Search engine optimization is essential for long-term online growth, but the costs vary widely. This guide breaks down SEO pricing models, service types, and what influences pricing.
Factors That Influence SEO Pricing
| Factor | How It Affects SEO Cost |
| Website Size | Larger sites require more optimization |
| Market Competition | Competitive industries require more resources |
| SEO Goals | Broader goals demand wider strategies |
| Timeline Expectations | Faster results need heavier investments |
| Service Depth | More services increase the workload and cost |
| Provider Experience | Seasoned professionals or agencies charge premium rates |
Website Size
The number of pages, technical issues, and content volume directly impact pricing. Optimizing a 10-page local site costs far less than a 500-page e-commerce store.
Market Competition
If you’re in a highly competitive market (e.g., legal, finance, real estate), SEO campaigns need more time and link equity to outrank others, driving up cost.
SEO Goals
Trying to rank for a handful of local keywords costs much less than targeting national or multilingual traffic. Broader SEO goals mean broader execution.
Timeline Expectations
If you want quicker results (e.g., within 3 months), your SEO provider may need to invest more time upfront, resulting in higher initial costs.
Service Depth
A basic SEO plan may include just on-page and keyword targeting. A comprehensive plan includes audits, UX recommendations, content creation, outreach, and more.
Provider Experience
Top-tier SEO consultants or agencies with a strong track record charge more for their expertise, but they’re also less likely to make costly mistakes.
SEO Pricing Models
| Model | Description | Average Cost |
| Monthly Retainer | Ongoing SEO services with full management | $500 – $10,000/month |
| Hourly Rate | Pay-as-you-go consulting or task-based work | $50 – $200/hour |
| Project-Based | One-time projects like audits, migrations, or redesign | $1,000 – $30,000 |
| Performance-Based SEO | Pay only for results achieved (e.g., rankings, leads) | Varies—often % of results |
Monthly Retainer Pricing: How Much Does SEO Cost Per Month?
Monthly retainer is the most widely used SEO pricing model. Businesses pay a fixed monthly fee in exchange for a set of ongoing SEO services, typically including:
- Technical audits and fixes
- Keyword research and tracking
- On-page optimization
- Monthly content creation
- Link building (white-hat outreach or citations)
- Reporting and strategy calls
✅ Who it’s best for:
Businesses looking for long-term, sustained growth in traffic and leads, especially those in competitive industries.
💰 Cost range:
- Small businesses: $500 – $1,500/month
- Mid-size brands: $1,500 – $5,000/month
- Large/enterprise SEO: $5,000 – $10,000+/month
📌 Things to consider:
- Pricing varies depending on services included.
- Some retainers are strategy-focused (low volume, high impact); others are deliverable-heavy (more content/links).
- Retainers often require a minimum 3–6 month commitment to see traction.
Hourly SEO Services: How Much Does SEO Cost Per Hour?
Hourly SEO pricing is a flexible pay-as-you-go model where you’re billed only for the actual time spent on specific tasks. It’s most commonly used for consultations, audits, or troubleshooting instead of ongoing campaigns.
🔍 What’s Included in Hourly SEO Services?
Businesses typically hire SEO experts on an hourly basis for:
- Keyword research and keyword mapping
- Technical SEO audits or error resolution
- SEO consultation sessions (strategy, content, migration planning)
- Competitor or SERP analysis
- Google Search Console or Analytics review
- Optimizing individual pages or templates
✅ Who Should Choose Hourly SEO?
Hourly SEO is ideal if:
- You need occasional expert help but don’t want a full monthly plan
- You have an internal team that can implement recommendations
- You’re on a tight budget and want specific fixes without ongoing work
- You’re in the early stages of building SEO knowledge or strategy
💰 Typical Hourly SEO Rates
| Provider Type | Average Rate (USD/hour) |
| Freelancers (entry-level) | $50 – $100 |
| Mid-level consultants | $100 – $150 |
| High-end SEO experts | $150 – $300+ |
| Agency specialists | $100 – $250 |
How Many Hours Do Common Tasks Take?
| SEO Task | Estimated Hours |
| Technical Audit (small site) | 4–8 hours |
| Keyword Research (20–30 terms) | 3–5 hours |
| On-page Optimization (per page) | 1–2 hours |
| Consulting Session (strategy review) | 1–2 hours |
| Google Search Console Cleanup | 2–4 hours |
Project-Based SEO: What’s the Cost of a One-Time SEO Project?
