Find your exact rate
Typical project work, moderate complexity.
Factor in AI tool subscriptions
Your Rate
Day Rate
$450
Project Est.
$2,200
Retainer
$8,350/mo
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Community Data
What do you actually charge?
Anonymous. Helps improve market benchmarks.
How Much Should You Charge for Google Ads Management?
Freelance Google Ads specialists typically charge $500–$2,500/month for management, or $75–$150/hour. Pricing often uses a percentage-of-spend model (10–20% of ad budget) with a minimum monthly fee of $500–$800 to protect your time on smaller accounts.
Floor
$500
per hour
Typical
$1,200
per hour
Premium
$3,000
per hour
Find your exact rate
Typical project work, moderate complexity.
Factor in AI tool subscriptions
Your Rate
Day Rate
$450
Project Est.
$2,200
Retainer
$8,350/mo
Was this helpful?
Community Data
What do you actually charge?
Anonymous. Helps improve market benchmarks.
What changes the price
- Monthly ad spend under management
- Number of campaigns and ad groups
- Account complexity (single market vs. multi-location)
- Includes keyword research and strategy vs. execution only
- Landing page review and conversion rate optimization
- Reporting frequency (weekly vs. monthly)
- New account setup vs. ongoing management
- Shopping campaigns included or separate
Real quote breakdowns
Local Business — $2,000/Month Ad Spend
A local dental practice runs $2,000/month in Google search ads. One campaign, 3 ad groups, monthly reporting, and quarterly strategy reviews.
Breakdown
Flat monthly management fee: $600. Represents 30% of ad spend — above typical percentage but justified by the flat-fee minimum for smaller budgets.
E-Commerce Brand — $15,000/Month Ad Spend
A DTC e-commerce brand runs Search, Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns. Active A/B testing, weekly bid adjustments, and biweekly performance calls.
Breakdown
$15,000 ad spend × 13% management fee = $1,950. Rounded to $2,000/month flat fee with a 3-month minimum. Includes Shopping campaign management.
New Account Setup + First Month Management
A SaaS company needs a complete Google Ads account built from scratch: keyword research, campaign structure, ad copy, audience targeting, and conversion tracking setup.
Breakdown
One-time setup fee: $2,000. First month management: $1,500. Subsequent months: $1,200/month. Setup accounts for extra time spent on conversion tracking implementation.
Frequently asked questions
Should I charge a setup fee for new Google Ads accounts?
Yes. Account setup — keyword research, campaign architecture, ad copy creation, conversion tracking, and audience configuration — takes 10–20 hours. Charge a one-time setup fee of $750–$2,500 separate from ongoing management.
Is percentage-of-spend or flat-fee pricing better for Google Ads?
Percentage-of-spend aligns your incentives with client growth but creates income instability. A flat fee with a minimum ad spend threshold is more predictable. Many specialists use a hybrid: flat fee up to a spend threshold, then a percentage above it.
How many Google Ads accounts can one specialist manage at once?
A dedicated freelance specialist can effectively manage 6–12 accounts depending on complexity. Advertising accounts require 5–15 hours of active work per month each. Overloading leads to poor performance and client churn.
Should I include landing page optimization in my Google Ads retainer?
Landing page CRO is related but separate from media buying. Offer it as an add-on service at $500–$1,500/month or as a one-time audit at $750–$1,500. Don't bundle it into your management fee or clients will expect unlimited scope.