Guide
What a marketing agency retainer buys at three price points
What agencies publish about their monthly retainers for paid ads, social and SEO under $1,000, from $1,000 to $3,000, and above $3,000, and what the fee leaves out.
Published
Under $1,000 a month buys a template package on one channel. $1,000 to $3,000 buys more volume and some strategy. Above $3,000 you are buying people’s time across several channels. Ad spend comes on top almost everywhere, and the first month often costs extra.
These are the packages agencies publish on their own pricing pages, each with its source and the date we read it. None of it is a rating, and none of these agencies has a case file here yet.
Under $1,000 a month
At this level, packages are templates with hard caps.
- Paid ads: one or two ad networks with a capped number of campaigns and keywords. LYFE Marketing’s Good plan, for example, covers up to 3 campaigns and 21 keywords. G3 Group’s plans are pitched at businesses spending less than $5,000 a month on ads.
- Social: image posts on two platforms. LYFE Marketing’s Starter plan is 12 posts a month on Facebook and Instagram.
- SEO: business listings and basic on-page work, such as Boostability’s Local Search Starter.
Watch the extras. WebFX’s Lite paid-ads plan is $750/month, but the first month carries a $1,200 first-month optimization fee. LYFE Marketing lists a $300 account setup fee and an initial contract term of 3 months.
| Service | Company and package | Price | What the page says it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid ads | G3 GroupStarterResearched, not hired | $199/monthSetup: none (limited-time offer) | One ad network, for click budgets up to $1,000 a month; setup, keyword research, ad copy, conversion tracking, dedicated manager, performance dashboardSource, read |
| Paid ads | G3 GroupGrowthResearched, not hired | $349/monthSetup: none (limited-time offer) | Up to 2 networks, for click budgets up to $2,500 a month; same core inclusions as StarterSource, read |
| Paid ads | G3 GroupProfessionalResearched, not hired | $499/monthSetup: none (limited-time offer) | Up to 2 networks, for click budgets up to $5,000 a month; same core inclusions as StarterSource, read |
| Paid ads | LYFE MarketingGood PlanResearched, not hired | $500/monthSetup: $300 account setup (waivable on a call) | Ad targeting, ad creation and bid management; Google Search and Display, up to 3 campaigns and 21 keywordsSource, read |
| Paid ads | Thrive Internet Marketing AgencyPPC management (starting fee)Researched, not hired | From $500/month | Foundational single-channel campaigns at the starting fee; scales with complexity and channelsSource, read |
| Paid ads | Digital Shift MediaFacebook Ads (up to 7 campaigns)Researched, not hired | $699/monthSetup: none | Facebook and Instagram ads, up to 7 campaigns, multi-variant testing, new ad copy and creative, lead ads integration, email dripSource, read |
| Paid ads | WebFXLiteResearched, not hired | $750/monthSetup: $1,200 first-month optimization fee | Google and Bing PPC plus ChatGPT and Yelp advertising, up to 2,000 keywords, up to two consultations a month, monthly reportingSource, read |
| Paid ads | LYFE MarketingBetter PlanResearched, not hired | $800/monthSetup: $300 account setup (waivable on a call) | Ad targeting, ad creation and bid management; up to 6 campaigns and 42 keywordsSource, read |
| Paid ads | WebFXProResearched, not hired | $975/month or 15% of ad spend, whichever is higherSetup: $2,250 first-month optimization fee | Lite networks plus Google Local Services Ads, up to 10,000 keywords, shared call-tracking pool, a display ad setSource, read |
| Paid ads | Digital Shift MediaFacebook Ads (up to 9 campaigns)Researched, not hired | $999/monthSetup: none | Same as the $699 tier with up to 9 campaignsSource, read |
| Social media | LYFE MarketingStarter PlanResearched, not hired | $750/monthSetup: none | Image posts on Facebook and Instagram, 12 posts a month, page monitoring and replies, sponsored posts and follower adsSource, read |
| SEO | BoostabilitySEO ListingsResearched, not hired | From $49/month | Business listings cleanup and management, duplicate removal, performance dashboard, call and click tracking; extra locations $49 eachSource, read |
| SEO | BoostabilityLocal Search StarterResearched, not hired | From $299/month | Listings plan plus website audit, on-page optimization, Google Analytics, Search Console and Business Profile setup, rank tracking and monthly reportsSource, read |
| SEO | Thrive Internet Marketing AgencySmall Businesses (SEO pricing by business size)Researched, not hired | From $500/month | Local SEO, content creation, on-page optimization, foundational link building, technical fixesSource, read |
| SEO | BoostabilityProfessional SearchResearched, not hired | From $600/month | Multi-location SEO, more keywords and locations, blog content, backlinks; scales up to $3,600 a month. The same page's FAQ says Professional plans start at $1,200 a monthSource, read |
$1,000 to $3,000 a month
More posts on more platforms, video instead of images, and SEO that includes content and links.
