Pricing explained. What you pay for, and what you don't.
three ways to work together. the first one is free. no percentage of ad spend, no lock-in.
The three options
| option | how it is priced | what it includes | best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| free teardown | free | a review of your funnel, creative and retention, and the one play i would run first | anyone deciding what to do next |
| creative testing sprint | fixed fee, scoped on the call | a short channel validation: raw UGC creative volume, live spend, a written pass or fail verdict | apps with retention that need to find a working channel |
| embedded operator | monthly flat fee, no lock-in | acquisition, creative engine, Reddit and paid, run hands on, with weekly numbers | apps with one channel working that need a growth system |
What is not in the fee
ad spend goes straight to Meta, TikTok, Google or Apple, never through me. creator costs for UGC and your tools (attribution, analytics, paywall) are also separate. i help you plan all three so the total is clear before we start.
What drives the scope
- number of channels. one channel run properly is a different job from three at once.
- creative production. running the creator bench and editing roughly doubles the work.
- measurement. fixing attribution and cohorts first adds time.
- product access. onboarding and paywall fixes are high leverage and need the app team.
When i will tell you it is too early
if retention is not measured, the product is still changing every week, or the monthly test budget is very small, i will say so on the call and point you to what to do first. when to hire an app growth marketer covers the signs.
for what app growth marketers cost across the market (in-house, agency, freelance), read how much an app growth marketer costs.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there no price list?
because the same title covers very different scopes. one channel with creative already in place is a different job from building a UGC engine, fixing attribution and running three channels. i scope on the free call, in writing, before anything starts. you never pay to find out the price.
Is there a minimum ad budget?
as a rule of thumb, under about $5,000 a month in acquisition spend most paid tests cannot reach enough volume to give a clear answer. below that, founder led channels like Reddit and organic video usually beat paid, and i will say so rather than sell you a retainer.
Do you charge a percentage of ad spend?
no. a percentage of spend pays the marketer more when you spend more, not when you grow more. i prefer a flat fee with pass or fail criteria written down before any money goes out, so incentives point at retained users and CAC.