SEO agency vs SEO software

Before you hire an SEO agency, see what $25 gets you.

An SEO agency's first month is an audit, a keyword plan, and a list of fixes, often on a retainer above $1,000 a month. Solstice AI gives you all three in about three minutes, and you see your grade before you pay.

See your grade before you pay. Takes about three minutes.

What a month costs
SEO agency retainer
$1,000+
Solstice AI
$25
$17.50 a month on yearly billing
The short answer

Is an SEO agency worth it?

It can be if you want everything done for you and have the budget. Retainers commonly start above $1,000 a month. If you're able to make the changes yourself, Solstice AI gives you the audit, keyword plan and fix list an agency starts with, from $25 a month.

SEO agency cost vs Solstice AI

What an SEO retainer buys, and what you get here.

Solstice AI
A typical SEO agency
Cost
$25 to $200 a month, less on yearly
Commonly $1,000 or more a month
Time to your first answers
About three minutes
Often weeks of onboarding and audit
Contract
None. Cancel any time
Often several months
The audit and keyword plan
Included, rerun whenever you like
Usually the first month's work
Who makes the changes
You, with the copy written for you
They do
Reporting
Your real Google numbers, checkable
Varies by agency
Guarantee
Rank better in 30 days or your money back
Rare

Agency pricing from a published analysis of 350 SEO agencies. Every agency is different. Ask yours.

SEO pricing

The monthly SEO cost, side by side.

An SEO agency
$1,000+
a month, commonly, on a retainer
Semrush or Ahrefs
$129+
a month for their standard plans
Solstice AI
$17.50
a month on yearly billing
To be fair

When hiring an SEO agency is the right call.

We run one, so we'll say it plainly. Some jobs need people.

You want it done for you, start to finish
Your site needs a technical rebuild
You need a link building campaign
You have a large site and a real budget
A tip either way

Run a scan before the sales call. You'll walk in knowing your own numbers.

If you do hire an agency, your report tells you what to ask for and how to check they're doing it.

30 day guaranteeMoney back
30days
First scanDay 1
You make the changesYour part
Last scanDay 30
You rank higher
Keep climbing
You don't
Money back
Zero risk

Rank better in 30 days or get your money back.

Make the changes we recommend and run every scan in your plan. If your site doesn't rank better 30 days in, email us and we refund you.

  • You do the changes. We tell you exactly which ones.
  • We measure with real Google positions, first scan against day 30.
  • No better rankings, no charge. One email.
See exactly how the guarantee works

See what a three minute SEO audit gets you.

Enter your website. You see your report before you pay a cent.

No card to see your grade. 30 day rank better guarantee once you start.