Area
Project-based agency
Technical partnership
Relationship model
Engaged for a defined scope, disengaged at launch
Ongoing retainer with monthly strategy and improvement cycles
Platform evolution
Requires a new project scope for each change or addition
Continuous improvement built into the monthly engagement
Strategic input
Brief at the start; none after handover
Monthly review of platform performance, growth metrics, and roadmap priorities
Response time
Queued with other new client projects
Retained capacity means priority access for changes and support
Knowledge of your system
Resets with every new project or freelancer engagement
Deep institutional knowledge of your architecture, team, and goals
Cost model
Variable, large invoices at irregular intervals
Predictable monthly investment with clear scope and deliverables