Clients & Retention
Client Retention Rate
Agency glossary · Updated July 2026
Definition
Client retention rate is the percentage of clients an agency keeps over a period, the inverse of churn. It measures how well the agency holds onto its existing relationships, which are far cheaper to keep than new clients are to win.
Formula
((Clients at end - new clients won) / clients at start) x 100Why it matters
Retention is the quiet engine of a profitable agency. A high retention rate means new business adds to growth instead of just replacing losses.
Benchmark
A healthy target is keeping 85 to 90% of clients a year; above 90% is strong, and below 75% points to a delivery or fit problem.
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