How Much Does SEO Cost In UK? [2026 Pricing Guide]

If you're a business owner wondering how much SEO costs in the UK, you're not alone — it's one of the most common questions we get asked. The short answer: SEO in the UK typically costs between £300 and £10,000+ per month, depending on your business size, goals, and competition.

But pricing varies wildly between providers, and the cheapest option is rarely the best value. In this guide, we break down what SEO actually costs in 2026, what you should expect to pay, and how to make sure you're getting real results for your investment.

Why SEO Pricing Varies So Much

There's no fixed price for SEO because every business is different. The main factors that affect cost are:

• The size of your website — A 10-page brochure site needs less work than a 500-product ecommerce store
• Your industry and competition — Ranking for "solicitors in Manchester" is far more competitive than "dog grooming in Widnes"
• Your current SEO state — A site with technical problems, no content, and no backlinks needs more upfront work
• Geographic scope — Local SEO targeting one town costs less than a national campaign
• The provider's expertise — Experienced agencies with proven results charge more than beginners, but deliver more

Understanding these factors helps you set a realistic budget and avoid overpaying — or underpaying — for SEO services.

Average SEO Costs in the UK (2026)

Here's what you can expect to pay for SEO in the UK in 2026, broken down by provider type:

These are monthly retainer costs. Most reputable SEO providers work on a monthly basis because SEO is an ongoing process, not a one-off fix.

Freelancer SEO Costs (£150–£500/month)

Freelance SEO consultants typically charge between £150 and £500 per month. At this level, you'll usually get basic on-page optimisation, some keyword research, and perhaps a monthly report. It suits very small local businesses with limited competition.

What to watch out for: At the lower end, some freelancers spread themselves too thin across dozens of clients. Make sure you're getting dedicated hours, not automated reports.

Small Agency SEO Costs (£500–£1,500/month)

This is the sweet spot for most small to medium-sized businesses. A good small agency will provide a comprehensive service including keyword research, on-page optimisation, content creation, link building, and monthly reporting.

At The Web People, our SEO packages start from around £450/month. We work on an hourly basis at £75/hour, so you control exactly how much budget you commit each month and can see exactly what work is being done.

Established Agency SEO Costs (£1,500–£5,000+/month)

Larger agencies typically handle more competitive industries and bigger websites. At this level you'll get a dedicated account manager, in-depth strategy, regular content production, and aggressive link building campaigns.

Enterprise SEO Costs (£5,000–£10,000+/month)

Enterprise SEO is for large organisations with complex websites, multiple locations, or international markets. This includes dedicated teams, custom reporting dashboards, and integration with wider marketing strategies.

SEO Hourly Rates in the UK

Some SEO providers charge by the hour rather than a fixed monthly fee. Here's what hourly rates typically look like in 2026:

Hourly billing can work well if you want flexibility and transparency. At The Web People, we charge £75/hour and let you set your own monthly budget — try our SEO calculator to see what work gets done at different price points.

The advantage of hourly billing is complete transparency: you know exactly what you're paying for and can adjust month to month.

What's Included in SEO Services?

A reputable UK SEO provider should include most or all of the following in their service:

• Site audit — A full technical review of your website's health, speed, mobile usability, and crawlability
• Keyword research — Finding the search terms your customers actually use, mapped to your pages
• Competitor analysis — Understanding what's working for your competitors and finding gaps
• On-page optimisation — Improving titles, meta descriptions, headers, image alt text, and internal linking
• Technical SEO — Fixing speed issues, broken links, redirect errors, structured data, and indexing problems
• Content creation — Blog posts, landing pages, FAQs, and guides targeting relevant keywords
• Link building — Earning high-quality backlinks from reputable websites to boost your authority
• Local SEO — Google Business Profile optimisation, local citations, and location-targeted content
• Monthly reporting — Clear reports showing keyword rankings, traffic growth, and what was done

If a provider can't tell you exactly what's included in their package, that's a red flag.

SEO Costs by Business Type

Local Business SEO (£300–£1,200/month)

If you're a local business serving a specific area — a tradesperson, restaurant, dental practice, or estate agent — local SEO is typically the most cost-effective approach. The focus is on ranking in Google Maps, "near me" searches, and location-specific terms.

For example, our SEO services in St Helens have helped local businesses achieve over 400% increases in organic traffic within 6 months.

Ecommerce SEO (£1,000–£5,000+/month)

Online shops need more intensive SEO due to the volume of product pages, category structures, and competitive landscape. Ecommerce SEO typically includes product page optimisation, category page targeting, technical fixes for crawl budget, and content marketing.

Professional Services SEO (£800–£3,000/month)

Solicitors, accountants, financial advisers, and similar professional services fall into competitive markets where trust signals (reviews, case studies, credentials) are especially important. Budget accordingly.

Hospitality and Hotels (£1,000–£4,000/month)

Hotel SEO requires competing with OTAs like Booking.com and TripAdvisor. It's a specialist area that demands higher investment but can significantly reduce commission costs.

Local SEO vs National SEO Pricing

Local SEO (£300–£1,500/month)

Local SEO targets customers in a specific geographic area. If you're a plumber in Warrington or a salon in Liverpool, local SEO helps you appear in the map pack and local search results.

Local campaigns cost less because the competition is more contained and the keyword targets are more specific. A typical local SEO campaign includes Google Business Profile optimisation, local citation building, location-specific content, and review management.

Regional SEO (£1,000–£3,000/month)

Targeting multiple towns or cities — like covering the whole of Merseyside or the North West — requires more content, more location pages, and a broader link building strategy.

National SEO (£2,000–£10,000+/month)

National campaigns target the entire UK and compete against much larger businesses. These require significant content investment, strong backlink profiles, and sustained effort over many months.

