Outsourcing social media in the Netherlands: costs (2026)

Summary: what does outsourcing social media cost?

Outsourcing social media in the Netherlands costs between €69 and €5,000 per month. The difference is in what you outsource. A package with a few posts per month starts at €69 to €600. An agency that also handles strategy, video and ads costs €1,200 to €3,200 per month according to Trustoo. Ad management costs €300 to €1,500 per month plus your ad budget. In our own research into 9 Dutch providers the median entry price was €347 per month, and only 1 of the 9 mentioned ads in a package. At Game-changers we focus on social media advertising, from €500 per month excl. VAT.

• Having posts made: €69 to €600 per month for 2 to 8 posts, depending on the package.
• Full agency: €1,200 to €3,200 per month for strategy, content and management (Trustoo, November 2026).
• Having ads managed: €300 to €1,500 per month, plus the budget you pay to Meta, TikTok or LinkedIn.
• Our advice: If you want new customers, outsource your ads first and your posts after that.

What does outsourcing social media cost per month?

“Outsourcing social media” means something different to every provider. That is why we put the four forms we see in the market side by side, with what you get for them.

Doing it yourself looks free, but it is not. A freelancer in the Netherlands charges €83 per hour on average in 2026 according to Knab. If you spend 4 hours a week on social media, that costs you about €1,440 per month in time. Full agency prices come from Trustoo (€1,200 to €3,200 per month for social media), ad management prices from Searchlab (freelancer €300 to €800, small agency €500 to €1,500, full service €1,500 to €5,000).

Our research: the prices of 9 Dutch providers

On 9 November 2026 we searched Google for “social media uitbesteden kosten” (outsourcing social media costs; 150 searches per month according to Ahrefs, and 1,100 for “social media uitbesteden”). We read the 9 Dutch pages in the top 10 and noted the lowest monthly price, what is included and whether ads are part of it. We did not count one Belgian page. We do not name providers: this is about the picture of the market.

• Most packages are posts, not growth: For €69 to €600 you get posts, planning and copy. Ads are almost never included. If you want to reach new customers, you do need them.
• You often supply the images yourself: With the cheaper packages you make the photos and videos yourself. At one provider a photo session on location costs €395 extra.
• “€500 to €5,000 on average” says little: Two articles quote this range without a source. Always ask what exactly is in a package, in posts per month and in hours.

Having posts made or advertising: what is the difference?

With posts (organic social media) you mainly reach people who already follow you. With ads you choose who you reach, including people who do not know your business yet. Facebook and Instagram reach 9.9 and 8.9 million Dutch people (Newcom, 2026), but only with ads do you choose who sees your message.

A combination works best: ads for new customers and a few good posts that show who you are. People who click an ad often check your profile first. An empty profile then costs you requests. Which platform fits your customer is covered in social media advertising: which platform fits you.

What social media advertising delivered for our clients

Three clients who outsourced social media to grow, not just to be visible. The figures are also on our social media advertising page.

• Total Move: 221 leads in the best month and 82 leads per campaign on average, with a trial offer and local campaigns, without a big budget.
• WeerJij: More than 200 leads per month and fully booked within six months, with campaigns that inform and reassure instead of hard selling.
• BodyBalancer: 12 qualified practice owners per month, worth €720,000 in potential client value per month.

How to compare social media quotes

1. What is the goal?

Staying visible or new customers? For new customers the quote must include ad management.

2. How much do you get per month?

Ask for the number of posts, ads and hours. A price without numbers cannot be compared.

3. Who makes the images?

Do you supply photos and videos yourself, or does the provider make them? Own video almost always works better in ads than stock footage.

4. How is it measured?

Ask how requests are measured. With Meta’s Conversions API requests also come in when cookies are declined.

5. Who owns the accounts?

The ad account, the pixel and the data must be yours. Then you can always switch without starting over.

“Many business owners pay €300 a month for nice posts and wonder after six months why no new customers come in. Posts keep your existing followers warm. New customers almost always come from ads. If you want to grow, start there and let a few good posts support the story.”

