What does local SEO really cost you?
Published price ranges are averages; your business is not. Enter two numbers and the calculator restates the three ways to do local SEO — do it yourself, hire an agency, run software — in your economics, time included. Ranges are sourced from our pricing guide, which compared ten real agencies.
Lifetime value works best — a dental patient is worth far more than one visit.
What an hour earns when you spend it on billable work instead.
| Option | Cash / month | Your hours / month | Effective cost (cash + time) | New customers to break even |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself Cheapest in cash, priciest in hours. Tools and directory fees still add up. | $0–$500 | 16–32 | $1,200–$2,900 | 0–1 / month |
| Hire an agency Wide range — the guide compared 10 agencies from $500 to $5,000+/month. | $500–$5,000 | 1–2 | $575–$5,150 | 1–4 / month |
| ClawSignal software Automated audits, content, tracking, and AI visibility — you approve, it runs. | $79–$229 | 1–2 | $154–$379 | 1 / month |
Break-even counts cash cost only — your time is a real cost, but a customer's payment does not reimburse it. The software row is our own product at live prices, disclosed as such.
Cost Calculator FAQ
Where do the cost ranges come from?
From our published pricing guide, which compared ten San Diego agencies ($500 to $5,000+ per month), estimated DIY at $0 to $500 monthly in tools plus 4 to 8 hours a week, and our own live pricing ($79 to $229 per month). The calculator applies your numbers to those published ranges — it does not invent its own.
Why does the calculator count my time as a cost?
Because it is one. Four to eight hours a week at what your working hour is worth is usually the largest line item in DIY local SEO — bigger than the tools. Comparing options on cash alone hides that.
What does "customers to break even" mean?
How many NEW customers a month the option must produce to cover its cash cost, at the customer value you entered. It is a floor, not a forecast: local SEO compounds, so month six usually outperforms month one at the same spend.
Is the software column just ClawSignal advertising itself?
The column uses our real prices and is labeled as ours — that is the disclosure. The other two columns are presented at their honest published ranges, including where they win: an agency brings human strategy hours software does not, and DIY is unbeatable on cash if your time is free.
Before choosing any of the three: run the free AI visibility scan to see where you stand today, check your Google Business Profile completeness, or browse all free tools.