Freelance Media Buyer Pricing in the Philippines (2026)

Pricing is the most-asked question by Filipino freelance media buyers. Charge too little and you're a junior; charge too much and you scare clients.

Here are the real ranges based on PH 2026 reality.

TL;DR

PH-based clients:

Junior: ₱15K–₱30K/month per client.

Mid: ₱30K–₱60K/month.

Senior: ₱60K–₱150K/month.

International clients:

Junior: $400–$1,000/month.

Mid: $1,000–$3,000/month.

Senior: $3,000–$8,000+/month.

What junior, mid, senior actually means

Junior (0–6 months experience)

Can build campaigns from a brief.

Knows Pixel, basic audiences, basic creative testing.

Limited results portfolio.

Needs supervision.

Mid (6 months – 2 years)

Independent campaign management.

Builds creative briefs.

Manages Pixel/CAPI/tracking.

Has 3–5 client wins documented.

Can scale accounts to ₱30K+/day.

Senior (2+ years)

Strategy and planning.

Multi-channel coordination (Meta + Google + Email).

Manages junior media buyers.

Has scaled accounts to ₱100K+/day.

Specialist in a vertical or platform.

Pricing models

Monthly retainer

Most common. Set fee for defined scope.

PH rates:

Junior: ₱15K–₱30K.

Mid: ₱30K–₱60K.

Senior: ₱60K–₱150K.

International rates (USD):

Junior: $400–$1,000.

Mid: $1,000–$3,000.

Senior: $3,000–$8,000+.

% of ad spend

10–15% of monthly ad spend, typically with a minimum.

Example: client spends ₱200K/month on ads. Your fee: ₱20K–₱30K + minimum.

Better for high-spend clients. Risky for new clients (low spend = low fee).

Performance-based

5–10% of incremental revenue.

Hard to verify. Avoid for new clients. Works for established accounts where attribution is clear.

Hybrid retainer + performance

Base retainer ₱30K + 3–5% of revenue above target.

Best for both parties: predictable income for you, aligned incentives.

What's included in the price

Standard scope:

Campaign setup and management.

Weekly reporting.

Monthly strategy call.

Creative briefing (you brief, client supplies creative).

Audience and bidding optimization.

Excluded (charge extra):

Creative production.

Landing page builds.

Email marketing.

Influencer outreach.

How to set your rate

Step 1: Calculate your minimum

What you need to earn:

Living expenses: ₱30K–₱50K/month.

Taxes: 8% (BIR option for under ₱3M revenue).

Tools: ₱5K/month (Triple Whale, Slack, etc.).

Buffer: 20%.

Minimum monthly income: ~₱60K (sole income) or ~₱30K (supplemental).

Step 2: Calculate per-client fee

Capacity: 4–6 clients max as a solo operator. So:

₱60K minimum / 4 clients = ₱15K per client floor.

₱60K minimum / 6 clients = ₱10K per client floor.

But ₱10K is junior pricing. You need 4–5 clients at ₱20K+ minimum.

Step 3: Adjust for experience and value

If you have 1+ year of results: charge mid (₱30K+).

If you specialize: charge premium (₱40K+).

If you're solo with proof of scaling accounts to strong revenue: ₱60K–₱100K+.

Pricing psychology

Don't undersell

A "₱5K/month" pricing signal:

Junior.

Inexperienced.

Won't deliver results.

Better to take fewer high-paying clients than many low-paying.

Don't overprice without proof

Pricing senior with junior portfolio = client churns within 90 days.

Anchor with packages

Offer 3 tiers:

Starter: ₱30K/month, basic management.

Growth: ₱50K/month, +creative briefing, weekly calls.

Scale: ₱80K+/month, +multi-channel, dedicated.

Most clients pick mid-tier. Anchors price perception.

Contract essentials

Always have a contract:

Scope of work.

Deliverables.

Reporting cadence.

Payment terms (50% upfront, 50% net 15).

Termination clause (30 days notice).

Performance metrics.

IP ownership.

When to raise rates

Raise rates with current clients when:

You've delivered measurable results.

6+ months of partnership.

Increased scope.

Sample message:

Hi [client], it's been a great 8 months. We've taken your account from ₱X to ₱Y revenue at ROAS Z. To continue growing, I'd like to update my retainer to ₱[new rate], starting next month. Happy to discuss.

Most clients accept. Some don't — that's okay, replace them.

Working with international clients

Pros

2–4x PH rates in USD/EUR.

Higher caliber clients.

Often better processes.

Cons

Time zone challenges.

Higher quality bar.

Stricter contracts.

Tax complexity.

Where to find

LinkedIn (US/AU/UK companies hiring contractors).

Upwork (race to the bottom mostly, but $80+/hour exists).

We Work Remotely.

Direct outreach via cold email.

Payment

PayPal: 4–5% fee, slow.

Wise: 1–2% fee, fast.

Deel or Remote: easier compliance, small fee.

Tax considerations

For PH freelancers earning under ₱3M/year: BIR's 8% income tax option is simplest.

Above ₱3M/year: graduated tax (up to 35%).

Keep records of:

Gross income.

Business expenses.

Tools and subscriptions.

Professional development.

Consult a Filipino accountant once you're past ₱100K/month.

Want to charge more?

The path to higher rates: specialize, build a portfolio, deliver measurable results.

The free Meta Ads videos on YouTube and free Google Ads videos on YouTube accelerate that journey.

Related reading:

How to Become a Media Buyer in the Philippines

Building an Ads Agency From Home

Working With International Clients