Display & Retargeting vs Paid Search
Which you need, what each costs, and when a project wants both — display & retargeting compared with paid search.
Last revised
Both sit under Paid Media, and clients regularly ask which of the two they actually want. The short answer is below; the rest of this page is how to tell, what each costs, and the cases where a project needs both.
In one line each
- Display & Retargeting
- Display ads and retargeting that reach people who have already shown interest, managed to avoid wasted impressions and ad fatigue.
- Paid Search
- Search advertising on Google and Microsoft Ads, from keywords and bidding to ad copy and landing pages, managed for cost per sale.
Head to head
| Display & Retargeting | Paid Search | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | From $2,400.00 per month | From $2,400.00 per month |
| Services underneath | 3 | 5 |
Pick Display & Retargeting when
Display & Retargeting:
- The job is specifically creative production for display, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically display campaign management, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically retargeting strategy, which sits under this one
Pick Paid Search when
Paid Search:
- The job is specifically bid strategy & budget planning, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically Google ads management, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically landing page experience, which sits under this one
When you need both
Verdict More often than the question implies — the same job frequently touches both, and one team covers them, so moving between them is a conversation rather than a second supplier. If you are not sure which your files need, that is what the free trial is for. The process is the same either way: whichever you pick, the work runs through the same stages and is checked against the same bar. Paid Media sets that out.
Questions we get on this specific choice
Is one of them cheaper?
They start at the same rate, so the choice is about what the job needs rather than about budget. Complexity moves both.
Which is faster?
Much the same, and volume moves the number far more than the choice between these two does.
Can you tell me which one my files need?
Yes, free. Send two or three real files — that judgment is part of the trial rather than something quoted separately.
Can I switch after we start?
Yes. If the files say the other one is the right answer, we re-quote before doing the work rather than after.
Where to go from here
- Display & Retargeting — what it is, in full, with its own pricing
- Paid Search — the same for the alternative
- Paid Media pricing — both rates side by side with the US market ranges
- Try it free — a free expert review of one funnel, and we will tell you which of the two your files need
- Get a quote if the scope is already clear
- Every rate we publish, on one page
