If you're asking what a manager costs, start with this: you shouldn't be paying one up front. Real managers don't charge a fee to work with you. They earn a percentage of what your career makes, which means they only win when you win.
The standard cut: about 20% of gross
The typical manager's commission is 20% of gross income. That means 20% of what comes in before expenses, not after. Depending on where you are in your career, you may be able to negotiate a lower percentage. Established artists with leverage often do.
Your management agreement should spell out exactly what the percentage applies to, such as recording income, shows, merch, and brand deals, and how long the agreement lasts. Read that part closely.
What a manager does for that 20%
A good manager runs your entire business so you can focus on the music. That includes:
- Protecting you. Your manager is your first line of defense, defending your interests in every room.
- Negotiating for you. Deals, shows, features, and partnerships, to the best of their ability.
- Building the vision. Helping you bring your creative and business goals to life, then building the plan and the team to get there.
"I'm paying someone to manage me." Read this first.
If someone is charging you a flat fee to "manage" you, they aren't really your manager. They're a freelance consultant. Consulting can be valuable, but call it what it is, and don't let anyone take a monthly fee and a commission.
When hiring a manager makes sense
It's time for a manager when you're making livable money from music and running the business has become too much to handle while you're also trying to record and perform.
It's too early when there's no business to manage yet. A manager can multiply momentum, but they can't create it from zero. Until then, build it yourself: release consistently, grow your audience, and learn how the business works so you know what a good manager looks like when one shows up.