Insights ยท Google Ads
How much does Google Ads management cost? 2026 prices.
Published agency fees, how much ad spend you actually need, and five things to check before you sign anything.
Short answer: Google Ads management in Australia typically costs $1,000 to $1,250 a month in fees, before GST and before ad spend, with a one-off setup of about $600. Budget agencies start around $330 a month; specialist agencies charge $2,500 a month and up.
These are published fees from Australian agencies we surveyed on 1 October 2026. Ad spend is separate: it is what you pay Google for the clicks.
| Cost | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly management fee | $330 | $1,000 to $1,250 | $2,500+ |
| One-off setup | $250 | about $600 | $2,000 |
| Minimum term | none | 3 months | 12 months |
AUD, excluding GST. Published prices only.
How much ad spend do you need?
Enough for Google to learn what works. Below about $1,000 to $1,500 a month in spend, most local campaigns do not get enough clicks to tell a good keyword from a bad one, and the management fee becomes most of the cost. We recommend at least $1,500 a month in spend to get useful data.
What to check before you sign.
- Who owns the ad account. It should be in your name, so the history stays with you.
- Whether spend is marked up. Spend should be billed by Google to your card.
- The minimum term. Budget agencies often lock in 6 to 12 months. A 3-month first term is reasonable; 12 is not.
- What gets reported. Spend, leads and cost per lead, every week, not impressions.
- Whether the landing page is part of it. Ads sending traffic to a page that does not convert waste the budget.
What we charge.
Google Ads management is $229 a week +GST, about $992 a month, with a Monday report on spend, leads and cost per lead. A full build is $1,500 +GST, or $750 with a 3-month management term. See how we run it.
Before you ask.
How much does Google Ads management cost in Australia?
Published agency fees in October 2026 typically run $1,000 to $1,250 a month, excluding GST and ad spend, with budget agencies from about $330 and specialists from $2,500. Setup is usually $250 to $2,000.
Is ad spend included in the management fee?
Usually not. The fee pays for the work; spend is what you pay Google for clicks. It should be billed by Google to your own card, so you can see exactly what was spent.
Start a Campaign
Send the brief.
Get a start date.
Tell us what has to win. You will get a reply with a fixed quote and a start date.