Is an AI social media manager cheaper than hiring someone?

Usually, by a wide margin, for the posting itself. A part-time social media coordinator on 10 hours a week costs about $940 a month at Indeed's average of $21.62 an hour, before payroll costs. A US freelancer typically charges $400 to $2,000 a month for a small business on two networks. LazyPosts costs $29 to $59 a month and writes, illustrates and publishes daily posts from your website. What it does not do is reply to comments, take photographs at your premises, film video or run ads; if that is the job, you still need a person.

What each option costs a month

Option	Monthly cost	How we worked it out
Part-time coordinator, 10 hours a week	about $940 a month	10 hours × $21.62 average hourly pay × 4.33 weeks, before payroll taxes
Part-time coordinator, 20 hours a week	about $1,870 a month	Same rate, twice the hours
US freelancer, small business, two networks	$400 to $2,000 a month	Upwork's estimate for intermediate US specialists
LazyPosts Solo	$29 a month	One business, one post a day on up to five networks
LazyPosts Pro	$59 a month	Up to three businesses, up to three posts a day each

Pay figures were read from the sources below on 28 September 2026.

What a person does that LazyPosts cannot

Replies to comments and direct messages, which is often where customers are won.
Photographs and films your actual shop, food, team and customers.
Runs and adjusts paid ads.
Notices a local event or complaint and responds the same day.

What LazyPosts does for $29 to $59

Writes a post every day from your website and the notes you give it.
Makes an image for each post.
Adapts the post for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Bluesky, and publishes it.
Keeps going on holidays, sick days and busy weeks, and can email you each morning with what is going out.

Common questions

Can AI replace a social media manager?

It can replace the daily writing and posting. It cannot replace the parts that need a person on site or in conversation: replying to customers, taking real photographs, and judgement calls in the moment. Many small businesses find the posting was the part that never got done.

What does a part-time social media coordinator cost?

Indeed puts the average at $21.62 an hour, from job postings over the past three years. At 10 hours a week that is about $940 a month before payroll taxes; ZipRecruiter's average for a part-time social media assistant is a little higher, at $23.63 an hour.

Can I use both?

Yes, and it is often the best arrangement: let LazyPosts handle the daily posts and pay a person for a few hours a week of replies, photographs and local judgement.

See what it would write for you

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