Real price ranges for small business SEO, what you get at each level, and how to tell a fair quote from a bad one. Sourced, with our own pricing stated plainly.
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Last updated October 26, 2026.
If you run a small business in North County or East County San Diego, you have probably been quoted SEO prices that range from $99 a month to more than $5,000. That spread is real, and it is confusing. This guide lays out what small businesses actually pay, why prices differ, what you should get at each level, and how Lamplight Search prices its own work. We use published survey data rather than guesses, and we say where data is national rather than San Diego specific.
Small business SEO typically costs $500 to $5,000 per month. The most useful public dataset is Ahrefs' poll of 439 SEO providers, whose websites Ahrefs manually reviewed. It found SEO costs range from about $250 to $10,000 per month, with 63% of businesses spending between $500 and $5,000, and local SEO averaging about $1,557 per month. (Ahrefs)
Ahrefs also found that among U.S. and Canada providers, 79.1% charge at least $1,001 per month for a retainer. So quotes under $1,000 a month from U.S. providers are on the low end, and usually come with a narrower scope. (Ahrefs)
Who does the work changes the price more than anything else.
| Provider type | Average | Most common range | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | About $1,349/mo average | $251 to $500/mo most common | Small sites, single tasks, tight budgets |
| Local SEO provider (any type) | About $1,557/mo average | $501 to $2,000/mo is where 42.8% of all providers land | Single-location service businesses |
| Agency | About $3,209/mo average | $500 to $1,000/mo most common, wide spread | Bundled SEO, ads, and web under one vendor |
| Consultant | About $3,250/mo average | $2,501 to $5,000/mo most common | Senior strategy and hands-on work, fewer clients |
| Hourly (any type) | $75 to $100/hr most common | $100 to $150/hr most common for consultants | Audits, training, one-off fixes |
| One-time project | $2,501 to $5,000 most common | 60.6% charge $1,001 or more | Audits, migrations, site rebuild SEO |
Source for all figures: Ahrefs. Ahrefs calculated averages using the top of each price tier respondents chose, so treat them as directional, not exact.
We could not find a reliable, published survey of SEO prices limited to San Diego, so we do not quote one. In our experience talking with local owners, San Diego quotes follow the national ranges above. The difference you will notice is scope: a provider who knows North County and East County service areas, local competitors, and how San Diego customers search can usually focus your budget on fewer, higher value pages.
These bands are our editorial summary of common scopes, not survey data.
For home services, LocaliQ's analysis of 3,211 U.S. search campaigns (April 2024 to March 2025) found an average cost per lead of $90.92, from $45.15 for pools and spas to $228.15 for roofing and gutters, and cost per lead rose for 69% of home services categories year over year. (LocaliQ) Ads are fast and measurable, but the leads stop when spend stops. SEO is slower to start and keeps working after a given month. Most businesses do best with a mix.
We publish our pricing because we think you should know it before a call. Lamplight Search plans start at $1,500 per month or per engagement, depending on scope. Pricing is based on deliverables, not hours.
| Plan | Price | Deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| Local Visibility | From $1,500/mo | Google Business Profile management, consistent citations, technical fixes, 1 to 2 blogs per month, 3 to 4 pages a month added or optimized, monthly AI-visibility scorecard and plain-language report |
| Growth | From $2,500/mo | Everything in Local Visibility plus 2 to 4 blogs per month, content strategy and production, internal linking, reviews strategy, competitor tracking, deeper AI visibility monitoring |
| Market Leader | Custom, typically from $4,500/mo | Multi-location or SaaS scale, 4+ blogs per month with custom content volume, digital PR and earned authority |
Full details are on our pricing page. We are a newer consultancy and do not publish client case studies yet; we would rather show you our process on a free call than make claims we cannot back up.
Most small businesses pay between $500 and $5,000 per month for ongoing SEO. In Ahrefs' survey of 439 SEO providers, 63% of businesses spend in that range, and local SEO averages about $1,557 per month. San Diego pricing generally follows these national ranges, with experience and scope driving the difference.
Local SEO averages about $1,557 per month according to Ahrefs' survey, with agencies averaging about $1,819 and freelancers about $1,150. The most common hourly rate for local SEO is $75 to $100.
It can cover basic Google Business Profile upkeep or a narrow task, but it rarely covers technical fixes, new content, and reporting together. Ask exactly which deliverables you get each month at that price.
On average they cost about the same per month: Ahrefs found agencies average $3,209 and consultants $3,250. Freelancers average $1,349. The bigger difference is who does the work and how many clients they carry.
Lamplight Search plans start at $1,500 per month or per engagement and include 1 to 2 blogs per month, with Growth from $2,500 (2 to 4 blogs per month) and custom Market Leader scopes typically from $4,500 (4+ blogs per month). Every plan starts with a 30-day trial, then continues month to month. There is no setup fee, and pricing is based on deliverables, not hours.
Meaningful movement usually takes 3 to 6 months. Some Google Business Profile and technical fixes show up sooner. Be wary of anyone who guarantees rankings; Google says no one can guarantee a #1 ranking.
They are paid differently. LocaliQ's 2025 benchmarks put the average home services search ad cost per lead at $90.92, and those leads stop when spend stops. SEO is a monthly fee whose results can keep working after a given month, but it is slower to start. Many businesses use both.
We will look at your site, Google Business Profile, and competitors and tell you plainly what is worth paying for. 30-day trial, then month to month, from $1,500. No setup fee.