How much does SEO cost in the UK?

Last updated 12 October 2026 · By the XKey team

What are typical SEO prices in the UK?

There's no official price list, and quotes vary a lot by town, sector and how competitive the searches are. These are the rough ranges small businesses tend to be quoted:

• Doing it yourself: £0 plus your time. The basics need a few evenings to set up and an hour or two a month after that.
• A one-off audit: roughly £300 to £1,500 for a written list of problems and fixes on a small site.
• A freelancer on a monthly plan: often £300 to £1,000 a month.
• A small agency: commonly £500 to £2,500 a month for a local business, and more for national or ecommerce work.
• Hourly consulting: usually somewhere around £50 to £150 an hour.

Treat these as a sense check, not a quote. A plumber in one town needs far less work than an online shop competing nationally.

What should a monthly SEO fee pay for?

You should be able to name the work. A fair monthly plan for a small business usually includes some of these: fixing technical problems, writing or improving service pages, local work such as your Google Business Profile and reviews, earning links from real websites, and a report showing searches, clicks and enquiries from Google.

Ask for that report to come from Google Search Console, not just a list of rankings. Rankings change by device and location; clicks and enquiries are what pay the bills.

Which warning signs mean I'm paying for nothing?

• A guaranteed number one ranking. Google says nobody can promise that.
• "Hundreds of backlinks a month". Bulk links are usually bought or automated, and can get a site penalised.
• No access to your own accounts. You should own your website, domain, Search Console and Business Profile, and be able to see everything.
• Reports full of jargon and no enquiry numbers.
• Long lock-in contracts before any work has been shown.

What can I do myself for free?

A lot of what a small business pays for at the start is the same checklist. Run the free SEO check and fix what it flags, work through the on-page SEO checklist, set up your Business Profile and ask for reviews. The website audit checks every page at once. If you then hire help, you'll know which jobs you're paying for and whether they've been done.

Is it worth paying for SEO?

It can be, when the searches are valuable and you don't have the time. Work out what a new customer is worth, roughly how many enquiries Google could bring each month, and compare that with the fee. Give any plan a fair test – most SEO work takes a few months to show – but expect to see the work itself from the first month.

Frequently asked questions

Is cheap SEO worth it?

Sometimes, if the price buys a clear list of real work. Very cheap monthly plans often mean automated links or nothing at all, so ask exactly what will be done.

Do I need to pay for SEO tools?

Not to start. Google Search Console is free, and every XKey tool is free with no sign-up. Paid tools mainly help with competitor research and large sites.

How do I know if my SEO is working?

Watch clicks and the searches you appear for in Google Search Console, and count enquiries that say they found you on Google. Re-run the SEO check to confirm problems stay fixed.