A link building quote should tell you what the agency will do, what counts as a result and which costs sit outside the fee. Two offers with the same monthly price can buy very different work.
Start with the buying model. Then compare the scope, the publisher selection and the evidence you will receive.
Three ways agencies charge
| Model | What you pay for | What to clarify |
|---|---|---|
| Managed monthly outreach | Research, publisher contact, follow-ups and reporting over an agreed period | Which products, pages and markets the campaign covers; how activity and results are reported |
| Per-placement pricing | An agreed published link or inclusion | The exact page, link attributes, content costs and what happens if it is removed |
| A scoped project | A defined audit, research brief or outreach campaign | The finished deliverable, the end date and whether implementation is included |
Choose the model around the job. A team that already knows which placement it wants may be comparing individual publishers. A business that needs someone to find the right pages and handle the conversations is buying a managed service.
What published agency prices tell you
On September 10, 2026, ListicleOutreach advertised monthly packages at $1,250, $2,500 and $4,500. Backlink Outreach Agency advertised $1,350 and $1,800 campaigns, plus custom pricing, with publisher fees separate.
These examples show how two providers package ongoing outreach. They are advertised offers, not a market average or evidence of results. Compare the units in the offer carefully: a researched page, a contacted publisher, a qualified opportunity and a published backlink are four different things.
Mentionlane's plans start at $1,500 per month for a focused campaign, with a $2,500 Growth plan for several campaign priorities and custom pricing for a broader scope. Our fee covers managed research and outreach; publisher charges need a separate budget and your approval.
Work out the full campaign budget
Use this calculation before comparing proposals:
Total campaign spend = agency fee + approved publisher charges + any separately agreed production costs.
Ask whether writing a new article, providing product samples or commissioning original research would cost extra. Some pitches need only an accurate description and a useful existing page; others involve work beyond sending an email.
You can set a publisher-spend limit or choose to pursue unpaid editorial opportunities. A budget creates options; it does not make every site worth approaching. Sponsorship and affiliate arrangements should also fit how you want the brand represented.
Judge the page you could appear on
A domain score does not tell you who reads a particular article or why they would consider your business. Review the proposed page's topic, audience, maintenance and editorial quality. Ask which passage your brand would improve and where the link would take a reader.
A best-of list or comparison can put a brand into a buying decision. A resource article may introduce readers to a useful feature or guide. An unrelated page can offer a link while bringing little reason for anyone to visit. Our backlink opportunity guide walks through those checks.
Ask what you will receive each month
A useful report separates the work from the outcome:
- Work: research completed, publishers contacted, replies and next actions.
- Published results: live URLs, the brand description and whether a backlink is present.
- Business evidence: relevant referral visits and enquiries, where you have data to assess them.
For AI visibility work, also ask for the questions tested, the date, the observed answer and its sources. A brand mentioned in an article is different from being named in a ChatGPT answer. An unexplained visibility score cannot show that distinction.
You can receive clear progress and published results without reviewing every outreach email yourself. Agree the level of involvement you want before the campaign begins.
Put the important terms in the proposal
Confirm the monthly scope, payment schedule, cancellation terms and publisher-spend approval. If a provider promises a number, ask exactly what must happen for it to count. For per-placement purchases, clarify how missing, changed or removed links are handled.
Paid placements also need appropriate disclosure and link attributes. Google's spam policies distinguish qualified advertising links from links bought to manipulate rankings. Paying a publisher does not purchase a Google position or an AI recommendation.
Once those details are clear, compare the fee with the relevant work you are handing over. If you want Mentionlane to research publishers and manage the outreach, compare the plans or tell us what you want to improve.