PCI DSS Level 1
  • SOC 2 Type II
  • All major card brands: Visa · Mastercard · Amex · Discover · PIN debit
  • Interchange-plus available
  • Specialist onboarding support

Operational workflows

  1. Client onboarded with a card stored on their profile

  2. Monthly retainer charged automatically on the same date

  3. Project milestones invoiced as each phase is approved

  4. Pass-through ad spend billed on its own line by payment link

Payment challenges

  • Ad spend fronted before the client pays

    Media budgets go out on the agency's own card and come back on the client's invoice weeks afterwards.

  • One client, two billing rhythms

    A retainer that never changes sits on the same account as project charges that change every month, and both have to reconcile to one client.

  • Scope creep billed after the fact

    Extra rounds and out-of-scope requests turn into an invoice the client never approved in advance.

Choose the right payment setup for Marketing Agencies

  • Choose marketing agency payment processing

    For Marketing Agencies, map sign-up, scheduled billing, and renewal, online checkout and remote payment, and the invoice, retainer, and remote client payment before choosing a setup. Select channels that match those moments, then confirm that the chosen solution genuinely covers each channel.

  • Payment hardware for Marketing Agencies

    For Marketing Agencies, physical hardware may be secondary to the checkout flow. Prioritize gateway or payment-page requirements first, then add a terminal only when an in-person payment point is genuinely needed.

  • Compare payment processing fees

    For Marketing Agencies, request a written fee breakdown covering scheduled billing, declined cards, and cancellations and online checkout and dispute handling. Compare the effective cost across the real card and channel mix; do not choose on a headline rate alone.

  • Set up or switch Marketing Agencies payments

    To set up Marketing Agencies payments, document the checkout, confirmation, and refund path, confirm compatibility before purchase, then test a real payment flow before going live.

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How this gets set up

  • The retainer on a schedule

    The monthly fee is charged automatically to the client's card or bank account on the same day each month, without an invoice chase.

  • Milestones invoiced on delivery

    A phase invoice goes out when the work ships rather than waiting for the next retainer cycle to come around.

  • Media approved, then recharged

    A mid-cycle ad buy the client approves is charged to the card already on file, with a link when a new approver has to sign off.

  • One client, three billing shapes

    Retainer, milestone and pass-through spend all sit on the same client profile instead of three separate arrangements.

Integrations

  • HubSpot exports

    HubSpot exports bring the client and deal records across as a file to match against billing, not as a live payment sync.

  • Harvest

    Harvest holds the tracked hours behind a milestone, and the invoice raised from those entries is paid on a link the client opens directly.

  • Xero

    Xero keeps retainer revenue, project fees and recharged media on separate lines, so pass-through money is never counted as agency income.

Operations, security and going live

  • Recurring, project and pass-through never mixed

    Reporting separates retainer revenue from project fees and from recharged media, because only two of the three are the agency's own income.

  • Approval by email, card out of the thread

    The client's card is held as a token, so a media budget increase is approved in writing while the payment itself stays off the email thread.

  • A retainer that needs a person the same day

    A monthly charge that still needs a follow-up shows the day it happens, so a month of work is not delivered against an unpaid retainer.

  • One client at a time

    Existing clients move onto scheduled billing at their next cycle, rather than all of them mid-month.

Payment questions from Marketing Agencies

What should businesses compare when choosing marketing agency payment processing for Marketing Agencies?

Compare marketing agency payment processing against the real payment journey: sign-up, scheduled billing, and renewal, online checkout and remote payment, and the invoice, retainer, and remote client payment. Start with the required channels and hardware, then confirm compatibility and support before committing.

What payment hardware is practical for Marketing Agencies?

If Marketing Agencies sells primarily online, do not choose physical hardware before validating checkout. Add hardware only for a clearly defined in-person payment need.

Which payment channels are relevant for Marketing Agencies?

For Marketing Agencies, start with sign-up, scheduled billing, and renewal, online checkout and remote payment, and the invoice, retainer, and remote client payment. Keep only the channels that match those moments, then verify the complete customer flow before offering them.

How should payment processing fees be evaluated for Marketing Agencies?

For Marketing Agencies, compare costs related to scheduled billing, declined cards, and cancellations and online checkout and dispute handling using actual transactions. Request a written breakdown of fees and terms rather than relying on an advertised rate alone.

What should be confirmed before setting up payments for Marketing Agencies?

For Marketing Agencies, document the checkout, confirmation, and refund path, verify the needed compatibility, and test the flow before going live. This exposes manual steps and exceptions before customers encounter them.

What should be confirmed before using recurring payments for Marketing Agencies?

Define consent, billing cadence, change and cancellation rules, and how a declined card is handled. Ask to see the complete customer journey before offering it to customers.

What MCC category applies to Marketing Agencies?

MCC 7311 is commonly associated with Marketing Agencies. Our onboarding team confirms the correct category for your business.

Related industries

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