Agency or freelancer for your DTC brand?
For many online shops with a small team, a specialised freelancer is the more direct and leaner choice. An agency tends to be worth it if you need many channels at once, elaborate photo and video production or a whole team. The table below shows the differences. I am Marco Pannars, a performance marketing freelancer from Munich, and I will also tell you when an agency suits you better.
Freelancer and agency compared
| Criterion | With me as a freelancer | With an agency |
|---|---|---|
| Point of contact | Me: the same person plans, manages and reports | Often an account manager, with the team doing the work |
| Experience of the person working on your ad account | My experience is on the About page: in online marketing since 2014 | Varies by agency: experience often sits with the management, and less experienced team members sometimes work on the delivery too |
| Overhead | Lean: no layers between you and me | Usually more structure, with consulting, project management and internal coordination |
| Range of channels | Meta ads, email marketing, AI search visibility and SEO content for online shops, TikTok and Pinterest on request. I do not offer Google Ads | Often many channels from a single source, for example search advertising, SEO and content |
| Creative production | Creative strategy and production of the ad creatives based on your product images. Elaborate shoots are not included | Some have in-house production for photo, video and design |
| Scaling | Suits clearly defined tasks in my areas | Can usually put more people on large, cross-channel projects |
The right-hand column describes typical differences, not a rule: agencies work in very different ways.
When an agency is better
An agency generally suits you better if:
- you want to run many channels at once, for example Google Ads on top, which I do not offer,
- you need elaborate photo and video shoots and do not want to coordinate several providers,
- your project is large and cross-channel and many people need to work on it,
- you prefer an established agency process with a fixed structure.
If that applies to you, I recommend an agency. I will tell you that in the intro call too.
When a freelancer is better
A specialised freelancer generally suits you better if:
- your focus is on Meta ads, email marketing or AI search visibility for your online shop,
- you want to talk directly to the person who manages your ad account,
- you have a small team and little time to coordinate with several contacts,
- you want a lean setup without layers in between.
What that looks like with me is described on the pages about Meta ads management and email marketing.
How to recognise a good freelancer
Verifiable evidence
Background, experience and focus areas can be checked, for example on an About page and in a public profile. If evidence is missing, ask.
Transparency
You know what is being done, how it is reported and which metrics success is measured by.
The ad account is yours
Ad account, business access and tracking run under your company. The freelancer gets access, but not ownership.
Clear boundaries
A good freelancer says what they do not do and points you elsewhere in those cases.
Clear contract terms
Term, notice and scope are settled from the start and easy to understand.
You can check these points with any provider, including me. You will find more about my background on the About page.
My offer
I support ecommerce and DTC brands with Meta ads, email marketing and AI search visibility. You work directly with me, with no handover to staff. In the free intro call we clarify in 20 minutes whether that fits your plans.
Frequently asked questions: agency or freelancer
Is a freelancer cheaper than an agency?
There is no blanket answer. With both, the price depends on the scope. A freelancer usually has less overhead, while an agency brings a whole team. So compare offers on what they include and not only by price. What my management would cost for your shop, we clarify in the free intro call.
How do I know which suits me better?
Three questions help: How many channels do you need at the same time? Do you need elaborate photo and video production? How much coordination do you want to handle yourself? In the intro call I will tell you whether I am the right person for your plans or whether an agency fits better.
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Find out what suits your shop
In 20 minutes we clarify, free of charge, whether a freelancer is the right choice for you. Prefer to write? Use the enquiry form.