Most Amazon agencies won't show you a price until you're on a sales call. When the proposal arrives, it's easy to compare the headline number and pick the cheapest.

That's usually a mistake. Two agencies quoting the same $4,000 a month can cost you very different amounts a year later. It depends on how the fee is calculated, and on what that calculation rewards the agency for doing.

Here's what Amazon agencies actually charge going into 2027, how each pricing model works, and which one can quietly cost you more as you grow.

How much does an Amazon agency charge per month?

An Amazon agency typically costs $1,500 to $7,500 a month for PPC management alone, and $3,000 to $15,000+ a month for full-service account management. Agencies that charge on performance take 10% to 20% of ad spend, or 3% to 15% of monthly Amazon revenue. Your final cost depends on revenue, catalog size, ad spend and scope.

The 4 Amazon agency pricing models compared

Almost every Amazon agency uses one of four pricing models, or a mix. The model matters as much as the number, because it decides what the agency earns more for doing.

These ranges are management fees only. Your ad budget is paid to Amazon separately, on top.

Which pricing model quietly costs you more?

The percentage-of-ad-spend model usually costs the most as you grow, because the fee rises with spend whether or not profit does. A worked example shows how.

Take a brand doing $100,000 a month on Amazon with $15,000 in ad spend. Over a few months, the agency scales ad spend to $25,000. Sales grow 10%, to $110,000. Here is what each model charges:

Sales grew 10%, but the ad-spend fee grew 67%. Ad spend itself also rose by $10,000 a month. So the brand pays $11,500 more each month to earn $10,000 more in sales, before product costs and Amazon fees. Profit goes down while the dashboard shows growth.

The percentage-of-revenue model has a quieter version of the same problem. Sales can be grown with discounts or heavy ads at weak margins, which raises the fee while profit stays flat.

The fix is not one perfect model. It's tying the agency's success to the number you care about: profit, or TACOS (total ad spend as a share of total sales). Ask every agency which metric they're accountable for, and how it shows up in the contract.

What should be included at each price level?

The price only means something next to the scope. Before you compare proposals, check what each tier should cover.

At any price, ask for these in writing: who works on your account, how many accounts they handle, how often you'll meet, and which costs are extra. Setup fees, creative work, photography and software are often billed separately.

6 red flags in an Amazon agency proposal

1. "5% of sales" with no definition. Ask which report it comes from, whether it's gross or net of refunds, and whether it covers all sales or only ad-attributed sales.

2. A long lock-in with no exit terms. Six- or twelve-month contracts with no performance-based exit leave you paying for results that never come.

3. Reporting on ACOS and ROAS only. An agency that never mentions TACOS or profit per SKU is measuring ad efficiency, not business growth.

4. No named team. If you can't find out who manages your account, and how many other accounts they handle, expect slow responses.

5. Ad spend growth as the main promise. More spend is easy. Ask how they'll grow organic rank and profit alongside it.

6. No access to your own data. You should own your ad accounts, keep admin access and see the raw numbers at any time.

5 questions to ask before you sign

• What metric are you accountable for, and is it in the contract?

• Exactly how is your fee calculated, and what happens to it if ad spend doubles?

• What is included, and what will you bill for separately?

• Who works on my account day to day, and what's their Amazon background?

• How much notice do I need to give to leave?

How Brandkyte approaches pricing

Brandkyte is a marketplace growth agency for Amazon, Walmart, Shopify and TikTok Shop brands, run by former Amazon and Walmart team members. We've spent 10 years on Amazon, worked with 500+ brands, and managed $2.4B+ in brand revenue.

Our pricing is built around profit, not spend:

• No long-term lock-in to get started

• Accountability to profit metrics. Client brands average a 14% TACOS, and we report profit by SKU, not just ACOS

• Clear scope. Full Service Management, PPC Advertising, listing optimization, content and reporting are defined up front, so there are no surprise add-ons

You can review our pricing plan here.

Not sure what you should be paying? Book a free brand growth audit. We'll review your account, ad spend and current agency fees, and show you what the right scope and price look like for your brand.

FAQs

How much does Amazon PPC management cost?

Amazon PPC management usually costs $1,500 to $7,500 a month as a flat retainer, or 10% to 20% of monthly ad spend. The ad budget itself is paid to Amazon separately.

What is a normal percentage of revenue for an Amazon agency?

Agencies that charge on revenue typically take 3% to 15% of monthly Amazon sales. The rate usually falls as revenue grows, and the contract should define exactly which sales count.

Is a flat retainer or a percentage fee better for Amazon sellers?

A flat retainer gives predictable costs and doesn't reward extra spend. A percentage fee can align with growth but may reward spend or sales over profit. Many growing brands prefer a hybrid tied to a clear baseline.

Does an Amazon agency fee include ad spend?

No. Agency fees cover management only. Ad spend is billed by Amazon directly to your account.

What does full-service Amazon account management include?

Full-service management usually covers advertising, listing optimization, A+ content, inventory planning, account health and reporting. Check each proposal for what's billed separately, such as creative or software.

Does Brandkyte require a long-term contract?

No. Brandkyte doesn't require a long-term lock-in to start, and offers a free brand growth audit before you commit.