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Short answer: Most PPC agencies charge a flat monthly fee, often tiered by how much you spend. Others charge a percentage of ad spend (typically 10–20%, often with a minimum fee), or a hybrid of the two. Published packages for trades businesses that we checked in October 2026 ranged from about A$399 to A$1,490 a month in Australia. “Per-lead” pricing mostly comes from platforms such as hipages, Angi, Thumbtack and Google’s own Local Services Ads rather than from agencies. Whatever the model, ad spend is usually extra.
What are the main ways PPC agencies charge?
Pricing models, as of October 2026.
| Model | How it works | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat monthly fee | A fixed fee each month, often tiered by spend band | Predictable budgets; small to mid spend | A fixed fee doesn’t fall if the agency does less work. Check what each tier includes. |
| Percentage of ad spend | A share of what you spend on ads, often 10–20% | Growing accounts, where work scales with spend | A % fee rewards higher spend. Ask what stops the agency simply raising your budget. |
| Hybrid (minimum fee or % of spend) | Whichever is greater: a minimum fee or a % of spend | Fair at both small and large spends | At low spend you pay the minimum, so it can be a large share of a small budget |
| Billable hours | An hourly rate for time spent | One-off audits and projects | Hard to predict; less common in Australia & NZ |
| Pay per lead (platforms) | You pay for each enquiry: hipages, Angi, Thumbtack, Google Local Services Ads | Testing demand without a campaign build | Shared leads; definitions of “lead” vary; you don’t own the ad account or the data |
| Free trial, then one of the above | Management free for a set period; ad spend is still paid | Judging the work before paying | Check what you pay afterwards and whether there’s a contract. See free trials: what to look for. |
Which pricing model do most agencies use?
Survey data. Two independent surveys of PPC providers.
| Finding | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Most popular model: flat fee based on monthly spend range | 20% of 922 agencies and freelancers | Global State of PPC 2026 (PPCsurvey.com) |
| Fully custom pricing | 20% | Same |
| Billable hours | 18% overall: 23% in the UK & Ireland, 12% in North America, 4% in Australia & NZ | Same |
| Percentage of spend under management | Over-indexes in North America (15% of respondents there) | Same |
| Charge a flat-fee retainer (alone or combined) | 82.68% of 146 PPC providers | Credo PPC pricing survey (last updated July 2022) |
| Charge a percentage of spend only | 12.85% | Same |
| Flat fee or % depending on spend | 21.23% | Same |
| Flat fee plus % of spend | 21.79% | Same |
The Credo survey is older (2022) but is the only one we found that breaks out these combinations.
What do agencies actually charge trades businesses?
Published prices for Google Ads management aimed at trades and other local service businesses, read from each company’s website on 20 October 2026. Other agencies aren’t named; rows are grouped by country and are not a ranking. Ad spend is extra in every case. GST, VAT or tax may apply where shown.
| Company (country) | Published management price | Setup | Contract | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian trades agency A | A$399 / A$799 / A$1,299 per month, by spend band | Not stated | Month-to-month | Agency’s published pricing, Oct 2026 |
| Australian trades agency B | A$499 / A$899 / A$1,490 per month + GST, flat by spend band | A$790 | Not stated | Agency’s published pricing, Oct 2026 |
| Australian trades agency C | A$800 per month; a “full package” at A$1,200 with a calls-or-refund guarantee | Not stated | Not stated | Agency’s published pricing, Oct 2026 |
| Australian trades agency D | A$990 per month ex GST | Not stated | Not stated | Agency’s published pricing, Oct 2026 |
| Australian trades agency E | A$650 per month (free setup), or A$1,100 per month + A$495 setup | A$0 or A$495 | No lock-in | Agency’s published pricing, Oct 2026 |
| Australian trades marketing platform | First 30 days of ad management free; then A$100 per week for the first ad, A$50 per week for each extra ad | Included | No contract | Published pricing, Oct 2026 |
| Canadian PPC agency | CA$500 per month, or 20% of spend above CA$3,000 | Not stated | Not stated | Agency’s published pricing, Oct 2026 |
| Irish PPC agency | From €450 per month + VAT | Not stated | Not stated | Agency’s published pricing, Oct 2026 |
| US home-services PPC agency | 14-day free trial; then US$1,200 per month | Not stated | Month-to-month | Agency’s published pricing, Oct 2026 |
| PPC Fitter (US, UK, CA, AU, NZ, IE) | First 2 months free; then 10% of combined Google + Meta ad spend or US$500 per month, whichever is greater. Invoiced in US$, no GST or VAT added; tools such as call tracking included | None | No lock-in; cancel any time | ppcfitter.com/pricing |
Typical ranges quoted by agencies in other markets (each agency’s own published view, read 20 Oct 2026, not a survey): one Canadian agency quotes CA$275–2,500 flat, or 10–20% of spend; another Canadian agency quotes CA$500–2,000, or 15–25%; a New Zealand agency quotes NZ$300–1,500 flat, or 10–20%.
Honest note on our own pricing. At small budgets our US$500 minimum is higher than some flat-fee entry tiers above (for example, A$399 a month). Our fee becomes a straight 10% from US$5,000 a month in combined Google and Meta spend. It’s invoiced in US$ with no GST or VAT added, and tools such as call tracking are included rather than passed on. What you get for it is on our pricing page.
