A digital marketing retainer is not the same product at every agency. Its price depends on the work, channels, content and level of management. To compare offers in Montreal, start by separating agency fees from advertising spend.
This guide explains the main budget items and questions to ask. Clevr's current prices and terms are on our marketing page.
Published monthly prices in September 2026
These Canadian-dollar examples were checked on September 25, 2026. They are published offers, not Montreal market averages. Their deliverables differ, and ad spend is separate unless the proposal explicitly includes it.
| Service | Published monthly fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Social media management, different scopes | From $300 to $1,000 | OnePoint and Marketing 148 |
| Social content with on-site video | $2,500 | Marketing 148 |
| Social content with Google and Meta ads management | $3,500, plus ad spend | Marketing 148 |
| Clevr marketing retainer | From $1,500 | Our marketing scope |
A low starting fee and a full content-and-ads service are different purchases. Compare the work, approval time and ongoing commitment.
What a monthly retainer covers
Ongoing work may include planning, writing, design, campaign management, scheduling posts and reporting. Not every retainer includes every service.
Your proposal should name the channels and deliverables. It should also explain who supplies photographs, approves copy and makes time for feedback.
A list of posts is only part of the picture. Planning, content quality and adjustments matter as much as volume.
Separate management fees from media spend
Fees pay for the agency's work. The media budget goes to the platforms displaying your ads. A clear proposal presents these amounts separately.
Ask whether ad creative and landing pages are included. Check the costs of tools, video, photography and translation as well.
Your organization should control its advertising accounts. You should be able to see the spending and keep access when the engagement ends.
Budget for French and English content
Reaching French-speaking and English-speaking audiences takes more than a translation button. Plan for copy, text in graphics, landing pages and confirmation messages.
The French should suit Quebec and your customers. Agree on who writes, reviews and approves it. Language work belongs in the scope instead of becoming an unexpected expense.
Have your advisers confirm the requirements that apply to your organization. The agency can then reflect those requirements in the content.
Monthly retainer or one-time project?
A project suits a defined deliverable: a launch campaign, a set of pages or a case study. It has a beginning, an end and an agreed price.
A retainer suits work that needs to continue and adapt: advertising campaigns, newsletters, regular content and reporting. It needs an approval schedule and goals measured over time.
You can improve your website before committing to ongoing traffic generation. A contact journey that does not work wastes part of the promotion budget.
What budget should you plan for?
Start with the action you want more of and your organization's capacity to handle enquiries. Choose a scope you can fund long enough to carry out the plan and assess the results.
Clevr retainers start at $1,500 CAD a month. Channels and deliverables are agreed in the proposal. There is a three-month start, then month-to-month service with 14 days' notice. Ad spend is separate from management fees.
That is our offer, not a verified average across Montreal agencies. Compare equivalent scopes before comparing amounts. The marketing page is the reference for current prices.
What a report should show
A report should connect the work to actions on your website: enquiries, bookings, donations or registrations. Impressions and clicks provide context, but do not establish the value of the engagement by themselves.
Ask for three things: what was done, what it produced and what changes next month. If measurement is incomplete, the report should say so.
Budget mistakes to avoid
- Confusing agency fees with money spent on ads.
- Choosing too many channels for the available budget.
- Forgetting landing pages and bilingual content.
- Underestimating the time needed for approvals.
- Comparing retainers with different deliverables.
- Committing without understanding how to end the engagement.
Questions before you sign
Ask for a written scope, clear fixed and variable costs, responsibilities and a sample report. Confirm who owns the accounts, content and data.
If you need daily comment and message management, an agency that focuses on social media may suit you better. At Clevr, marketing starts with a website ready for visitors and a clearly defined action.
Find the right starting point
Book a 15-minute call. Bring your website, monthly budget and the action you want more people to take. We will tell you whether a marketing retainer makes sense now.