how much social media management costs, and what you get.

In published market data, a monthly social media retainer for one business commonly lands from about $2,000 to about $5,000 a month. The spread comes mostly from scope: how many channels, how many posts, whether there is video, how many hours go to community replies, and whether ads are included. It depends less on who you hire. Price the scope first, then the provider.

what the market data says

Three sources give a useful picture. Each measures something different, so they should not be read as one number.

Source	What it measures	Figure
HeyOrca, 2024 pricing report	Average monthly retainer from 100+ agency and freelance social media managers, for a defined scope	$2,107.14 a month
Clutch	Average monthly cost from verified client reviews of social media marketing agencies	$5,107.28 a month
YunoJuno	Average freelance day rate for social media managers, from its freelance network (UK)	£326 a day

HeyOrca published its report on 28 May 2024. Its $2,107.14 figure is for a stated scope: LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for one client, 3 client-approved posts per platform per week, 5 to 10 hours of community management a week, and in-depth reporting. It also split agency retainers by how long the agency has operated: $1,833 for agencies 1 to 3 years old, $2,000 for 4 to 6 years, and $2,278 for 7 years or more. Freelancers with 7 or more years of experience averaged $2,765. The average hourly rate across all respondents was $66.96.

Clutch compiles its figures from verified client reviews, and its page was updated on 21 September 2026. It reports a typical engagement of 12 months, and most reviewed projects costing under $10,000 in total. Hourly rates there are commonly $25 to $49. Clutch’s reviews span agencies worldwide, which likely explains the low hourly band. Its “social media marketing” category can also include paid campaigns, so its monthly average may cover more than management alone.

YunoJuno’s figure comes from bookings in its freelance network, on a page dated 2026. It is a day rate, not a retainer, and it is most useful for UK readers weighing a freelancer against an agency.

why the numbers differ

The sources disagree because they count different things. HeyOrca prices one fixed scope. Clutch averages whatever clients reviewed, from small jobs to larger campaigns. YunoJuno measures a day of freelance work, not a month of output. “Management” itself is loose: for one provider it means scheduling, for another it means strategy, content creation, replies and reporting. Whether ads and video are inside the fee changes the total more than anything else.

what drives the price

• Number of channels. Each channel needs its own formats, tone and upkeep.
• Posts per month. More posts mean more planning, writing and design.
• Who creates the content. Writing captions, designing visuals and editing short video costs more than reposting material you already have.
• Video and on-location shoots. These are often quoted separately from the monthly fee.
• Community management. Replying to comments and messages takes hours, and a faster promised response time costs more.
• Paid social management. The fee covers the work of running ads. The ad spend is separate, and it should run on your own ad account.
• Reporting depth. A one-page summary and a full analysis are different jobs.
• Strategy and audit. Choosing channels and setting direction up front is extra work.
• Contract length. Longer terms can lower the monthly price, in return for less freedom to leave.

what should be included in a retainer

A retainer should state these in writing:

• A content calendar, shared ahead of time so you can approve posts before they go live.
• An agreed number of posts across agreed channels.
• Captions, visuals and short video edits, not scheduling alone.
• Community replies within a stated time.
• A monthly report on measures that matter. Our guide to follower count vs reach explains which ones.
• Ownership of the accounts staying with you, with you holding the admin access.

what is usually extra

Several costs sit outside most retainers:

• Photo and video shoots.
• Influencer or creator fees.
• Ad spend.
• Paid tools, such as stock libraries or scheduling software.
• Large video productions.
• Launching a new channel.

None of these is unreasonable. The problem is finding out late. Ask for this in writing, with a price or a rate for each, before you sign.

how to compare quotes

Put every quote on the same scope. List the same line items for each one: channels, posts a month, video, community hours and reporting, and fill in each provider’s answer. A quote that leaves a line blank has not answered yet.

Then ask what is excluded. The excluded list is where cheap quotes get their price.

Compare minimum terms next. A lower monthly fee with a long lock-in is not cheaper if the work disappoints. Our piece on retainer vs commission covers how terms and risk trade off.

Be wary of very cheap packages. If the offer is scheduling only, or the same templates reused across clients, you are paying for a tool you could run yourself.

what we include

Brellix’s social media management includes:

• A content calendar one week ahead.
• 15 posts a month across agreed channels.
• Captions, visuals and short video edits, made from material you send us.
• Community replies within one working day.
• A one-page monthly report.
• Paid boosts run on your ad account, so the spend stays yours.
• Channels chosen in an audit, not assumed.

On-location photo and video shoots are quoted separately. The work is the same in every plan; the plans differ only in how you pay for it. See our plans for the three options.

If you want this scope handled for you, read about our social media management service.