{"id":2009,"date":"2023-01-20T13:34:20","date_gmt":"2023-01-20T13:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-much-does-seo-cost-in-2023-industry-research\/"},"modified":"2023-01-20T13:34:20","modified_gmt":"2023-01-20T13:34:20","slug":"how-much-does-seo-cost-in-2023-industry-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/how-much-does-seo-cost-in-2023-industry-research\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Does SEO Cost in 2023? [Industry Research]"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>In November 2022, we surveyed members of the SEO industry to find out how much they charge for SEO services.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the top 10 takeaways:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>78.2% of SEOs charge monthly retainers for some or all of their services.<\/li>\n<li>54.5% of SEOs only offer one pricing model (i.e., hourly, retainer, or per-project).<\/li>\n<li>$501\u2013$1,000 is the most popular monthly retainer.<\/li>\n<li>$75\u2013$100 is the most popular hourly rate.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>$2,501\u2013$5,000 is the most popular per-project rate.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Fewer than 1 in 10 SEOs (9.9%) charge more than $150\/hour.<\/li>\n<li>Agencies and consultants charge significantly more than freelancers.<\/li>\n<li>There\u2019s a clear positive correlation between experience and rates. (Surprising, right?)<\/li>\n<li>Local SEOs charge less than those with global clients.<\/li>\n<li>SEOs based in India, Central America, and South America charge the\u00a0least.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Let\u2019s take a look at each pricing model in more detail.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sidenote\">\n<p>Sidenote.<\/p>\n<p> We had 439 submissions in total. However, after reviewing them, we removed 89, as they were either duplicates or spam. For example, many respondents supplied a website they clearly didn\u2019t own (e.g., google.com) or had nothing to do with SEO. If a respondent\u2019s site didn\u2019t clearly offer SEO services, we removed them from our sample.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>34.8% of respondents price some or all of their work by the\u00a0hour.<\/p>\n<p>We found that $75\u2013$100 per hour is the most popular hourly rate for SEOs, with 24% of respondents charging this\u00a0rate.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1448\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-pricing.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO hourly pricing\" class=\"wp-image-151592\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-pricing.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-pricing-470x425.png 470w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-pricing-768x695.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-pricing-1536x1390.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1448\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-pricing.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO hourly pricing\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151592\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-pricing.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-pricing-470x425.png 470w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-pricing-768x695.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-pricing-1536x1390.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>47% of respondents charge between $75 and $200 per\u00a0hour.<\/p>\n<p>90% charge $150\/hour or less, and only 4.1% command an hourly rate of $201+.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a breakdown of hourly rates by region:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"2828\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO hourly pricing (by region)\" class=\"wp-image-151593\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region-346x425.png 346w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region-768x944.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region-1249x1536.png 1249w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region-1666x2048.png 1666w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"2828\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO hourly pricing (by region)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151593\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region-346x425.png 346w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region-768x944.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region-1249x1536.png 1249w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-region-1666x2048.png 1666w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>There is one clear outlier here:\u00a0India.<\/p>\n<p>We found 85.7% of India-based SEOs charge an hourly rate of $30 or less. The remaining 14.3% are in the $51\u2013$60 range.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sidenote\">\n<p>Sidenote.<\/p>\n<p> We didn\u2019t have much data for some regions, so take the results with a pinch of salt. Also, the reason for grouping Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain together is that they\u2019re the only European countries (besides the U.K.) with <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_sovereign_states_in_Europe_by_GDP_(nominal)\">a GDP of 1 trillion or more<\/a>. I thought it would be interesting to see if the numbers for those countries were different from the rest of Europe.<\/div>\n<p>Looking at U.S. and Canada data in isolation, 66.7% charge $75\u2013200\/hour\u2014over two-thirds!<\/p>\n<h3>Do SEO agencies charge more per hour than freelancers?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"1232\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO hourly pricing (by business type)\" class=\"wp-image-151594\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type-680x364.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type-768x411.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type-1536x823.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type-2048x1097.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"1232\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO hourly pricing (by business type)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151594\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type-680x364.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type-768x411.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type-1536x823.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-business-type-2048x1097.png 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>58.7% and 58.8% of SEO agencies and consultants respectively command $75+\/hour, compared to only 36.6% of freelancers.<\/p>\n<p>However, the most common hourly rate for SEO agencies and freelancers is the same: $75\u2013100\/hour.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For SEO consultants, it\u2019s $100\u2013150\/hour.