The essentials
- 2026 ranges: €500 to €1,000 a month for a freelancer on one or two networks, €1,200 to €3,000 for an agency on two to three networks, above €3,000 with regular video production.
- Day rate: €250 to €450 for a freelance community manager, €500 to €900 for an agency, excluding photo and video production.
- Costs to add: scheduling tools (€0 to €100 a month), shoots, visuals, an occasional boosting budget (€100 to €500 a month).
- In-house comparison: a salaried community manager costs €38,000 to €55,000 a year fully loaded; outsourcing stays cheaper below €2,500 a month.
The cost of outsourced social media management varies tenfold depending on the scope, the type of provider and the place of video. The figures below are the ranges seen in 2026 on the French market for small and mid-sized companies, excluding paid media. They are there to build a realistic envelope before consulting providers, then to read quotes without misreading what they include.
What makes the price vary
Five parameters explain most of the gaps between quotes:
- The number of networks: each additional network adds 25 to 40% to the retainer, because the formats and the tones differ.
- The rhythm: going from 8 to 16 posts a month doubles the creation time, not the strategy.
- The share of video: an edited short video costs €80 to €250 per unit at a provider; one Reel a week represents €400 to €1,000 a month.
- Moderation: answering comments and messages within 24 hours represents 2 to 6 hours a week depending on the volume.
- Reporting and strategy: a monthly review with analysis and recommendations is worth half a day to a day a month.
2026 rates by type of provider
| Supplier | Typical scope | Monthly rate seen | Strengths | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior freelancer | 1 to 2 networks, 8 to 12 posts, light moderation | €400 to €800 | Price, responsiveness | Little strategic perspective, dependence on one person |
| Experienced freelancer | 2 networks, 12 to 16 posts, monthly reporting | €800 to €1,500 | Expertise, direct relationship | Limited production capacity, holidays |
| Small agency or collective | 2 to 3 networks, 16 to 20 posts, monthly video, reporting | €1,200 to €2,500 | Continuity, complementary skills | Contact person sometimes changes |
| Established agency | 3 to 4 networks, 20 to 30 posts, weekly video, strategy, monitoring | €2,500 to €6,000 | Production, method, crisis management | Cost, internal sign-off times |
| Day-rate work | Audit, strategy, training, shoots | €250 to €450 (freelancer); €500 to €900 (agency) | Flexibility | No continuous follow-up |
These amounts are exclusive of tax and exclude the media budget. A retainer under €400 a month rarely covers more than four to six scheduled posts, with no moderation or analysis; read it as a publishing service, not a management one.
The costs that do not appear in the quote
The provider's retainer is not the total budget. Plan for:
| Item | Indicative 2026 cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduling and reporting tool | €0 to €100 / month | Often included with an agency, at your expense with a freelancer |
| Photo or video shoot | €500 to €1,500 per half-day | Two to four sessions a year refresh the content bank |
| Occasional boosting | €100 to €500 / month | Amplifies the best posts; to be distinguished from a real SMA campaign |
| Internal time | 2 to 4 hours / week | Sign-off, supplying information, technical answers |
| Competitions, giveaways, local influence | €200 to €2,000 per operation | Prizes and creator fees |
| Onboarding | Equivalent to half a month to a month of the retainer | Audit, editorial guidelines, initial calendar |
Internal time is the most underestimated item: a provider with no raw material (site photos, news, answers from the teams) produces generic content that does not perform, whatever its price.
Outsource or hire: the tipping point
A salaried community manager in France costs between €38,000 and €55,000 fully loaded per year in 2026 depending on experience and region, that is €3,200 to €4,600 a month, on top of which come tools, equipment and management. Outsourcing stays cheaper as long as the need stays under about €2,500 a month, that is two to three networks at a sustained rhythm. Beyond that, or as soon as social media becomes a daily sales or recruitment channel, the in-house role becomes worthwhile, especially if it also produces the video. A frequent middle way: a part-time employee for the raw material and the moderation, a provider for strategy, editing and reporting. Choosing the provider is detailed in choosing a community manager or an agency.
Building your budget in four steps
- Start from the objectives: an enquiry objective justifies a bigger budget than a presence objective; see setting realistic SMO objectives.
- Choose two networks at most to start with: the ones where your customers are, not the ones that are fashionable.
- Set the minimum sustainable rhythm: 8 to 12 posts a month per network are enough to exist; see should you post every day.
- Write the scope into a brief: the provider quotes on an identical basis and you compare comparable quotes; the template is in writing an SMO brief.
To judge the budget after six months, relate it to the results: a cost per enquiry attributed to social, a change in reach and engagement, traffic measured in GA4. The metrics to use are in the reference SMO KPIs. An SMO budget is not a fixed cost to endure but an envelope to adjust every six months according to what the figures show.
How GreenRed helps
Rather than juggling several tools, GreenRed's Social media module brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time and tells you which actions come first. You can try it free, with no card, from the Pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum budget for serious social media management?
Allow €800 a month excluding tax for real management of one or two networks: 10 to 15 posts, moderation, a monthly report. Below that, the service is limited to scheduling a few posts with no analysis or community activity, which rarely produces measurable results.
Freelancer or agency: which is cheaper?
A freelancer is cheaper for the same scope, by 30 to 50% on average, because there is no structure to fund. An agency brings continuity (holidays, absences), several skills (copywriting, video, strategy) and greater production capacity. The right choice depends on the volume and on the level of dependence you find acceptable.
Should you include a boosting budget in an SMO budget?
Yes, a small envelope of €100 to €500 a month to amplify the posts that already work organically. It is distinct from a full advertising campaign with audiences and conversion objectives, which falls under SMA and is budgeted separately with its own metrics.
How do you check that an SMO budget pays off?
Relate the total monthly cost to the measured results: enquiries or sales attributed through tagged links and GA4, social traffic, job applications, reach. A cost per social enquiry comparable to or lower than that of your other channels validates the budget. Allow six months before concluding, the time for the content and the audience to build.