How much does a B2B PPC agency cost?

B2B PPC agencies usually charge in one of four ways: a percentage of ad spend, a flat monthly retainer, a fee tiered by spend, or a performance fee. Most add a setup fee. The pricing model matters as much as the price, because it decides what the agency is rewarded for.

The four common pricing models

Percentage of ad spend

The agency takes a share of what you spend. Simple and common, but it rewards higher spend whether or not the spend works.

Flat monthly retainer

A fixed fee for an agreed scope. Predictable for both sides, and it removes the incentive to inflate spend. Watch what happens to the fee when scope changes.

Tiered by spend

A fixed fee within each spend band. A middle ground, though it still steps up as spend rises.

Performance-based

Paid per lead, per sale or as a revenue share. It sounds aligned, but in B2B it depends on which leads count and who measures them. If the agency is paid on leads the ad platform reports, it is being paid on numbers that double-count.

Costs beyond the monthly fee

• Setup and onboarding: account restructures, tracking and conversion setup.
• Creative production, if not included.
• Tools and licences billed to you, such as reporting software.
• Minimum terms and notice periods.

What to ask before you sign

• What exactly is the fee for, and what is extra?
• Which number will you be judged on: platform conversions, or qualified leads and revenue in our CRM?
• Who owns the ad accounts, tracking and reports if we part ways?
• What happens to the fee if we double or halve spend?

How drop-b prices

Every engagement starts with a free data audit of your ad accounts, tracking and CRM. After that, work is quoted per client, as a project or a retainer, based on what the audit shows needs doing. Everything we build stays in your accounts. More on how we run B2B PPC.

Questions people ask