Put every quote on the same sheet: upfront cost, monthly cost, contract length, cancellation terms, ownership, and exactly what gets done each month. Then ask what is excluded, such as ad spend, content limits or change fees. The cheapest or most expensive quote is often neither once you line them up.
Agency quotes are hard to compare because each one is structured differently. One bundles the website into a twelve month contract. Another charges a low monthly fee but bills for every change. A third includes ad management but not ad spend. Start by putting every quote into the same columns: upfront cost, monthly cost, contract length, cancellation fee, who owns the site and domain, and the total you would pay in the first year. That first year total is often surprising.
Next, list what each one actually delivers every month. How many new pages or articles, and who writes them? Are website changes unlimited, capped, or billed hourly? Is Google Business Profile management included? Is there any work aimed at AI search, like structuring pages so ChatGPT and AI Overviews can quote them? Is ad spend included or separate? What does the monthly report show? Vague answers like ongoing optimization deserve a follow up question until you get a concrete one.
Finally, look at the risk side. A low price with a two year contract can cost more than a higher price you can cancel any month. A big setup fee changes the first year math. Use our numbers as a reference if helpful: $750 to build, $399 a month for unlimited changes, monthly content, SEO, GEO and AEO, and Business Profile management, month to month, with larger programs from $1,750 a month. Then pick the quote that delivers the most real work with the least lock in.
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