How much does a social media manager cost in 2026?

Typical monthly rates

For a small to mid-size business, per month:

• Entry-level freelancer: $300–800 — usually 8 posts, basic design, no video.
• Experienced freelancer: $800–2,000 — 8–12 posts, a few stories a week, sometimes one Reel.
• Agency: $1,500–5,000+ — strategy, design, 12–20 posts, reporting, a monthly call.
• Part-time employee: $2,000–4,000 plus benefits.
• Professional video shoot: $500–2,000 per day, billed separately.

The number that matters: cost per published post

$1,500 for 10 posts is $150 a post. If two posts slip to next month, it is $190. Video is almost always extra, and video is the format that earns the most reach in 2026.

The alternative: a system that publishes by itself

Soshi 22 does the daily work of a social media manager — topics, writing, design, video, publishing — at a fixed price: $29 a month for 10 posts and 2 videos, $79 for 60 posts and 15 videos, $149 for 150 posts and 45 videos (per month, billed yearly). Cost per post drops from $150 to about $1, videos included.

What you don't get: strategy meetings, studio shoots, manual community replies. Many businesses combine: the system for daily content, a professional for one big campaign a quarter.

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