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How much does an SEO consultant cost for a small business?
Hourly rates, monthly retainers and project fees, what changes the price, and how to tell if it’s worth it.
Most SEO providers charge by the month, by the hour or by the project. In Ahrefs’ survey of SEO providers, the most common monthly retainer was $501–$1,000, consultants most often charged $2,501–$5,000 a month, the most common hourly rate was $75–$100, and the most common project fee was $2,501–$5,000. I charge fixed project prices with no retainer: $850 for an AI visibility audit and $2,000–$7,000 for a website makeover.
How do SEO consultants charge?
| Pricing model | Most common range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | $501–$1,000 a month (all providers); $2,501–$5,000 (consultants) | Ongoing work on a large or competitive site |
| Hourly | $75–$100 an hour | Advice, reviews or small fixes |
| Project | $2,501–$5,000 | A defined job, like an audit or a site makeover |
Source: Ahrefs’ survey of SEO providers, published December 2023 and updated August 2024.
What changes the price?
- Competition. A med spa in Boston needs more work than a niche trade in a small town.
- How much content is needed. Writing pages is usually the biggest cost.
- The state of your site. Technical problems and a dated design add work.
- AI search. Getting recommended by ChatGPT and AI Overviews adds prompt research and answer-first content.
- Who does the work. Freelancers, consultants and agencies price very differently.
Is an SEO consultant worth it for a small business?
It’s worth it when the work is tied to calls, bookings and sales, not just rankings. Before you hire anyone, ask what they’ll fix first, how they’ll measure it and what you’ll have when the work ends. If the answer is a monthly report and no clear plan, keep looking.
What I charge
| Service | Price | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| AI visibility audit | $850 | about 1 week |
| Website makeover | $2,000 | about 2 weeks |
| AI & SEO content makeover | $2,500 | about 3 weeks |
| AI Signature website makeover | $7,000 | about 4 weeks |
Fixed prices, no retainer. I do a full analysis of your business first, explain every step and show you what the work did for your calls, bookings and sales. See everything that’s included.
Common questions
How much does an SEO consultant cost per month?
In Ahrefs’ survey of SEO providers, consultants most often charged $2,501–$5,000 a month, and the most common retainer across all providers was $501–$1,000. I don’t charge a retainer: my work is fixed-price projects.
How much does an SEO consultant charge per hour?
The most common hourly rate in Ahrefs’ survey of SEO providers was $75–$100, and about half of providers charged $75–$200 an hour.
Is an SEO consultant cheaper than an agency?
Often, and you work with the person doing the work. Agencies can take on more at once but usually charge for account management on top. Freelancers are often cheapest but narrower in what they cover.
How much does SEO cost for a small business?
It depends on competition and how much content you need. A focused fix can be a few hundred dollars. A full makeover or ongoing work runs into the thousands. With me, it’s $850 for an AI visibility audit and $2,000–$7,000 for a website makeover.
Do I need a monthly SEO retainer?
Not always. Many small businesses get more from one well-planned project, then light upkeep, than from a retainer that pays for monthly reports. Ask what the retainer pays for each month.
By Andrea Block, AI SEO consultant · Updated October 17, 2026