Being a Social Media Manager (SMM) looks fun: creating creative content, engaging with audiences, and watching a brand grow. But behind the scenes, there's one aspect rarely discussed: the operational costs, especially for the tool subscriptions that serve as their primary "weapons."

Many assume an SMM's only costs are a laptop and an internet connection. In reality, to compete and deliver professional results, there's a suite of premium software that quietly drains the budget. Let's unpack the digital toolkit of an SMM and calculate the real cost.

Breaking Down the Costs: An SMM's Essential Arsenal

A modern SMM doesn't rely on a single app. Their work is divided into several pillars, and each pillar requires a specialized tool.

1. The Design & Visual Content Pillar (Canva Pro)
   • Individual Cost: ~Rp 95.000 / month
2. The Productivity & Reporting Pillar (Microsoft 365)
   • Individual Cost: ~Rp 129.999 / month (Family Plan)
3. The Ideation & Fast-Writing Pillar (ChatGPT Plus)
   • Individual Cost: ~Rp 320.000 / month ($20 USD)
     

The Surprising Total Cost

If we sum up all the essential "weapons" above, an SMM's total monthly capital for tool subscriptions is: Rp 95.000 + Rp 129.999 + Rp 320.000 = ~Rp 544.999 per month.

This figure can be a significant burden, especially for new freelance SMMs.

The Smart Strategy: Re-allocate, Don't Sacrifice

Is the solution to sacrifice quality? Absolutely not. The solution is smarter budget allocation. This is where the concept of sharing subscriptions through a legal platform comes into play.

Let's recalculate with a more efficient approach, using the starting from prices on JoinBareng:

• Canva Pro via JoinBareng: starting from Rp 87.800
• Microsoft 365 via JoinBareng: starting from Rp 45.400
• ChatGPT Plus via JoinBareng: starting from Rp 68.134

Your new total monthly capital becomes only around Rp 201.334.

This means a potential saving of over Rp 340.000 every single month. Those funds can be re-allocated to more strategic areas, like ad spend, or can simply become net profit.

Working Smart Begins with a Smart Budget

Being a professional SMM doesn't have to be expensive, as long as we know how to manage resources intelligently. Using a legal and safe sharing platform like JoinBareng is no longer just a way to save money it's a strategic business decision to maximize profitability.