The Hidden Fee Trap: How €1,200/Month Becomes €1,670/Month (Cork Agency Pricing Exposed)
- PJ Rynd
- Jan 15
- 4 min read
I called 12 Cork digital marketing agencies last week.
Asked for social media management quotes.Every single one quoted a monthly retainer.
Not one mentioned the extras.
Until I asked directly.
The €1,200 That Becomes €1,670
Here’s a real example from a Cork agency quote:
QUOTED PRICE
€1,200/month social media management
ACTUAL MONTHLY COST
Base retainer: €1,200
Ad spend management (20%): +€240 (on €1,200 ad budget)
Software & tools: +€150
Stock assets (photos/videos): +€80
➡️ Total: €1,670/month
That’s 39% more than quoted.
And that’s before:
Setup fees (€500–€2,000 one-time)
Revision fees (after 2 rounds)
Rush fees
Video production extras
Analytics dashboard access
(Sources: InfluenceFlow Digital Marketing Pricing Guide 2026, DesignRush 2026 Survey)
Where Hidden Fees Hide
1. Ad Spend Management Percentage
What they say:
“We manage your Facebook ads.”
What they don’t say:
“Plus 10–20% of whatever you spend on ads.”
Example:
€1,000/month ad budget
+€150 management fee (15%)
Real cost: €1,150
Most Cork agencies bury this in contracts.
Why this matters:As your ad budget grows, their fee grows — even if the work stays the same.
2. Software & Tool Licenses
What they say:
“We use professional tools.”
What they don’t say:
“And we’re passing those costs to you.”
Common charges:
Social media scheduling: €50–€100/month
Analytics platforms: €30–€80/month
Design software: €40–€70/month
AI content tools: €30–€50/month
Total: €150–€300/month extra
The reality:You could subscribe to these tools yourself for €80–€120 total.
3. Stock Assets
What they say:
“Professional content creation included.”
What they don’t say:
“Stock photos and videos are extra.”
Typical costs:
Stock photos: €15–€40 per image
Stock videos: €50–€150 per clip
Music licensing: €20–€60 per track
Monthly reality: €80–€200 extra
4. Revision Fees
What they say:
“Unlimited revisions.”
Contract actually says:
“Up to 2 rounds of revisions included.”
After 2 rounds: €75–€150 per additional revision round.
Why this matters:If you don’t love the first version, you’re paying extra to fix it.
5. Setup Fees
What they say:
“€1,200/month.”
Contract page 3:
“Plus €1,500 one-time setup fee.”
What “setup” includes:
Account audit
Strategy document
First month’s content calendar
Profile optimization
Translation:Work they should do anyway to understand your business.
6. Analytics & Reporting
What they say:
“Monthly reporting included.”
What they don’t say:
“Live dashboard access is €80/month extra.”
Or:
“Detailed analytics reports are quarterly, not monthly.”
Want monthly detailed reports?Add €120/month.
The Real Cost Comparison
CORK AGENCY QUOTE
“€1,200/month for social media management”
ACTUAL ANNUAL COST
Base retainer: €1,200 × 12 = €14,400
Setup fee (one-time): €1,500
Ad management (20% of €1,000/mo): €2,400/year
Software licenses: €1,800/year
Stock assets: €960/year
Extra revisions (avg 3/year): €300
➡️ Total Year 1: €21,360
That’s 78% more than the quoted €14,400.
The Questions They Hope You Don’t Ask
1. “What is the ALL-IN monthly cost?”
Force them to include:
Base retainer
Ad spend percentages
Software costs
Asset fees
Any other regular charges
Get it in writing.
2. “What’s NOT included in the monthly fee?”
Make them list:
Setup fees
Revision limits
Extra service costs
Software licenses
Stock asset costs
3. “Show me the contract section on additional fees.”
Don’t sign until you’ve read every fee structure.
Look for phrases like:
“Plus percentage of…”
“Additional fees may apply…”
“Subject to extra charges…”
“Up to X revisions included…”
4. “What happens if I exceed the included services?”
Example:
“If we need more than 12 posts/month, what’s the cost?”
Get the overflow pricing before you sign.
5. “Can I see a sample invoice from a current client?”
(Client name redacted, obviously)
This shows the REAL monthly cost, including all extras.
The Cork Business Reality
Most Cork SMEs have:
€500–€2,000/month total marketing budgets
Need transparency
Can’t afford 39–78% surprise costs
When €1,200 becomes €1,670, that’s a problem.
€470/month = €5,640/year you didn’t budget for.
Red Flags to Watch For
🚩 RED FLAG 1: Vague Pricing - “It depends on your needs…”Translation: We’ll figure out pricing after you’re invested.
🚩 RED FLAG 2: Setup Fees Over €500 - Basic account setup shouldn’t cost €1,500–€2,000.
🚩 RED FLAG 3: Software Costs Passed Through - That’s their cost of doing business, not yours.
🚩 RED FLAG 4: Percentage-Based Ad Management - Fixed fee = fair.Infinite percentage growth = extraction.
🚩 RED FLAG 5: Contract Longer Than 3 hey know - you’ll want to leave once you see the real cost.
What Transparent Pricing Looks Like
At RYND, our pricing is simple
€199/month – STARTER
8 posts/month (2 platforms)
Basic engagement
Monthly reporting
No hidden fees
No setup costs
No software fees
Month-to-month
€399/month – CORE
16 posts/month (3 platforms)
4 Reels/month
Full engagement
Analytics
No hidden fees
€799/month – GROWTH
Everything in CORE
Google Ads management (flat fee, no percentage)
Priority support
Weekly reporting
No hidden fees
What’s NOT included?
Your ad spend (you control budget)
The Bottom Line
€1,200/month sounds reasonable.€1,670/month actual cost changes the math.
Most Cork agencies hide fees in:
Ad spend percentages
Software licenses
Stock assets
Revisions
Setup costs
Reporting extras
Before you sign:
Ask the 5 questions
Get the ALL-IN cost in writing
Next post:Why Facebook’s offering TWO feed options in 2026 (and what it means for Cork businesses)
Want Transparent Pricing?
I offer free 30-minute consultations where I’ll:
Review your current agency contract
Identify hidden fees
Show you what transparent pricing looks like
No sales pitch. Just honest feedback.
Sources & References
InfluenceFlow Digital Marketing Pricing Guide 2026
DesignRush, Digital Marketing Costs in 2026
12 Cork digital marketing agency consultations (January 2026)
Flying V Group, Your 2026 Guide to Digital Marketing Agency Pricing
About the Author
PJ Rynd runs RYND, a Cork-based digital consultancy with transparent pricing (€199–€799/month, no hidden fees). After 25 years in business operations, he got tired of corporate pricing games.
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