Readsgreat vs SEO agencies
An SEO agency alternative for your content, from $99 a month
SEO agencies average $3,209 a month in Ahrefs' survey. Readsgreat researches, writes, fact-checks and posts your articles every week, from $99 a month.
- Money-back guarantee
- Works with the website you already have
By Readsgreat Staff · Updated September 29, 2026 · Based on each company’s published features and prices. How we compare
A good SEO agency can fix technical problems, build links and manage your Google listing. But if what your site really needs is steady, useful articles, a full retainer is a lot to pay. Readsgreat does the content side of SEO every week: a plan to rank, researched and fact-checked articles posted to your site, updates to older posts, and weekly AI Visibility Tracking, from $99 a month.
The choice at a glance.
| What matters | Readsgreat | SEO agencies |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From $99/month billed yearly, or $129 month to month | Agencies average $3,209/month; local SEO averages $1,557/month (Ahrefs survey, updated August 2024)Source |
| Each month you get | Up to 8 new articles and 4 updates to older posts (Starter); up to 40 and 20 on Growth | A mix of audits, technical fixes, links, local SEO, content and reportsSource |
| Who does the work | We research, write, fact-check and post; you approve each article or choose autopilot | An agency team and account manager, working to the scope you signSource |
| Updates to older posts | Included: when a post starts to slip in Google, we update it with fresh facts and sources | Content optimization is a typical agency service, within the scope you pay forSource |
| Best for | Owners whose site works but whose blog sits empty | Sites that need technical fixes, link building or local listing workSource |
Price
- Readsgreat
- From $99/month billed yearly, or $129 month to month
- SEO agencies
- Agencies average $3,209/month; local SEO averages $1,557/month (Ahrefs survey, updated August 2024)Source
Each month you get
- Readsgreat
- Up to 8 new articles and 4 updates to older posts (Starter); up to 40 and 20 on Growth
- SEO agencies
- A mix of audits, technical fixes, links, local SEO, content and reportsSource
Who does the work
- Readsgreat
- We research, write, fact-check and post; you approve each article or choose autopilot
- SEO agencies
- An agency team and account manager, working to the scope you signSource
Updates to older posts
- Readsgreat
- Included: when a post starts to slip in Google, we update it with fresh facts and sources
- SEO agencies
- Content optimization is a typical agency service, within the scope you pay forSource
Best for
- Readsgreat
- Owners whose site works but whose blog sits empty
- SEO agencies
- Sites that need technical fixes, link building or local listing workSource
Why Readsgreat
Why owners pick Readsgreat over SEO agencies.
- 1
Pay for articles, not a whole retainer
In Ahrefs' survey of 439 SEO providers, updated August 2024, agencies charge $3,209 a month on average, and local SEO averages $1,557. WebFX's own SEO services start at $3,000 a month. That money pays for many jobs: audits, technical fixes, link building, local SEO and reports. If your site mainly needs content, Readsgreat Starter is $99 a month billed yearly for up to 8 new articles and 4 updates to older posts, each researched, fact-checked and posted to your site.
Source 1Source 2 - 2
A plan to rank you can see
With Readsgreat, you always know what's coming. Your Strategy lives in the app, listing the topics to own, the main guide for each and the articles coming next, and it changes weekly as results come in. Add a topic, move one up or lock one in place whenever you like, with no change request to an account manager. It starts with a technical SEO check, so you know Google and AI tools can find and read every page. For local businesses, research comes from your city, your business details go in the format Google reads, and we check they match your Google listing.
- 3
Tracking in five AI tools, included
Customers now ask ChatGPT and Google's AI for recommendations. Readsgreat's AI Visibility Tracking checks five of them weekly, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode, and notes each mention of your business and each article cited. Each article leads with a plain answer and backs it with sourced facts, so it's written for AI tools to quote. Clear progress reports show visitors from Google, searches you show up for, articles climbing and where AI tools mention you, by email and in the app.
Picture it in your business
For a roofing company in Tulsa
Mike's website works well and his Google listing is set up. What he lacks is articles. With Readsgreat Starter, his plan to rank covers roof repair, storm damage and replacement costs in Tulsa, with research from local sources. Each week a new article arrives for his approval. When his hail damage guide slips in Google, it's updated with fresh facts. His monthly report shows visitors from Google, the searches he shows up for and where AI tools mention his company.
Pricing
What each one costs.
SEO agencies
Agency prices depend on scope. In Ahrefs' survey of 439 SEO providers, updated August 2024, agencies average $3,209 a month and local SEO averages $1,557; the most common agency retainer is $500 to $1,000 a month. WebFX's SEO services start at $3,000 a month. Agency work typically covers audits, technical fixes, link building, local SEO and reporting as well as content.
Source 1Source 2Readsgreat
Starter
$99/ month
Billed yearly ($1,188). Or $129 month to month.
- Up to 8 new articles a month
- Up to 4 updates to older posts a month
- Research, fact checks, images, posting and AI Visibility Tracking
Growth
$349/ month
Billed yearly ($4,188). Or $449 month to month.
- Up to 40 new articles a month
- Up to 20 updates to older posts a month
- Research, fact checks, images, posting and AI Visibility Tracking
14-day money-back guarantee on your first payment. Cancel anytime; every article stays on your site. See pricing →
When SEO agencies is the better fit
Choose an agency when your site has technical problems, you need link building, or your Google listing and reviews need hands-on work. An agency also makes sense when you want one person coordinating all of your search marketing. Readsgreat can run your articles alongside an agency that handles the rest.
Switching from SEO agencies
Keep ownership of your website, Google Search Console and Google Business Profile. Save your agency's reports and keyword lists, and bring your priority topics into your plan to rank. Connect your site, answer a few quick questions, and your first article arrives for approval. If the agency still handles links or technical work, it can keep that.
Common questions
Readsgreat or SEO agencies?
Can Readsgreat replace my SEO agency?
Readsgreat covers the content side of SEO: a plan to rank, researched and fact-checked articles posted every week, updates when posts slip, a technical SEO check when you start, local business SEO and weekly AI Visibility Tracking. If you also need link building or ongoing technical fixes, keep an agency or specialist for that work and let Readsgreat run the blog.
What does an SEO agency cost?
In Ahrefs' survey of 439 SEO providers, updated August 2024, agencies charge $3,209 a month on average and local SEO averages $1,557. The most common agency retainer is $500 to $1,000 a month. By contrast, Readsgreat Starter is priced at $99 a month billed yearly or $129 month to month and delivers up to 8 new articles plus 4 refreshes of older posts.
Does Readsgreat do local SEO like an agency?
Agencies commonly sell local SEO, which Ahrefs' survey prices at $1,557 a month on average. Readsgreat covers the content side of it on every plan: research from your own city, your business details in the format Google reads, and a check that they match your Google listing. Hands-on work on your reviews and the listing itself can stay with a specialist.
Can my agency use Readsgreat for clients?
Yes. The Custom plan covers several sites and agencies. Each client site gets its own plan to rank, researched and fact-checked articles, updates to older posts and weekly AI Visibility Tracking. Articles can wait for approval or post automatically, and the site owner owns every article.
Still weighing your options?
Keep comparing.
Sources and dates checked (2)
- SEO Pricing: How Much Does SEO Cost? 439 People PolledChecked 2026-09-29
- SEO Pricing: How Much Does SEO Cost? [+Free Calculator]Checked 2026-09-29
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