The matchup
How The Bullpen stacks up.
No retainer lock-ins, no bloated account teams, no surprises. See how The Bullpen stacks up against the alternatives.
Full-time hire
$120K+
per year in salary alone
- ✕$120–160K base salary
- ✕~30% benefits & payroll taxes on top
- ✕Months to recruit and onboard
- ✕One person, one set of skills
- ✕Fixed cost regardless of workload
Est. $180K–200K+ all-in annual cost
The Bullpen
Fractional support
$125
per hour · no long-term commitment
- ✓Senior specialists from day one
- ✓Paid media & design under one roof
- ✓Scale hours up or down as needed
- ✓No recruiting, no onboarding lag
- ✓Pay only for time actually worked
20 hrs/month = $2,500 · 40 hrs/month = $5,000
Traditional agency
$30K+
per month on retainer
- ✕$30K+ monthly retainers on average
- ✕6–12 month contract commitments
- ✕Junior staff on your account day-to-day
- ✕Generalist teams without specialized expertise
- ✕Paying whether you need them or not
$360K+ per year minimum
Do the math
Only pay for the hours you actually need.
Most clients land between 20 and 40 hours a month. Drag the slider to see what your engagement would cost — and what the same seniority runs elsewhere.
Hours per month
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Your monthly cost
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Full-time hire: ~$15,000/mo
Traditional agency: $30,000+/mo
What's included
One rate.
Both disciplines.
Paid media and design at the same $125/hr — mix hours between them however your work demands. Launch a campaign and refresh the creative behind it without two vendors, two contracts, or two rates.
$125/hr
No retainer · No long-term commitment
- ✓Senior specialists from day one
- ✓Paid media & design, same rate
- ✓Scale hours up or down as needed
- ✓No project minimums
- ✓Pay only for time actually worked
- ✓Cancel anytime — no lock-in
Ready to talk?
Let's connect
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or email us at hello@thebullpen.com
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