Riya · SEO
Maya · Web
Rebecca · Social
Victor · Leads
Votrix AIvsSEO agencyThe SEO agency alternative without the retainer
An SEO agency gives you people, a strategy and a monthly report, usually on a monthly retainer. Votrix gives you Riya, an AI SEO and GEO specialist who does the research, fixes and pages every week, with the Votrix team to go through results with you.
The short answer
Both do the SEO for you. An agency uses a team of people on a retainer; Votrix is a dedicated AI SEO specialist with no retainer.
- Where an agency wins A strategist in your meetings, PR and link-building relationships, and the people to handle very large or complex sites.
- Where Votrix wins A fraction of the cost (agencies average about $3,200 a month), no contract, first fixes in week one, every change visible as it happens, AI search included.
- Who should pick which Need PR, big link campaigns or an enterprise site? An agency. Want SEO worked on every week without a retainer? Votrix.
At a glance
Votrix vs an SEO agency, side by side
| Votrix | an SEO agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | Riya, every week | An account manager and the agency's team |
| Cost | Free to start, usage-based | Most common retainer $501–$1,000 a month; agencies average about $3,200 |
| Contract | None | Usually a monthly retainer, often with a minimum term |
| First changes | Within the first week | After onboarding and strategy |
| What you see | Every page and fix, as it's done, plus a weekly summary | A monthly report |
| AI search | ChatGPT, Claude and Google AI Overviews tracked and worked on | Sometimes offered, often as an extra |
| Changes on your site | Live the same day on a Votrix site; ready to paste in anywhere else | The agency's developers, or yours |
| Link building | Link targets and content from Riya; outreach by Victor | Often a core service, with PR and outreach |
Agency pricing from Ahrefs' survey of 439 SEO service providers.
Where Votrix fits better
For businesses that need SEO every week, without a retainer
No retainer, no contract
Start free and pay for the work done. Stop any time.
Work you can see
Every page and fix is shown to you as it's done, not summarized once a month.
Faster first changes
Your first audit arrives within days and fixes start in the first week.
AI search built in
Riya works on how ChatGPT, Claude and Google AI Overviews describe you.
Questions
How much does an SEO agency cost?
In Ahrefs' survey of 439 SEO providers, the most common monthly retainer was $501–$1,000, and agencies charged about $3,209 a month on average.
Can AI replace an SEO agency?
For many small and mid-sized businesses, it can do the core work: keyword research, audits, fixes, content and tracking. Agencies still make sense for PR, large link-building campaigns and very complex sites.
Do I lose the strategy an agency gives me?
No. Riya builds a plan from your business, your competitors and real search data, and adjusts it every week. The Votrix team goes through the results with you.
Can I switch from my agency to Votrix?
Yes. Riya starts with an audit of where your site stands today and picks up from there.
Sources, checked October 2026