How Much Does an SEO Audit Cost?

When it comes to how much an SEO audit costs, the differences can be huge — from €100 to €20,000 — depending on website size, level of analysis, technical complexity, and the objectives involved. There is no industry-wide standard for SEO audit pricing.

This wide range reflects the lack of regulation and the ambiguity around the search term “how much does an SEO audit cost.” Understanding the differences can help you avoid paying for a simple autogenerated report instead of a real growth strategy.

Some audits deliver a report full of screenshots with no actionable plan. Others skip the fluff and give you a clear roadmap to improve your SEO performance.

In this article, I will break down the types of SEO audits, their costs, what a complete audit should include, and how to avoid wasting money on audits that don’t improve anything.

If you’ve been wondering how much an SEO audit that actually makes a difference costs, here are the essential answers.

What Is an SEO Audit?

Cost ranges for SEO audits

Most SEO audits cost between €100 and €5,000.

Generally, audits priced under €1,000 are automated. They’re performed using various software tools such as Semrush, Ahrefs, Moz, Ubersuggest, WooRank, Serpstat, SEO Site Checkup, SEOptimer, Seomator, SEObility, Wope, Sitechecker and others.

Depending on the size and complexity of the site, they can take from a few minutes to several hours.

The monthly subscription fees for these tools range from €19/month to over €1,000/month, to which you must add the cost of a specialist to analyze, interpret, and implement the findings.

For large enterprise websites (thousands of pages) requiring a full audit — technical SEO, content audit, internal linking, organic backlinks, keyword analysis, strategy planning, clear growth objectives — the cost can rise to several thousand or even tens of thousands of euros.

Definition of an SEO Audit

An SEO audit is a full analysis of a website’s ability to rank on search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo Search, Yandex, Baidu.

An SEO audit tool is software that evaluates websites from an SEO perspective and provides suggestions for improving performance.

SEO audit tools are essential because they detect issues early, helping you make timely optimizations.

However, a true business-level audit goes far beyond technical errors.

A comprehensive audit evaluates:

• website structure

• content quality

• backlink profile

• Google Search Console performance

• crawlability & indexation

• mobile speed & Core Web Vitals

• keyword gaps

• toxic links / missing authority

A proper audit identifies what needs fixing, what should be optimized, and what impact each action will have.

SEO Audit Pricing

Price Range	What You Get
€0	Free tools — quick scans, limited insights
€100–€500	Basic SEO audits
€500–€7,500	Comprehensive strategic SEO audits
€7,500–€20,000	Enterprise audits (large websites, multi-team execution)

What Should a Good SEO Audit Include?

1. Technical SEO

• Crawl errors, broken links, error codes

• Indexation issues, duplicate content, redirect chains

• Mobile optimization, speed, Core Web Vitals

2. On-Page SEO

• Title tags, meta descriptions, H1s, internal links

• Keyword relevance and density

• Thin content or wrong search intent

3. Backlinks & Off-Page SEO

• Toxic links

• Lack of authoritative external links

• Anchor text problems and diversity issues

4. Content Performance

• High bounce rate pages

• Missed keyword opportunities

• What should be merged, rewritten, or deleted

5. Google Analytics & Search Console Integration

• Pages driving traffic

• Where users drop off

• Queries generating conversions

Why does one SEO audit cost €100 and another €20,000?

Because one gives you screenshots, and the other gives you:

• strategy

• execution plan

• measurable business impact

FAQ

What problems can SEO audit tools detect?

• Duplicate or low-quality content

• Broken links

• Poor mobile responsiveness

• Slow loading speed

• Incorrect local SEO configuration

• Keyword stuffing

Do I need technical knowledge to use free SEO tools?

User-friendly, but you need basic knowledge to interpret results.For implementation, a specialist is usually required.

How often should I run an SEO audit?

At least once per month to prevent technical or optimization issues

.

Difference between free and paid audit tools?

• Free: limited, superficial scans, raw data

• Paid: accurate, updated, support included, require expertise

Do SEO Tools Guarantee Better Rankings?

No. SEO success depends on multiple factors:

Keyword Research

Understanding what users are searching for (keywords) is crucial for optimizing your content and website structure to match search intent.

Content Quality

Search engines prioritize informative, educational, engaging, and helpful content that meets the user's needs.

Improving your on-page SEO score and the authority of your website plays a significant role in ranking performance.

Read more: Why Website Authority and On-Page SEO Score Are Crucial for Online Success

Backlinks (Authority Building)

Links from high-authority, reputable websites act as a vote of confidence, signaling trust and authority.

To understand the difference between Domain Authority and Page Authority — and how they impact ranking potential.

Check out this article:👉 Domain Authority vs. Page Authority

User Experience (UX)

A website that is easy to navigate, loads fast, and is optimized for mobile provides a better user experience, which leads to improved SEO performance.

Technical SEO

Optimizing technical elements such as website speed, mobile compatibility, and crawlability ensures search engines can efficiently index and understand your content.

Domain Age

Older domains may sometimes have an advantage, as they have had more time to build authority and backlinks.

Image Optimization

Optimizing images using descriptive alt tags and proper file sizes helps search engines understand content and improves site speed.

Internal Linking

Strategic internal linking between relevant pages helps users navigate the site and distributes link equity efficiently.

URL Structure

Clean, descriptive URLs help search engines better understand the topic of each page.

Social Signals

Not a direct ranking factor, but social engagement can increase brand visibility, which indirectly benefits SEO efforts.

Online Reputation Management (ORM)

Building a positive online reputation through reviews, testimonials, and active engagement on social media increases your website’s credibility, one of the most important validations for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) .

Outsourcing SEO Audit Services

Internal Resources vs. Outsourcing

For companies without an internal SEO team, outsourcing SEO audits, technical optimization, and monthly maintenance is not only practical — it is often more cost-efficient.

Aspect	In-House Specialist	Outsourced SEO Services
Monthly Cost	€1,000–€2,000	€100–€1,000
Taxes & contributions	+40% added to salary	Included
Software licenses	Additional €100–€1,000/month	Included
Resources	One person	Full team of specialists
Flexibility	Limited to one person’s expertise	Multidisciplinary approach

Conclusion

An SEO audit is not just a checklist — it’s a strategic investment in your website’s performance and long-term visibility.

Whether you spend €100 or €20,000, what truly matters is what you get in return: clarity, actionable insights, and a roadmap that leads to measurable results.

A good SEO audit should:

• Diagnose technical and structural issues

• Reveal growth opportunities

• Prioritize tasks that improve performance and rankings.