<\/p>\n<p>If we assume all surveyed SEOs charge the upper end of their pricing tier (e.g., $150, from $100\u2013$150), then take the average hourly rate for each subset (Agency, Freelance, Consultancy), here\u2019s what we\u00a0get:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Consultancies:<\/strong> $171.18\/hour, on average.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Agencies:<\/strong> $98.90\/hour, on average.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Freelancers:<\/strong> $71.59\/hour, on average.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By these stats, the hourly rate charged by SEO consultants is more than double that of SEO freelancers.<\/p>\n<h3>Do more experienced SEOs earn a lot more per\u00a0hour?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, they\u00a0do.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1278\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-time-in-business.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO hourly pricing (by time in business)\" class=\"wp-image-151595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-time-in-business.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-time-in-business-532x425.png 532w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-time-in-business-768x613.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-time-in-business-1536x1227.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1278\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-time-in-business.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO hourly pricing (by time in business)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-time-in-business.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-time-in-business-532x425.png 532w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-time-in-business-768x613.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-by-time-in-business-1536x1227.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>$73.05 is the average hourly rate for SEOs who have been in business for two years or\u00a0less.<\/p>\n<p>This jumps to $97.11 for those who\u2019ve been in business for 2\u20134 years, $102.03 for 5\u201310 years, and $118.35 for 10+\u00a0years.<\/p>\n<p>So it seems that experience and track record play a vital role when it comes to hourly earnings.<\/p>\n<h3>Do those offering services worldwide charge more per hour than those serving local markets?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, slightly.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"997\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO hourly pricing (local vs. worldwide)\" class=\"wp-image-151596\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-local-vs-worldwide-680x425.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-local-vs-worldwide-768x479.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-local-vs-worldwide-1536x957.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"997\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO hourly pricing (local vs. worldwide)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151596\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-local-vs-worldwide-680x425.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-local-vs-worldwide-768x479.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-hourly-rates-local-vs-worldwide-1536x957.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>On average, those offering their services locally earn $93.89\/hour, whereas those serving the worldwide market earn $106.69\/hour.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a difference of 13.6%.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>78.2% of respondents charge a monthly retainer for some or all of their\u00a0work.<\/p>\n<p>We found that $501\u2013$1,000 per month is the most popular monthly retainer rate for SEOs, with 20.4% of respondents charging this\u00a0rate.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1485\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO monthly retainer pricing\" class=\"wp-image-151597\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-458x425.png 458w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-768x713.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-1536x1426.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1485\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO monthly retainer pricing\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151597\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-458x425.png 458w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-768x713.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-1536x1426.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>42.8% of respondents charge between $501 and $2,000 per\u00a0month.<\/p>\n<p>68.8% charge $2,000\/month or less, meaning only 31.2% command retainers of $2,001+.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a breakdown of monthly retainer rates by region:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"2824\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO monthly retainer pricing (by region)\" class=\"wp-image-151598\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region-346x425.png 346w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region-768x943.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region-1251x1536.png 1251w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region-1668x2048.png 1668w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"2824\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO monthly retainer pricing (by region)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151598\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region-346x425.png 346w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region-768x943.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region-1251x1536.png 1251w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-region-1668x2048.png 1668w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Once again, India is a clear outlier here.<\/p>\n<p>76% of India-based SEOs charge $1,000 or less per month. The remaining 24% charge between $2,001 and $10,000.<\/p>\n<p>Looking at U.S. and Canada data in isolation, 79.1% charge at least $1,001 per month\u2014some command as much as $25,001\u2013$50,000 per\u00a0month!<\/p>\n<h3>Do SEO agencies charge more per month than freelancers?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO monthly retainer pricing (by business type)\" class=\"wp-image-151599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type-680x378.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type-768x427.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type-1536x855.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type-2048x1140.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO monthly retainer pricing (by business type)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type-680x378.