How much to charge for freelance SEO

Unsure what rate to charge as a freelance SEO consultant? This guide explains ways of calculating your pricing that optimises profits without making clients walk away before they see a return on investment from your SEO services.

And once you’ve nailed your pricing, we show you how you can manage your revenue using Wise Business - the perfect account for SEO freelancers in the UK to do everything from invoicing to receiving payments in 40+ currencies from clients across the world.

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Hourly Rate vs. Daily Rate vs. Retainer

Freelance rates can follow a number of different pricing models depending on how experienced you are and what your niche is.

Hourly rate: Most SEO freelancers start by charging by the hour. It’s a great option if you’re working with smaller websites or local businesses, or you have limited experience and don’t yet feel confident asking for a monthly retainer fee.

Daily rate: Once your scope increases a little, then a day rate can also be a viable option for consulting work - though it isn’t very common with freelance SEO in the UK.

Monthly retainer: This is the most frequently-used pricing model by freelance SEO’s. It tends to be presented in tailored packages, including a mix of things like website audits, strategy, on-page and off-page SEO, technical SEO, web design and development, and content creation.

Our advice: Start with a base hourly price for 2-3 services (e.g. on-page content audit, backlink audit, technical SEO audit) then move up to a package customised to fit the client’s particular needs once you’ve delivered some semblance of results.

Project-based Pricing

Many SEO freelancers do one-off projects for a number of clients. If this sounds like you, then your pricing needs to follow the same format as retainers.

Send through bespoke proposals to each client following an in-depth consultation and take the client’s budget into consideration when deciding on the final price.

What's the Average Going Rate for SEO Specialists?

The average freelance SEO specialist hourly rate is around £40, while daily rates are around £322¹.

If you’re pricing according to the fixed monthly retainer model, it’s useful to know that going rates range from around £300 to £500 a month for small local SEO packages².

For larger projects or clients, the average rate is anywhere between £1,000 to £10,000+².

Things to keep in mind:

SEO monthly packages tend to be custom-built based on the client’s needs, so there isn’t a ‘perfect’ rate to charge.

You need to know what other SEO professionals at the same level of experience and niche as you are charging for the same kinds of services. This will help you strike a balance between competitiveness (as you’re in line with industry norms) and fair compensation.

Calculating Your SEO Rate

The first thing to do is decide on your pricing model, including whether you want to have different options available for different clients.

For example, you may have an hourly rate for smaller projects and clients, as well as a monthly retainer rate.

This can broaden your appeal to different clients, and mean you’re ready to quote as soon as an opportunity comes up - whatever kind of work it is.

Next, it’s worth taking some time to research average hourly, daily rates and monthly for SEO professionals who have a similar level of experience as you do.

You should also take geographical location into account, as some parts of the country are more expensive than others for services (usually based on average living costs there). This data can act as a baseline or benchmark as you calculate your rates.

Finally, make sure you factor in:

• The scope of services you offer
• Client size, prestige and industry
• Your specific expertise and specialisation
• Your experience (and make sure you review and increase rates every few years as you grow in experience)
• Your living expenses i.e. how much you need to earn from your work to cover your bills and support your lifestyle

Finalising Your SEO Rate Card

Your final SEO rate card should look something like this:

Monthly retainer - small local package

To provide a small local SEO package, typical rates range from £300 to £500 per month². This pricing model is suitable if you’re targeting small businesses and startups, where you provide services like local content creation, link building, website localisation and Google Business Profile optimisation.

Other services may include monitoring local search rankings, keyword research, reputation management and a local SEO audit.

Monthly retainer - larger projects and clients

For larger projects and clients, your prices may start at around £1,000 per month but rise to £10,000 per month or perhaps more².

This will include in-depth, comprehensive SEO services, with packages tailored to the exact needs of the client following at least one (if not more) initial consultation.

Due to the setup time required, you may want to set a minimum contract length of around 6 months for this kind of monthly retainer package.

One-off project - SEO audit

To offer an example of pricing for a one-off project, the typical cost of an SEO audit can be anywhere from £750 to £10,000³.

It all depends on the website complexity and the depth and scope of the audit, as well as on professional experience or niche expertise.

Hourly rate

For extra add-on services or very basic jobs, it can be useful to have an hourly rate in your rate card. The UK average is around £40 per hour¹, but it can be higher depending on the client, project and your own experience.

Manage your freelance SEO earnings with Wise Business

If you’re working with clients all over the world, Wise Business sets the bar for a convenient and cost-effective way to get paid in multiple currencies as an SEO freelancer.

As soon as you’ve opened a Wise Business account and are up and running, you’ll be able to get local account details in 8+ currencies, so that clients can pay you in their own currency, making the payments process hassle free for everyone.

You can manage 40+ currencies all in one place, converting between them whenever you need to for low fees and mid-market exchange rates..

And to top it off, you can get paid by sending an invoice with your Wise Business account or sending your client a QR code or payment link. It’s easy, quick and secure.

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FAQs

Should I charge more as an SEO consultant in London?

Location will play a part in how much to charge for freelance SEO, simply because prices and the general cost of living are higher in some parts of the UK - London being a prime example.

Just bear in mind that clients may not necessarily want to pay London prices if they themselves are based in a cheaper part of the country.

How often should I increase my rates as a freelance SEO specialist?

You should review your rates at least annually, and consider increasing them as you grow in experience.

Make sure to update your CV and portfolio, as well as your online presence, as you complete projects and work with prestigious clients. This helps to increase your reputation, which may justify your prices to potential future clients.

You can also keep an eye on inflation rates, as this drives up your living expenses - so you may want to charge more to compensate for this.

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