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Agency Retainer vs In-House Hire

A monthly agency fee can look expensive next to a salary, until you add up what an in-house hire really costs. Beyond the wage there is KiwiSaver, ACC, software, training and the months it takes someone to get up to speed. Here is the honest comparison.

Last updated: July 2026

The verdict

On paper an in-house marketer can look cheaper than an agency, but the real cost is the salary plus KiwiSaver, ACC, tools, management time and a ramp-up period before they produce results. A full-time marketer in New Zealand typically costs well over $80,000 a year all in, for a single skill set. An agency gives you a whole team of skills for a predictable monthly fee, with no recruitment risk and faster results. In-house wins when you have enough ongoing work to keep a skilled marketer busy and the budget to support them; an agency wins when you want senior skills across ads, funnels and follow-up without carrying a salary. Lucid backs the agency option with a 30 qualified leads in 30 days money-back guarantee, which an employee cannot offer.

Agency Retainer vs In-House Hire, side by side

Agency Retainer In-House Hire
Headline cost A predictable monthly fee plus ad spend Salary, often $70k to $95k plus on-costs
Hidden costs None beyond the agreed fee KiwiSaver, ACC, software, training, leave
Skills covered A whole team: ads, funnels, pages, follow-up A single skill set
Time to results Fast, the team already knows the work Slow, expect a ramp-up period
Recruitment risk None, no hiring or turnover to manage You carry hiring and turnover risk
Accountability Guarantee-backed results Managed like any other employee

An agency makes sense when

  • You want senior skills across several areas, not just one.
  • You do not want to carry a salary and on-costs.
  • You want results without a long ramp-up.
  • You value a guarantee on the outcome.

An in-house hire makes sense when

  • You have enough ongoing work to keep a marketer fully busy.
  • You want someone embedded in your team day to day.
  • You have the budget for salary plus all the on-costs.
  • You can manage and direct the role yourself.

Common questions

What does an in-house marketer really cost in NZ?

More than the salary alone. On top of a typical $70,000 to $95,000 wage you add KiwiSaver, ACC levies, software and tools, training and paid leave, plus the months it takes a new hire to get up to speed. Counted properly, one marketer often costs six figures a year for a single skill set.

Is an agency cheaper than hiring?

It depends on your workload. If you have enough work to keep a skilled marketer busy all year, in-house can be cost effective. If you want a range of senior skills without a salary and the recruitment risk, an agency is usually better value for money.

Keep exploring

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Alternative to hiring in-house

Done-for-you lead generation instead of a salary.

Not sure which is right for you?

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