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type-768x427.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type-1536x855.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-by-business-type-2048x1140.png 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>57.4% of SEO agencies command $1,001+\/month, compared to only 32.2% of freelancers.<\/p>\n<p>However, consultants earn the most, with 70.6% commanding $1,001+\/month.<\/p>\n<p>The most common monthly retainer range for SEO agencies is $500\u2013$1,000\/month. For consultants, it\u2019s $2,501\u2013$5,000.<\/p>\n<p>For freelancers, it\u2019s $251\u2013$500\/month and $101\u2013$500\/month.<\/p>\n<p>If we assume all surveyed SEOs charge the upper end of their pricing tier (e.g., $1,500, from $1,001\u2013$1,500), and then take the average monthly retainer rate for each subset (Agency, Freelance, Consultancy), here\u2019s what we\u00a0get:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Agencies:<\/strong> $3,209\/month, on average.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consultancies:<\/strong> $3,250\/month, on average.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Freelancers:<\/strong> $1,348.63\/month, on average.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By these stats, the monthly retainer range charged by SEO agencies and consultants is almost double that of SEO freelancers.<\/p>\n<h3>Do more experienced SEOs charge a lot more per\u00a0month?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, they\u00a0do.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1328\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-time-in-business.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO monthly retainer pricing (by time in business)\" class=\"wp-image-151600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-time-in-business.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-time-in-business-512x425.png 512w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-time-in-business-768x637.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-time-in-business-1536x1275.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1328\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-time-in-business.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO monthly retainer pricing (by time in business)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-time-in-business.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-time-in-business-512x425.png 512w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-time-in-business-768x637.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-by-time-in-business-1536x1275.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>$1,540.52 is the average retainer rate for SEOs who have been in business for two years or\u00a0less.<\/p>\n<p>This jumps to $2,023.13 for those who\u2019ve been in business for 2+ years. That\u2019s around 33% more than those who\u2019ve been in business for two years or\u00a0less.<\/p>\n<p>But the big jump comes after five years in business. The average retainer for those in business for 5\u201310 years is $3,648.28\u2014more than double the rate of those in business for two years or\u00a0less.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>After this, things level off somewhat. In fact, we saw a decline in earnings for those who\u2019ve been in business for 10+ years. However, this is probably due to us not having a lot of data for this subset.<\/p>\n<h3>Do those offering services worldwide charge more per month than those serving local markets?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1601\" height=\"1016\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO monthly retainer pricing (local vs. worldwide)\" class=\"wp-image-151601\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png 1601w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide-670x425.png 670w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide-260x166.png 260w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide-768x487.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide-1536x975.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1601px) 100vw, 1601px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1601\" height=\"1016\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO monthly retainer pricing (local vs. worldwide)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151601\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png 1601w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide-670x425.png 670w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide-260x166.png 260w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide-768x487.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-monthly-retainer-rates-local-vs-worldwide-1536x975.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1601px) 100vw, 1601px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Those offering their services locally charge $1,557.08\/month, on average. Whereas those serving the worldwide market earn $3,473.74\/month.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a significant difference of 123.1%.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>48.9% of respondents charge a per-project fee for some or all of their\u00a0work.<\/p>\n<p>We found that $2,501\u2013$5,000 is the most popular per-project fee, with 21.2% of respondents charging this\u00a0rate.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1491\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO per-project rates\" class=\"wp-image-151602\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-456x425.png 456w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-768x716.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-1536x1431.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1491\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO per-project rates\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151602\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-456x425.png 456w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-768x716.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-1536x1431.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>60.6% of respondents charge $1,001 or\u00a0more.<\/p>\n<p>50.6% charge $2,000 or less, meaning that fewer than half of respondents command per-project fees of $2,001+.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a breakdown of per-project rates by region:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"2825\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO per-project rates (by region)\" class=\"wp-image-151603\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region-346x425.png 346w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region-768x943.