AI SEO pricing usually follows the same models as SEO: monthly retainers, one-off audits and project fees. Ahrefs' 2024 survey of 439 SEO professionals found that 78.2% charge a monthly retainer and that SEO costs about $2,917 a month on average. AI search work is usually added to, not separate from, that foundation.
By Trux Nguyen, Founder and Director of Unitrux, with 5 years in marketing and SEO. Published 25 October 2026. Last updated 25 October 2026.
Common pricing models
| Model | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| One-off audit | Knowing where you stand | Audits that end in a data dump, not priorities |
| Monthly retainer | Ongoing improvement and tracking | Vague deliverables and long lock-ins |
| Project fee | A defined build, such as new pages | Scope creep |
| Hourly | Advice and reviews | Open-ended bills |
What the market charges
Ahrefs' survey, updated 15 August 2024, reports an average of $2,917 a month for SEO, $1,557 a month for local SEO, an average hourly rate of $111, and that 23% of SEOs charge $500 to $1,000 a month. Agencies charged 138% more than freelancers on average.
What to avoid
Google's own guidance on hiring an SEO warns that no one can guarantee a #1 ranking. The same applies to AI answers: be wary of guaranteed ChatGPT mentions, secret techniques or pricing that hides what you are paying for.
How we quote
We itemize every line, work month-to-month, and start with a free AI visibility audit so you only pay for the layers you need.
Related reading
- How Much Does SEO Cost for a Small Business?
- SEO Cost per Month
- AI SEO Services
- AI SEO Tools vs an AI SEO Agency
- AI Tools for Small Business Marketing
- AI Visibility Audit
- All AI search guides
About the author
Trux Nguyen is the Founder and Director of Unitrux, with 5 years of experience in marketing and SEO. Areas of work: SEO, AEO, GEO and AIO, local SEO, content strategy, schema markup, keyword research, Google Ads and analytics. Contact: [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
Is AI SEO more expensive than SEO?
Usually it is part of the same plan rather than a separate premium product.
What is a reasonable starting budget?
It depends on your market. Many small businesses start with a focused local plan and add layers later.
Do you lock clients into contracts?
No. We work month-to-month.
Limits and honest expectations
Search engines and AI assistants change their answers over time and no one controls them. Results vary by industry, city and competition, and we do not guarantee a position, a mention or a number of leads. We report what is measurable, plainly.
Sources
- Ahrefs, "SEO Pricing: How Much Does SEO Cost? 439 People Polled," updated 15 August 2024: https://ahrefs.com/blog/seo-pricing/
- Google Search Central, "Do you need an SEO?": https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/do-i-need-seo
- Google Ads Keyword Planner, volume ranges and bid estimates for the keywords named in this article, retrieved 25 October 2026.
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