Agency pricing is one of the least transparent corners of marketing. This report lays out what agencies actually charge by rate, role, service and pricing model, including our own rate card, so buyers can compare offers on equal terms and agencies can benchmark themselves. Ranges are US-dollar figures for English-speaking markets; adjust for region and specialization.
| Provider type | North America | Western Europe and UK | Asia-Pacific and Latin America |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer or solo consultant | $50–$150 | $40–$120 | $20–$70 |
| Boutique agency (2–10 people) | $100–$200 | $80–$170 | $35–$100 |
| Mid-size agency (10–50) | $150–$250 | $120–$220 | $50–$140 |
| Large or network agency (50+) | $200–$400+ | $170–$350+ | $80–$200 |
| Specialist consultancy (strategy, fractional CMO) | $250–$600 | $200–$500 | $100–$300 |
Most agency work is a blend of roles; a transparent rate card shows which ones you are paying for.
| Role | Typical hourly rate | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Coordinator or administrator | $40–$80 | Scheduling, reporting support, outreach execution, data entry |
| Specialist (SEO, ads, content, PR associate) | $75–$150 | Hands-on execution and optimization |
| Senior specialist or account manager | $120–$200 | Owns a channel or account, client communication |
| Strategist or creative director | $150–$275 | Planning, positioning, creative direction |
| Director or head of practice | $200–$350 | Cross-channel strategy, escalation, quality |
| C-level advisor or fractional executive | $300–$600+ | Board-level marketing, fundraising and go-to-market counsel |
| Service | Small business | Mid-market | Enterprise | Common structure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEO (including AEO and AI visibility) | $1,000–$3,000 | $3,000–$10,000 | $10,000–$50,000+ | Flat monthly; deliverables by tier |
| Paid advertising management | $1,000–$2,500 or 15–20% of spend | $2,500–$10,000 or 10–15% of spend | $10,000+ or 5–10% of spend | Minimum fee plus percentage of spend |
| Digital PR and media relations | $1,000–$3,000 | $3,000–$12,000 | $12,000–$30,000+ | Retainer, or pay-per-placement |
| Influencer and creator marketing | $1,500–$3,000 + creator fees | $3,000–$15,000 + creator fees | $15,000+ + creator fees | Management fee plus pass-through creator costs (or 15–25% of creator spend) |
| Lead generation and outbound | $1,500–$3,000 | $3,000–$10,000 | $10,000+ | Retainer; sometimes per qualified meeting ($200–$1,500 each) |
| Capital advisory and investor relations | $2,000–$5,000 | $5,000–$15,000 | $15,000+ | Retainer; regulated success fees only through licensed broker-dealers in the US |
| Content marketing | $1,500–$4,000 | $4,000–$12,000 | $12,000+ | Per-asset or monthly bundle |
| Social media management | $1,000–$3,000 | $3,000–$8,000 | $8,000+ | Platforms and posting frequency |
| Fractional CMO | $3,000–$6,000 | $6,000–$15,000 | $15,000+ | Days per month |
| Project | Typical range |
|---|---|
| SEO or AI-visibility audit | $1,500–$10,000 |
| Brand strategy and positioning | $5,000–$50,000 |
| Website (marketing site) | $5,000–$75,000+ |
| Go-to-market plan | $5,000–$30,000 |
| Investor deck and narrative | $2,500–$15,000 |
| Data study or research report for PR | $5,000–$30,000 |
| Creator campaign (one-off, management only) | $3,000–$25,000 |
| Researched contact or investor list | $300–$5,000 |
| Model | Pros | Cons | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | Transparent, flexible, easy to audit | Rewards time, not results; unpredictable bills | Advisory, ad hoc work |
| Monthly retainer | Predictable, builds continuity | Scope creep in both directions | Always-on channels (SEO, PR, ads) |
| Project or fixed fee | Clear scope and price | Change orders; less iteration | Audits, launches, builds |
| Percentage of spend | Scales with activity | Incentive to spend more | Large ad budgets |
| Performance or pay-per-result | Aligned incentives | Few providers; higher unit prices; scope limits | Placements, qualified meetings, placements |
| Productized plans with self-serve checkout | Transparent, fast to start, comparable across providers | Less customization | Companies that want to start this week |
Compare the fully loaded cost of hiring against a retainer.
Current plans: Marketing services and pricing.
Small businesses typically pay $1,000–$5,000 per month per service; mid-market companies $5,000–$25,000; enterprises more. Media, creator and placement costs are usually additional.
It works at scale, when 10–15% of a large budget covers real work, but on small budgets a flat minimum fee is clearer and avoids the incentive to overspend.
A list of roles with rates and a monthly estimate of hours per role for your plan. If a provider cannot produce one, you cannot compare their price with anyone else’s.
Search, press and outbound compound; the first month is mostly setup. Three months is the shortest period in which results can be judged fairly.
Crowdcreate. “What Marketing Agencies Charge: Hourly Rates, Retainers and Project Pricing.” crowdcreate.us, updated November 2026.
Every Crowdcreate service has published monthly plans, a rate card behind them and self-serve checkout.
See services and pricingBook a strategy call