"What does PPC management cost?" sounds like a simple question, but most proposals make it hard to answer because they blend two very different things into one number: the money that goes to Google, and the money that goes to the agency. This guide separates them, explains the fee models you will encounter in Canada, publishes our own pricing as a concrete reference point, and lists the red flags that should end a conversation.
The two numbers in every PPC budget
Ad spend is what you pay the platforms — Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Meta — for the actual clicks and impressions. It should flow through an ad account you own, billed directly to your credit card.
Management fees are what you pay the agency or consultant to plan, build, optimize and report on the campaigns. This is the number that varies most between providers, and the one proposals tend to obscure.
If a quote gives you a single monthly figure without breaking out these two components, ask for the split before anything else. An agency that will not separate them is telling you something.
The fee models you will see in Canada
| Model | How it works | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Flat monthly retainer | A fixed fee for a defined scope of work | Scope creep exclusions; confirm what's included in writing |
| Percentage of ad spend | Typically 10–20% of monthly spend, common above ~$10K/month | Incentive to grow spend rather than results; ask how efficiency is rewarded |
| Tiered packages | Named tiers with escalating deliverables and platforms | Whether the tier matches your actual needs or forces over-buying |
| Hourly / project | Audits, restructures, one-off builds billed per hour or fixed project | Good for diagnosis; not a substitute for ongoing management |
What ThinkProfits charges (published, not estimated)
Most agencies hide their pricing until a sales call. We publish ours on the PPC advertising page, so you can compare proposals against a real reference point:
- $399/month — entry management for a single small Google Ads account, with a $1,000 one-time setup including GA4 and Tag Manager integration.
- $699/month — growing accounts, $1,200 setup, adds call and form tracking.
- $999/month — $1,500 setup, adds Microsoft Ads setup and monthly optimization.
- $1,499/month — $2,000 setup, adds video campaign setup and optimization.
- Above $10,000/month in ad spend — a transparent percentage-of-spend model.
These are our fees, not market averages — some agencies charge more, some charge less, and what matters is what the fee buys. Every tier includes campaign strategy, bid optimization, conversion tracking, A/B testing and monthly reporting, with no long-term contracts and full account ownership on your side.
How much ad spend do you actually need?
Management fees are only half the budget. For most small and mid-sized Canadian businesses, meaningful ad spend runs $1,000 to $10,000 per month, driven by industry competitiveness and geography. Competitive trades — plumbing, HVAC, home services — in major metros often need $3,000 to $7,000 per month for steady lead flow. B2B and lower-competition niches can perform on $1,000 to $3,000. Anyone quoting you lead volumes before discussing your market's cost-per-click is guessing.
Red flags in a PPC proposal
- Blended pricing. One number covering "everything" hides how much reaches Google and how much reaches the agency. Demand the split.
- Agency-owned ad accounts. If the account, history and conversion data live in the agency's name, leaving means starting over. Your accounts, your data, always.
- No conversion tracking in the launch scope. An agency willing to spend your money before tracking exists is planning to report on clicks, not leads. See what proper reporting looks like on our digital marketing reporting page.
- Guaranteed lead volumes. No one controls auction prices or competitor behaviour. Guarantees of outcomes are marketing, not forecasting.
- Clicks-and-impressions reporting. If the sample report does not tie spend to leads, calls and revenue, it is reporting activity, not results.
- Long lock-ins. A twelve-month contract with no exit clause transfers all the risk to you. Month-to-month or short initial terms are the mark of a confident provider.
How to compare two proposals fairly
Put them side by side and answer five questions for each: What is the management fee, separate from spend? What exactly is included, monthly, in writing? Who owns the ad account and the data? What does the launch include, and what does it cost? How will results be reported, and can I see a sample? The cheaper proposal frequently loses this comparison once scope and ownership are visible.
If you are weighing paid search against organic investment, our SEO vs. PPC comparison covers when each channel earns its budget, and our strategy and consulting programs can map the two together. For Vancouver-specific paid search, see our PPC agency Vancouver page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does PPC management cost in Canada?
From a few hundred dollars monthly for a small single-platform account to the low thousands for multi-platform programs, or a percentage of spend at higher budgets. ThinkProfits publishes tiers at $399, $699, $999 and $1,499 per month plus setup fees.
Is the management fee separate from ad spend?
It should be — always. Ad spend flows through your account to the platforms; the fee pays for management. Proposals that blend them hide what you are paying for.
Why do agencies charge setup fees?
Launch work — account structure, conversion tracking, GA4/Tag Manager, call and form tracking, initial ad copy — is real one-time work. Our setup fees run $1,000 to $2,000 depending on tier and platforms.
What is the biggest red flag in a PPC proposal?
Blended pricing and agency-owned accounts tie for first place — one hides your money, the other holds your data hostage. No conversion tracking in scope is a close third.
Have a PPC proposal in hand and want a second opinion on it? Book a free consultation — we will walk through the fee structure and scope with you, no obligation.
