CreeplessScope creep calculator
What does scope creep cost you?
Small “can you just” requests rarely feel worth billing. Added up across clients and months, they are often a full salary. Move the sliders to see your number.
The math is simple. The hours aren't.
Yearly cost = active clients × unbilled extra hours per client per month × hourly rate × 12. For example, 8 clients each taking 3 unbilled hours a month at $75 an hour is $1,800 a month, or $21,600 a year.
The number that matters is the hours, and it is usually higher than people guess, because quick tweaks are rarely logged. Creepless tracks every request, so the figure stops being an estimate.
Scope creep costs, answered.
How do you calculate the cost of scope creep?
Multiply the unbilled extra hours each client takes per month by your hourly rate, then by the number of clients. Multiply by 12 for the yearly figure. The hard part is the hours: most agencies underestimate them because small requests are never logged.
How do I find my unbilled hours?
For two weeks, note every request that wasn't in the client's agreement and how long it took. Even 15-minute tweaks count. Divide by the number of clients and double it for a month.
What counts as scope creep?
Any work a client asks for that their agreement doesn't cover: extra pages, revision rounds past the limit, new channels, new features or rush turnarounds, when it is done without a new quote.
How do I stop scope creep without losing clients?
Agree what is included in writing, give clients one place to send requests, and reply to extras quickly with a clear price. Clients usually accept a fair quote; what damages trust is a surprise invoice or silent resentment.
See how it applies to your work: scope creep by agency type.