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region-1251x1536.png 1251w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region-1667x2048.png 1667w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"2825\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO per-project rates (by region)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151603\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region-346x425.png 346w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region-768x943.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region-1251x1536.png 1251w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-region-1667x2048.png 1667w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Yep, you guessed it\u2014India is the outlier.<\/p>\n<p>93.75% of India-based SEOs charge $1,500 or less. The remaining 6.25% charge between $2,001 and $2,500.<\/p>\n<p>Looking at the U.S. and Canada in isolation, 83.3% charge at least $1,001. Some even charge as much as $50,001\u2013$75,000 per project.<\/p>\n<h3>Do SEO agencies charge more per project than freelancers?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"1282\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO per-project rates (by business type)\" class=\"wp-image-151604\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type-680x379.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type-768x428.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type-1536x856.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type-2048x1142.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2300\" height=\"1282\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO per-project rates (by business type)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151604\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type.png 2300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type-680x379.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type-768x428.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type-1536x856.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-business-type-2048x1142.png 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>73.3% of SEO agencies command $1,001+ per project, compared to only 64% of consultants and 40.68% of freelancers.<\/p>\n<p>The most common per-project fee for freelancers is $101\u2013$250. For SEO agencies, it\u2019s $2,501\u2013$5,000. And for consultants, it\u2019s $5,001\u2013$10,000.<\/p>\n<p>If we assume all surveyed SEOs charge the upper end of their pricing tier (e.g., $1,500, from $1,001\u20131,500), and then take the average per-project rate for each subset (Agency, Freelance, Consultancy), here\u2019s what we\u00a0get:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Agencies: <\/strong>$9,507.84\/month, on average.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consultancies: <\/strong>$8,685.53\/month, on average.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Freelancers: <\/strong>$2,348.63\/month, on average.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By these stats, the per-project fee charged by SEO agencies is more than 4X that of SEO freelancers, on average.<\/p>\n<h3>Do more experienced SEOs charge a lot more per project?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, they\u00a0do.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1447\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-time-in-business.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO per-project rates (by time in business)\" class=\"wp-image-151605\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-time-in-business.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-time-in-business-470x425.png 470w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-time-in-business-768x695.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-time-in-business-1536x1389.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1447\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-time-in-business.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO per-project rates (by time in business)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151605\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-time-in-business.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-time-in-business-470x425.png 470w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-time-in-business-768x695.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-by-time-in-business-1536x1389.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>$1,881.73 is the average per-project fee charged by those who\u2019ve been in business for two years or\u00a0less.<\/p>\n<p>This jumps to $2,242.71 for those who\u2019ve been in business for 2+ years and then to $9,087.31 for those who\u2019ve been in business 5\u201310\u00a0years.<\/p>\n<h3>Do those offering services worldwide charge more per project than those serving local markets?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes\u2014significantly more!<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"997\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO per-project rates (local vs. worldwide)\" class=\"wp-image-151606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-local-vs-worldwide-680x425.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-local-vs-worldwide-768x479.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-local-vs-worldwide-1536x957.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"997\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png\" alt=\"Survey results: SEO per-project rates (local vs. worldwide)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-local-vs-worldwide.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-local-vs-worldwide-680x425.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-local-vs-worldwide-768x479.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/seo-per-project-pricing-rates-local-vs-worldwide-1536x957.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>On average, those offering their services locally charge $5,723.53 per project, whereas those serving the worldwide market charge $8,056.56.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a significant difference of 40.80%.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>My hope is that this data will help SEOs to stop undercharging for their services. Yes, the economic outlook may look bleak right now, but know that SEO is a valuable skill. Don\u2019t be afraid to charge what you\u2019re worth.<\/p>\n<p>Got questions? Ping me <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joshuachardwick\">on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-pricing\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In November 2022, we surveyed members of the SEO industry to find out how much they charge for SEO services. Here are the top 10 takeaways: 78.2% of SEOs charge monthly retainers for some or all of their services. 54.5% of SEOs only offer one pricing model (i.e., hourly, retainer, or per-project). $501\u2013$1,000 is the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2010,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2009"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}