Monthly retainer tiers
Starter
NZD / month
$500 – $1,500
AUD / month
$800 – $1,500
·1 platform
·4–8 static posts / mo
·Scheduling only
·Minimal strategy
·Basic reporting
Growth
NZD / month
$1,500 – $3,000
AUD / month
$1,400 – $3,500
·2 platforms
·8–12 static posts / mo
·0–1 video / reels
·Content strategy
·Monthly reporting
Professional
NZD / month
$3,000 – $6,000
AUD / month
$3,500 – $6,000
·2–3 platforms
·12–20 static posts / mo
·4–5 video / reels
·Community management
·Strategy & analytics
Enterprise
NZD / month
$6,000 – $18,000
AUD / month
$6,000 – $20,000
·Multi-platform
·20+ static posts / mo
·5+ video / reels
·Paid ad management
·Dedicated account mgr
Note: Ad spend is always a separate line item —
paid directly to the platform (Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn). Agency fees
cover strategy, creation, and management only.
Per-post costs — static
| Provider type | NZD / post | AUD / post |
|---|---|---|
|
Freelancer — junior
|
$50–120 | $50–150 |
|
Freelancer — experienced
|
$80–180 | $100–250 |
|
Boutique agency
|
$100–250 | $150–300 |
|
Mid–large agency
|
$200–500+ | $200–500+ |
Per-post costs — video / reels
| Type | NZD / post | AUD / post |
|---|---|---|
|
Edit only (footage supplied)
|
$200–450 | $250–600 |
|
Simple reel — shoot + edit
|
$380–800 | $500–1,200 |
|
Professional short-form
|
$800–2,500 | $1,000–3,000 |
|
Corporate / promo video
|
$2,500–10,000+ | $2,500–15,000+ |
Key insight: Video production is the largest cost
driver in any social package. An agency offering regular video
production within an $800/month retainer is a red flag — a single
well-produced reel typically costs $380–$1,200+ on its own.
Real agency packages — 2025–2026
| Agency | Mkt | Price / mo | Static posts | Reels | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOUP Agency | AU | $1,400/mo | 8 | — | Growth |
| SOUP Agency | AU | $2,200/mo | 10 | 5 | Professional |
| SOUP Agency | AU | $3,000/mo | 15+ | 5+ | Professional |
| Designated Marketing | NZ | $1,000/mo | ~8 | 1 | Growth |
| Designated Marketing | NZ | $2,000/mo | ~12 | 1 | Professional |
| Designated Marketing | NZ | $4,000/mo | ~20+ | 4+ | Enterprise |
| Catalyst Communications | AU | $1,500/mo | Strategy only | — | Growth |
Key insight: Video content is the largest cost
driver. An agency offering regular video production within an
$800/month retainer is a red flag — a single well-produced reel
typically costs $380–$1,200+ on its own.
Hourly rate benchmarks
Freelancer — junior
NZD / hr
$30–60
AUD / hr
$30–80
Freelancer — experienced
NZD / hr
$60–120
AUD / hr
$80–150
Agency
NZD / hr
$120–280
AUD / hr
$120–350
Monthly cost estimator — agency rates
10 hrs / mo
Light support
2–3 posts/wk, scheduling only
NZD / mo
$1,200–$2,800
AUD / mo
$1,200–$3,500
25 hrs / mo
Standard
Content creation + community
NZD / mo
$3,000–$7,000
AUD / mo
$3,000–$8,750
50 hrs / mo
Full-service
Strategy + video + ad management
NZD / mo
$6,000–$14,000
AUD / mo
$6,000–$17,500