Top 5 Affordable Startup Marketing Agencies to Work With (2024)

One challenge every startup founder faces is how to deliver results under financial constraints. So, finding an affordable startup marketing agency sits on the front burner for most.

Yet, there is this misconception that a cheap or affordable service translates to low quality. That is untrue, and that mindset has to change. Technology enables fast and efficient service delivery with minimal overhead, allowing cost savings to be passed directly to you. There are budget-conscious marketing agencies out there delivering better results than expensive, traditional marketing agencies. 

It’s like finding rough diamonds, and we have done the heavy lifting to make it easy for you. So, keep reading to find the top 5 affordable startup marketing agencies that you can work with today.

Top 5 affordable startup marketing agencies

Kaya, LYFE marketing, Cleverly, Lilo Social, and Sociallyin are top startup digital marketing agencies that offer cost-effective solutions for your marketing needs.

1. Kaya

Kaya, as a startup marketing agency, helps startups with cost-effective solutions, time-saving and ROI improvements through paid ads. Kaya's proprietary AI offers smart recommendations, leading to 10x faster work and better results. It has earned a feature in Hubspot’s Podcast, Marketing Against the Grain.

Here is an excerpt from Kieran Flanagan, the CMO of Zapier:

This is one of the examples that came up in that LinkedIn thread I really like, it’s a company called Kaya. They’re a startup marketing agency that has AI deeply integrated into how they work.

Aside from Kaya’s AI and analytics-driven approach, it also stands out for its pricing transparency, offering a modest fixed rate of US$3,000 per month, paid monthly, on a short 3-month contract. It also offers performance-based pricing, which is a win-win offer for startups.

There are no hidden charges, no retainer fees, and no minimum spend requirement. Kaya creates a solution around your budget but still delivers results within 2 weeks. Their past projects include:

• Safely Finance: 651% growth in Google ads conversion and 80% offer cost reduction.
• E-rides: 4x growth in clickthrough rates (CTR) and 2x in conversions.

Kaya’s marketing solutions are tailor-made, backed by their experience helping to scale startups across tech, B2B and B2C sectors. Start here with a free, comprehensive proposal tailored to accelerate your startup's growth.

Tired of poor marketing ROI?

Check out how Kaya delivers 10x faster and better results cost-effectively with our world-class team and AI. See results in as soon as 2 weeks.

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2. Lilo social

Lilo Social is a full-funnel, affordable startup marketing agency focused on e-commerce brands, specializing in paid search and social management, website optimization (CRO), and email & SMS marketing. They charge a minimum rate of around $5,000 monthly and an average hourly rate of anywhere from US$100 - US$149 per hour. Past clients include Bauer, PE2, and Bearaby.

3. LYFE marketing

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, LYFE Marketing distinguishes itself as an agency providing social media ads and marketing services, PPC management, and email marketing services to startups. Their PPC management services can be quite affordable, costing anywhere from US$500 to US$10,000 a month, depending on client needs. They typically charge an account set-up fee of US$300 but offer possible waivers. Clients include Skystone Acquisitions, Raw Chemistry, and ROYCE.

4. Cleverly

Cleverly is an agency focused on email marketing, ad creative, digital marketing, and paid advertising with a specific focus on the LinkedIn platform. They service startups, small businesses and some larger businesses. They offer tiered plans, namely, Gold, Platinum and Teams. Their teams' plan costs US$891 per month for LinkedIn outreach, while the starter plan for LinkedIn ads goes for US$999 per month for a US$3,000 LinkedIn ad budget. Past clients include LeaseLock and Bambee.

5. Sociallyin

Sociallyin is a social media-focused marketing agency for startups. They offer paid ads services, social media strategy and management, content production, and community management. Their hourly rates start from around US$100, while the minimum campaign size is around US$5,000 per month. Sociallyin's clients include Incomm, Angi, and Premium Guard.

How pricing works for startup marketing agencies

Finding an affordable startup marketing agency goes beyond the regular headline prices. Different agencies employ various pricing structures and can include hidden fees that would inflate the final bill. 

Below are some of the most common pricing models and potential additional charges to consider.

• Hourly rate: Agencies bill you for every hour spent on your task.
• Flat fee: Agencies charge you a fixed price for specific deliverables.
• Monthly retainer: This is a fixed monthly fee for ongoing services.
• Project-based pricing: A fixed price for an entire project, regardless of time spent.
• Performance-based pricing: You only get to pay an agreed fee if the agency meets certain targets.
• Packages and bundles: The agency offers many services at discounted rates compared to offering them separately.

