If you are thinking about hiring an agency to run your Google Ads or Facebook ads, the first question is usually: how much will it cost? This guide explains how ad management pricing works in the UK, what you should get for your money, and the exact fees we charge, so you can compare quotes with confidence.
The two costs of paid advertising
Every paid ads campaign has two separate costs:
- Ad spend: the money you pay directly to Google, Meta, LinkedIn or TikTok for your ads to show. You control this budget and it goes straight to the platform.
- Management fee: what you pay an agency to plan, build, run and improve your campaigns.
Always check which one a quote refers to. Some agencies quote a low monthly price and quietly take a cut of your ad spend on top.
How agencies price ad management
There are three common pricing models in the UK:
- Percentage of ad spend: the agency charges a percentage of your monthly budget. Simple, but it can reward the agency for spending more rather than spending better.
- Flat monthly fee: a fixed price regardless of budget. Easy to budget for, but can be poor value at very low or very high spend.
- Tiered fee: a fixed fee that steps up as your ad budget grows. This is how we charge, because it keeps pricing transparent and fair as you scale.
Free ads account audit
Spending £500+ a month on ads? Get a free expert audit.
We’ll show you where your Google, Meta or LinkedIn budget is being wasted and what would lower your cost per lead, then walk you through it on a 30-minute call. No obligation.
Our Google Ads and Facebook ads management fees
Here is our full price list. Fees are monthly and exclude VAT. Your ad spend is paid directly to the platform.
| Monthly ad spend | Monthly management fee (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| £500 to £1,000 | £450 |
| £1,000 to £1,500 | £600 |
| £1,500 to £2,500 | £800 |
| £2,500 to £3,500 | £950 |
| £3,500 to £4,500 | £1,100 |
| £4,500 to £5,500 | £1,250 |
| £5,500 to £6,500 | £1,400 |
| £6,500 to £7,500 | £1,550 |
| £7,500 to £8,500 | £1,700 |
| £8,500 to £9,500 | £1,850 |
The same fees apply whether we run your ads on Google, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), LinkedIn or TikTok. Not sure which platform to start with? See LinkedIn Ads vs Google Ads for B2B.
What should a management fee include?
- Campaign setup: keyword research, audience targeting, ad copy and conversion tracking.
- Daily optimisation: cutting wasted spend and moving budget to the ads that bring in leads.
- Testing: trying new headlines, images and audiences to keep improving results.
- Clear reporting: cost per lead and return on ad spend, explained in plain English.
Is it worth paying for management?
A well-managed campaign should pay for its own management fee and more. For example, we reduced Payments247’s cost per lead from £19.74 to £12.52, a 36.6% saving that let them generate more leads with the same budget.
Running ads yourself can work if you have the time to learn the platforms and check them daily. Most small business owners find that badly set up ads waste far more money than a management fee costs.
How much should you spend on ads?
We work with ad budgets from £500 a month. As a starting point, think about how many new customers you want each month and what a customer is worth to you. A good agency will help you work out a budget that makes sense for your goals, and tell you if your budget is too small to be worth spending.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum contract?
No. If we do not deliver, you can walk away.
Do I pay the ad spend to you?
No. Your ad spend is paid directly to Google, Meta or the relevant platform. You only pay us the management fee.
Do you manage ads for businesses outside Hemel Hempstead?
Yes. We are based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, and manage ads for businesses across the UK.
Get a straight answer on your ad costs
We have managed over £1.8m in ad spend for UK businesses, with no contracts. See our Paid Ads service or get in touch and we will tell you what budget makes sense for your business.