How Much Does SEO Cost for a Small Business? (2026 Price Guide)

Quick answer: Most small businesses pay between $750 and $3,000 a month for professional SEO. The full range is $500 to $5,000 a month. A local business with one location in a moderately competitive area often pays $500 to $1,200 a month, and doing it yourself can cost $0 to $200 a month.

Prices come from agency and SEO company guides, so they lean toward what agencies charge. Treat them as a guide, and ask for a written scope before you pay. Last checked: October 2026.

SEO prices by type

Type	Typical price	What it means
Do it yourself	$0 to $200 a month	Mostly your time: Google Business Profile, asking for reviews, a few good pages. Tools may cost extra.
Local SEO, one location	About $500 to $1,200 a month	Common for small businesses (about 11 to 50 staff) in a moderately competitive market.
Professional monthly SEO	$750 to $3,000 a month	The most common range for small businesses.
Larger or competitive markets	Up to $5,000 a month or more	More pages, more competition, more work.
One-time audit	About $500 to $7,500	A report on what to fix. Price depends on how deep it goes.
Hourly consulting	About $100 to $300 an hour	Good for advice while you do the work.

What decides the price

• How competitive your market is. "Plumber in a small town" costs less than "plumber in a big city" or a national search.
• How big your site is. More pages mean more to fix and more to write.
• Local or national. Local SEO is usually cheaper.
• What's included. Content writing, link building and reporting each add work.
• Who does it. Freelancers usually charge less than agencies.

What a good plan includes

1. A clear audit of your site and what is stopping you from ranking.
2. Fixes to speed, mobile use and how pages are set up.
3. A well-kept Google Business Profile (for local businesses).
4. New pages or posts that answer questions your customers really ask.
5. A monthly report in plain English, showing visits, calls and enquiries, not just rankings.

Warning signs

• "Guaranteed #1 on Google." Nobody can promise this. Google decides.
• A price that is far below the range with a long list of promises. Cheap plans often cut corners.
• No written scope, or reports that only show rankings and never enquiries.
• Long contracts before you have seen any results.

How long does it take?

SEO usually takes several months before you see clear results, and longer in crowded markets. Plan for at least 6 months before judging it, and ask what will be done in months 1, 2 and 3.

Want a clear plan and price for your business?

ADbuddy does SEO, local SEO and AI search work for businesses around the world. We quote each project separately and start with a free audit, so you know what is needed before you spend anything. Ask for a free audit

Related: SEO services · Local SEO · SEO vs AEO vs GEO compared

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Source (checked October 2026): SEO.com, SEO cost guide