How much should local SEO cost in 2026? Real numbers for DIY, agency, and software approaches, so you can pick the right fit for your budget.
Local SEO pricing is all over the map. Some agencies charge $500/month. Others charge $5,000. Tools range from free to $400+/month. And DIY takes time you may not have.
So what does local SEO actually cost in 2026, and which option is right for your business?
This guide breaks down real pricing for every approach, what you get at each tier, and how to decide which fits your situation.
The biggest cost of doing local SEO yourself isn't money, it's time.
What you'll need to handle:
Time estimate: 8-15 hours per month for a single-location business maintained properly.
Hard costs for DIY:
Total DIY cost: $0-$50/month + 8-15 hours of your time
💡 Pro Tip: DIY works best for businesses with one or two locations where the owner has time to learn and implement. For businesses with 3+ locations or no time, the cost of doing it poorly exceeds the cost of paying someone.
Software automates the repetitive parts of local SEO, listings, review monitoring, rank tracking, GBP posts, so you get professional-level results without agency pricing.
What local SEO software typically handles:
Software pricing tiers in 2026:
Flento pricing: Starts at $49/month for a single location with full geo-rank tracking, review management, citation sync, and GBP tools included.
📊 Flento Data: Businesses using local SEO software see 40% faster ranking improvement than those doing everything manually, because consistent execution beats occasional effort.
Agencies handle everything for you, but at a premium. Here's what you'll actually pay in 2026.
One-time setup fees: $500-$2,500 for audit, strategy, and initial optimization
Monthly retainer tiers:
⚠️ Common Mistake: Many budget agencies deliver surface-level work, updating GBP, sending a report, without the deep technical work that actually moves rankings. Always ask for case studies from businesses in your industry before signing a contract.
Before deciding on budget, know what activities actually drive results:
High-impact activities:
Low-impact or overpriced activities:
🔥 Quick Win: The highest-ROI local SEO activity for most businesses is improving your Google Business Profile and increasing review velocity. Both can be done with software at a fraction of agency cost.
Choose DIY if: You have one location, time to learn, and a monthly budget under $100.
Choose software if: You want professional-level results, have 1-10 locations, and want to stay under $200/month per location.
Choose an agency if: You have no time to manage local SEO, are in a highly competitive market, or have 10+ locations requiring custom strategy.
The hybrid approach: Many businesses use software for the technical heavy lifting and either DIY or hire a part-time consultant for strategy and content. This gives you 80% of agency results at 30% of agency cost.
To evaluate ROI, calculate your average customer lifetime value (LTV) and conversion rate from local search.
Example: A plumber with an average job value of $450 gets 10 new customers per month from Google Maps. That's $4,500/month from local search. Spending $150/month on local SEO software to maintain and improve that position returns 30x.
Action Step: Calculate your current Google Maps-sourced revenue using your GBP Insights data. Then decide what 10% more visibility would be worth to your business, that's your local SEO budget ceiling.
Local SEO doesn't have to be expensive to be effective. The right tool at the right price, used consistently, outperforms expensive agency retainers used inconsistently.
Start with the highest-ROI activities, GBP optimization, citations, and reviews, and add complexity as you grow.
Start free →, Flento gives you everything a local business needs to rank on Google Maps, starting at $49/month.
