An SEO agency alternative for small businesses that stay in control
An SEO agency does the work for you, at the price of several days of consulting a month. Lysible does not do the work: it reads your Google data and your pages every day, and tells you what to fix, how long it takes and what you gain.
Can a small business do without an SEO agency?
Often yes for monitoring and diagnosis, not always for the hands-on work. Lysible reads your Google data and your pages every day, and tells you what to fix and in what order, for €89 to €129 excl. VAT per month. An agency is still useful if nobody can make the fixes, or for a redesign.
Which one is right for you?
They do not meet the same need. Here is how to decide in two minutes.
- You, or someone on the team, can make the fixes, as long as you know which ones.
- You pay an agency and want to check its work with your own numbers.
- Your budget does not stretch to several days of consulting a month.
- Nobody in-house has the time to change the site or write content.
- You are preparing a redesign or a migration, where one mistake costs months of traffic.
- You need content or links in volume, in a very competitive market.
The comparison, point by point
What each one actually does, checked at the source on the date shown at the bottom of the page.
| What we compare | Lysible | An SEO agency |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | ✓The diagnosis and the plan, every day | ✓Expert time and hands-on work |
| Who makes the fixes | ×You, or your provider | ✓The agency, depending on the contract |
| How often your data is reviewed | ✓Every day | ~At the pace set in the contract |
| Data used | ✓Your Google accounts and your pages | ✓The same, with its paid tools |
| First diagnosis | ✓One minute after connecting | ~After the initial audit |
| Commitment | ✓Monthly, no commitment | ~Depends on the contract |
| What you learn | ✓Every recommendation explained | ~Depends on how much the provider explains |
| Price | €89 or €129 excl. VAT per month | Around €500 per consultant day |
What really changes day to day
Beyond the feature list, three differences you notice in the first week.
A review every day, not every month
A traffic drop that falls between two meetings waits for the next one. Lysible rereads your data every day and lets you know by email.
The price of half a day a month
At €498 per consultant day, half a day costs about €250. Lysible costs €89 excl. VAT per month, or €129 excl. VAT with visual page analysis.
The know-how stays with you
Every recommendation is explained, and Lysa answers your questions with your numbers. Month after month, you learn to read your own site.
Lysa tells you where to start
In this exchange, Lysa advises starting with the quick wins: there is no point in attracting more visitors if the pages load badly or the sign-up button does not work.
It is the reasoning you would expect from a consultant. Here it rests on that day's numbers, and the answer came in at 11 p.m.
What you pay for in an agency retainer
Expert time, split between diagnosis, recommendations, hands-on work and reporting. For an order of magnitude, an experienced freelance SEO consultant in France charges €498 per day on average on Malt: two days a month come to nearly €1,000.
The diagnosis and the report come back every month. That is the part Lysible takes on, every day. The hands-on work still needs someone.
Agency and Lysible: the right split
Many keep both. The provider makes the fixes, and Lysible checks their effect on your clicks and conversions every day, from your own accounts. Keep ownership of your Search Console and GA4 accounts: our article on choosing an SEO agency explains why.
When an agency is still the right choice
A redesign or a migration, where one forgotten redirect costs months of traffic. A very competitive market that needs content and links in volume. Or simply nobody in-house to change the site. In those cases, pay for the hands-on work, and keep an independent view of the results.
Where Lysible is not the best choice
A comparison that finds no fault with its author is worth nothing. Here is what works in the other option's favor, and who it matters to most.
- It does the work. Writing, technical fixes, links: an agency executes. Lysible tells you what to do, it does not do it for you.
- It knows your market. A good consultant brings a content strategy and a view of your competitors that a tool does not replace.
- It takes the risk out of big projects. For a redesign or a domain change, human support is worth its price.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most often on this topic.
How much does an SEO agency cost for a small business?
An agency sets its prices on quote, as a monthly retainer or by the day. For an order of magnitude, a freelance SEO consultant with 8 to 15 years of experience charges €498 per day on average in France, according to the Malt 2026 barometer. Two days a month therefore come to nearly €1,000.
Can Lysible replace my SEO agency?
For monitoring and diagnosis, yes: Lysible reads your Google data and your pages every day and ranks the fixes by impact. For the hands-on work, no: someone has to change the site, write or earn links. Many keep a provider to do the work, and Lysible to know what to do.
How can I check my SEO agency's work?
Keep ownership of your Search Console and Google Analytics 4 accounts, and track each month the clicks, the rankings of your key queries and the conversions from Google. Lysible does this every day from your own accounts, independently of the provider.
Do I need SEO skills to use Lysible?
No. Every recommendation is written in plain English, with the time it takes and the expected gain. Lysa, the built-in assistant, explains each step with your numbers.
Agency or freelance consultant: which should I choose?
For a small business with a reasonably sized site, a freelance consultant is often enough, with a single point of contact. An agency makes sense for large volumes: a big catalog, several languages, a very competitive market. Either way, keep your access and an independent view.
How much does Lysible cost?
The Analyst plan costs €89 excl. VAT per month and the Performance plan €129 excl. VAT, with visual page analysis on top. The free trial lasts 30 days on the Performance plan, with no credit card. Without a subscription afterwards, the account moves to a limited free version.
- Malt, 2026 rate barometer for freelance SEO consultants (France, in French)
- Lysible, pricing and what each plan includes
Information checked on October 21, 2026. The Malt rate is for freelancers; agencies set their prices on quote.
A consultant's eye on your site, every day, for €89 excl. VAT a month.
Keep your provider if you have one: Lysible checks the effect of their work every day, from your own accounts.