Should I include the pricing of client-managed accounts (like NAND) in my fees, or treat it as an additional expense for the client?
I recommend treating those costs as an additional expense for the client. Add a line item on your pricing table labeled 'pass-through fees' or 'platform fees' to make it clear you don't retain any of that money. This is the simplest way to start and also protects you from liability—if you ever offer a guarantee tied to results, the client pays you only if you deliver, otherwise they get a refund. Conceptually separating the fees this way keeps things clean. I agree with Mr. Gfar that the client should manage their own accounts. Regarding which platform to use—Make or NAD—pick the one you're most comfortable with; there's no need to have clients set up both, as each platform can do what the other does.
You don’t actually take their payment details or sign up to the platform yourself. The client enters their payment information directly into the platform, so you never have access to their credit card. In practice there’s very little risk: the client can always get a refund if you upgrade their plan without notifying them, and you can check the logs to see who accessed the account. As a beginner you don’t need to charge clients large monthly fees; the subscription cost is usually only about 1% of the total problem you’re solving for them, so it’s not a big deal.
Honestly, there’s a lot of math you can do, but often you just go with your gut. For instance you might decide to charge $2,500 instead of $2,300 and see what happens. Also, avoid round numbers – don’t charge exactly $3,000; use something like $2,945 to make it feel thought‑out. When delivering pricing, estimate the value you provide and take a percentage of that: up to about 30% of revenue or up to 50% of profit. For example, if your system generates $10,000 a month for a client, you could charge up to $3,000 a month to manage it, or a one‑time $3,000 if it generates $10,000 once. If it saves the client money, you could charge up to 50% of the savings. These are rough guidelines, not strict rules.
Requiring clients to create their own Make (or NADN) account and granting you access is non‑negotiable. It simplifies handoffs, speeds up onboarding, and reduces liability because you avoid persistent recurring costs on your side. You can also add affiliate links to boost margins by 3‑5%. I’ve tried pass‑through billing, but managing everything on the client’s account is more transparent and avoids the dark‑pattern risk of owning their business infrastructure.
Look at it from the customer’s perspective. If you’re delivering, say, $4,500 worth of value each month, you can charge a multiple of that amount. In B2B you typically charge a percentage of the revenue you generate for the client—about 30 % of top‑line revenue and, for bottom‑line improvements, up to 50 % of the margin you save them. In your specific case the $400 a month is a cost you’re passing on, so I recommend not adding extra liabilities. Have the client pay for the ongoing costs directly—charge a setup fee for the cold‑email domains and let the client cover the monthly expense. You can then charge a monthly retainer, a percentage of revenue, or any other model you prefer. For more detail on the many pricing models, check out my previous video where I break down about 80 different ways to price a service.