RateLab
Freelance Social Media Manager Rates: What Should You Charge?
Social management is sold as monthly retainers, not hours. Scope (platforms, posts, ads, community) drives the number more than time spent.
Typical freelance social media manager rates
- Starter (1–2 platforms)$500–1,500/mo
- Growth (full content)$1,500–4,000/mo
- With ad management$2,500–6,000/mo
- One-off strategy$500–2,500
- Per post (content)$50–200
Ranges are ballpark benchmarks — your real number depends on income goal, expenses and billable hours. Run yours through the calculator.
Pricing tips for a freelance social media manager
- Charge monthly retainers scoped by platforms and deliverables.
- Ad management and strategy justify higher tiers.
- Define post counts and response times to protect your rate.
- Content creation vs. scheduling-only should price differently.
Charging right — now get paid right
Bonsai handles contracts, invoicing and taxes so freelance social media managers actually collect what they quote. Free trial.
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The full rate pack is coming
Benchmark rates across 40 fields + pricing spreadsheet + proposal templates. Use the free calculator above meanwhile.
Coming soon