How Much Does SEO & AEO Cost in 2026? Honest Pricing Breakdown

Most seo & aeo agencies won't publish pricing. We will. Here's what SEO & AEO actually costs in 2026, broken down by tier, with what you get at each level.

The honest 2026 range: $4,000 to $25,000/month

Monthly seo & aeo retainers in 2026 span roughly $4,000 on the low end to $25,000+ on the high end. The gap mostly reflects three variables: scope depth, seniority of the team on your account, and the attention budget per week.

Tier 1 — Execution-only ($4,000–$8,000/mo)

At this tier, you're buying hands. The strategy is yours; the agency executes against briefs you provide. Good fit for teams that already have a clear plan and just need production capacity.

Typical deliverables: 2-4 campaigns or deliverables per month, light reporting, email-based account management, 2-4 week turnaround on new work.

Tier 2 — Strategy + Execution ($8,000–$16,500/mo)

This is where most SaaS and services companies that need organic traffic AND to show up inside AI answers land. The agency owns both the plan and the execution: quarterly roadmap, weekly meetings, dedicated account manager, and faster turnarounds.

Typical deliverables: 6-10 campaigns or deliverables per month, weekly reporting, Slack access for same-day questions, 1-2 week turnaround on new work.

Tier 3 — Full ownership ($16,500–$25,000+/mo)

At this tier, the agency functions as a replacement for a full in-house team: senior strategists, dedicated creative team, custom dashboards, same-day Slack response, and executive-level attention monthly.

Typical deliverables: full program ownership, 15+ campaigns or deliverables per month, custom reporting, integration with your tools (CRM, ATS, BI), and 24-72 hour turnaround.

What drives the price

Scope. Narrow scope (one channel) = lower. Full-funnel = higher.
Seniority. Director-level and above on your account doubles cost but produces 3-5x the output.
Attention. Shared account manager vs dedicated = ~40% cost difference.
Industry complexity. Recruiting-tech, hr-tech, and b2b marketing agencies typically pay 15-25% more than B2C generic because the work needs specialized context.

What's usually NOT included

Ad spend (paid media budget is always separate), third-party software licenses, and custom development beyond a defined scope. Always confirm these before signing.

HireFeed's SEO & AEO practice publishes scope and pricing upfront. Share your scope and we'll quote within 2 business days.

Looking for a SEO + AEO partner?

HireFeed's SEO & AEO practice handles ranking in Google AND getting named in ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for SaaS and services companies that need organic traffic AND to show up inside AI answers.

See the service →

Frequently asked questions

What's the cheapest way to get seo & aeo done?

At the execution-only tier ($4,000/mo), you can get working output if you bring the strategy. Below that, you're better off DIY or hiring a freelancer.

Should I pay per project or per month?

Per-month retainers win for ongoing work (strategy continuity, faster compound improvements). Per-project pricing makes sense only for one-off launches.

Is seo & aeo cost tax-deductible?

For US businesses, seo & aeo is almost always a fully-deductible business expense under Section 162. Talk to your CPA.