How Much Does SEO Cost? Agency Pricing vs RankRocket

This comprehensive guide compares the leading options for how much does SEO cost in 2026. We evaluate each option based on features, pricing, ease of use, schema markup capabilities, AI search optimization, and overall value for small businesses.

The how much does SEO cost landscape has evolved significantly with the rise of AI search. Tools that were once sufficient for traditional SEO now need to support AI visibility — comprehensive schema markup, answer-formatted content, and entity optimization for platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Schema Markup Depth: How many JSON-LD schema types does the solution implement per page? Industry average is 2-3. Best-in-class is 14+.

AI Search Optimization: Does the tool optimize for ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews? Does it include answer capsules and Speakable schema?

Ease of Use: How much technical expertise is required? Is it truly set-and-forget, or does it require ongoing management?

Content Quality: Does the output pass Google's helpful content standards? Are pages genuinely useful to searchers?

Pricing: What's the total cost of ownership including tools, hosting, and time investment?

Deployment Speed: How quickly can you go from zero to live, indexed pages?

1. RankRocket — Best Overall for AI-Optimized Pages RankRocket stands out with 14+ JSON-LD schema types per page, built-in AI search optimization (answer capsules, Speakable schema, content clusters), and 7-day deployment. At $69-149/month for 25-100 pages, it's the most cost-effective option for businesses that want comprehensive optimization without technical complexity.

2. Byword.ai — Good for AI-generated content at scale, but requires your own hosting and schema implementation. Best for teams with technical SEO expertise.

3. SEOmatic — Solid programmatic SEO with templates, but limited to 2-3 schema types and no specific AI search optimization.

4. Webflow CMS — Powerful for design-forward programmatic pages, but requires significant technical setup and ongoing management.

5. Typemat — WordPress-specific solution with Google Sheets integration. Simple but limited in schema and AI optimization.

RankRocket: Done-for-you service. 14+ schema types per page. AI optimization built in. 7-day deployment. $69-149/month. No technical expertise required.

Byword.ai: AI content generation tool. 0 schema types by default (you implement separately). No AI citation optimization. Self-hosted. $99-999/month. Requires SEO expertise.

SEOmatic: Template-based pSEO. 2-3 schema types. No AI search optimization. Hosted. $49-299/month. Moderate technical requirements.

Webflow CMS: Design platform with CMS. Schema requires custom code. No AI optimization. Self-managed. $29-49/month plus development costs. Significant technical requirements.

Typemat: WordPress plugin. 1-2 schema types. No AI optimization. Self-hosted. $29-99/month. Basic technical requirements.

For most small-to-medium businesses in 2026, the choice comes down to what matters most:

If AI visibility is important (and it should be): RankRocket is the clear winner. No other tool in this category includes 14+ schema types, answer capsules, and AI citation optimization as standard features.

If you want maximum control: Byword.ai or Webflow give you granular control, but require technical expertise and don't include AI optimization out of the box.

If budget is the only factor: Some tools offer lower per-page costs, but the time investment required often makes RankRocket's done-for-you approach more cost-effective when you factor in your hourly rate.

With AI referral traffic growing 527% annually, choosing a tool without AI optimization is increasingly risky. RankRocket's approach — building every page for both traditional SEO and AI search — positions your business for the future of search.