For Healthcare, Doctors & Medspas
MEDSPA MARKETING PRICING: WHAT INTELLIUS ACTUALLLY CHARGES (2026)
Medspa marketing is a strategic investment, not an expense, and at Intellius, we price for the reality of patient acquisition. We don't price for a fancy dashboard.
This is the only transparent pricing breakdown you'll find from a medspa marketing agency. You're probably tired of the "discovery call" dance, the one where nobody tells you a number until they've grilled you about your budget. We do things differently here. Here is exactly what Intellius charges in 2026, what you get for your money, and whether you should even be spending it yet.
FOUNDATION
$900/MO
GROWTH
$2,000/MO
MULTI-LOCATION
$3,500+/MO
MANAGEMENT FEE ONLY
$0 SETUP · $0 CANCELLATION
$0
SETUP FEE
2–4
PATIENTS TO BREAK EVEN
Month 2–3
MOST SEE POSITIVE ROI
You
OWN THE AD ACCOUNT
SECTION 01
OUR RATES, IN ONE TABLE
TIER
MONTHLY INVESTMENT
BEST FOR
GROWTH
$2,000/mo
Practices ready to scale, requiring advanced conversion rate optimization (CRO) and multi-channel strategy.
MULTI-LOCATION
$3,500+/mo
Groups with 3+ locations needing coordinated campaigns and local market customization.
FOUNDATION
$900/mo
Single-location practices with an existing marketing foundation needing ongoing management.
$900/mo
FOUNDATION
This is for the practice that already has a decent website and a Google Ads account that isn't a complete mess. You need someone to actively manage it, find the wasted spend, and improve results. You are likely spending $5,000-$10,000 per month on ad spend and need an expert to make that budget work harder. Many med spas spend $1,500–$5,000 per month on ad spend alone, and the Foundation tier ensures that money isn't being lit on fire.
BREAK-EVEN: 2–4 BOOKED PATIENTS
$2,000/mo
GROWTH
This is where real scaling happens. We move beyond basic account management and implement full-scale Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). For a practice spending $10,000-$20,000 monthly on ads, a 25% revenue lift from moving your conversion rate from 3% to 4% is massive. This tier includes a comprehensive funnel strategy: primary offers like Botox at $8/unit, downsells to dermal fillers, and third offers like laser hair removal. We also implement the $50 booking deposit strategy — refunded at the appointment—that drastically reduces no-shows.
BREAK-EVEN: 2–4 BOOKED PATIENTS
$3,500+/mo
MULTI-LOCATION
The campaigns for a medspa in Dallas and a second location in Austin are entirely different. One of the most frequent mistakes we see is agencies believing that people will travel 20-30 kilometers for a treatment when they typically won't. This tier is for hyper-local keyword targeting for each practice address, so you don't waste your budget across locations.
BREAK-EVEN: 2–4 BOOKED PATIENTS
CASE STUDY · CARDIOLOGY + WOUND CARE
WACO HEART & VASCULAR · WACO, TX
HIS PREVIOUS AGENCY CHARGED $4,000/MO AND DELIVERED UNDER 20 CALLS
Dr. Philip Myatt was paying a $4,000/month agency and getting fewer than 20 calls. We charged $2,000/month, moved him to WordPress with a $50 theme, and built 152 pages of cornerstone content across both cardiology and wound care. No ads.
$3,500+/mo
CALLS PER MONTH
(FROM UNDER 20)
$3,500+/mo
OUR MONTHLY FEE
(VS $4,000 BEFORE)
$3,500+/mo
COST PER PATIENT CALL
(GOOGLE ADS ≈ $200)
$3,500+/mo
GOOGLE IMPRESSIONS
WHAT EVERY TIER INCLUDES REGARDLESS OF PRICE
All engagements start with a comprehensive 9-point PPC audit. We look at your account structure, ad spend distribution, conversion rates, negative keyword gaps (a leading cause of wasted spend), and landing page CRO. We also add behavioral tracking systems such as Hotjar or Lucky Orange to help you see how your forms are being used. If they drop off at the eighth field, we change it to four.
