The short version
- Doing it yourself costs about $41 to $60 a month in tools (an estimate), plus your time, which is the real expense.
- A freelancer runs about $500 to $1,500 a month and an agency about $1,000 to $3,000 or more a month (estimates).
- At $40 an hour, 10 hours a week of your time is about $1,600 a month (an estimate).
- The cheapest option on paper isn't always the cheapest once your hours are counted.
You know you should post, and you're trying to work out what it costs to have someone else do it. Prices online are all over the map, and most pages hide the numbers.
Here's a plain look at how much social media management costs, with the ranges we've seen labeled as estimates. Prices as of November 2026.
The short answer: how much social media management costs
It depends on who does the work. Every option below is an estimate, and your quote may be higher or lower. Use the table to see where you land.
| Option | Monthly cost (estimate) | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself with tools | About $41 to $60 in tools, plus your time | About 10 or more hours a week (an estimate) |
| Freelancer | About $500 to $1,500 | A few hours a month for approvals and photos |
| Agency | About $1,000 to $3,000 or more | A few hours a month, and some meetings |
| A tool that writes and posts for you | From $0 on a free plan. Pro is $49 a month. | Minutes a week to approve posts |
Doing it yourself: cheap tools, expensive hours
Most DIY setups stack 3 tools. None are required, but this is the common pattern.
| Tool for | Example | Cost (estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Writing | ChatGPT Plus | About $20 a month |
| Graphics | Canva Pro | About $15 a month |
| Scheduling | Buffer or Later | About $6 to $25 a month |
| Total | All 3 | About $41 to $60 a month |
The tools are cheap. The hours aren't. Doing the work by hand is often 10 or more hours a week (an estimate), and we break that down in how many hours a week social media takes.
What your own time is worth
If you bill $40 an hour, 10 hours a week is about $400 a week, or roughly $1,600 a month at the low end. That's an estimate, and your rate may be higher. Swap in your own number.
- Take your hourly rate or what you'd earn on a job.
- Multiply by the hours you spend on posts each week.
- Multiply by 4 for a monthly number.
- Compare it to the quotes below.
Not everyone loses billable hours to posting. If you do it at night, the cost is your evening, which counts too.
Hiring a freelancer or an agency
A freelancer is often one person who plans, writes and posts for you. An agency is a team with more services. Both can be a good fit, and the right one saves you hours.
| Freelancer | Agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost (estimate) | About $500 to $1,500 a month | About $1,000 to $3,000 or more a month |
| Best for | A steady, personal touch | More services, like ads and video |
| Watch for | One person's availability | Contracts and add-on fees |
Our full comparison is in social media manager vs agency vs DIY, including questions to ask before you sign.
A tool that writes and posts for you
A third kind of option is software that plans, writes and posts without a person on the other end. It sits between DIY and hiring, in both price and effort.
A tool can't take your photos or answer your messages. If you want a person to know your shop, hire one. If you want your page to keep showing up, a tool can cover the routine. Ad spend is separate, and whether boosting a Facebook post is worth it explains why.
How to choose without overpaying
Count your hours
Track how long posting takes for 2 weeks. Many owners find it's more than they guessed.
Set a monthly budget
Decide the most you'd spend, tools and help together.
Match the option to the gap
No time? Hire or automate. Plenty of time? Use a scheduler and our guide on how to batch social media posts.
Ask what's included
Posts per week, photos, replies, contract length.
Try before you commit
Ask for a trial month or a short contract where you can.
Not sure it's worth any of this? Read is social media worth it for a small business first.