There are three main ways SEO agencies charge, and the right one depends on what you actually need done.
Hourly pricing usually ranges from £75 to £150+ an hour in the UK. It works well for one-off jobs like a technical audit, a consultation, or fixing a specific problem. It doesn’t work well for ongoing growth, because SEO compounds over months and counting hours becomes a distraction.
Monthly retainers are the most common model and typically sit between £500 and £5,000 a month depending on the agency, the scope, and how competitive your niche is. You pay a fixed fee, the agency commits to a set deliverables list, and the work runs continuously. This is what most businesses actually want, because SEO is a long game.
Project-based pricing is good for finite work with a clear end point: a site migration, a new website launch, a content sprint, or an initial audit and roadmap. Prices vary wildly because scope varies wildly. Always ask for a written scope before agreeing.
If an agency only offers one model and pushes you toward it before understanding your situation, that’s a flag worth noticing.