WHAT WE NEVER CHARGE FOR (SETUP FEES, % OF AD SPEND, CANCELLATION PENALTIES)
We never charge a setup fee. We do not take a percentage of your ad spend. There are no penalties for canceling. You own your ad accounts. If you leave, you take everything with you. This is the opposite of the industry standard, where agencies often charge a startup fee of $495 and lock you into agreements.
$0
YOU PAY
Setup fee — industry standard is $495
Percentage of your ad spend
Cancellation penalty
Locked-in agreement
You own your ad accounts
CASE STUDY · MEDSPA
RENEWME MEDSPA · LOS ANGELES, CA
EVERY OTHER AGENCY QUOTED $5,000+/MO ON A 12–18 MONTH CONTRACT
RenewMe was a brand-new LA medspa with no patients, no reviews, and no ad budget. We told them ads would lose $7,000 a month at that stage, found the gap the market had left open IV therapy and published 20 deep pages in two months. They never signed a long contract.
$120K
MONTHLY REVENUE AT PEAK
$0
SPENT ON PAID ADS
24 mo
FROM ZERO TO $1M+/YEAR
10x
ACQUISITION MULTIPLE
SECTION 02
WHAT EACH TIER ACTUALLY GETS YOU, MONTH BY MONTH
MONTH 1–2 AT EVERY TIER
THE AUDIT AND THE FIXES
First, we tackle the things that are costing you money. If you're running a "Botox" campaign, we verify if you're spending clicks on people who are searching for "Botox for migraines" or "Botox alternatives." We build out negative keyword lists. We reorganize your ad groups to align with specific services. For injectables, the cost of customer acquisition (CAC) is $75 to $180 organically, and paid-only CAC can reach $180 to $440. In months 1 and 2, we're going to get you to move towards the organic-blended end of that spectrum by reducing waste.
MONTHS 1–2 PULL YOU TOWARD THE LEFT BAND BY CUTTING WASTE
WHAT CHANGES AS YOU MOVE UP A TIER
The execution strategy changes. We're optimizing what you have at $900. We are creating strategic funnels at $2000. For example, if a user clicks on an $8/unit Botox offer and says "No," we automatically present a dermal filler offer. If they say "No" again, they receive a free anti-aging consultation that is valued at $100. This multi-step funnel retains patients that would have been lost. We duplicate this local relevance on several pages of different cities and neighbourhoods at the $3,500 level.
CASE STUDY · IV THERAPY & WEIGHT LOSS
STRIVE IV AND WELLNESS · NEW BRAUNFELS, TX
442 CALLS IN ONE QUARTER, FROM GOOGLE MAPS ALONE
A veteran-owned clinic led by Jeffrey Money, NP-C. We built geo-anchored treatment content — a semaglutide cluster alone pulls 61,000+ impressions — and worked the Google Business Profile as a real channel. No paid ads carrying any of it.
442
CALLS IN 3 MONTHS
FROM MAPS ALONE
8.7×
GROWTH IN MONTHLY
GOOGLE REACH
369K
IMPRESSIONS
IN 12 MONTHS
1,000
QUERIES RANKING
ON GOOGLE
SOURCE: GOOGLE SEARCH CONSOLE + BUSINESS PROFILE
THE HONEST CELLING OF A $900/MONTH ENGAGEMENT
A $900/month engagement is management, not a full "Chief Marketing Officer." You are getting the technical execution the optimization of existing campaigns. You are not getting a full-scale creative strategy overhaul every month or a videographer sent to your practice. Other agencies charge $2,000–$3,000/month for social media video editing, whereas we use AI to handle the heavy lifting there. At this tier, we are focusing on the channel that drives the highest intent: Google Search.
WHEN YOU SHOULD NOT HIRE US YET
DO NOT HIRE US IF YOU HAVE NOT STARTED MARKETING YET.
