LiveRevOps
Build vs. Retainer Cost Calculator
Compare an in-house hire, an agency retainer, and a client-owned build over 24 months.
In-house hire
Agency retainer
Effiqs owned build
24-month savings vs. a retainer
$121,000
Owned build turns cheaper at month 6
Total cost over 24 months
In-house hire$336,000
Agency retainer$192,000
Effiqs owned build$71,000
Directional. The real difference is ownership: with a build you keep the system if you ever pause. With a retainer, the work leaves when you do.
Get a tailored planAbout this tool
What the Build vs. Retainer Cost Calculator does.
Models the true 24-month cost of three paths (hiring in-house, a monthly agency retainer, and an Effiqs-style fixed build you own), so the trade-offs are on one screen.
What you enter
Salary or retainer, ramp time, and build scope.
What you get
24-month cost of each path and the break-even point.
Best for
Leaders deciding how to resource growth.
The methodology.
- In-house = salary + overhead + ramp; retainer = monthly fee × months.
- Owned build = fixed cost + light ops, charted against the alternatives over time.