Social media management is one of the hardest services to price-check, because two providers can both say “we manage your social” and mean anything from three scheduled posts a week to a full production team. This breakdown uses published pricing guides to show what small businesses typically pay, what each level includes, and where the money goes.
The short answer
Most guides put social media management at roughly $500 to $5,000 per month, with a wider tail from about $100 at the bottom to $10,000 and up for large programs. Freelancers cluster lower, agencies higher, and anything that includes paid ads or original video production sits at the top of the range.
Where marketers spend on social media management
Share of surveyed marketers paying in each monthly band, by provider type. From WebFX’s pricing survey.
- $100–$1,000 a month
- Agency 20% · Freelancer 28%
- $1,001–$5,000 a month
- Agency 25% · Freelancer 31%
- $5,001–$10,000 a month
- Agency 16% · Freelancer 26%
Source: WebFX social media pricing guide. Bands under $100 a month (about 5% of agency spend) are not shown; shares do not sum to 100% because some marketers fall outside these bands.
What you get at each level
| Level | Typical monthly range | What it usually includes |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer, part-time | $500–$1,500 | Scheduling and posting on one or two platforms, light community replies and a monthly report. |
| Small agency package | $1,000–$3,000 | Content planning, custom graphics, posting on two to three platforms, engagement and basic reporting. |
| Full-service program | $3,000–$5,000+ | Strategy, regular video or photo production, community management, reporting and often paid support. |
| Paid social on top | $650–$6,000+ | Ad creation and campaign management. The ad budget itself is separate and is commonly cited as $2,500 a month or more per network. |
Hourly and per-post pricing
Agencies bill $35 to $150 per hour in published guides. Freelancers most often charge $21 to $50 per hour, with senior specialists reaching $150. Content is sometimes priced per piece instead: roughly $40 to $150 per post and $25 to $500 for a creator’s post or video depending on format and audience.
What pushes the price up
- Number of platforms. Each network needs its own formats, so three platforms cost more than one.
- Video. Reels, TikToks and Shorts are the most effective format on most channels and the most expensive to produce.
- Posting frequency. Daily posting and stories multiply the work.
- Community management. Replying to comments and messages in hours instead of days is a real cost.
- On-site production. Shoot days, equipment and editing are the difference between a $1,000 and a $3,000 package.
- Paid ads. Management fees and media spend are separate line items.
Questions to ask before you sign
- How many pieces per month, exactly? Posts, carousels, videos and stories, with numbers.
- Who owns the accounts? The accounts, followers and content should stay yours if you leave.
- How is success reported? Reach and followers are easy to inflate; ask about saves, shares, clicks and leads.
- What is not included? Shoot days, extra revisions and ad spend are the usual surprises.
- Is there a contract lock-in? Month-to-month terms are common and reasonable.
How we price it
We publish our social package instead of hiding it: an all-in program at $700 a month covering short-form video, posts and carousels, stories, two in-person production days per month and community management on Instagram and TikTok, with extra shoot days or special productions quoted separately. You can see the full list on our social media management page. If you would like a recommendation for your business, talk to us, or compare with our SEO pricing guide.
Sources: WebFX and Sprout Social, reviewed in September 2026. Providers change their prices, so use these as ranges to test against real quotes.
Related reading
Share this article