If you have a pre-launch or very early-stage practice, you need to build a foundation first. You should focus on your website and Google Business Profile. SEO consulting to build that foundation starts around $1,750/month. Wait until you have a steady flow of 5–10 patients coming in organically before you pay us to manage paid traffic.
DO NOT HIRE US IF YOU ARE NOT READY TO COMMIT TO AT LEAST SIX MONTHS.
This is not about contractswe do not require them. This is about results. SEO takes time. Content builds momentum. Even ads need a few months of data to optimize. If you are looking for a one-month fix, an agency is not the right solution.
SECTION 03
​WHY ALMOST NO MEDSPA MARKETING AGENCY PUBLISHES A PRICE
THE DISCOVERY-CALL PRICING MODEL AND WHAT IT'S REALLY FOR
Most agencies don't publish prices because they want to get you on a sales call. If you are a plastic surgeon, they can quote you $9,000 because they know you can "afford it." If you are a solo injector with a one-room suite, they quote you $900. It is a discovery process designed to extract maximum budget, not based on your actual needs.
$900
QUOTED TO A SOLO INJECTOR
$9,000
QUOTED TO A MULTI-LOCATION CLINIC
SAME
MANAGEMENT
WORK
HOW THE SAME SERVICE GETS QUOTED AT $900 AND $9,000
The pricing varies based on the perceived value of the client. An agency might charge a med spa $900 for PPC management while charging a multi-location clinic $9,000 for the same level of management work because the clinic has a higher spending capability. This is why full-service agency retainers vary so wildly, commonly ranging from $2,000 to $8,000 per month.
WHAT "CUSTOM PRICING" USUALLY MEANS IN THIS INDUSTRY
"Custom pricing" in this industry often means "we will charge you as much as we think you will tolerate." It is a negotiation tactic. You see this with platform-based providers like PatientGain, which have a set price of $2,499 for their automated platform, but full-service agencies often avoid publishing their rates. We publish ours so you don't have to waste time on a sales call to find out if you can afford us.
CASE STUDY · HORMONE CLINIC
Sculpted MD · 11 Texas cities
2.5M Google Impressions in Six Months, Without Winning the Review War
New Texas locations against competitors with 50 to 500+ reviews. We skipped the map-pack fight entirely and ranked treatment content nationally, then built Texas city by city. Anna, TX went from zero pages to page one at position 4.6.
AD SPEND VS. MANAGEMENT FEE THE DISTINCTION MOST OWNERS MISS
Your ad spend is what you're paying Google or Meta directly. Your management fee is separate — that's what you pay us to run that money well. Here's where people trip up: if your total budget is $1,500/month and $500 of that goes to management, you're only putting $1,000 toward actual ads. That's not enough to generate real data. Before you even think about hiring a manager, figure out what a realistic ad budget looks like for your market.
PERCENTAGE-OF-SPEND BILLING AND WHY WE DON'T DO IT
We don't do it because it creates a conflict of interest. If we charge 15% of ad spend, we are incentivized to get you to spend more, even if diminishing returns exist. We charge a flat rate so we are incentivized to lower your cost-per-click and cost-per-acquisition. Some managers charge as little as $199/month to $599/month for management depending on ad spend, but that is often individual freelancers on platforms like Upwork, not full-service strategy.
WHAT A REALISTIC GOOGLE ADS BUDGET LOOKS LIKE BY MARKET SIZE
For med spas, plan on spending somewhere between $1,500 and $5,000 a month just to be competitive. Where you land in that range depends a lot on your market. Something like Los Angeles or Manhattan? You're likely at the top end, maybe beyond it. A smaller suburban market like Plano, TX gives you more room to start lower.
WHO HOLDS THE AD ACCOUNT (YOU SHOULD)
The Google Ads account should be yours, full stop. We work inside it we don't build a separate "master" account and manage things from behind a curtain. That means if you ever decide to leave Intellius, everything stays with you: your history, your conversion data, your keyword research. Some agencies use account ownership as leverage to keep clients. We won't do that. The account is yours, and it stays yours.