- Social: SmartSites’ 8-post package covers up to four platforms and includes $250 of post boosting and 2 hours of engagement. LYFE Marketing’s Growth and Scale plans switch to vertical video on Instagram and TikTok.
- SEO: content, link building and technical fixes, sold month to month by Digitaleer (with 30 days’ notice) and OuterBox. SmartSites prices SEO by time: its starting price is a minimum of 40 hours at $65 an hour.
| Service | Company and package | Price | What the page says it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid ads | LYFE MarketingBest PlanResearched, not hired | $1,400/monthSetup: $300 account setup (waivable on a call) | Ad targeting, ad creation and bid management; up to 9 campaigns and 63 keywordsSource, read |
| Paid ads | Digital Shift MediaFacebook Ads (up to 15 campaigns)Researched, not hired | $1,499/monthSetup: none | Same as the $699 tier with up to 15 campaignsSource, read |
| Social media | Digital Shift MediaSocial media management (starting price)Researched, not hired | From $1,000/month | Custom package of image posts on the channels chosen for youSource, read |
| Social media | LYFE MarketingGrowth PlanResearched, not hired | $1,350/monthSetup: none | Vertical videos on Instagram and TikTok, 12 posts a month, page monitoring and replies, sponsored posts and follower adsSource, read |
| Social media | LYFE MarketingScale PlanResearched, not hired | $1,550/monthSetup: none | Vertical videos on Instagram and TikTok, 20 posts a month, page monitoring and replies, sponsored posts and follower adsSource, read |
| Social media | SmartSites8-post packageResearched, not hired | $1,700/monthSetup: free | 8 posts a month on up to four platforms, $250 of post boosting, 2 hours of engagementSource, read |
| Social media | PerceptureLaunchResearched, not hired | $2,500/month | 1 channel, 8 posts a month, content calendar, copywriting, publishing, monthly reporting dashboard, monthly strategy callSource, read |
| Social media | SmartSites16-post packageResearched, not hired | $2,750/monthSetup: free | 16 posts a month on up to four platforms, $500 of post boosting, 4 hours of engagementSource, read |
| SEO | DigitaleerStarterResearched, not hired | $1,500/monthSetup: none | Technical audit, core keyword research, competitor snapshot, on-page optimization of priority pages, internal linking, Search Console and Analytics review, roadmapSource, read |
| SEO | OuterBoxEssentialsResearched, not hired | $2,000/month | Keyword research, analytics and conversion tracking setup, on-page and technical SEO, link building, blog and service-page content, monthly reportingSource, read |
| SEO | DigitaleerGrowthResearched, not hired | $2,500/monthSetup: none | Starter plus keyword and intent mapping, content strategy and monthly content, local SEO and Google Business Profile, link development, conversion-focused page changesSource, read |
| SEO | SmartSitesSEO (starting price)Researched, not hired | From $2,600/monthSetup: free | Minimum of 40 hours a month at $65 an hour; scope set by market, competition and number of locationsSource, read |
$3,000 a month and up
Here the fee buys a team’s time across several channels, regular strategy calls, and pricing that grows with your ad spend.
- Paid ads: WebFX’s Enterprise plan is $4,500/month or 12% of ad spend, whichever is greater, for ad spend above $30,000 a month.
- Social: Percepture’s packages go from 2 channels and 12 posts a month to 3 channels and 20 posts with community management.