Annefleur van Osta

Online marketing strategist at Game-changers

What does outsourcing social media cost at Game-changers?

At Game-changers you can start a social media advertising partnership from €500 per month excl. VAT. You pay the ad budget directly to the platform. We handle the strategy, the ads, the testing and the measuring. Read more about our approach on social media advertising.

• Free introduction: A 30-minute conversation about your goals.
• Free analysis: We review your current social media, ads and measurement, and you get an action plan.
• No set-up fee: You pay no one-off costs to get started. Request a free analysis.
• Senior point of contact: Always a senior partner or the founder.
• Your accounts and data: Everything stays in your name.

Source for market prices: own research into 9 Dutch providers (9 November 2026) and Trustoo. Prefer to compare all marketing? Read outsourcing marketing or doing it in-house and lead generation: how we do it. Also make sure your landing page is ready with our landing page checklist.

Frequently asked questions about outsourcing social media

What does outsourcing social media cost per month?

A post package costs €69 to €600 per month, a full agency €1,200 to €3,200 and ad management €300 to €1,500 plus ad budget. In our research the median entry price was €347.

What is the difference between social media management and advertising?

With management someone makes and publishes your posts, which mainly your followers see. With advertising you choose who you reach, including people who do not know you yet. For new customers you need ads.

Is the ad budget included in the price?

Almost never. In our research none of the 9 providers included the ad budget in the price. At Game-changers you pay the budget directly to the platform.

How much ad budget do I need?

To test, usually €300 to €1,500 per month. Meta needs about 50 results a week to learn properly, so the more expensive a lead, the more budget you need.

Is it better to do social media myself?

For a few posts a month, it can be. Do count your own time: 4 hours a week at €83 per hour costs about €1,440 per month. Ads are better outsourced if you have little experience with testing and measuring.

Does Game-changers charge a set-up fee?

No. You start with a free call and a free analysis, and pay no set-up fee.

Why outsource social media?

Because it saves you time and a specialist sees faster what works. Doing it yourself for 4 hours a week costs you about €1,440 per month in time at €83 per hour. A specialist tests ads, measures requests and keeps the planning going.

What does a social media agency do?

A social media agency sets the strategy, makes content, schedules posts, replies to messages and manages ads. Not every agency does everything: in our research only 1 of the 9 providers mentioned ad management in a package. So always ask what exactly is in the quote.

How much does social media management cost per month for a freelancer or SME?

A post package costs €69 to €600 per month. The median entry price in our research was €347 per month. If ad management is added, expect €300 to €1,500 per month plus ad budget.

What are the downsides of outsourcing social media?

The agency first has to get to know your business and tone, and it remains a fixed monthly cost. With cheap packages you often supply the photos and videos yourself. And if ads are not in the package, few new customers usually come in.

Is a freelancer or an agency cheaper?

A freelancer is usually cheaper: €300 to €800 per month for ad management, versus €500 to €1,500 at a small agency (Searchlab, March 2026). An agency more often has more specialisms in house, such as video and tracking. So compare on what you get, not just on price.

Which social media channels should I outsource?

Start with the channel where your customer is: for consumers usually Facebook and Instagram, for businesses LinkedIn. More channels at once costs more and does not always deliver more. Which platform fits your customer is covered in social media advertising: which platform fits you.

How quickly does outsourcing social media deliver results?

With ads the first requests often come in within the first weeks. Meta needs about 50 results a week to leave the learning phase, so stable results usually take a few weeks. With posts alone you build up more slowly.

Can I outsource only my ads?

Yes. Many business owners keep their posts themselves and outsource only the ads, because that is where new customers come from. At Game-changers that starts from €500 per month excl. VAT.

Sources

Trustoo, Online marketing costs (Dutch)

3 November 2026

Searchlab, Wat kost Facebook Ads in 2026? (Dutch)

17 March 2026

Knab, Freelancers in 2026: higher rates, more profit (Dutch)

2026

Newcom, National Social Media Study 2026

5 February 2026

Meta, About the learning phase

viewed 9 November 2026

Meta, About Conversions API

viewed 9 November 2026

Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, Dutch search volume

9 November 2026