How I bill a tracking audit: fixed fee, philosophy, ROI

A tracking audit is quoted after a video scoping call, not before. Why? Because the real scope depends on your stack (single GA4 property or multi-tenant, web GTM or server-side, CMP in place or to deploy, BigQuery active or not), your volume (200K sessions or 30M pageviews) and your internal maturity. Quoting blind means either pricing too high (and losing you) or too low (and finishing in change orders). I prefer transparency after scoping: 30 minutes in video, we look at your setup together, and I send a fixed quote within 48h.

My philosophy: fixed fee, not day rate

I bill at a fixed fee, not at a day rate. Three reasons:

For you: no surprise. The quote sent after scoping is the final price, no change orders after kickoff. You know exactly what it costs before signing.

For me: aligned on outcome, not time spent. If I find anomalies faster than expected, you keep the benefit. If an investigation takes longer, it’s my problem — not yours.

For the project: focus on deliverable quality, not billable hours. The opposite of the agency model where sales sells, project manager stretches, junior executes, and everyone has an interest in extending hours.

The free scoping call, step by step

Before any quote, we do 30 minutes in video (free, no commitment). We look together at:

• Your setup: screen share, your GA4, GTM, your CMP. I see reality rather than what I’m told.
• Your perceived need: what triggered the audit thought (conversion drop, redesign, GDPR inspection, general doubt).
• Your business context: site type, volume, paid media spend, tool stack.
• The right scope: Essential (simple site) / Pro (multi-country, server-side) / Platform (media, SaaS, multi-domain).

By the end, I orient you honestly. If I’m the right fit, I send a fixed quote within 48h. If not (too specific need, or too light, or too massive for a solo freelance), I refer you to a colleague or an agency better suited.

What’s included in an audit

Whatever the scope, every audit I deliver includes:

• The complete PDF report (executive summary + tag inventory + detailed anomaly sheets + prioritized action plan + validation checklist)
• Access to a shared private Notion for tracking corrections
• A 1-hour restitution session in video with your team
• 30 days of email questions after delivery to clarify recommendations
• Permission to reuse the report internally without limit

No hidden costs. No additional license. No additional quote after kickoff.

What’s never included

• Correction implementation: separate engagement if you want me to drive it
• Third-party tools: CMP licenses (Axeptio ~€30-300/month, OneTrust k€/month), sGTM hosting (Stape ~€60-1500/month, Addingwell ~€80-1000/month), pro Screaming Frog or ObservePoint subscriptions if used on your scope
• Legal support: detailed LIA, GDPR litigation — I refer to specialized firms

Typical ROI

On audit + correction missions of the last 18 months, average Google Ads conversion recovery sits around 22% (range 12-41%). Average Meta recovery is 17% (range 9-32%).

ROI depends on your paid media spend and initial maturity. A €5K/month Ads account: ROI may take 6 months. A €100K/month account: usually weeks.

Why cheaper than an agency

An agency bills a similar audit at €5,000-25,000 for equivalent scope. The difference comes from structure: at an agency, you pay sales + project manager + senior consultant supervisor + junior executor + structure margin. Here, you pay the person doing the work — no intermediary.

The honest counter-argument: on very large scopes (over 8-10 days of work), an agency can put multiple people in parallel and deliver faster. Relevant if your main constraint is speed rather than budget. For most SMBs and mid-market companies, the freelance fixed fee remains the best quality/price ratio.

Frequently asked questions

Why don’t you display prices publicly?

The real scope of an audit varies 4x depending on complexity. Displaying “from X€” doesn’t say much and risks mis-framing expectations. I prefer we take 30 minutes in video together, look at your setup, and I send a quote adapted to your real need. More honest, no surprises.

Do you accept success fee?

No, deliberately. An audit must be independent: if my pay depends on number of anomalies found, I have bias to find many. Fixed fee guarantees alignment.

Free audits?

No. Initial scoping (30 min video) is free and qualifies the perimeter. Beyond that, the audit is billed.

Quote validity?

90 days from sending. Beyond, I revise marginally based on scope evolution and my schedule.

Payment terms?

30% deposit on PO signature, balance on report delivery. Standard 30 days, bank transfer.