How do the models compare at different ad spends?
An illustration of how each model scales, not a price list. Uses round example rates in a single currency: a 15% fee, an 800 flat fee, a “10% or 500, whichever is greater” hybrid, and a 300-per-month-plus-10% model.
| Monthly ad spend | 15% of spend | Flat 800 | Greater of 10% or 500 | 300 + 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | 150 | 800 | 500 | 400 |
| 3,000 | 450 | 800 | 500 | 600 |
| 5,000 | 750 | 800 | 500 | 800 |
| 10,000 | 1,500 | 800 | 1,000 | 1,300 |
| 20,000 | 3,000 | 800 | 2,000 | 2,300 |
What this shows: percentage fees are cheapest at small spend and dearest at large spend. Flat fees are the reverse. Minimum-fee hybrids sit in between. Compare the fee as a share of your spend at the budget you’ll actually run.
How does pay-per-lead pricing work for trades businesses?
Most per-lead pricing comes from lead platforms, not agencies. Here’s how the main ones charge, according to their own pages (checked 20 October 2026):
| Platform | Countries | How you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| hipages | Australia | Monthly membership: Starter A$139, Advanced A$249, Premium A$449, Platinum A$649 (+GST), with 155 / 310 / 595 / 850 credits. Each lead costs credits. | Credits per lead vary by category, location, job size and demand. Each lead goes to at most 3 businesses. No commission. Initial 6-month term, then 12-month renewals. |
| Angi | US | Pay per lead | Lead fees vary by task, location and demand. You’re charged when both sides show interest, whether or not you respond. |
| Thumbtack | US | Pay per lead | No charge to join, no annual or membership fees. You control your pricing and budget for leads. |
| Google Local Services Ads | US, Canada, UK, Ireland and some EU countries (not Australia or NZ) | Pay per valid lead, with a weekly budget | You don’t pay for clicks. Invalid leads can be credited in some countries. See LSA vs Search Ads. |
We didn’t find enough published pricing from agencies that charge per lead to report a typical rate.
Which model is best for a trades business?
- Under about 2,000 a month in spend: a low flat fee or a % fee with no high minimum usually costs least. Check that the agency still tracks calls and does more than set and forget.
- 2,000–5,000 a month: most models land in a similar range. Compare what’s included, who does the work and the contract terms.
- Above 5,000 a month: flat fees and capped percentages tend to cost less than an uncapped 15–20%.
- Testing whether ads work at all: a free management period or a pay-per-lead platform lets you see results before you commit. Check what happens afterwards.
What should be included in any PPC management fee?
At minimum: conversion tracking for calls and forms, negative keywords, location targeting to the areas you service, an ad schedule that matches when you answer the phone, regular optimisation, and a report showing leads and cost per lead. You should also own the ad account. See how to know if a Google Ads agency is doing a good job.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a PPC agency charge a trades business per month?
Published packages for Australian trades businesses that we checked in October 2026 ranged from A$399 to A$1,490 a month, plus ad spend. Agencies in Canada and New Zealand quote ranges of roughly CA$275–2,500 and NZ$300–1,500 a month, or 10–25% of spend.
Is a percentage of ad spend or a flat fee better?
A percentage is usually cheaper at small budgets and dearer at large ones. A flat fee is the reverse. Work out the fee as a share of the spend you’ll actually run, and check what’s included.
What percentage of ad spend do PPC agencies charge?
Typically 10–20%, according to published Canadian and New Zealand agency ranges, and some quote up to 25%. Many set a minimum monthly fee.
What’s the most common PPC agency pricing model?
A flat fee. In the Global State of PPC 2026 survey of 922 agencies and freelancers, the most popular model was a flat fee based on the monthly spend range, at 20%. An older Credo survey found 82.68% of PPC providers charge a flat-fee retainer in some form.
Do any Google Ads agencies charge per lead?
A few do, but we couldn’t find enough published rates to report a typical price. Most per-lead pricing for trades businesses comes from platforms such as hipages, Angi, Thumbtack and Google Local Services Ads.
Is ad spend included in the agency fee?
Usually not. In every published price we checked, ad spend was separate. Ideally you pay it directly to Google or Meta from your own card.
What does PPC Fitter charge?
The first 2 months of management are free. From month 3 the fee is 10% of your combined monthly Google and Meta ad spend or US$500 a month, whichever is greater. It’s invoiced in US$ with no GST or VAT added, it covers tools such as call tracking, and there’s no lock-in, so you can cancel any time. Ad spend is paid directly to Google or Meta.
Sources (all checked 20 October 2026)
- PPCsurvey.com, Global State of PPC 2026 report (1,306 respondents; 922 on pricing)
- Credo, How do PPC agencies price their work? (146 PPC providers; updated July 2022)
- Agency price pages: read on each agency’s own website on 20 October 2026 (agencies not named)
- hipages membership costs
- Angi, Opportunities and leads FAQ
- Thumbtack for pros
- Google Local Services Ads Help, How leads and charges work
Related: Pricing · Google Ads agencies with a free trial · How to choose a Google Ads agency · Is Google Ads worth it for small business? · 5 signs your digital marketing budget is being wasted