SECTION 04
WHAT MEDSPA MARKETING COSTS EVERYWHERE ELSE
PUBLISHED INDUSTRY RANGES FOR 2026
Management Fees
standard for full-service Google Ads and SEO management
$1,000–$3,000/mo
Full-Service Agency
a traditional agency retainer
$2,000–$8,000/mo
Platform-Based (PatientGain)
an "all-in-one" automated solution
$2,499/mo
IN-HOUSE MARKETING HIRE: FULLY LOADED ANNUAL COST
Hiring a marketing employee costs significantly more than outsourcing. The fully loaded cost (salary + benefits + software) is often around $60,000–$80,000 a year. For that price, you get one person with general knowledge. For the cost of one mid-level employee, you get a team of specialists with us. Additionally, if they leave, they take the knowledge with them.
PLATFORM-BASED PROVIDERS AND WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR WEBSITE WHEN YOU LEAVE
Many platforms build you a website on their proprietary system. If you cancel, you lose your entire website. You own nothing. This is the hidden cost of "cheap" marketing. Our approach is to optimize assets you own, like your existing website or Google Ads account. We don't hold your data hostage.
COMPARISON TABLE: IN-HOUSE VS. INTELLIUS VS. $5K+ AGENCY
CASE STUDY · WOUND CARE
SOUTHWEST REGIONAL WOUND CARE · LUBBOCK, TX
38 PAGES. ONE PRACTICE GOOGLE NOW SHOWS NEARLY A MILLION TIMES A YEAR.
Dr. Joseph Wolcott's practice was invisible for "wound care near me." We built a page for every condition he treats and every treatment he offers 1,000 to 2,000 words each, no AI filler. One page about veins popping out was shown 115,676 times.
SECTION 05
THE PAYBACK MATH
COST PER BOOKED PATIENT BY TREATMENT CATEGORY
Cost Per Acquisition (CAC) for med spas ranges from $75–$180 for organic-blended marketing, and $180–$440 for paid-only. This means for every patient you book, you are paying between $180 and $440 depending on how competitive your specific treatment (Botox vs. liposuction) is. A $900/month retainer needs to generate just 2–5 high-intent patients to break even.
$900/MO
2–4 PATIENTS
You need 2–4 booked patients to break even (assuming a $225–$450 CAC). If you book one patient for a $10,000 surgical procedure, you've made your money back.
$2,000/MO
5–10 PATIENTS
You need 5–10 booked patients to break even. If your average treatment is $500, this is very achievable with the right funnel.
$3,500+/MO
15–20 PATIENTS
You need to be booking 15–20 patients per month to justify the cost, which is why this is only for multi-location groups with high volume.
WHAT MONTH DO MOST CLIENTS SEE POSITIVE ROI
Most clients see positive ROI in month 2 or 3. Month 1 is for fixing problems and stopping the bleed. By month 3, we have data on what's working and what's not. We cut keywords that aren't converting and double down on the ones that are.
MONTH 1
STOP THE BLEED
Fixing problems, cutting waste, rebuilding account structure.
MONTH 2–3
POSITIVE ROI
Where most clients cross over.
MONTH 3
DATA-LED CUTS
Non-converting keywords out, winners doubled down on.
CASE STUDY · MEDSPA
HEALTHY BY HILLARY · WYLIE & PLANO, TX
350×
INCREASE IN MONTHLY
IMPRESSIONS
29,593
MONTHLY IMPRESSIONS
(FROM 85)
20+
PAGE 1 RANKINGS
50–60
CALLS PER MONTH
14 MONTHS · LOCAL SEO ALONE
85 IMPRESSIONS A MONTH TO 29,593 — AGAINST COMPETITORS WITH 500+ REVIEWS
The top competitor had 500+ reviews and owned Google Maps. Instead of fighting that, we ranked service-and-procedure content symptoms, conditions, treatments. One page, "Copper Peptides Before and After," earned 170 clicks and 29,487 impressions in six months. Content beat reviews.