- Full-funnel: NinjaPromo sells hours outright. Its Starter plan is 40 hours at $100 an hour; its Scale plan is 160 hours at $80 an hour.
| Service | Company and package | Price | What the page says it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid ads | WebFXEnterpriseResearched, not hired | $4,500/month or 12% of ad spend, whichever is greaterSetup: $5,800 first-month optimization fee | Pro inclusions plus a 15-second CTV ad and a CTV ad setSource, read |
| Social media | WebFXSocial Media ManagementResearched, not hired | From $3,150/month | Post creation, custom graphics, social branding, account manager, audit, engagement and ROI reportingSource, read |
| Social media | PerceptureGrowthResearched, not hired | $4,000/month | 2 channels, 12 posts a month, content calendar, copywriting, light community management, monthly reporting and strategy callSource, read |
| Social media | SmartSites24-post packageResearched, not hired | $4,000/monthSetup: free | 24 posts a month on up to four platforms, $750 of post boosting, 12 hours of engagementSource, read |
| Social media | PerceptureAuthorityResearched, not hired | $6,500/month | 3 channels, 20 posts a month, community management, monthly reporting dashboard, bi-weekly strategy callsSource, read |
| Social media | PerceptureEnterpriseResearched, not hired | From $10,000/month | Custom channels, post volume, reporting and deliverablesSource, read |
| SEO | OuterBoxProResearched, not hired | $3,000/month | Essentials plus national keyword strategy, content optimization, expanded link building and digital PR, advanced technical SEO, AI search visibilitySource, read |
| SEO | DigitaleerPremiumResearched, not hired | $5,000/monthSetup: none | Growth plus topical authority work, multi-location SEO, digital PR and link building, content production, CRO, monthly strategy callSource, read |
| SEO | OuterBoxEnterpriseResearched, not hired | $7,000+/month | Pro plus AI search readiness, multi-site and multi-brand management, enterprise dashboards, canonical management, scaled content and technical change managementSource, read |
| Full-funnel | NinjaPromoStarterResearched, not hired | $4,000/month | 40 hours a month at $100/hr; 1-2 core services plus supportive and ad-hoc work; PM, CSM and team leadsSource, read |
| Full-funnel | NinjaPromoGrowthResearched, not hired | $7,200/month | 80 hours a month at $90/hr; 2-3 core services plus supportive and ad-hoc work; strategist on requestSource, read |
| Full-funnel | NinjaPromoScaleResearched, not hired | $12,800/month | 160 hours a month at $80/hr; 3-5 core services plus supportive and ad-hoc work; strategist and CMO on requestSource, read |
| Full-funnel | NinjaPromoEnterpriseResearched, not hired | $20,000–$100,000/month | 400+ hours a month at $50/hr; 5+ core services plus supportive and ad-hoc work; embedded CMO and strategistSource, read |
What the retainer leaves out
- Ad spend. LYFE Marketing says plainly that its PPC fee does not include your ad spend. WebFX lists ad spend as paid to the networks, separately from its fee.
- The first month. WebFX charges a first-month “initial optimization” fee on every paid-ads plan, from $1,200 on Lite to $5,800 on Enterprise.
- Fees that grow with spend. WebFX’s Pro plan is $975/month or 15% of ad spend, whichever is higher, for ad spend from $5,000 to $30,000 a month.
- Commitment. Terms run from month to month (Digitaleer, OuterBox SEO) to an initial 3 months (LYFE Marketing PPC). NinjaPromo shows billing for 3 months, or 6 and 12 months at a discount.
Before you sign, ask the 12 questions and write down when you would fire the agency: the number you’re paying for, and the date it should show up by. Every published retainer, sorted by service, is in the price index.
Questions
Is a more expensive retainer better?
Not by itself. A higher fee buys more volume, more channels or more hours. Whether those turn into results is what a case file measures, not the price tag.
Is ad spend included in the retainer?
Usually not. Most packages here charge the management fee on top of what you pay Google, Meta or TikTok. A few social packages include a small boosting budget, and the table says so.
Why do some agencies charge a percentage of ad spend?
Because managing a bigger budget takes more work, or so the pricing goes. Check where the percentage starts and whether there’s a cap, so your fee doesn’t jump just because a campaign works.
Sources
- WebFX pricingread
- WebFX pricingread
- Thrive Internet Marketing Agency pricingread
- Thrive Internet Marketing Agency pricingread
- NinjaPromo pricingread
- SmartSites pricingread
- SmartSites pricingread
- OuterBox pricingread
- LYFE Marketing pricingread
- LYFE Marketing pricingread
- Digital Shift Media pricingread
- Digital Shift Media pricingread
- Digitaleer pricingread
- Percepture pricingread
- G3 Group pricingread
- Boostability pricingread
Update log
- Published.