Option A
The freelancer
$35/hr
- Briefed Monday. Replies Thursday.
- You're client #6 of 5.
- Rush fee for his own late work.
- Explains the brand to him. Again.
- Your files. His laptop. Forever.
The comparison
Four ways to fill the seat.
One of them shows up.
Same workload, same 160 hours a month, twelve months straight. Here is what each option actually costs an agency, and what you get for it.
Option B
The in-house hire
$6,500/mo loaded
- Three months to ramp. Eleven months to quit.
- You pay 12. You get 8.
- Laptop, software, benefits: yours.
- Sick? So is your deadline.
- Need more output? Hire again.
Option C
The ticket vendor
$2,500/mo
- Ticket #48213. Status: open.
- New editor every brief.
- Revisions count as new tickets.
- Style guide treated as a suggestion.
- Their logo. Your client's screen.
Option D
Your Vixel specialist
From $6/hr
- Same person. Every single brief.
- Knows the brand by week two.
- Revisions included, not invoiced.
- Sick days, software, holidays: ours.
- Free therapy after the client call 😂.
The math
Twelve months of the same work.
In-house hire
loaded annual cost
$78,000
Freelancer
160 hrs/mo at $35/hr
$67,200
Ticket vendor
subscription, shared team
$30,000
Vixel specialist
$6/hr, full time
$11,520
One of those is a rounding error on the others. It is also the one that shows up every single morning.
Side by side
What you get, honestly.
| Feature | Freelancer | In-house | Ticket vendor | Vixel Lab |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Same person every brief | ||||
| Works under your brand | ||||
| 48 hour turnaround | ||||
| No payroll or software cost | ||||
| Cancel month to month | ||||
| Managed and replaced for you |
Stop editing at midnight.
A dedicated specialist, matched to your niche, under your brand, from $6 an hour. Thirty minute call, no deck.