How this is calculated

All three models share the same article volume and the same shared-tools budget.

In-house team

salaries         = Σ (FTE × salary) for writer, editor, SEO strategist, designer
in-house monthly = salaries × (1 + overhead %) ÷ 12 + shared tools

Freelancers

freelance monthly = articles × (writing + editing + design rate per article)
                  + freelancer management + shared tools

AI-assisted

AI-assisted monthly = kept FTE × salary × (1 + overhead %) ÷ 12
                    + AI tools + articles × review per article + shared tools

Outputs

annual cost      = monthly cost × 12
cost per article = monthly cost ÷ articles per month

Assumptions & defaults

The pre-filled values are starting assumptions so the calculator shows a result on load. They are not industry statistics — replace each one with your own numbers.

  • Default output of 12 articles per month and $600 per month of shared tools (SEO suite, CMS, analytics).
  • Default in-house team of 2 writers, 1 editor, 1 SEO strategist and half a designer, with placeholder salaries — use your own bands.
  • 25% benefits, taxes and overhead added to every salary.
  • Freelance defaults: $500 writing, $100 editing and $75 design per article plus $2,000 per month of internal management time.
  • AI-assisted defaults: 1 retained FTE at $90,000, $300 per month of AI tools and $150 per article for expert review.
  • Every model is assumed to produce comparable quality at the volume entered; capacity limits are not modelled.

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate cost per article?

Take the total monthly cost of a content model — salaries with overhead, per-article fees, tools and management time — and divide it by the number of articles you publish per month. The calculator does this for all three models at the same output so they are directly comparable.

Why does in-house cost per article fall as output rises?

Salaries are fixed, so publishing more articles with the same team spreads the same cost over more pieces. Freelance cost is mostly per article, so it scales roughly in line with output. The calculator does not check whether your in-house team can actually produce the volume you enter.

What does the AI-assisted model include?

The in-house staff you keep to direct the AI (for example an editor or strategist), the AI writing tools subscription, a per-article budget for expert review and fact-checking, and the same shared tools as the other models.

Are freelancers cheaper than an in-house content team?

It depends on volume and rates. At low volume, per-article fees usually beat fixed salaries; at high volume a salaried team can be cheaper per article. Enter your own rates and output and the calculator shows where the lines cross for you.

Are the default salaries and rates market data?

No. They are placeholder assumptions so the calculator shows a result on load. Replace them with your own salary bands, freelancer quotes and tool invoices.

What costs are not included?

Recruiting, onboarding, content distribution, paid promotion, stock imagery licences and the opportunity cost of slower or lower-quality output are not modelled. Add them to shared tools or overhead if they matter for your decision.