The best freelance media buyers in 2026
The independents running stores' Meta, Google and TikTok budgets, ranked by auction. Public numbers, profiles linking straight to them.
How this leaderboard works
Every position is an auction: freelance media buyers bid real money, starting at €5, and the highest bid takes first place. No jury, no sponsored reviews — the leaderboard moves the second someone bids more. Clicks sent to each site are counted and public. The full rules.
Hiring a freelance media buyer
Judge a serious media buyer on accounts comparable to yours — budget, vertical, geography — and on how they read numbers: pay them for a one-hour audit of your account and you'll immediately see whether they reason in MER and margin or in ROAS screenshots. Creative is half the job on Meta: clarify who produces the ads — them, you, or nobody.
The scope protects both sides: access to YOUR Business Manager (never the reverse), weekly reporting on agreed metrics, clear compensation — monthly fee, percentage of spend, or a mix — and a short notice period both ways. A good freelancer easily accepts a one-month trial: their work shows fast.
What to compare
Expect €800 to €3,000/month as a fee depending on managed budget and seniority, or 5-15% of ad spend. Check: accounts managed at comparable budgets, who produces creatives and at what pace, MER vs ROAS reasoning, access and ownership of your accounts, and the real reporting cadence.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a freelance media buyer cost?
From €800 to €3,000 a month as a fee depending on budget and scope (with or without creatives), or a percentage of spend (5-15%). Below €2,000-3,000 of monthly ad budget, punctual coaching or training is often more rational than delegated management.
Freelance media buyer or acquisition agency?
The freelancer offers a single, senior, cheaper contact — perfect up to mid-size budgets. The agency brings the team (creative + acquisition + data) when budget and testing volume justify it. The acquisition agencies leaderboard is this page's sister.
What signals should alarm me in a media buyer?
Guaranteed ROAS promises, refusing to work inside YOUR Business Manager, no questions about your margin and LTV, and unverifiable case studies. A good media buyer starts with your unit economics — without them, no ad target means anything.
See also: Ecom designers · Shopify devs · Other freelancers