The same local-SEO work, two very different ways to buy it. Here's how a company and software compare on cost, control, speed, and results.
An SEO company (or agency) does the work for you: strategy, execution, and reporting, usually for a monthly retainer. You get expertise and hands-off convenience, at a premium, and you typically don’t own the systems they use.
Software gives you the same execution surface — profile optimization, citations, reviews, posts, rank tracking — that you (or one team member) operate. You trade some hand-holding for far lower cost, full control, live data, and the ability to move the moment you spot a gap.
A company runs $1,000–$3,000+/mo for a local business. Software runs roughly $50–$300/mo. For repeatable local-SEO work, that gap rarely buys proportionally better results — you’re mostly paying for labor.
With software, a change you want made happens now, not next sprint. You see a live score instead of waiting for a monthly report, and the systems stay yours if you ever change tools. With a company, convenience comes with dependency.
If you have budget and zero time, a good company is fine. If you’re a local business that wants results without a retainer, software wins on cost, control, and speed. Aaptly is built for exactly that — and the audit is free, so you can see what software does before committing to anyone.
Run the free Local Growth Audit to see what software can do for your rankings before you pay anyone.