Cheaper alternatives to an SEO agency
Most small-business SEO retainers run $500 to $2,500 a month. Software now does much of that monthly work well, and the parts that still need a person don't always need an agency.
The short answer
If you can spend a few hours a week on it, SEO software like PageOne handles most of what a small-business retainer covers (writing and publishing posts, fixing on-page issues, tracking rankings, and answering Google reviews) from $19.99 a month. If you'd rather not touch it, a done-for-you monthly plan like ours starts at $59.99. A full agency still makes sense for competitive national markets, large sites, and link-building campaigns.
In SE Ranking and Duda's 2024 survey of 260 SEO agencies, 94% of which serve small or local businesses, 64% charged under $1,000 a month. Ahrefs' poll of 439 providers put the average local SEO retainer at $1,557 a month, counting each provider at the top of its price band.
What software handles now, and what still needs a person.
Still worth paying a person for
- Strategy in a competitive market, where every keyword is contested
- Link-building outreach: emails, relationships, and digital PR
- Big technical jobs: site migrations, redirects, and speed work
- Expert writing on medical, legal, or financial topics
- Accountability, if SEO will never make your own to-do list
Software does well now
- Finding keywords you're close to ranking for
- Drafting and publishing posts on a schedule
- Rewriting titles and meta descriptions
- Crawling the site for broken links and missing tags
- Tracking rankings and Maps position each week
- Drafting replies to Google reviews
Agency, done-for-you plan, or software.
What each option looks like for a small local business.
Agency figures come from SE Ranking and Duda's 2024 survey of 260 agencies, Backlinko's survey of 300+ SEO professionals, and Ahrefs' poll of 439 providers. All three surveyed providers rather than buyers, and include agencies outside the US.
What a year costs.
A typical small-business agency retainer against our two alternatives.
SEO agency, typical retainer
UST Business SEO, done for you
PageOne Individual, you with software
$1,000 a month sits near the middle of the surveys above. Many agencies also ask for a minimum term: in Credo's 2019 survey of 320 agencies, about 70% required a minimum engagement, and 30% asked for 6 to 12 months. PageOne and our SEO plans are both month to month.
Which alternative fits you?
Pick by how much time you have and how competitive your market is.
PageOne, if you have a few hours a week
You approve drafts, send the review replies it writes, and act on the morning briefing. Free to start. See PageOne.
A done-for-you plan, if you have no time
We do the monthly work and send one plain-English report, month to month. See our SEO plans.
A freelancer, for a one-off project
A site migration, a technical cleanup, or a content plan. Experienced US freelancers often charge $75 to $130 an hour, so agree the scope before work starts.
An agency, if search is your main sales channel
Competitive national markets, large ecommerce catalogs, and link-building campaigns still justify a team and a retainer.
Questions about replacing an SEO agency.
How much does an SEO agency cost for a small business?
Most small-business retainers fall between $500 and $2,500 a month. In SE Ranking and Duda's 2024 survey of 260 agencies, 64% charged under $1,000 a month, and 22% of US and Canadian agencies charged over $2,000.
Is SEO software a real replacement for an agency?
For most local service businesses, it covers the routine monthly work: content, on-page fixes, rank tracking, and Google reviews. It doesn't replace link-building outreach or strategy in a competitive market, and you have to do the approving and publishing yourself.
How much time does doing SEO yourself take?
With PageOne, plan on 2 to 4 hours a week: approving posts, sending review replies from the drafts, and acting on the briefing's suggestions. Without software, the same work takes much longer.
What should I ask an agency before signing?
Ask about the minimum term, exactly what's delivered each month, who owns the content and accounts, which keywords they'll report on, and what happens to your access if you leave.
Can I start with software and add help later?
Yes. Start on PageOne Free. If you'd rather hand the work off later, our SEO plans can run alongside it or replace it. Both are month to month, so you can change course without a contract to wait out.
Is a very cheap SEO agency worth it?
Be careful with retainers far below the market. In Backlinko's survey, only 7% of US, UK, and Australian providers offered SEO for under $500 a month. At that price, ask exactly what work gets done each month.
More comparisons
Try the software route first.
PageOne Free runs a site audit, drafts your first posts, and checks whether AI answers mention you, with no card needed. If you'd rather hand it off, our SEO plans start at $59.99 a month.
Survey figures checked October 5, 2026 from these public pages: SE Ranking and Duda agency survey, Ahrefs SEO pricing poll, Backlinko SEO pricing, Credo agency rates survey. Vendors change plans often, so confirm current pricing before you buy. If something here is out of date, tell us and we'll fix it.
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