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Choosing the right pricing model is one of the most important decisions when setting up an gig. Aourly supports three pricing types, each suited to different kinds of freelance work. This guide explains each type, when to use it, and how it affects invoicing.

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The Three Pricing Types

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Hourly Rate

The most common pricing model for freelancers and consultants. You bill your client based on the actual hours worked. How it works:
  • Each performer on the gig has an individual hourly rate.
  • Time entries are logged with start/end times or a number of hours.
  • The invoice amount is calculated as: hours worked x hourly rate.
  • Invoices reflect the actual effort spent.
Best for:
  • Consulting and advisory work
  • Software development and design
  • Projects with uncertain or evolving scope
  • Any engagement where the client expects to pay for actual time spent
Example: You are hired as a UX consultant at 950 SEK/hour. In January, you work 82 hours. Your invoice will be 77,900 SEK.
Tip: Hourly is the most common pricing type for freelancers. It ensures you are paid for every hour of work you deliver.

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Fixed Price

A flat fee for the entire project, agreed upon upfront. The total does not change regardless of how many hours you actually work. How it works:
  • You agree on a total project price with the client.
  • Time tracking is optional but recommended for your own profitability analysis.
  • Invoices are based on the agreed amount, not on hours logged.
  • You can split the fixed amount across multiple invoices (e.g., milestones).
Best for:
  • Well-defined projects with clear deliverables
  • Website builds, design projects, or one-off development tasks
  • Situations where the client wants cost certainty
  • Projects where you can accurately estimate the effort required
Example: You agree to build a website for 45,000 SEK. You can invoice 50% upfront and 50% on delivery, regardless of whether the project takes 40 or 60 hours.

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Retainer

A fixed monthly fee for ongoing access to your services. The client pays the same amount each month. How it works:
  • You set a monthly retainer price on the gig.
  • The same amount is invoiced every month.
  • Time tracking helps you monitor whether the retainer covers the actual work.
  • Often combined with a defined number of included hours per month.
Best for:
  • Long-term advisory or strategic consulting
  • Ongoing IT support and maintenance
  • Marketing or content management
  • Any engagement where both parties benefit from predictable billing
Example: You provide ongoing marketing consulting for 25,000 SEK/month. The client gets up to 30 hours of your time. Any hours beyond that could be billed separately through a separate hourly gig.
Tip: Retainer pricing provides predictable income and is ideal for ongoing support or advisory roles.

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Scope Types

Regardless of pricing type, you can define the expected scope of work using one of two methods:

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Hours Per Week

Set the number of hours you expect to work each week. This is useful for:
  • Part-time engagements (e.g., 20 hours/week)
  • Retainer gigs with a defined weekly commitment
  • Tracking utilization against your available capacity

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Total Hours

Set the total number of hours estimated for the entire project. This is useful for:
  • Fixed-scope projects with a clear hour budget
  • Tracking progress toward completion (e.g., 120 of 500 hours used)
  • Understanding how much work remains

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Invoice Frequency

The invoice frequency determines how often billing occurs:
FrequencyPeriodBest For
Upon completionEnd of projectFixed-price projects, short gigs
WeeklyEvery 7 daysShort-term, high-activity engagements
BiweeklyEvery 14 daysRegular ongoing work
MonthlyEvery calendar monthMost Swedish freelance work (standard)
QuarterlyEvery 3 monthsLong-term retainers, low-activity clients
YearlyEvery 12 monthsAnnual retainers or subscriptions
Monthly invoicing is by far the most common choice for Swedish freelancers. It aligns with standard accounting periods and is what most clients expect.

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Choosing the Right Combination

Here are some common setups:
ScenarioPricingScopeFrequency
Part-time consultantHourly20 hrs/weekMonthly
Website build projectFixed200 total hrsUpon completion
Ongoing IT supportRetainer10 hrs/weekMonthly
Short-term sprintHourly40 total hrsWeekly
Annual advisoryRetainer5 hrs/weekMonthly

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Tracking Profitability

Even with Fixed Price and Retainer gigs, tracking your time is valuable. It allows you to calculate your effective hourly rate: Effective hourly rate = Total invoiced amount / Total hours worked If your retainer is 30,000 SEK/month and you consistently work 40 hours, your effective rate is 750 SEK/hour. If you work only 20 hours, it rises to 1,500 SEK/hour. This insight helps you price future work more accurately.
Hourly is the most common pricing type for freelancers. It ensures you are paid for every hour of work.
Retainer pricing provides predictable income and is ideal for ongoing support or advisory roles.
You can track time on Fixed Price and Retainer gigs too. This helps you understand your effective hourly rate and project profitability.
For Fixed Price gigs, make sure the agreed scope is clearly documented. Scope creep is the most common risk with flat-fee projects.

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Frequently Asked Questions

No, each gig has a single pricing type. If you need different pricing for different work streams, create separate gigs for each.
Scope type defines how you measure progress (weekly hours vs. total hours). Invoice frequency defines how often you bill the client (weekly, monthly, or ad hoc). They are independent settings.
You can change the pricing type while in Draft. Once the gig is active with logged time, it is recommended to complete the current gig and create a new one with the different pricing type.
When you set a retainer price, this amount is used as the basis for monthly invoices. You can still track time to understand how many hours you actually work under the retainer.