Agency or
Senior Lead?
A big agency, an in-house hire or a fractional lead. This page compares the three by cost and by who does the work, so you can forward it to your finance director.
The short answer.
It depends on how much work you need done and who is in charge of it. These options can also work together. A fractional lead can manage your agency, for example.
Big agency
Choose this if you need a lot of work done and someone senior on your side already runs it.
In-house hire
Choose this if your marketing needs someone there every day.
Fractional lead
Choose this if you already spend money on marketing and nobody senior is in charge of it.
What it costs a year.
These figures are not like for like. A full-time director gives you every working day. Two days a month is enough to run the plan, but not to do the work.
Median salary for a full-time marketing director, before employer’s National Insurance, pension, equipment and recruitment fees.
Starting price for a fractional lead for 2 days a month: Northern’s Direction, from £1,500 a month.
Starting price for a fractional lead for 4 days a month: Northern’s Direction Plus, from £3,000 a month.
There is no big agency figure here because we don’t have a reliable one to quote. Fees depend on scope, so use your last 12 months of invoices. Salary source: Robert Half’s 2026 guide, reported by Fractional Quest. Northern’s figures are 12 times the monthly price, excluding VAT, and Northern is not currently VAT registered. Our UK cost guide has more on how fractional roles are priced.
Side by side.
Where a cell says to check, the answer depends on your contract. Those are good questions to ask before you sign or renew.
| Question | Big agency | In-house hire | Fractional lead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly cost | Depends on scope. Check your last 12 months of invoices | £79,500 median salary | From £18,000 for 2 days a month, or from £36,000 for 4 days |
| Costs on top | Check whether your fee covers ad spend and extra work | Employer’s National Insurance, pension, equipment and recruitment fees | Ad spend and delivery work such as websites, ads or filming |
| Who does the work | The agency’s team. Check who works on your account and how senior they are | Your employee, plus any team or suppliers they manage | Your team, your suppliers or Northern. Dave Head sets the plan and manages them |
| Who owns the results | The agency answers for its own work. Someone on your side still needs to own the whole picture | Your employee | Dave answers for the plan, the suppliers and the results |
| Time you get | Check how many hours or days your fee buys | Every working day | 2 or 4 days a month |
| Leaving | Check the notice period in your contract | The notice period in their employment contract | Rolling monthly with 30 days’ notice |
Northern wrote this page and sells the fractional option, so check the figures yourself. If your marketing needs someone there every day, hire one.
Not sure your agency is worth the bill?
Start with an agency second opinion. For a fixed £445, Dave spends one day on what you pay, what you get and what to change.
See the Second OpinionWant to talk it through?
The first call is free. If a fractional lead isn’t the right move, we’ll tell you.
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