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In short: A freelancer is the cheapest and most flexible option when you need one channel, such as Google Ads, with a modest budget. You do, however, depend on a single person. An agency usually costs more but brings a team, cover and several channels at once. An in-house marketer pays off when there is a full-time role’s worth of marketing work and you can manage that person. Many businesses combine the two: someone in-house coordinates and specialists work externally.
Agency, freelancer or your own hire? We hear this question in consultations all the time. The right answer does not depend on what is better in general, but on how much marketing work your business has, how many channels you need and who will run it.
Comparison: freelancer, agency and in-house marketer
| Freelancer | Agency | In-house marketer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical UK cost | median contract rate around £300 a day | retainers from around £500 to £1,000 a month for basic management, £1,500 to £5,000 for full service | PPC executive median salary around £33,000 a year, plus employer National Insurance and pension |
| People and skills | one person | a team: PPC, SEO, copy, design, analytics | one person |
| Cover for holidays or illness | limited | yes | no |
| Knowledge of your business | good over a long relationship | good, if the agency asks questions | the best |
| Experience from other industries | depends on their track record | from many clients at once | mostly from your business |
| Tools and licences | usually included | included | paid separately |
| Biggest risk | overload or losing one person | a small client gets less attention | hiring, onboarding and resignation |
The day rate is the median contract rate for PPC managers from IT Jobs Watch, agency retainers come from Advertizingly and the PPC executive salary from IT Jobs Watch. Employers also pay National Insurance at 15% on earnings above £5,000 a year and at least 3% pension contributions under auto-enrolment.
When a freelancer makes sense
- You need one channel, such as Google Ads or Meta Ads, with a simple campaign structure.
- Your ad budget is fairly small and you do not need ads, SEO and content at the same time.
- Someone in your business can brief the freelancer and check the results.
- The freelancer has proven references from a similar industry.
With a freelancer, watch three things: accounts must be set up in your company’s name, agree who covers during holidays, and put the scope of work in a contract.
When an agency makes sense
- You need several channels at once, such as Google Ads, Meta, SEO and content, and want them to work together.
- You want strategy and execution without managing several people yourself.
- Cover matters to you. Campaigns must not stop when someone is ill.
- You want experience from other businesses and industries, not just your own.
- You want the benefits of a partner agency in Google Ads, such as promotional credit for new accounts. More in our article on Google Ads promo codes.
When choosing an agency, ask who will actually work on your account. Large agencies sometimes hand smaller clients to juniors, while small agencies may not have a specialist for every channel.
When an in-house marketer makes sense
- Marketing is a full-time job in your business: lots of campaigns, products, content and coordination with sales.
- Ad budgets run into thousands a month and fast reactions to changes in your offer matter.
- You can manage, train and equip the marketer.
One person will rarely be an expert in everything. A good PPC specialist will not necessarily write SEO articles or design graphics. On top of the salary come hiring, onboarding, training and software costs.
The combination: in-house and agency
In practice, a combination often works best. An in-house marketing manager knows the business and coordinates campaigns, content and sales. An agency or freelancer handles specialist work such as Google Ads, SEO or optimisation for AI search (GEO). Another option is for the agency to set up the campaigns, train your team and only check in from time to time. We offer this as part of our marketing consulting.
Thinking of switching agencies? See how the switch works →
Example: one year of management under three models
A business invests £1,000 a month in Google Ads. The budget paid to Google is the same in every model, only the cost of management differs:
| Model | Monthly | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer, two days at £300 | £600 | £7,200 |
| Agency on a retainer | £800 | £9,600 plus a one-off setup |
| In-house PPC executive on £33,000 | around £3,170 including employer costs | around £38,000 plus tools |
The figures are examples based on the market data above, excluding VAT. An in-house specialist only pays off financially once they manage so many campaigns and budgets that you would otherwise pay an agency several thousand a month.
Five questions to help you decide
- How many hours of marketing work do you really need each week?
- How many channels do you want to use: one, or ads, SEO, content and social media together?
- Who in your business will run marketing and check the results?
- What happens if the person doing your marketing falls ill or leaves?
- How much revenue would a month without working campaigns cost you?
How we work at Digitalman
We also work with experienced freelancers in our team. Every Google Ads account, however, has two people on it, a PPC specialist and a strategist, and the agency is accountable for the result. All campaigns are overseen by our founder Matej Tóth, who has worked in online marketing for more than 15 years. We do not tie our fee to the size of your ad budget. If you already run ads and want an independent view, ask for our free Google Ads audit. More details on our Google Ads agency page.
FAQs
Is a freelancer cheaper than an agency?
Usually, especially at the junior end. An experienced freelancer can cost as much as a smaller agency, though. Compare what is included, how many people work on your account and who covers for them.
When does an in-house marketer pay off?
When there is a full-time role’s worth of work and someone who can manage that person. With one channel and a budget of a few thousand a month, an agency or freelancer works out much cheaper.
Can I combine an in-house marketer with an agency?
Yes, and it is often the best solution. The in-house person coordinates and knows the business, while the agency provides specialists for specific channels.
What happens to the accounts when the relationship ends?
If Google Ads, Google Analytics 4 and Meta are set up in your company’s name, nothing. The new manager gets access and the history stays. If you do not have admin access, request it before the relationship ends. See how switching works with us on our switching marketing agency page.
Conclusion
A freelancer suits one channel and a smaller budget, an agency suits businesses that want several channels, cover and strategy without managing people, and an in-house marketer suits businesses with full-time work. Not sure what fits you? Book a free consultation, the first 60 minutes are free.
Read also: Google Ads budget calculation, When Google Ads is not working
Sources: IT Jobs Watch: PPC manager contract rates, Advertizingly: how much does a Google Ads agency cost, IT Jobs Watch: PPC executive salaries
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