How much does social media management cost in the UK?

The short answer: most small UK businesses pay somewhere between £250 and £1,500 a month to have their social media managed. Freelancers usually charge roughly £250 to £800 a month, small agencies roughly £800 to £2,000, and full-service packages with lots of video can cost £3,000 or more. Doing it yourself costs very little money, but a lot of time.

What you pay depends mostly on three things: how many platforms, how many posts, and how much video. Here's how the options compare.

Sources: Bark's social media price guide, YunoJuno's social media manager rates, PeoplePerHour and Whito's UK agency retainer research. Prices checked October 2026.

How much does it cost to do it yourself?

You can run your own socials for next to nothing. The platforms' own tools let you schedule posts in advance for free, and a phone camera is good enough for most content.

The real cost is your time. Planning, taking photos, editing videos, writing captions and replying to comments can easily take a few hours a week. If those hours would otherwise go on paid work, doing it yourself isn't free.

It's a good choice if you enjoy it and can keep it up. Our guide to how often a small business should post on social media has a simple weekly plan to start from.

How much does a freelance social media manager cost?

A freelance social media manager usually charges roughly £250 to £800 a month, or £25 to £75 an hour. For that you'd typically get one or two platforms, a few posts a week and a short monthly report.

A good freelancer can be great value. Check exactly what's included, though: some only schedule posts you supply, while others plan, shoot and write everything.

How much does a social media agency cost?

Small agencies usually charge roughly £800 to £2,000 a month for a small business. Full-service packages with strategy, regular video and replying to comments often run from £1,500 to £3,000 or more. Paid adverts are usually charged on top, plus the money you spend on the ads themselves.

You get a team, more capacity and more polish. You may also deal with an account manager rather than the person making your content.

What changes the price?

• Platforms. Each extra platform means more content and more replies.
• How often you post. Three posts a week costs less than posting every day.
• Video. Short videos take the most time to plan, film and edit. They're also the best way to reach people who don't follow you yet.
• Stories and replies. Daily stories and answering comments and messages add up.
• Revisions. More rounds of changes on each post means more time.
• Shoots. Someone coming to you to take photos and video costs more than working from what you send.

Questions to ask before you sign

1. What exactly do I get each month? The number of platforms, posts, stories and videos.
2. Who makes the content? Do they shoot it, or do you supply the photos?
3. Do I approve posts before they go live?
4. What's the minimum contract, and how much notice do I need to give?
5. Who owns the posts and the accounts? You should always own your accounts and log-ins.
6. How will you report results? Look for more than likes: reach, profile visits, messages and enquiries.

A cheaper way to start

If a monthly package isn't right yet, a one-off content shoot is a good middle ground. You get a batch of photos and short videos in one go, then post them yourself over the following weeks.

What we charge

Our social media packages start from £350 a month, covering the plan, the content, the posting and a monthly report. They have a 3-month minimum, then carry on month to month with 30 days' notice. If you'd rather post yourself, a Content Day is £95: up to three hours with you, then up to 10 edited photos and two short videos with captions, delivered within five days.

Every business is different, so book a free audit below and we'll give you a price.