Facebook Ads Agency Cost vs DIY(2025): What’s the Smarter Investment for Your Business

If you’re a small business owner or marketing decision-maker wondering whether to hire a Facebook ad agency or run ads in-house, you’re not alone. Many brands face this exact crossroads when attempting to scale their digital marketing efforts. Fortunately, with the rise of AI ad creation platforms like VidAU, you can now streamline your workflow and reduce costs without compromising quality.

In this guide, we’ll break down the pros and cons of using a Facebook ads agency versus managing campaigns yourself. We’ll also explore pricing, management efficiency, and how VidAU’s Video Ad Maker can serve as your creative partner, either way.

If you’re deciding between an agency and DIY

If you’re a small business owner or a marketing decision‑maker, this choice is common. You want scale, control, and results. You also want speed. With AI tools like VidAU’s Video Ad Maker, you can now produce on‑brand video ads in minutes. That lowers cost. It also shortens creative cycles.

Understanding Facebook Ad Agencies

An Instagram(Meta) or Facebook ads marketing agency helps businesses set up, manage, and optimise ad campaigns on Meta platforms. These agencies offer a range of services, including:

• Strategy and account structure
• Campaign and asset creation
• Budget management
• A/B testing
• Performance reporting and optimization

These services save time. But they can be pricey. That’s where VidAU helps. With VidAU Video Ad Maker, your team generates compelling creatives in‑house. You avoid many production markups that agencies bundle into fees.

Typical Facebook Ad Agency Costs (Plus a Smarter Way with VidAU)

Let’s get into the numbers. So, how much do agencies charge for Facebook ads?

Here’s a breakdown:

• Monthly Retainer: $1,000–$3,000
• Setup Fees: $500–$2,000
• Percentage of Ad Spend: 10%–20%

If your business spends $5,000/month on ads, you might be paying an additional $1,000 to your agency just for management. However, with VidAU, you can eliminate creative production delays and lower costs by producing ad creatives internally, without the need to hire an in-house design team.

DIY Facebook Ads – What It Takes

Going the DIY route means handling everything: strategy, targeting, design, testing, and reporting. While this gives you more control, it also demands more time and marketing expertise.

Here’s what you’ll need to DIY:

• Ad copywriting and design skills
• Target audience research
• Campaign setup experience
• Analytics interpretation

With VidAU, you automate video production. Paste a product URL, and the platform will generate video ads. Then, get ready‑to‑run video ads. You have full control. You also move faster.

Pros and Cons of Hiring a Facebook Ad Agency (vs Using VidAU)

Let’s weigh both sides:

Pros of Agencies:

• Full-service management
• Cross‑industry learnings
• Deeper tracking/measurement support

Cons of Agencies:

• Higher monthly fees
• Less control over creative
• Slower creative turnarounds

DIY with VidAU (Pros):

• Fast, affordable video production
• Full creative control
• Rapid iteration for testing

DIY with VidAU (Cons):

• Requires in‑house ownership
• Learning curve on the ad strategy

How Agencies Use Facebook Agency Ad Accounts

A Facebook agency ad account is a specialised Business Manager setup that enables agencies to manage multiple clients under one roof. This structure makes account linking, permissions, and billing more seamless.

However, creative production remains a bottleneck. Agencies can utilise VidAU to expedite content delivery, particularly when managing multiple client accounts simultaneously.

Quick Decision Check for Facebook Ad Agency: DIY, Agency, or Hybrid?

Use this five‑question filter:

• Budget: Can you cover a retainer or % of spend for 3–6 months?
• Time: Do you have 5–10 hours per week for hands‑on management?
• Tracking: Is pixel/CAPI and events setup solid?
• Creative velocity: Can you launch 5–10 new video variants per week? (VidAU helps.)
• Complexity: Multiple countries, catalogs, or offline events? If yes, consider agency or hybrid.

How to vet a Facebook ads agency (fast checklist)

• Verify credentials: Look for the Meta Business Partner badge (use the official directory).
• Ask for numbers: Recent case studies with CPA/ROAS deltas and sample creative.
• Clarify pricing: Retainer vs % of spend; minimums; setup fees.
• Define ownership: Who owns ad accounts, pixels, audiences, and creatives?
• Agree on testing cadence: Weekly creative tests and learning agenda.
• Set reporting: Clear KPIs, cohort views, and QA on conversions.

Comparing Time and ROI: Facebook Ad Agency vs DIY

Time Investment:

• Agency: Saves your time, but often with slow creative feedback loops.
• DIY with VidAU: Requires some learning, but video creation takes minutes, not days.

ROI:

• Agency: ROI may be high, but it is not guaranteed.
• DIY + VidAU: High testing agility leads to more optimised creatives and better conversion rates.

Do You Need Advanced Facebook Ad Courses for Agencies?

Courses like Advanced Facebook Ads Courses for Agencies are great for training in-house teams or onboarding new hires. They often include modules like:

• Funnel building
• Retargeting
• Scaling campaigns

However, even if your team is well-equipped, producing daily ad creatives can still be a challenge. That’s why many marketers use VidAU to fill that creative gap.

Benchmarks to sanity‑check performance (2025)

Benchmarks vary by industry. Track CTR, CPC/CPM, CVR, and CPA against current ranges. Use them to spot outliers, not as hard goals. Pair benchmarks with your historical data.

The Hybrid Solution: Use VidAU Alongside Your Facebook Ad Agency

You don’t have to choose one or the other. Many successful companies use a hybrid model:

• Agency handles strategy + budget
• The in-house team uses VidAU for content

This method offers the best of both worlds: high-level strategy and rapid creative delivery.

Conclusion

The decision between DIY and hiring a Facebook ads agency comes down to your business size, goals, and budget. But one thing’s clear: producing high-quality ad creatives doesn’t have to be slow or expensive.

With VidAU, you can launch engaging, optimised video ads in minutes using just a product URL or a few lines of text. Whether you’re flying solo or working with an agency, VidAU saves time and maximises ROI.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much do marketing agencies charge for Facebook ads?

Agencies charge between $1,000 and $3,000/month or 10%–20% of ad spend. Additional setup fees may apply.

2. What’s a Facebook agency ad account?

It’s a business-level ad account that enables agencies to manage multiple clients efficiently within a single dashboard.

3. How do I add an agency to my Facebook ad account?

Go to Business Settings > Partners > Add Partner. Provide your agency’s Business ID for access.

4. Is DIY better than hiring a Facebook ads agency?

It depends on your budget, team, and expertise. DIY offers more control, but it takes time. VidAU bridges this gap by speeding up creative production.

5. Is there a free tool for making Facebook ads?

Yes! VidAU offers free tools to turn product URLs or text into Facebook-ready video ads instantly.