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Estimate your digital marketing agency costs. See pricing for SEO, Google Ads, content, and social media.
This helps determine the typical agency tier and associated costs.
Default: $500K - $5M
Includes local SEO, on-page optimization, and technical SEO. Costs typically $1K-$10K/month.
Default: True
Professional management of your paid search campaigns. PPC management typically costs $800-$5K/month or 10-20% of ad spend.
Default: True
This is the budget you'll spend directly on ads, separate from agency fees. Creative for $50K-$150K ad spend is $8K-$12K/month.
Default: 2000
Creation of valuable content to attract and engage your audience. Content marketing typically costs $2K-$8K/month.
Default: False
Management of your social media profiles and engagement. Social media services typically cost $500-$5K/month.
Default: False
Design and production of visual assets for ads and content. Creative services typically cost $5K-$15K/month.
Default: False
This calculator estimates your monthly marketing agency costs by combining typical industry ranges for each service you select. For SEO, we use a range of $1,000-$10,000/month. For Google Ads management, we factor in either a flat fee of $800-$5,000/month or 10-20% of your monthly ad spend, whichever is higher, based on typical agency models. Content marketing is estimated at $2,000-$8,000/month, and social media management at $500-$5,000/month. Creative services add $5,000-$15,000/month.
A local business with $1M in revenue needs core SEO and basic Google Ads management to get started.
$3,000 - $8,000/month
For a business in this revenue tier, needing core SEO ($1K-$10K) and basic PPC management (10-20% of $2K ad spend = $200-$400, or a flat fee of $800-$5K, so we'd use the higher flat fee range), the combined cost falls into the typical small business agency tier.
A growing medical practice with $10M revenue needs SEO, PPC with a substantial ad budget, and ongoing content marketing.
$10,000 - $25,000/month
A mid-market medical practice needs substantial SEO, PPC for a $10K ad spend (10-20% = $1K-$2K, plus flat fee $800-$5K, so we take higher of the range), and content marketing. This puts them squarely in the mid-market agency pricing tier ($7,500-$25,000), reflecting the increased scope and
A professional services firm with $15M revenue seeking a thorough full-stack approach including SEO, PPC, content, social, and creative.
$25,000 - $50,000/month
A professional services firm seeking a full-stack approach across all channels, including significant ad spend and creative, will require a higher-tier agency. This aligns with the upper end of mid-market to lower end of enterprise pricing, where thorough services and higher ad spend
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See your real numbersThis calculator's estimates are based on current industry data from sources like Clutch and various marketing industry reports (2026 data). It reflects average monthly retainer ranges for specific services and different business tiers.
Agencies primarily charge through monthly retainers, which can range from $1,000 for single services up to $25,000 for more specialized work, or even $20,000-$75,000 for full-stack solutions. Some also use project-based fees for specific campaigns, often between $5,000-$50,000+. Hourly rates are less common for ongoing services but can range from $75-$400+ for specialized tasks.
Several factors affect agency costs. These include the scope of services (e.g., SEO, PPC, content), your monthly ad spend (for paid media management), the complexity of your industry, your business's revenue tier (small business vs. mid-market), and the agency's location and expertise. Thorough, full-service packages naturally cost more than single-service engagements.
For many businesses, an agency is more cost-effective. An in-house team with a media manager and creative staff could cost around $533,000 annually, including salaries, benefits, and tools. An equivalent agency retainer might be closer to $312,000 annually. Agencies bring diverse expertise and scale that's hard to replicate with a small internal team, especially for businesses with $500K-$5M in revenue.
For businesses with under $2 million in revenue, a realistic monthly budget for marketing agency services typically falls in the $2,500-$7,500 range. This can cover essential services like SEO and basic Google Ads management. Your specific needs will dictate the exact figure, but this provides a good starting point for local business owners.
Google Ads management typically costs $800-$5,000 per month. Alternatively, many agencies charge a percentage of your monthly ad spend, usually between 10-20%. For example, if you're spending $10,000 on ads, the agency fee could be $1,000-$2,000. It's important to clarify if creative services for ads are included, as those can add another $8,000-$12,000/month for significant ad spend budgets.
Smart businesses combine SEO and Google Ads because they offer different, complementary benefits. Google Ads provides immediate visibility and traffic, delivering pipeline quickly. SEO builds long-term, compounding organic authority and traffic, reducing your reliance on paid channels over time. Together, they create a compound marketing engine that delivers both short-term results and sustainable growth, rather than forcing you to pick one or the other.
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