SEO Packages and Pricing Explained
Prices only compare when the proposals list the same things. This guide shows the line items to demand, the models you will meet and the terms to read before you sign.
Short answer
Most SEO is sold as a monthly retainer, used by 78.2% of providers in Ahrefs' survey of 439. Project, hourly and results-based pricing are the alternatives. A package should list deliverables, hours, reporting and exit terms, not just a price. Compare proposals line by line, keep your own accounts and treat any ranking guarantee as a reason to walk away.
Four ways SEO is sold
You will meet four pricing models. The label matters less than what you are told about the work.
| Model | How it works | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | A fixed fee each month for an agreed scope | Ongoing work: content, reviews, monitoring | Scope described only as "optimization" |
| Fixed-price project | One fee for a defined job, such as an audit or a site move | One-off needs with a clear end | Extras billed separately after you sign |
| Hourly | You pay for time used | Advice, reviews and small fixes | No cap and no estimate |
| Results-based | Fees depend on rankings or leads | Rarely wise, because rankings are not enquiries | Targets set on easy phrases that bring no enquiries |
Retainers dominate. In Ahrefs' poll of 439 providers, 78.2% used them, and in SE Ranking and Duda's survey of 260 agencies, 53% preferred retainers over every other model. Both surveys quote dollar prices from sellers. Our guide to how much SEO should cost sets out the numbers.
What a package should list
A price is comparable only when each proposal answers the same questions. Ask for these in writing.
| Line item | Why it matters | Vague wording to challenge |
|---|---|---|
| Hours or days per month | Tells you what you are buying | "As needed" |
| Named monthly deliverables | Lets you check whether work happened | "Ongoing optimization" |
| Developer or site work | Fixes often need someone who can edit the site | "Recommendations provided" with no one to carry them out |
| Content: who writes, who checks facts | Pages need accurate, specific detail | "Content included" with no count |
| Links: how they are earned | Bought links break Google's rules | "Link building package" |
| Reporting: what and how often | Shows progress against your goals | A ranking report only |
| Term and exit | Stops you being locked in | "12 months minimum" with no exit |
Three invented proposals at similar prices
This table is illustrative. The proposals are made up to show how similar prices can hide different work.
| Proposal X | Proposal Y | Proposal Z | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | EUR 600 | EUR 600 | EUR 450 |
| Scope | "SEO optimization" | 6 hours: technical fixes, one new service page, profile and review work | 20 directory links and a ranking report |
| Reporting | Rankings | Search Console clicks, calls and forms | Rankings |
| Accounts | Provider's | Yours, provider added as user | Provider's |
| Exit | 12 months minimum | 3 months, then monthly | 6 months |
| Verdict | Cannot be compared | Clear and measurable | Risky |
Proposal Z looks cheapest. Google's spam policies describe low-quality directory links and bought links as link spam, which can lower rankings, so its work may do harm. Proposal X may be fine, but nothing on the page proves it. Proposal Y gives you something to check every month.
Red flags in a proposal
Google's guidance on hiring an SEO names the main ones:
- A guarantee of rankings, because no one can promise a number one position
- Unsolicited emails offering services
- Claims of a special relationship with Google or a priority submission
- Secrecy about what will be changed
- Link schemes or mass submissions
Google also suggests asking whether the provider cites official Google documentation to support its recommendations.
Two further signs are our own judgement, not Google's. Be wary of a package that cannot tell you what it will do in the first month. Be wary too of one that measures success only by rankings for phrases nobody searches for.
Contract terms to read
- Minimum term. Ask what happens after the first period and how much notice you must give.
- Ownership of accounts. Search Console, analytics and your Business Profile should be in your name.
- Ownership of work. Pages written for you should belong to you when you leave.
- Access level. Google suggests read-only Search Console access at first. Grant more only when needed.
- Third-party costs. Check whether tools, hosting or developer time are included.
- Reporting. Agree the metrics and the schedule, and include calls and enquiries, not only rankings.
Questions to ask any provider
Google suggests these before hiring an SEO. They work for us as much as for anyone:
- Can you show past work and tell me what changed?
- What results do you expect, in what timeframe, and how will you measure them?
- What is your experience with businesses like mine and in my area?
- Will you explain every change you make to my site?
- Do you follow Google's Search Essentials?
What we offer is a written plan before you commit, accounts that stay in your name, and a refusal to promise rankings. Sempor Labs does not publish prices. We quote in writing, and you can see how our SEO service works before you ask for a quote. For local market context, see SEO costs in Cyprus.
Next step
Put your current or prospective proposals side by side using the table above. Cross out any line you cannot answer, and send the gaps back to the provider as questions. If the answers are vague, an independent audit is a sensible first purchase before you commit to months of fees.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What is included in an SEO package?
It varies, which is why you should ask for a written list. A package should state hours per month, named deliverables, reporting, whether developer work is included and how links are handled. If it only says SEO optimization, ask what that means.
Is a monthly retainer better than a one-off project?
A retainer suits ongoing work such as content, reviews and monitoring. A project suits a defined task, such as an audit, a migration or a site fix. Ahrefs found 78.2% of providers use retainers, and many also sell projects.
Should I pay for SEO based on results?
Be cautious. Rankings for chosen keywords are not the same as enquiries, and Google says no one can guarantee a number one position. If you consider a results-based deal, define the result as calls or sales and agree how they are counted.
How do I compare SEO proposals?
Put them side by side on hours, deliverables, reporting, ownership of accounts, term and exit. Ignore the label on each package. The cheapest proposal is not cheaper if it leaves out work the others include.
Who should own my Search Console and Analytics accounts?
You should. Create them in your name and add the provider as a user. Google advises granting read-only Search Console access at first. If the provider owns the accounts, you can lose your history when you leave.
Keep reading
How Much Should SEO Cost?
What small businesses pay for SEO, from two provider surveys: monthly retainers, hourly rates and project fees, what drives the price and a break-even sum.
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What a Real SEO Audit Includes
What to expect from an SEO audit service: seven sections, the evidence to ask for, how to spot an automated report and what a useful audit leaves you with.
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Is SEO Worth It for Small Businesses?
Does SEO pay for small businesses? A break-even test with real arithmetic, the cases where it is the wrong spend and a cheap way to check first.
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