Search for social media management cost and you will mostly find ranges — a thousand to five thousand a month, or five hundred to fifteen thousand depending who you ask. Ranges that wide are not pricing. They are a way of avoiding the question until you are on a call.
So here are real numbers, what separates one tier from another, and the costs that sit outside any retainer.
What the tiers actually buy
Our published pricing runs from $499 to $3,999 a month, and the differences are worth understanding because they are the same differences most agencies price on.
- $499 — Starter. Up to two platforms, 12 posts and 4 reels a month, content calendar, caption writing, hashtag research, basic graphic design, 30 minutes a day of community management, and a monthly performance report.
- $999 — Growth. Up to four platforms, 20 posts and 8 videos, story creation, SEO-optimised captions, reputation management, competitor analysis, Google Business Profile management, and an hour a day of community management.
- $1,999 — Professional. Unlimited platforms, 30 premium posts and 12 videos, professional copywriting, executive LinkedIn branding, employee advocacy content, paid campaign management and lead generation strategy.
- From $3,999 — Enterprise. Daily posting, unlimited content strategy, video production planning, motion graphics, influencer campaign management, crisis communication support and funnel optimisation.
Prices are current at the time of writing; the social media management page is the authoritative version.
The three things that actually drive the price
Whoever you buy from, cost is set by the same three variables.
Platform count. Each platform is a different format, a different optimal length and a different audience. Four platforms is not twice the work of two, but it is not the same work either — and agencies that promise “all platforms” at an entry price are usually cross-posting identical content, which performs poorly everywhere.
Content volume and type. A written post and a produced video are not comparable units. Video is where budgets actually go, which is why tiers are usually split by video count rather than post count.
Community management. The line item people underestimate. Someone has to read and respond to comments and messages, and that is time, priced by the hour whether or not it is described that way. Thirty minutes a day versus an hour a day is a real difference in what your audience experiences.
What is usually not included
The retainer covers management. These are typically separate, and worth confirming before signing anywhere:
- Ad spend. Campaign management is a fee; the money going to the platform is yours and is additional. Any agency blurring this is worth questioning.
- Production beyond the content allowance — photography, drone work, longer video edits.
- One-off brand assets. Logo design and brand identity work are project costs, not monthly ones.
Our add-ons are published with prices rather than quoted on request — logo design at $250, brand identity kit at $500, video editing at $75 per video, product photography from $300. You can decide whether they are worth it without a call.
Two things that should not be extras
Website development and SEO are included with the retainer rather than sold as upgrades. That is a deliberate choice: social content driving traffic to a slow or unfindable site wastes the retainer, and charging separately to fix that is charging twice for one outcome.
Ask what happens when something goes wrong
Price is easy to compare and service level is not, which is why most agencies publish the first and not the second.
Ours is published: response within 24 business hours on Starter, 12 on Growth, 8 on Professional, 4 on Enterprise, with a shared account manager at entry level and a dedicated one from Growth upward. Whether or not you work with us, ask for those numbers in writing. An agency unwilling to commit to a response time is telling you how thinly the account will be staffed.
Is cheaper worse?
Not automatically — it depends on what you need. Two platforms posted well beats six posted carelessly, and a business that is not ready to produce video should not pay for a video allowance it will not use.
The failure mode at the low end is not quality, it is scope: buying a tier that cannot cover the platforms where your buyers actually are. Work out where those are first, then buy the smallest tier that covers them properly.
Common questions
How much should social media management cost per month?
For managed services, entry packages commonly start around $500 a month and full-service enterprise work runs several thousand. Our own tiers run $499 to $3,999. Anything materially below that range usually means scheduling only, with no strategy, community management or reporting attached.
Is ad spend included in social media management pricing?
Almost never, and you should assume it is not unless stated explicitly. The management fee pays the team; the ad spend goes to the platform and is billed separately. Ask any agency to separate the two in writing before signing.
What is the difference between a $499 and a $1,999 package?
Platform coverage, content volume and the amount of human attention. The entry tier covers two platforms with 12 posts and 30 minutes a day of community management. The higher tier covers unlimited platforms, 30 posts, 12 videos, paid campaign management and a lead generation strategy, with a faster response commitment.
Do I need a contract for social media management?
Most agencies work on a monthly retainer with a notice period. What matters more than the length is what happens at the end of it — confirm who owns the content produced, whether you keep access to the accounts and scheduling tools, and what is handed over if you leave.
See the full breakdown on our social media management page, or tell us which platforms matter and we will say which tier fits.
