Compare SEO options
Honest comparisons of the main ways to get SEO done, including where AffordSEO isn’t the right fit.
There’s no single right way to do SEO. An agency, a freelancer, doing it yourself and an automated monthly plan all suit different businesses at different stages. These pages set out the trade-offs plainly. Where we quote prices, they’re published research ranges with a link to the source, not made-up scores.
Detailed comparisons
AffordSEO vs an SEO agency
Agencies can be excellent and expensive. Here is where each model fits, and where it doesn't.
AffordSEO vs hiring a freelancer
Freelancers offer craft and flexibility; automation offers continuous coverage. How to choose.
AffordSEO vs DIY SEO
DIY gets the foundations right. Ongoing systems keep them right. When each makes sense.
Cheap SEO vs expensive agencies
Price isn't quality. Scope, ethics and reporting are. How to judge both ends of the market.
Automated SEO vs manual retainers
Machines don't take weekends off. People still make the judgement calls. Where each fits.
How to compare SEO packages
A practical scorecard for comparing any SEO offer before you enquire.
The options side by side
Each route can work. The right one depends on how competitive your market is, how much help you need with content and links, and how much time you have yourself.
| Option | Typical cost | Good at |
|---|---|---|
| AffordSEO | £99 a month | Daily checks, steady monthly improvements, a clear report |
| Junior freelancer | £300 to £800 a month | Local SEO and simple sites |
| Experienced freelancer | £800 to £2,500 a month | Niche markets and hands-on strategy |
| Agency SEO retainer | £1,250 to £3,500 a month | A team: content, links, development |
| Doing it yourself | Your time, plus any tools | Small sites with an owner who enjoys it |
Freelancer ranges: Whito, UK SEO costs (planning anchors, Q1 2026). Agency range: Whito, UK agency retainers (January to May 2026).
When an agency is the better choice
If you’re in a crowded national market, need a regular flow of new content, or want digital PR and link outreach, an agency’s team earns its fee. Expect to pay for people’s time, and check the minimum term before you sign.
When a freelancer is the better choice
A good freelancer gives you one expert who knows your business well. That suits firms that want advice and judgement more than routine checking. The risk is capacity: one person can only do so much each month, and holidays happen.
When doing it yourself is enough
A small site with a handful of pages, an owner who likes learning and a quiet local market can do well with free tools such as Google Search Console. Our guides and free tools are there to help. The usual problem is time, not skill.
Where AffordSEO fits
We suit small and medium businesses that want the core work done every month without agency prices: daily technical checks, page improvements, content suggestions, local SEO basics such as Google Business Profile tidy-ups, and an easy to understand in-depth report, for £99 a month with no contract. We don’t run large content or link campaigns. Pricing lists exactly what’s in and what isn’t.
Questions to ask any provider
What will you do in the first 30 days? How many hours, or what tasks, does the fee cover? Who owns the accounts and the work if I leave? What’s the notice period? Ask every option the same questions and compare the answers in writing.
A sense of scale for a typical firm
The Office for National Statistics counted 2.79 million UK businesses as of March 2026, 1.9% more than a year earlier, in its UK business bulletin. Most of those firms do not need a large agency team. A published-price sense check is Whito’s June 2026 reading of 45 UK SEO prices, where the middle price was £799 a month. Our plan is £99 a month because software does the daily checking. If you want a snapshot of one page before you compare options, use the free SEO check or see pricing.
Common questions
Is AffordSEO a replacement for an agency?
For many small firms, yes. For businesses that need large content or link campaigns, no, and we’ll say so.
Can I use AffordSEO alongside a freelancer?
Yes. We handle the routine checks and reporting, which frees a freelancer to focus on strategy or writing.
Where do the prices in the table come from?
From Whito’s published 2026 research, linked under the table. They’re typical ranges for planning, not quotes.
Does paying more buy better rankings?
No. Google’s documentation on how Search works says it does not accept payment for crawling, indexing or ranking. A higher fee should buy more work or more specialist time, not a place in the results.
Start with a free SEO audit
Your whole site, audited free. No card and no obligation.