The subcontract system entailed the risk of having to make payments fixed by contracts to manorial lords and imperial officials even in poor crop years, but the amounts of crops exceeding fixed payments were treated as land stewards' private income, which often brought them considerable benefits.
地頭請は、不作の年でも約束額を領主・国司へ納入するといったリスクを負ってはいたが、一定額の年貢の他は自由収入とすることができたため、地頭にとって多大な利益をもたらすことが多かった。