SECTION 06
HOW TO ACTUALLY DECIDE WHAT TO SPEND
THE 7–12% OF REVENUE RULE AND WHERE IT BREAKS
Healthcare practices typically allocate 7-12% of projected revenue to marketing. If you are a $1M practice, that is $7,000–$12,000 a month. This rule breaks for small practices. If you are a $500k practice, $5,000/month is a significant expense. You need to look at the break-even patient count, not just a percentage.
$1M practice
7–12% → $7,000–$12,000 A MONTH
$500k practice
$5,000/MO IS A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE
RULE
HOLDS
WHERE THE PERCENTAGE RULE STOPS WORKING
PRE-LAUNCH VS. ESTABLISHED PRACTICE
If you are pre-launch, you need SEO and Google Business Profile optimization to build organic authority before you turn on paid ads. SEO takes time, but it builds the foundation. If you are an established practice with good reviews, you should be spending the majority of your budget on paid acquisition, because you already have the social proof to convert visitors.
SINGLE LOCATION VS. MULTI-LOCATION
If you have one location, the Foundation tier is for you. You don't have to pay for the overhead of managing multiple location-specific keywords and landing pages. If you have multiple locations, you must invest in the Multi-Location tier. Generic ad campaigns that target "Texas" will fail. The cost for a multi-location agency setup is higher because the work is essentially starting from scratch for each location.
ALL THE PROOF, ONE PLACE
SIX PRACTICES. REAL SEARCH CONSOLE DATA.
​Every figure below comes from the client's own Google account, not an estimate. Full write-ups on each.
SECTION 08
FAQs
How much does medspa marketing cost per month in 2026?
Management fees are likely to cost $1,000 to $3,000 per month (excluding ad spend). Ad spend adds another $1,500-$5,000+ to the monthly cost.
Is $900/month enough for medspa marketing?
Yes, but only for the management fee at the Foundation tier if you already have an account. It is sufficient to optimize spend and improve results, but it is not your ad spend.
Why don't most medspa marketing agencies publish their pricing?
Many agencies use "discovery-call pricing" to determine how much they can charge you. Custom pricing can lead to a negotiation process, not a set price, depending on the size of your practice.
Does Intellius require a long-term contract?
No. We use month-to-month engagements. We believe in earning your business. Many agencies lock you into 6- to 12-month contracts to hide poor performance.
Is ad spend included in the monthly fee?
No. The fee covers management, CRO strategy, and account oversight. Ad spend is your budget paid directly to the platforms (Google, Meta).
How much should a new medspa budget for marketing before opening?
Budget for a $1,500–$3,000 SEO consulting project to get your profiles ready, then add a monthly ad spend budget of $1,500-$3,000 for the first few months. Do not pay a premium for PPC management if you have no organic presence to convert visitors yet.
What's the difference between a $1,000 and a $5,000 medspa marketing retainer?
A $1,000 retainer generally covers execution (managing existing ads). A $5,000 retainer covers strategy (building funnels, fixing websites, full creative direction).
How long before medspa SEO pays for itself?
It usually takes 3-6 months for SEO to begin to yield a significant return on investment. But it's "organic-blended" CAC, which lowers the cost per patient to $75–$180 since you're not paying for clicks.
Can I start with SEO only and add ads later?
Yes. It is a good and logical strategy for new practices. While ads can generate instant traffic, SEO can create a long-lasting foundation. The organic authority you've earned will be amplified by adding ads later.
What happens to my website and accounts if I leave?
We do not hold your website or accounts hostage. You are the owner of your Google Ads account. You are the owner of your website. What you bring, you walk away with.
Do you charge a setup fee?
No. The setup is included in the first month's management fee. The "free audit" we provide before you sign up is the setup.
Is medspa marketing cheaper than hiring in-house?
Yes. The total expense of an in-house hire ($60,000-$80,000+ per year) is much higher than a management engagement. You're getting a staff of experts for less than the cost of one worker.