Retainers

Last updated: October 5, 2026

A retainer pays a creator a fixed price for a set number of videos in each period, such as a month.

Why use it

When you pay creators for regular videos, you need to agree on a price and then check what each one posted. With a retainer, you make each creator an offer, and they accept it in the Euka creator app. We count the videos they post in each period, so you can see what you owe.

Where to find it

Campaigns > Retainers lists your retainers. Open one to see its tabs: Details, Applications, Periods, Submissions, and Payout.

Who can use it

Retainers are on the Growth, Business, and Autopilot plans, and your TikTok Shop has to be connected and verified. That includes inviting a creator from their rate card. See Plans and limits.

How to create a retainer

In Campaigns > Retainers, click New Retainer.
On General, set the start and end dates of the First Period, and choose the Creator Selection: Invite Only (you invite creators) or Open Application (any creator can apply). You can also change the contact email creators see.
On Creator Search & Pricing, click Invite Creator to add creators by handle, and set each one's Required Videos Per Period and Package Price per Period. You can skip this and invite creators later.
On Customization, add the Retainer Name. If you want, add a Custom Link, a banner, a description, a creative brief, and disqualification rules.
Check everything on Review and Create, and click Create.

Periods and products

You don't choose products when you create a retainer, so the first period covers all your products. To limit a period to some products:

Open Periods, and click the edit icon on the period.
Select Choose specific products (max 10).

Add Period adds the next period, with its own dates and products.

How to bring creators in

There are three ways to bring creators in.

Way	How it works
Invite Creators, on Details or Applications	Pick creators by handle, then Set Terms: the periods, Required Videos, and Package Price per Period for each creator. Unless you untick Send notification to creators, they hear about the offer by TikTok DM, by email when we have their address, and by push notification if they've turned it on.
Open Application	The retainer is listed in the Euka creator app, and creators apply from its page. Applications arrive in Applications > Applied, where you Send Offer or Reject.
From a rate card	Some creators on the Euka app list their prices. In AI Creator Search, switch the search bar to Euka app creators and turn on Has rate card. Inviting a creator from their rate card sends them an offer on a new retainer or on one you already have. See AI Creator Search.

An offer waits under Offered, where you can Edit Offer or Withdraw Offer, until the creator accepts it (Accepted) or declines it (Declined).

Include a contract

When you make an offer, tick Include a contract with this offer, and pick a contract template. The contract is sent for e-signature when the creator accepts.

The offer doesn't wait for the signature: the creator's periods start once they accept, and the signing status shows in the Contract column of Periods. See Contracts.

How payment is worked out

The rate per video is the package price divided by the required videos.
A creator earns the smaller of their valid videos and the required videos, times that rate. Videos beyond the required number add nothing.
A valid video is posted within the period's dates and isn't disqualified. If the period has specific products, it must tag one of them.
A period includes the whole of its start and end dates, in US Pacific time. Add grace period, on a creator's row in Periods, moves that creator's start earlier or end later for the period, as long as you haven't paid them for it.

For example, a creator with a $500 package for 5 videos who posts 3 valid videos has earned $300.

How to pay creators

Retainer payouts aren't automatic.

In Periods, click Pay Creators, and tick the creators to pay.
Click Add to Cart. The Payment Cart shows what each creator has earned, less anything you've already paid them for that period, and you can change the amount. A changed amount can be up to $10,000 per creator.
Open Payout, click Pay Out Creators, and tick the payouts.
Choose Pay via Euka or Pay Outside Euka.

You can pay a creator for the same period again once the earlier payment has gone through. While one is in the cart or still processing, their box can't be ticked.

For payment methods, fees, and what happens when a payout is overdue, see Paying creators. Creators withdraw what you pay through Euka in the Euka creator app. See Earnings and withdrawals.

Rules and limits

Required Videos Per Period is at least 1. Package Price per Period is at least $1, in whole dollars.
A period covers all your products, or up to 10 you choose.
You can't change Invite Only or Open Application, or the first period's dates, in Edit. Change a period's name, dates, or products from its edit icon in Periods.
You can delete a period only while no creators are in it, and a retainer only while it has no creators.
Disqualification rules are optional. You can add up to 10, from the same list as contests, and five of them can run automatically. See Contests.
Contest Exclusivity is off unless you turn it on. When it's on, creators with accepted periods on this retainer can't join your contests that overlap those periods, and accepting an offer removes them from overlapping contests they had joined.
Require shipping address & phone number makes creators give both before they can apply.
You can't invite creators to a retainer marked Completed. Adding a period makes it active again.
You can pay a creator only once their account is linked in the Euka creator app.

What we don't control

Video numbers come from TikTok, which reports video data up to 24 hours late and LIVE data up to 48 hours late (as of September 2026). New posts and their numbers catch up on their own.

When something goes wrong

Run a retainer today: retainers need Growth or higher. Change your plan in Settings > Brand > Billing.
TikTok Shop Connection Required: connect your TikTok Shop and finish verifying it, then try again. See Connect your TikTok Shop.
"You can't create new retainers — … in creator payouts is overdue": a retainer payout is overdue. Pay the overdue retainer payouts, and the lock lifts. See Paying creators.
A creator's box is grayed out, "Payment already in the cart or in progress": finish the payment waiting in Payout, or wait until it has gone through.
N/A, "Creator must link account to receive payment": the creator hasn't linked their account in the Euka creator app yet.
"Enter an amount above $0 for every creator before adding to the cart.": give each creator in the cart an amount.
"Cannot delete: … creator(s) assigned": a period with creators in it can't be deleted.

FAQs

Can I pay a creator twice for the same period?

Yes, once the first payment has gone through. The cart shows what you paid before and suggests the rest of what they've earned.

Where do I choose the products for a retainer?

You choose them per period, in Periods. Use the edit icon on a period, or pick them when you click Add Period. The first period starts with all your products.

Does the creator have to sign the contract before the period starts?

No. The period starts when they accept the offer, and the contract is sent then. Its status shows in the Contract column of Periods.

How do creators get paid? Do they still need PayPal?

No. What you pay through Euka goes to the creator's balance in the Euka creator app, and they withdraw it through Stripe. PayPal payouts have been discontinued.

Can creators on a retainer join my contests too?

Yes, unless you turn on Contest Exclusivity. Then they can't join your contests that overlap their accepted periods.