Creator retainers
Keep the creators who actually sell
A few creators drive most of the results. Once one of them delivers for you, lock them in with a monthly guarantee and a commission on what their ads sell. They get a floor. You only pay above it when they earn it.
Why brands keep their best creators
62%
of all creator payments in 2025 went to the top 10% of creators, up from 53% in 2023.
CreatorIQ, State of Creator Compensation71%
of creators offer a discount for longer term partnerships, and another 25% would consider it.
Sprout Social, 2025 Influencer Marketing Report70%
of leading brands turned their creator relationships into ongoing partnerships.
Later, State of Influencer Marketing 2025How a retainer starts
Hire for one job
Post a campaign, pick from verified applicants, and let the first post or ad prove itself.
Pay and confirm
Confirm delivery and pay the creator on the terms in the listing. A retainer can only start from a finished job.
Work with them again
Offer that creator a retainer from the finished job. It goes to them alone and never shows on the public board.
The guarantee and the commission
You set a monthly guarantee, how many posts a month you want, how many months it runs, and a commission with a cap. Every 30 days the creator is paid whichever is larger: the guarantee, or the commission their ads earned in that cycle.
A slow month
$500 guarantee, 10% commission. Their ads drive $3,000 in sales, so the commission is $300. The creator gets the $500 guarantee.
A big month
Same terms. Their ads drive $8,000 in sales, so the commission is $800. The creator gets $800.
Ask for posts and the guarantee follows the posts they deliver. Set posts to zero when their existing ads keep running, and the full guarantee is due each cycle. The commission can pay on sales, leads, clicks or views, the same goals as a whitelisting campaign.
What it costs
A retainer that grows out of a sponsored post job pays 5% of its total guarantee. Billed to you monthly, and creators keep 100% of what you agree to pay. The full breakdown is on the brand pricing page.
Questions brands ask about retainers
Can I offer a retainer to a creator I have never hired?
No. A retainer starts from a finished, paid job. Post a campaign first, hire the creator, and offer the retainer once that job is done.
Is the guarantee paid on top of the commission?
No. Each cycle pays whichever is larger: the guarantee or the commission earned that cycle. A creator whose ads sell well earns more than the guarantee, and a slow month still pays the guarantee.
Do they have to make new content every month?
Only if you ask for it. Set the posts per month and the guarantee follows the posts delivered. Set it to zero when their existing ads are doing the work, and the full guarantee is due each cycle.
Which platforms does a retainer cover?
Retainers carry paid ad rights, so they run on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, the platforms where Socialync can read the ads.
Can other creators see the retainer?
No. It is a private offer to one creator and never appears on the board.
How do I pay the creator?
Directly, on the terms in the retainer. Socialync never holds the money, and creators keep 100% of what you agree to pay.
Every retainer starts with one job
Post the campaign that finds your first great creator. Pay them for a sponsored post or a whitelisted ad, then keep them. Founding brands are live the moment the board opens, November 1 at 12:01 PM ET.