Two bills, not one
- Ad spend. What you pay Google for clicks. It goes straight to Google.
- Management fee. What you pay someone to build, run and improve the account.
A good quote shows both separately. If an agency quotes one number and won't say how much of it reaches Google, ask. Some keep a slice of the ad budget and never tell you.
What Australian agencies charge
Published Australian agency price guides in October 2026 put monthly management fees anywhere from around $500 to $5,000, with most small-business quotes landing somewhere around $800 to $3,000. Freelancers usually sit at the lower end. The spread is huge because the work behind the fee varies just as much.
The three pricing models
| Model | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Flat monthly fee | Same fee whatever you spend | Make sure the fee includes ongoing work, not just setup |
| Percentage of spend | Usually 10-20% of what you spend with Google | The agency earns more when you spend more, whether or not it works |
| Per lead | You pay for each enquiry | Check what counts as a lead before you sign |
What the fee should actually buy
- Conversion tracking that counts calls, not just clicks.
- Negative keyword work every week or two, based on the real search terms report.
- Ad copy testing, budget checks, and someone looking at the account more than once a month.
- A monthly report in plain numbers: calls, cost per call, what changed and why.
- Access to your own account. It should be in your name, and you should be able to log in.
When cheap is expensive
A low fee often means the account gets set up once and left. Broad match keywords, no negatives and no call tracking can burn a budget several times the size of the fee. The number to compare between agencies isn't the fee. It's what each call ends up costing you once both bills are added together.
Want it run for you? Our Google Ads management is built around tracked calls, not clicks.