How Much does an SEO Audit Cost in 2024

Last updated on December 10th, 2023 at 07:31 pm

SEO audit costs vary. They range from $450 to as high as $35,000. However, there are also “free” SEO audits, but note that they aren’t as thorough and precise as paid ones.

I’m sure you are seeking information on the costs of SEO audits, and this article will satisfy your curiosity.

In the lower price range is the backlink (off-page) SEO audit, which goes from $450 to $6000. On the other hand, an on-page (content) SEO audit has a price range of $2,000 and $35,000.

The Technical SEO audit is the costliest because it requires a lot of expertise. For smaller businesses, it costs them around $5,000, while large businesses with numerous websites would be expected to pay up to $80,000 or higher.

The fact is that the cost of an SEO audit is determined by some factors unique to each situation.

If you are wondering about the exact price, you can contact us. We will discuss the scope of your project and get you connected with reliable SEO professionals.

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What Is Included in an SEO Audit?

As we have mentioned earlier, a free SEO audit is very basic and less detailed than the one that will cost you $5,000. With this, you should know what to expect.

Listed below are usually included in a paid SEO audit ($4,000 to $8,000):

Keyword research with content recommendations & ideas
Competitor analysis.

Backlink analysis
Optimization of meta description, alt text and title tags.
Identify redirects, crawl errors and broken links.

Core web vital metrics
Analyze 40 to 70 web pages.
Sitemap analysis.

Identification of duplicate content
HTTP security certificate status reports
Robots.txt optimization

For a premium SEO audit like the one above, you will generally get a comprehensive audit report and a plan for implementation.

These are what you may see in a free SEO audit:

Basic analysis of keywords
The quantity of your backlink profile.
Analysis of your site’s mobile-friendliness

What is the Cost of the Different SEO Audits?

Here is the cost of the three major kinds of SEO audits:

The Cost of a Technical SEO Audit

This type of audit involves a comprehensive review of your site’s internal linking, structure, tags and code.

It also tests if your pages are indexable and crawlable.

Check the user experience and site speed.

Cost

$5,000-$75,000

The Cost of Content (or On-page SEO) Audit

This type of audit identifies duplicate content, determines if pages have targeted keywords, and identifies content gaps and opportunities.

Cost

$2,000-$40,000

The Cost of an Off-page (or Backlink SEO) Audit

This type of audit is effective in analyzing the quality of the website that links to you. It also removes poor-quality and spammy backlinks.

It helps detect if your site has been penalized by Google and put together a recovery strategy.

Off-page SEO audit also helps in identifying link-building opportunities.

Costs

$400-$6,500

Now, you have learned that the cost of each kind of SEO audit varies.

This is determined by how long it may take to carry out each checklist of projects. Next, I will explain the factors involved in pricing in the next section.

The Factors that Affect the Cost of an SEO Audit

Here are the major factors:

Your Website’s Size

This is among the most significant factors that will determine the SEO audit cost. A bigger website with a lot of pages will usually demand time and effort to audit properly.

Your Website’s Complexity

The website’s complexity is the main factor you have to look out for.

If your website is very complex with intricate systems, structure, integrations and layout, it would definitely take more time to audit and require a high level of technical expertise.

The Details of the Audit

The quality of detail involved in your SEO audit is a factor worth considering.

A thorough and extensive audit that has a broader scope and offers a more comprehensive recommendation will incur more expenses compared to a basic audit.

Industry and Competition

The cost of an audit may also be influenced by the competitive nature of your industry and the kind of competitors you have.

A highly competitive industry would need a more comprehensive audit to figure out opportunities and where to improve and outrank competitors.

Location of SEO Agency or Consultant

The SEO audit cost can be influenced by where the SEO agency is based.

If it is based in bigger cities or urban areas with higher living expenses, you may incur more bills for their expertise.

The Level of Expertise of the SEO Consultant

Another factor that can impact your SEO audit cost is how much expertise and experience your SEO consultant has.

A consultant with higher professional expertise and a solid record of excelling will probably cost you more money.

However, it is definitely a good investment, given their skill sets and the quality results they would deliver.

What Is the Cost Difference Between an SEO Audit and Auditing Tools?

You might think, “Can’t I cut costs by installing some SEO tools and doing an audit by myself?”.

Yes, while it is possible to succeed with this strategy, there’s always a “but.”. I will explain this shortly.

Meanwhile, let’s explore the cost of SEO audit tools:

Technical SEO Audit Tools:

Semrush (for two) – $500 per month

Screaming Frog (for two) – $418 per year

Ahrefs (for a single user) $399 per month

SpyFu $299 per month

Lumar (also called Deepcrawl) is $170 per month

Total cost = $1,586

(On-page) SEO Audit Tools

Semrush (for two users): $550 per month

cognitiveSEO $499 per month

Screaming Frog (two users) $418 per year

Ahrefs (one user) $399 per month

Moz $299 per month

BuzzSumo $299 per month

Yoast SEO (one website) $99 per year

Readable $69 per month (plus $4 for each website)

Keyword Snatcher – costs $47

Total cost = $2,500’

Off-page SEO (or Backlink) Audit

Moz $299 per month

LinkProspector $127 per month

Majestic SEO $99 per month

Minimum Cost = $525

There are also varieties of free tools important for a comprehensive SEO audit, including Google Search Console, Google Schema Markup Testing Tool, Google PageSpeed Insights and Google Analytics.

As seen from the estimates, you may not enjoy any monetary savings if you decide to make payment for your SEO audit tools.

Example: If you pay for off-page SEO audit tools for our list, you’ll have to shell out a minimum of $525 monthly. Meanwhile, the lowest possible price of an off-page SEO audit is $400.

Are SEO Audits Added to the Cost of SEO Services?

Fortunately, SEO audit costs can be added to the monthly retainer fees. An expert SEO consultant or agency should conduct a comprehensive SEO audit of your site before implementing your SEO tactics.

The audit will offer a benchmark so you can evaluate the growth at every stage of the time frame agreed upon.

But other times, SEO audits may not be factored into existing service fees, particularly when they are a one-time project.

However, some SEO consultants provide a free “audit” as an incentive to attract new clients. Take note: it won’t be very comprehensive and thorough.

A one-time audit can be beneficial for your business if you’re in need of assistance with your site’s present traffic and health.

If you already have SEO analysts within your business, you might be seeking a starting point to direct them on which path they should pursue with your SEO strategy.

In this situation, getting a one-time audit will be an excellent business choice.

Generally, I recommend that you partner with an SEO agency or consultant to forge a lasting relationship.

The key to getting positive results is building trust between you and the agency or freelancer. This is the reason you should pay for long-term SEO instead of one-off or short-term ones.

SEO Audit Cost FAQ

Is an SEO audit worth it?

Yes. It allows you to discover opportunities to improve your site’s performance, get reliable data into your competitor’s strategies, and ultimately grow your revenue, conversion and sales.

Even if you believe your site is in excellent condition, an SEO audit can uncover surprising things about it.