Project-based SEO involves a one-time payment for a clearly defined scope of work. It’s ideal for businesses with specific needs like a site migration, audit, or initial optimization without committing to monthly service.
🛠️ What Does Project-Based SEO Include?
Each project is unique, but common one-time SEO projects include:
- Comprehensive technical SEO audits
- Site migration planning and implementation (HTTP to HTTPS, platform shift)
- Redesign SEO mapping (URL mapping, redirects, structure updates)
- Onboarding SEO for newly launched websites
- Local SEO setup (Google Business Profile optimization, citations, map pack strategy)
- Content audits with optimization recommendations
- International/multilingual SEO setup
✅ Who Should Choose Project-Based SEO?
This pricing model is a great fit if you:
- Are launching or redesigning your website and want to maintain SEO integrity
- Need to diagnose traffic loss or technical SEO issues
- Want to invest in a strategic content plan or audit
- Don’t need full-scale SEO management but want expert guidance for a milestone
💰 Typical Cost for SEO Projects
| Project Type | Typical Cost Range (USD) |
| Local SEO Setup | $1,000 – $2,500 |
| Full Technical Audit (Small-Medium Site) | $1,500 – $4,000 |
| Site Migration SEO (Platform/Domain Change) | $3,000 – $10,000 |
| Redesign SEO Planning (UX/URL Restructure) | $2,500 – $8,000 |
| Enterprise SEO Audit or eCommerce Mapping | $10,000 – $30,000+ |
SEO Pricing by Business Type
| Business Type | Typical Monthly SEO Cost |
| Local Service Business | $500 – $1,500 |
| National B2C Website | $2,000 – $5,000 |
| SaaS or Tech Company | $2,500 – $10,000+ |
| E-commerce Website | $1,500 – $7,000+ |
| Large Enterprise | $5,000 – $25,000+ |
Local Service Business
Smaller businesses targeting local traffic typically require local SEO, citation building, Google Business Profile optimization, and basic on-page work.
National B2C Website
Needs broader content strategies, national keyword targeting, and scalable link building efforts.
SaaS or Tech Company
Focus is often on content marketing, technical SEO, onboarding flows, and conversion tracking.
E-commerce Website
Product page optimization, structured data, faceted navigation, and internal linking are key, making it more complex (and costlier).
Large Enterprise
Complex site architecture, multi-location SEO, and compliance needs justify the higher investment.
SEO Package Tiers
| Package Name | Monthly Cost | Ideal For |
| Starter SEO | $500 – $1,000 | Local businesses or early-stage sites |
| Growth SEO | $1,500 – $4,000 | SMBs or growing online brands |
| Pro SEO | $4,000 – $7,000 | National companies, SaaS, e-commerce |
| Enterprise SEO | $7,000 – $25,000 | Large businesses with complex needs |
Starter SEO
Covers basics like site audit, keyword targeting, and limited content optimization. Suitable for businesses with limited competition.
Growth SEO
Adds technical SEO, blog planning, and quality link building. Balances affordability and impact for growing brands.
Pro SEO
Includes competitor research, full content calendar execution, premium backlinks, and conversion tracking.
Enterprise SEO
Strategic consulting, multi-site/multi-language support, and deep analytics. Often includes collaboration with internal teams and cross-departmental integration.
Turn Search Visibility into Real Revenue
At The frank Agency, SEO is about more than just rankings. It’s about driving the kind of traffic that helps your business grow. From fixing technical issues and improving your site’s content to building real authority online, we focus on the strategies that make a difference. With years of experience behind us, we know how to build SEO campaigns that deliver results and keep working over time.
Ready to take the next step?
Get in touch with our team to see how we can help your business grow through smarter, search-driven marketing.
