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In-house vs agency PPC: which is right for you?
An honest comparison for online retailers, DTC brands and service businesses deciding who should run their Google and Meta ads.
Should I hire in-house or use a PPC agency?
Hire in-house when paid media is large and central enough to justify a full-time specialist plus tools and training, and you can keep that person learning. Use an agency when you need senior expertise without a full salary, want cover across Google and Meta, or need results quickly. Many growing brands start with an agency and add an in-house marketer later.
The short answer
Neither option is better in every case. The right choice depends on how much you spend, how many channels you run, and whether you can give an in-house hire the support, tools and variety of experience an agency team gets by default.
Comparing the cost
A fair comparison counts the full cost of each option, not just the headline salary or fee.
| Factor | In-house hire | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Main cost | Salary, employer National Insurance and pension | Monthly management fee |
| Extra costs | Recruitment, tools, training, holiday and sick cover | Usually none; check for a percentage of ad spend |
| Time to start | Weeks to months to recruit | Usually within a few weeks |
| Breadth | One person’s experience | Experience across many accounts |
| Knowledge of your business | Deep and day-to-day | Built through onboarding and regular contact |
| Commitment | Employment contract | Varies; ours roll monthly |
Watch for agencies that charge a percentage of ad spend. It means their fee rises when you spend more, whether or not results improve. We charge flat monthly fees, quoted from your revenue, ad spend and scope, for that reason.
When in-house makes sense
- Paid media is a large share of your marketing and needs daily attention.
- You can afford a senior specialist, not a junior learning on your budget.
- Your products, approvals or brand rules change constantly and need someone on site.
- You can fund ongoing training and the tools a specialist needs.
When an agency makes sense
- You need senior expertise without a full-time salary.
- You run Google and Meta and want both covered properly.
- You want results in weeks rather than after a recruitment process.
- You want someone accountable who can be replaced without HR consequences if results slip.
The hybrid option
Many brands keep an in-house marketer for creative, offers and day-to-day decisions, and use an agency for the technical work: tracking, bidding, feeds and analysis. Others start with an agency and bring the work in-house once spend and processes justify it. Ad-hoc consulting can also support an in-house team without a retainer.
Questions to ask an agency
- Do I own the ad accounts and have full access?
- Do you charge a percentage of ad spend?
- How long is the minimum contract?
- Who will actually manage my account day to day?
- How often will I get reports, and what will they show?
- How do you set bid targets: from my margins, or from averages?