How Much Does Social Media Management Cost in Ireland? (2026 Guide)
It is the question every Irish business owner asks before they pick up the phone, and the one most agencies dodge with "it depends." It does depend, but not on anything mysterious. This is the honest version, with real euro figures for the Irish market in 2026, so you can budget before you start ringing around.
Quick answer: for a small business in Ireland, managed social media typically runs 300 to 1,500 euro per month on one or two platforms. Freelancers sit at the lower end, full-service agencies with video and paid ads at the higher end. Hourly rates are commonly 50 to 100 euro, with some Dublin agencies charging 150 to 175.
The four ways to buy social media, and what each costs
There is no single price because there is no single product. You are really choosing between four models, each with a different cost and a different trade-off.
| Option | Typical cost (Ireland, 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | Your time, plus 0 to 50 euro/mo in tools | Owners with time and a knack for it, very early stage. |
| Freelancer or VA | 300 to 800 euro/mo, or 15 to 40 euro/hr | Straightforward posting on one platform. |
| Studio or small agency | 400 to 1,500 euro/mo | Branded content, some video, joined up with your website. |
| Established agency | 1,500 to 3,000+ euro/mo | Multi-platform, heavy production, paid campaigns. |
| In-house hire | 32,000 to 45,000 euro/yr salary, plus overheads | Larger businesses with daily, high-volume needs. |
Doing it yourself looks free but is not. If it takes you four to eight hours a week, that is time off the tools or away from customers. Tools like Canva Pro (around 110 euro a year) and a scheduler keep it cheap in cash terms, but the real cost is your attention.
A freelancer is the cheapest paid option and often excellent for steady posting. The limit is capacity. One person can only produce so much design, video and strategy, and if they are on holiday your feed goes quiet.
A studio or small agency is the middle ground most growing Irish businesses land on. You get a team rather than a single point of failure, branded design, and the option to tie social into your website and wider marketing so everything pulls the same direction.
An in-house hire only makes sense once your volume justifies a full salary plus PRSI, software and management time. For most small businesses that is a long way off.
What actually drives the price
Two quotes can differ by a thousand euro a month for reasons that are entirely logical once you see them. Price moves with six things.
- Number of platforms. One platform done well costs far less than four done thinly. Each extra platform adds real work, not a copy and paste.
- Post volume. Eight posts a month versus twenty is a different amount of writing, design and scheduling. Volume is the single biggest lever.
- Video. Short-form video and Reels pull the most reach and cost the most to produce. Static graphics are cheaper than edited clips.
- Photography and shoots. If someone has to come to you to capture content, that is a line item. Using photos you supply keeps it down.
- Paid ads management. Running campaigns is a skill billed on top of organic posting, often as a flat fee or a percentage of ad spend.
- Strategy and reporting. A monthly report and a quarterly plan cost more than "we just post." For most owners the reporting is what makes the spend defensible.
What you get at each price point
Rough guide to what a typical Irish managed package includes as the monthly fee climbs. Use it to sense-check any quote you receive.
| Monthly budget | What it usually buys |
|---|---|
| 300 to 500 euro | One platform, 8 to 12 posts a month, basic branded graphics, scheduling, light engagement. |
| 600 to 1,000 euro | One or two platforms, 12 to 20 posts, branded design plus some short-form video, captions, community management, a monthly report. |
| 1,200 to 2,000 euro | Two or three platforms, full content including regular video, a content strategy, light ad management, detailed reporting. |
| 2,000 euro and up | Multi-platform, heavier video and production, managed paid campaigns, a dedicated manager and frequent reporting. |
If a quote is well below these ranges, ask what is missing. Usually it is volume, video, or the strategy and reporting that make the work actually move the needle.
The hidden costs nobody mentions on the first call
The headline fee is rarely the whole story. Before you sign, get clarity on these so the number you budget is the number you pay.
- Ad spend is separate. Your management fee pays for the work. Money behind ads goes directly to Meta, Google or TikTok on top. For a small business, 100 to 500 euro a month is a common starting budget, and only once organic is working.
- Setup fees. Some providers charge a one-off to set up or audit your accounts, anywhere from 25 to a few hundred euro.
- Content shoots. Photography or videography days are usually billed separately if you need them.
- Contracts and notice periods. A low monthly fee on a 12 month lock-in can cost more than a slightly higher rolling monthly rate. Check the term.
- "Boosting" budgets. Make sure you know whether occasional post boosts come out of your pocket or the fee.
How to know what you actually need
Most overspending comes from buying a bigger package than the business can use. Before you commit, answer four questions honestly.
- Where are my customers? One platform where they actually are beats four where they are not. If you are unsure, our guide on setting up social media for an Irish business walks through picking one.
- Can I supply content? Photos of real jobs and a quick voice note of what happened cut costs dramatically. If you can feed a manager raw material, you do not need a shoot every month.
- What is the job of social for me? Visibility and trust, or direct leads? Trust needs steady organic posting. Leads usually need that plus a small ad budget.
- What is my time worth? If an hour of your time earns more than the hourly cost of management, paying someone is the rational choice.
Where SquareTwo sits
We are an Irish digital studio, so we price social the way we price everything: a flat monthly fee, scoped to your platforms and post volume, quoted up front with no surprises. No long lock-in contracts, and you own your accounts and content. Because we also build the website and run the marketing, your social does not sit in a silo, it pulls in the same direction as the rest of your digital presence.
Most small business owners we work with land somewhere in the middle of the ranges above. We will tell you on the first call if a leaner setup would serve you better, because overselling a package you cannot feed helps nobody.
FAQ
How much does social media management cost in Ireland?
For a small business in 2026, roughly 300 to 1,500 euro per month for a managed service on one or two platforms. Freelancers and VAs sit lower, from about 300 to 800 euro. Established agencies with strategy, video and paid ads run 1,500 to 3,000 euro a month or more. Hourly rates are commonly 50 to 100 euro, with some Dublin agencies at 150 to 175.
Is social media management worth it for a small business?
It is worth it if you would not post consistently otherwise, or if your time is worth more elsewhere in the business. A managed service usually pays for itself in the hours you get back or the enquiries you would otherwise miss. It is not worth it if you have not decided whether you want to be on social at all, or cannot supply the photos and access a manager needs.
Does the price include ad spend?
Almost never. The management fee covers planning, creating, posting and reporting. Any money behind ads is paid directly to Meta, Google or TikTok on top. For a small business, 100 to 500 euro a month is a common starting budget, and it should only begin once organic posting is working.
Freelancer or agency, what is the difference?
A freelancer is cheaper and great for straightforward posting, but you rely on one person with limited capacity for design, video or strategy. An agency or studio costs more but brings a team, faster turnaround, and the ability to tie social into your website and wider marketing. It comes down to how much you need produced and how joined up you want it.
Are there long contracts?
It varies. Larger agencies often ask for 6 or 12 month commitments. Smaller providers tend to offer rolling monthly terms with a month's notice. Always check the contract length and notice period before signing, and confirm you keep your accounts and content if you leave.
Can I start small and scale up?
Yes, and it is usually the smart move. Start with one platform and a sustainable post volume, prove it brings enquiries, then add platforms, video or paid ads as the results justify it. Paying for a big multi-platform package before you know what works is the most common way to waste money on social.
Want a straight price for your business?
Tell us your platforms and roughly how often you want to post. We will scope it and quote a flat monthly fee, no contracts.
See Social Media Management Get a quote