Social media management prices in the UK
Social media management is priced in more ways than almost any other marketing service: by the hour, by the post, by the platform or by the month. Here's how to compare them.
→The short answer
Social media management in the UK typically costs £500–£1,500 a month, with posting-only packages from about £250 and agencies from around £800 to £3,000 or more. Freelancers charge roughly £25–£75 an hour. A full-time social media manager earns £25,000–£50,000 a year, before employer costs. Ad spend is extra.
(01)Market prices
Published figures, linked to their sources below.
What social media management costs in the UK
| Who does it | Typical cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Posting-only package | From about £250 a month | 1 |
| Most small businesses pay | £500–£1,500 a month | 1 |
| Freelancer | £25–£75 an hour | 1 |
| Agency | £800 to £3,000+ a month | 1 |
| In-house social media manager | £25,000–£50,000 a year in salary | 2 |
Market prices come from one UK studio's published research, and other sources quote different ranges. Salaries are the National Careers Service range, from starter to experienced. None of these include what you spend on adverts.
(02)What changes the price
Ask every provider the same questions, then compare.
What changes the price of social media management
How many platforms
Each platform has its own formats, sizes and habits. Two platforms done well usually beat five done thinly, and cost less.
How many posts
Ask for a number per month in writing. "Regular posting" can mean anything.
Who makes the content
Posting your own photos is quick. Designing graphics takes longer. Visiting to photograph or film your work costs the most, and is often priced separately.
Replies and messages
Answering comments and messages every day is a different job from posting, because someone has to be watching. Check whether it's included, and how quickly they reply.
Paid adverts
Running ads means a management fee on top of the ad spend itself, which is paid to the platform. Make sure a quote shows the two separately.
Reporting and strategy
A monthly report and a plan for the month ahead take time too. Without them you're paying for posts nobody has measured.
(03)A year's cost
Monthly prices look small. Here's what each one costs over twelve months.
In-house, freelancer or agency: the yearly maths
| Option | Yearly cost | How it's worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Posting-only package | From about £3,000 | £250 a month × 121 |
| Freelancer, 20 hours a month | £6,000–£18,000 | £25–£75 an hour × 20 hours × 121 |
| Agency | £9,600 to £36,000+ | £800 to £3,000+ a month × 121 |
| In-house, starter salary | About £28,000 | £25,000 salary2 plus £3,000 employer National Insurance3 |
| In-house, experienced | About £56,750 | £50,000 salary2 plus £6,750 employer National Insurance3 |
In-house figures are before pension contributions, a computer and phone, software, training and cover for holidays and sickness. Some small employers can reduce their National Insurance bill through the Employment Allowance. Twenty hours a month is an example; ask for the hours behind any quote.
For comparison, our social media management is £199 a month, which is £2,388 a year, with a monthly plan you approve before anything is posted and no fixed limit on posts: we post as often as your month needs. See what's included.
(04)Your options
Which option suits which business
| Someone in-house | Freelancer | Agency or managed plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Businesses with daily news, events or customer messages to handle | Businesses that want one person who knows them well | Businesses that want it done to a fixed plan and price |
| Strength | Knows the business and is there every day | Flexible, often specialised in one industry or platform | Cover for holidays and sickness; a process and a report each month |
| Watch out for | It's a whole salary, and the job often gets squeezed by other work | One person, one point of failure | Paying for account managers and meetings rather than posts |
(05)Red flags
Tick any you've heard in a sales call.
Red flags when hiring a social media manager
Questions
(06)Questions
Enough for a steady, planned presence on the one or two platforms your customers use. For most small businesses that's a few posts a week, done well, rather than daily posting everywhere. Spend more only when you can see posts bringing in enquiries.
For most small businesses an agency or freelancer is cheaper, because a full-time manager's salary and employer costs run to tens of thousands a year. Hiring makes sense when there's a full-time job's worth of posting, replying and filming to do.
Usually not. Running ads is normally priced separately, as a fee for managing them plus the ad spend, which goes to the platform. Our Facebook and Instagram ads are charged at a percentage of the ad budget.
Sources
(07)Sources
Every figure on this page comes from one of these. Checked on the date shown.
- 1UK social media management costs, Whito. Checked 26 October 2026.
- 2Social media manager: job profile, National Careers Service. Checked 26 October 2026.
- 3Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027, GOV.UK (HM Revenue & Customs). Checked 26 October 2026.
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