One-Off SEO vs Ongoing SEO

One-Off SEO Projects

Some businesses only need a one-off SEO audit or specific fixes:

One-off projects work well if your site is already in decent shape and you just need specific improvements.

Ongoing Monthly SEO

For most businesses, ongoing SEO delivers the best results. Google's algorithm changes constantly, competitors don't stand still, and content needs regular updates. A monthly retainer ensures continuous progress.

The minimum we recommend for ongoing SEO is 3 months — it takes time for changes to take effect and for Google to re-evaluate your site. Most of our clients see meaningful results within 3–6 months.

Cheap SEO vs Quality SEO

This is important. If someone offers you SEO for £99/month, be very cautious. Here's why:

What cheap SEO typically involves:

• Automated reports with no actual work done
• Low-quality, spun content that can harm your site
• Spammy backlinks from irrelevant or penalised websites
• No strategy, no keyword research, no real analysis
• Cookie-cutter approach applied to every client

What quality SEO involves:

• A dedicated professional spending real hours on your site
• Custom strategy based on your business, market, and competitors
• Hand-written content that adds value for your customers
• High-quality link building from relevant, trusted sources
• Regular communication and transparent reporting

Cheap SEO can actually damage your rankings through Google penalties. We've helped several businesses recover from penalty-inducing work done by cheap providers, and recovery takes longer and costs more than doing it right in the first place.

A good rule of thumb: if your SEO costs less than £300/month, question what's actually being done.

How to Choose the Right SEO Provider

Before committing to an SEO agency or freelancer, ask these questions:

1. What exactly is included? Get a clear list of deliverables, not vague promises
2. Can you show case studies or results? Ask for examples from businesses similar to yours
3. How do you measure success? Rankings, traffic, and conversions should all be tracked
4. How often will you report? Monthly reporting is the standard — anything less is a red flag
5. Do you specialise in local SEO? If you're a local business, this matters hugely
6. What tools do you use? Professional tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Google Search Console are essential
7. What's your contract term? Avoid being locked into long contracts (12+ months) upfront. 3–6 month terms with a rolling agreement are fairer.

At The Web People, we offer complete transparency. Use our SEO calculator to see exactly what tasks get done at your budget level, and check our SEO services for the full picture.

Why Investing in SEO Is Worth It

SEO is one of the highest-ROI marketing channels available. Here's a real example:

Case study: Local business in Merseyside

• Monthly investment: ~£600/month
• Campaign length: 6 months
• Result: 426% increase in organic traffic and 556% increase in business enquiries

Unlike paid advertising where traffic stops when you stop paying, SEO builds long-term visibility. A well-optimised page can bring in traffic for years.

Consider this: if you invest £1,000/month in SEO and it brings in just 5 new customers worth £500 each, that's £2,500/month in revenue — a 150% return. For most businesses, the actual returns are significantly higher over time

SEO Pricing Red Flags to Avoid

Watch out for these warning signs when shopping for SEO services:

• Guaranteed rankings — No one can guarantee specific Google positions. Google explicitly warns against providers who make this claim.
• Prices under £300/month — Quality SEO requires real human hours. Very low prices mean corners are being cut.
• No transparency on deliverables — If they can't tell you exactly what work they'll do, walk away.
• Long lock-in contracts — Reputable agencies are confident in their results and don't need to trap you.
• No reporting or communication — You should receive monthly reports and have a clear point of contact.
• Claims of "secret methods" — Professional SEO is based on well-established best practices, not secrets.

Plan Your SEO Budget

Not sure where to start? Use our free SEO calculator to see what work can be done at different budget levels. Choose your monthly budget, select the tasks that matter most, and see a month-by-month plan tailored to your business.

Or if you'd prefer to talk it through, get in touch for a free consultation. We'll review your website, discuss your goals, and recommend a realistic plan and budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does SEO cost in the UK in 2026?

SEO in the UK costs between £300 and £10,000+ per month in 2026. Most small to medium businesses pay between £500 and £1,500/month for a comprehensive service including keyword research, on-page optimisation, content creation, and monthly reporting.

How much should I pay for SEO services in the UK?

As a minimum, budget at least £450–£500/month for meaningful results. Below that, it's difficult for any provider to dedicate enough time to make a real difference. For competitive industries or multiple locations, expect to invest £1,000–£3,000/month.

How much does SEO cost for a small business in the UK?

Small businesses typically invest £300–£1,500 per month depending on competition and goals. Local businesses in less competitive areas can see results from £450/month, while those in competitive markets may need £800–£1,500/month.

What's the average hourly rate for SEO in the UK?

SEO hourly rates in the UK range from £30/hour for junior freelancers to £300/hour for senior specialists. Most agencies charge between £75 and £150/hour. At The Web People, we charge £75/hour with flexible monthly budgets.

Is cheap SEO worth it?

Rarely. SEO below £300/month typically involves automated processes, low-quality content, and spammy links that can actually damage your rankings. Recovering from cheap SEO often costs more than investing properly from the start.

How long does SEO take to show results?

Most businesses see noticeable improvements within 3–6 months. Local SEO in less competitive areas can show results faster (2–3 months), while national campaigns in competitive industries may take 6–12 months to reach their potential.

What's included in an SEO package?

A good SEO package includes: site audit, keyword research, on-page optimisation, technical SEO fixes, content creation, link building, local SEO (Google Business Profile), and monthly reporting with clear metrics.

Do I need ongoing SEO or a one-off project?

Most businesses benefit from ongoing SEO because Google's algorithm changes constantly and competitors are always working to outrank you. One-off projects work for specific fixes (audits, migrations), but sustained growth needs sustained effort.