Short answer: the biggest cost in organic short-form is people's time, not tools. A lean setup is mostly founder and marketer hours plus a few software subscriptions. A multi-account program adds editing time and, if you post from phones, hardware. Build your budget from hours per post and posts per week, then add tools; the examples below show the method with stated assumptions, not market rates.
Assumptions you should replace
| Input | Assumption used | Replace with |
|---|---|---|
| Loaded hourly cost, marketer | $X per hour | Your number |
| Editing time per video | 45 minutes | Your average after a month |
| Recording time per video | 15 minutes (batched) | Your average |
| Slideshow production | 30 minutes | Your average |
| Weeks per month | 4.3 | |
| Posting and checking time | 5 minutes per post | Lower if automated |
Hours are the useful unit because rates vary so much by country and role. Multiply by your own rate at the end.
Three example programs
| Lean | Standard | Multi-account | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts | 1 founder | Brand + founder | Brand + founder + 3 topic accounts |
| Posts per week | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| Videos vs slideshows | 3 / 0 | 5 / 2 | 12 / 8 |
| Recording hours/week | 0.75 | 1.25 | 3 |
| Editing hours/week | 2.25 | 3.75 | 9 |
| Slideshow hours/week | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Posting and checks hours/week | 0.25 | 0.6 | 1.7 |
| Planning and review hours/week | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Total hours/week | 4.25 | 8.6 | 20.7 |
| Hours/month (x4.3) | 18 | 37 | 89 |
All figures come from the assumptions table. Change the inputs and the rows move with them.
Tools
| Tool type | Needed for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Video editor | All programs | Many have free tiers |
| Design tool for slides | Standard and up | Template once, reuse |
| Scheduler or posting tool | Standard and up | API scheduler or real devices |
| Screen recorder | All | macOS includes one; see screen recording setup |
| Microphone | All | A basic USB or lapel mic |
| Analytics | All | Your existing product analytics |
For how schedulers and phone-based posting differ, see scheduler vs real-device posting.
If you post from iPhones
For the multi-account program, posting from real phones adds hardware. Farmero's plans are monthly: Solo $49 (3 iPhones, 24 accounts), Rack $99 (8 iPhones, 64 accounts), Studio $199 (25 iPhones, 200 accounts), with posts not metered, and a 7-day free trial on two iPhones with no card. The example's five accounts fit on one iPhone (up to eight per phone), so Solo covers it with room to spare. Hardware costs such as used phones and a powered hub are worked through in phone farm cost. Current prices are on the pricing page.
Turning hours into money
Take the monthly hours from the table and multiply by your loaded hourly rate. Add tool subscriptions and, if relevant, hardware paid off over a period you choose. Divide by posts per month to get a cost per post, which is a useful number when comparing in-house production with freelancers or agencies. Recalculate after the first month, when real times replace the assumptions.
Where budgets go wrong
- Founder time is not free. Count it at a real rate.
- Editing grows. First videos take longer than the tenth. Re-measure after a month.
- Too many accounts too soon. Each account needs its own steady output.
- No measurement budget. Set aside time for the monthly review; see measuring signups.
FAQ
What is a reasonable starting budget?
Start from hours: a lean program in this example takes about 18 hours a month. Multiply by your own rates.
Is outsourcing editing cheaper?
It can be, depending on rates. Compare your hourly cost against a per-video price.
Do we need paid tools at all?
A lean program can run mostly on built-in and free tools.
When should we add more accounts?
When the existing accounts post on schedule for a couple of months.