You may also come across other forms of pricing, such as revenue share, commission-based, and tiered pricing. These pricing types have their pros and cons. 

Also, aside from the advertised prices, some startup marketing agencies import additional charges, such as consultation fees, engagement fees, minimum spend for ads, and retainer fees. These extra charges inflate your bill. 

Kaya recognizes that startups are at different stages, requiring tailored pricing solutions. Our primary model is based on a percentage of your ad spend, starting at a USD$3,000 monthly fee, typically with a cap. For those seeking a results-driven approach, we also provide performance-based pricing where your investment is aligned with the campaign's success. This collaboration ensures mutual goals and shared rewards.

Affordable marketing alternatives for startups

Freelancers

There has been a boom in freelance work, especially post-COVID. Freelance professionals are easier to hire, and they have no hidden charges. Also, there are no employment benefits, training, or other costs associated with having an in-house team. 

Advantages of hiring freelancers:

• Cost-effective: There are no recruitment costs or overheads to worry about.
• Flexible: You can hire on per-project or per hour. They can scale more easily according to project needs.
• Expert skills: Freelancers often focus on specific skills, potentially offering deep expertise in your required area.

Disadvantages of hiring freelancers:

• Lack of ownership: They may not fully commit to your organization’s culture.
• Communication issues: Communication may be challenging, especially in remote settings.
• No long-term commitment: Freelancers may not be committed to your long-term goals

The DIY option

One way to go about this is to bring in a co-founder with a prerequisite marketing background. Another is to hire a marketing all-rounder—someone who can handle most of the tasks you need. The problem with both options is that you put excessive responsibilities on the shoulders of one person, which could create stress and lead to poor performance.

You may also decide to have a small team–maybe 2 to 3 junior marketing professionals, but this leads to huge costs to hire, train and retain. Despite the cost implications, having someone in-house translates to better ownership and understanding of your organization's culture and principles. It also gives you better control over their work.

Advantages of hiring in-house or DIY:

• Direct control: You have better control and oversight of strategies and execution.
• Better alignment: Unlike freelancers, in-house talent will offer a better understanding of your company's culture, values, and vision.
• Better integration: They have access to other employees and teams, which will improve the quality of their work.

Disadvantages of hiring in-house or DIY:

• High cost: Indeed reports that most companies spend up to US$4,000 to hire new talent, excluding salary and benefits. Factors that ramp up the bill are job posting, using recruiters, background checks, and onboarding. Plus, the risk can be high as a bad hire may potentially cost you a whole year.
• Skill gaps: It’s difficult to find all the skills you need in one or two talents, and it takes months just to find and onboard the right hire. Agencies have a team of specialists in multiple areas and can significantly speed up your time to results.
• Tech stack limitations: Unlike startup marketing agencies, you may not have the full range of tools and technologies that you need to execute your marketing.

Kaya: Purpose-built digital marketing agency for startups

Kaya delivers paid ad improvements on Google, Meta, YouTube, and LinkedIn. You get end-to-end campaign and conversion tracking setup, ongoing ads management, and weekly reporting via a live dashboard. 

To do all that in-house, you’d need multiple tools like Tableau or PowerBI, Figma, SEMrush, HubSpot, and so on. You’d then need to hire an individual or a team to manage them and deliver results. 

If you then consider the average of US$4,000 per head for hiring, time for onboarding, and possible training costs, you find out how quickly these costs could spiral out of control.

Kaya vs. traditional marketing agencies vs. in-house team

Case studies

Abbot

On top of being affordable, Kaya is AI and analytics-driven, delivers fast results, saves you time and helps you manage your ad budget. Abbot experienced the Kaya advantage, which helped transform their marketing.

Kaya has been helping us out with some marketing as well, and they have been AMAZING to work with. Highly recommend talking to them!

Paul Nakata

Founder/CEO, Abbot

SnapStudio

After going through a significant part of its ad budget without much success, SnapStudio knew it needed an affordable startup marketing agency and reached out to Kaya.

Kaya improved their ROI by relying on its proprietary AI tool, marketing analytics, and dedicated team. 

Kaya’s network of venture-backed companies and top-notch leadership is highly responsive and proactive. They care about getting results for their clients and go above and beyond to make sure every base is covered from the very beginning.

Zach Nieman

Founder, SnapStudio