How much does B2B lead generation cost in 2026? UK and France prices

B2B lead generation is one of the most common services companies outsource, and one of the hardest to compare: one agency quotes a monthly fee, another a price per meeting, a third a mix of both. This guide gives you the 2026 price ranges in the UK and France, explains what drives the price, and shows how to compare quotes on the same basis.

The three pricing models

• Monthly retainer: a fixed fee covering research, data, copywriting, sending and reply handling. The most common model, and the most predictable for both sides.
• Pay per meeting: you pay for each meeting booked or held. Attractive on paper, but check how a “qualified meeting” is defined and whether you pay for no-shows.
• Hybrid: a lower monthly base plus a fee per qualified meeting. Often offered once the market has been tested and reply rates are known.

What it costs in France

French outsourced prospecting agencies serving SMEs typically charge between about €1,300 and €2,500 per month for their entry offers, and pay-per-meeting agencies around €250 to €350 per meeting, according to the comparison published by Salesdorado. Broader guides put the full range between €1,500 and more than €10,000 per month depending on channels and volume.

What it costs in the UK

UK B2B lead generation agencies are more expensive. Buyer guides from Prospeo put cold email programmes at roughly £3,000 to £8,000 per month and multichannel programmes (email, phone, LinkedIn) at £4,000 to £10,000 per month, with onboarding fees on top at many agencies. Pay-per-meeting offers for SMEs are quoted at around £150 to £400 per meeting.

What drives the price

• Research and targeting: a proper market study and verified target list cost more upfront but raise reply rates.
• Channels: email only is cheaper than email + LinkedIn + phone.
• Volume and segments: more segments, markets or languages mean more research and more copywriting.
• Data and tools: check whether contact data, enrichment and sending tools are included.
• Reply handling: some agencies only send messages; others qualify replies and book meetings for you.

The number that matters: cost per qualified meeting

Monthly fees are hard to compare. Divide the total cost by the number of qualified meetings actually held. UK guides consider under £250 per meeting strong and above £500 a sign that something is wrong with targeting, messaging or follow-up.

How to compare quotes

1. Ask how the agency defines a qualified meeting, in writing.
2. Check the minimum commitment and the notice period.
3. Ask who owns the contact lists, domains and campaign history at the end.
4. Check that outreach respects GDPR and, in the UK, PECR.
5. Ask for weekly reporting: replies, positive replies, meetings and cost per meeting.

Our approach

At Data Horizon Consulting every programme starts with a fixed-price market study, so targets are set on real data rather than promises. Campaigns then run on a monthly fee, with weekly reporting and all data owned by you. See how our B2B lead generation works.