How much does local SEO cost? How it's priced and what you should get
Local SEO is usually sold as a monthly fee for a set list of work, though some agencies charge by the project or by the hour. What you pay depends on how many locations you have, how competitive your area is and how much of the work they do for you. Rather than chase an average price, compare what each package actually includes and check it against the red flags below.
How agencies charge
BrightLocal's survey of the local search industry asked agencies and freelancers how they bill for local SEO. A monthly fee based on deliverables was the most common for both:
| How they bill | Agencies | Freelancers |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee based on deliverables | 63% | 51% |
| Per project | 36% | 44% |
| Hourly rate | 28% | 43% |
| Monthly fee based on hours | 24% | 9% |
| Day rate | 4% | 3% |
| Per lead | 2% | 3% |
Respondents could choose more than one method, so the columns add up to more than 100%.
What changes the price
- Number of locations: most providers price per location.
- Competition: a dentist in a big city needs more work than a dog groomer in a small town.
- How much is done for you: software you run yourself costs less than a team that does the work.
- Extras: a new website, ads management or an AI receptionist are often priced separately.
- Ad spend: if ads are included in the service, the money you pay Google or Meta is usually on top.
What a monthly local SEO package should include
- Your Google Business Profile managed: categories, services, photos, and regular posts.
- A steady system for asking every customer for reviews, plus replies to reviews.
- New or improved pages on your website for your services and areas.
- Consistent business details across the main directories.
- Tracking: where you rank across your area, calls and enquiries, and a plain-English monthly report.
- A named person you can talk to, and access to your own accounts.
Red flags, according to Google
Google's own guidance on hiring an SEO warns:
- "No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google." If someone guarantees first place, Google says to find someone else.
- Be wary of SEO firms that email you out of the blue.
- Be careful if a company is secretive or won't clearly explain what it plans to do.
- Avoid anyone talking about link schemes, or submitting your site to "thousands of search engines".
Add a few of your own: fake or incentivised reviews, long contracts with no exit, and reports full of numbers that never mention calls or customers.
A worked example: Flexi Local's published prices
To show what published pricing can look like, here are our own plans as of October 2026, in US dollars, per location, with no long contracts on monthly plans:
| Plan | Price | Who does the work |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | $97/month, plus $49 for each extra location | You, using our review software |
| Reviews + Leads | $197/month | You, with missed-call text-back, one inbox and booking added |
| Local Growth | $497/month | Our team: Google profile posts, review replies, a new page or article each month, website, rank grid, AI visibility check and a monthly call |
| Growth + Ads | $997/month plus ad spend | Our team, adding Google and Meta ads management |
Whoever you choose, ask for the same thing: a written list of what's done each month, at what price, and how you'll know it's working.
Sources
- BrightLocal: What should my agency be charging for local SEO? (billing methods from its Local Search Industry Survey)
- Google Search Central: Do you need an SEO? (updated 5 June 2026)
- Flexi Local pricing (October 2026)
Citing these figures? Please link to this page. If you spot a figure that's out of date, email hello@flexilocal.com.
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