Most small businesses in India pay a digital marketing agency between ₹15,000 and ₹75,000 a month, plus a separate advertising budget. What you pay depends on three things: how many services you need, how competitive your market is, and who does the work (a freelancer, a small agency or a large one).
At DMarketing Cryptex our own packages start at ₹15,000–25,000 a month (Starter), ₹40,000–70,000 (Growth) and ₹1,00,000+ (Scale). The rest of this guide explains what those numbers buy, and how to judge any quote you receive.
Last verified: November 2026. Market ranges below are indicative figures from published Indian agency price guides; individual quotes vary with scope.
What does a digital marketing agency charge per month in India?
| Who you hire | Typical monthly fee | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer or very small agency | ₹15,000–40,000 | One or two services, a single location |
| Small to mid-sized agency | ₹50,000–1,20,000 | Several channels run together, monthly reporting |
| Large or network agency | Higher, usually quoted per project | National campaigns, large ad budgets |
You will also see listings for ₹5,000–8,000 a month. At that price expect a fixed number of social media posts and little else. That can be fine if posts are all you need, but it is not a plan for getting enquiries.
What does each service cost on its own?
| Service | Indicative monthly fee | What decides the price |
|---|---|---|
| SEO | ₹15,000 for one local business, rising to ₹1,50,000 for competitive national work | Number of locations, competition, amount of content |
| Social media management | ₹15,000–75,000 | Number of platforms, posts per month, video or static |
| Google Ads or Meta Ads management | ₹20,000–1,00,000 | Size of the ad budget, number of campaigns |
| Website | Usually a one-time fee | Pages, design, booking or payment features |
What do our packages include?
| Package | Starting range per month | What you get | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter: get found online | ₹15,000–25,000 | A modern website or a fix of your existing one, Google Business Profile, foundational SEO and AEO setup, professional social pages, a simple monthly report | A business that isn't yet easy to find online |
| Growth: get customers calling you | ₹40,000–70,000 | Everything in Starter, plus Google and social ads, ongoing social media management, WhatsApp and email lead follow-up, a monthly strategy call | A business ready to pay for enquiries |
| Scale: own your market | ₹1,00,000+ | Everything in Growth, plus a dedicated account pod, multi-channel campaigns, retention and loyalty programmes, a quarterly strategy review | A business growing across locations or channels |
Full details are on our services and pricing page.
Is ad spend included in the price?
No, and you should check this on every quote. The agency fee pays for the people and the work. The ad budget is the money that goes to Google or Meta to show your ads.
With us, you pay the ad budget directly to Google or Meta and we never take a cut of it. You see exactly what was spent and what it returned. If an agency asks you to route the ad budget through them, ask for platform invoices so you can see how much actually reached the platform.
How much should a Mumbai small business budget in total?
Add the two parts together: the agency fee and the ad budget.
A worked example, for illustration only: a clinic on a Growth package at ₹40,000 a month, with ₹30,000 in ad budget, spends ₹70,000 a month. If that brings 70 enquiries, each enquiry costs ₹1,000. Whether that is good depends on what a new customer is worth to you, which is why we ask for that number before recommending anything.
If your total budget is under ₹50,000, read where to spend your first ₹50,000 before hiring anyone.
What results can I expect in the first three months?
- Ads can start bringing enquiries within the first two to three weeks.
- SEO, content and organic growth usually take two to three months to build real momentum.
- Month one is mostly setup: tracking, the landing page and the Google Business Profile.
An agency that promises page-one rankings in 30 days, or a guaranteed number of leads before seeing your business, is telling you what you want to hear.
How do I compare two quotes?
Ask each agency the same five questions:
- What exactly is included each month? Get a list: number of campaigns, posts, pages, reports.
- Is ad spend separate, and who pays the platform?
- What is the contract length and notice period? We work month-to-month with no lock-in.
- How will I see results? Ask to see a sample report. It should show enquiries and cost per enquiry, not only clicks and likes.
- What will you do in the first 30 days? A clear answer shows they have a process.
The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest outcome. A ₹15,000 plan that brings no enquiries costs more than a ₹40,000 plan that brings forty.
Do I need to know which package I want?
No. Most people don't, and sometimes the honest answer is that you need one fix, not a monthly retainer.
Two ways to find out:
- Use the free Growth Engine planner: answer a few questions and get a suggested channel mix for your business.
- Book the Free Growth Check-Up: a 30-minute call where we look at your situation and tell you what we would do first, and what it would cost.
Raj Vidhyadharan is the founder of DMarketing Cryptex, a digital marketing agency in Mumbai, founded in 2019.