Schbang is a strong creative agency for big brands, but SEO is only a small part of what it does. A startup or small company usually gets more from a smaller, SEO-first team. My top 5 Schbang alternatives are Road To Top 5, DerivateX, upGrowth, RankON Technologies and EZ Rankings.
TL;DR
| # | Agency | Best for | Starting price | My score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Road To Top 5 | Fixed-scope SEO, AEO and GEO sprints | Sprint-based, no retainer | 4.8/5 |
| 2 | DerivateX | Funded B2B SaaS startups | $5,000 per month | 4.4/5 |
| 3 | upGrowth | SEO, GEO and paid growth together | ₹2,00,000 per month | 4.4/5 |
| 4 | RankON Technologies | Tight budgets | About $250 per month | 4.2/5 |
| 5 | EZ Rankings | Ready-made packages | $1,000 minimum project | 4.1/5 |
Disclosure: I run Road To Top 5, so treat my score for it as my own view. I have no ties to the other agencies.
What Is the History of Schbang?
Harshil Karia, Sohil Karia and Akshay Gurnani started Schbang in Mumbai in 2015. The name comes from “the whole shebang”: creative, media and technology under one roof.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Schbang starts in Mumbai. |
| 2015 to 2023 | It adds offices in Bengaluru, New Delhi and London and is named Independent Agency of the Year. |
| 2025 | Harshil and Sohil Karia buy out Akshay Gurnani. Schbang acquires the Dutch agency Addikt. |
| Today | 1,000+ people and 350+ brands across India, London, Amsterdam and Hong Kong. |
Summary: Schbang began in Mumbai in 2015 and is now one of India’s largest independent agencies.
Why Are Startups Looking for Schbang Alternatives?
Schbang works with brands like Domino’s, Swiggy and Fevicol, and its model is built for that size. I see three gaps for small teams:
- SEO is not the main job. “SEO and Content Creation” is one line on a long service list.
- It’s built for big brands. Its Semrush profile lists projects from $2,500 with a 3 to 6 month minimum.
- AI search is not a clear service. Schbang blogs about GEO but doesn’t list it as a core service.
Summary: Startups look for alternatives of Schbang because SEO is a small part of its offer and its model suits bigger budgets.
How Did I Judge These Schbang Alternatives?
I scored each agency from 1 to 5 on four points, using only public information:
- SEO strategy: Is SEO the core service?
- AI search readiness: Does it offer GEO or AEO and show results?
- Transparency: Does it publish prices and real reviews?
- Startup fit: Can a small team afford it?
Summary: I rated these new competitors of Schbang on SEO strategy, AI search readiness, transparency and startup fit.
Which Are the Top 5 Schbang Alternatives for SEO Services?
1. Road To Top 5: Best for Sprints, Not Retainers
Road To Top 5 is a young agency run by experienced SEO professionals. We take no retainers. We run fixed-scope SEO, AEO and GEO sprints, each with a clear list of work and an end date.
Every project follows our FPDP framework. We care about leads and sales, not just traffic, and you can check our results on the Road To Top 5 case studies page.
Where we fall short: we’re a new brand, so we have fewer public reviews than older agencies.
2. DerivateX: Best for Funded B2B SaaS Startups
DerivateX is a Bengaluru agency that works only with B2B SaaS companies. Its method aims to get brands named in ChatGPT and Perplexity answers. It reports that Gumlet now gets 20% of its inbound revenue from AI tools. It holds 5.0 from 7 reviews on Clutch and publishes flat retainers from $5,000 a month.
Where it falls short: it’s too costly and too narrow for local businesses and early-stage startups.
3. upGrowth: Best for SEO and Paid Growth Together
upGrowth is a Pune growth marketing agency with 150+ clients and a team of 32. It sells SEO, GEO, paid ads and fractional CMO services. It reports that Lendingkart’s monthly leads grew from 40 to 228. Retainers start at ₹2,00,000.
Where it falls short: the price is steep for bootstrapped companies, and it has few public reviews.
4. RankON Technologies: Best for Tight Budgets
RankON Technologies is a Lucknow agency founded in 2018. SEO makes up 70% of its work, and 70% of its clients are small businesses. It holds a perfect 5.0 from 40 reviews on Clutch, which lists its SEO packages at about $250 to $600 a month.
Where it falls short: one reviewer said its content needed heavy editing, and I found no proof of AI search results.
5. EZ Rankings: Best for Ready-Made Packages
EZ Rankings is a Noida agency founded in 2010 that says it has served 10,000+ clients. It sells local, national and ecommerce SEO packages and also lists GEO services. It holds 4.6 from 62 reviews on Clutch.
Where it falls short: SEO is only 15% of its service mix on Clutch, and most package prices are “on request”.
Summary: The top alternatives of Schbang are Road To Top 5 for sprints, DerivateX for B2B SaaS, upGrowth for SEO plus paid growth, RankON Technologies for tight budgets and EZ Rankings for packages.
How Do the Top Alternatives of Schbang Compare?
| Agency | SEO strategy | AI search | Transparency | Startup fit | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road To Top 5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.8 |
| DerivateX | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 4.4 |
| upGrowth | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.4 |
| RankON Technologies | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.2 |
| EZ Rankings | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.1 |
Also read my top Infidigit alternatives and top Techmagnate alternatives.
Summary: DerivateX leads on AI search, RankON Technologies and EZ Rankings cost the least, and Road To Top 5 is the only one with no retainer.
How Do You Choose the Right Schbang Alternative?
- Name one goal. Pick leads, sales or sign-ups.
- Set your budget. Under ₹50,000 a month, look at RankON Technologies or EZ Rankings. From ₹2,00,000, look at upGrowth or DerivateX. For fixed work, pick a sprint.
- Check your site first. Run a free SEO gap checker.
- Ask who does the work. It should be a senior person.
- Ask for proof. Ask for a case study that shows leads or sales, like the Road To Top 5 case studies.
- Get the terms in writing. Note the scope, price and end date.
Where Can You Read Reviews of Schbang and Its Alternatives?
| Agency | Review source | Rating when I checked |
|---|---|---|
| Schbang | Semrush | 4.4/5 |
| Schbang | Glassdoor (staff) | 3.1/5 from 791 reviews |
| Road To Top 5 | Case studies | Client results, not ratings |
| DerivateX | Clutch | 5.0/5 from 7 reviews |
| upGrowth | TechBehemoths | 5.0/5 from 5 reviews |
| upGrowth | Sortlist | 4.0/5 from 1 review |
| RankON Technologies | Clutch | 5.0/5 from 40 reviews |
| EZ Rankings | Clutch | 4.6/5 from 62 reviews |
| EZ Rankings | GoodFirms | 4.8/5 from 3 reviews |
FAQs
1. What are the best Schbang alternatives for SEO services?
Road To Top 5, DerivateX, upGrowth, RankON Technologies and EZ Rankings. A small accounting firm, for example, needs local leads, not a national ad campaign, so an SEO-first team serves it better.
2. Is Schbang good for SEO?
Schbang offers SEO, but it’s known for creative and social work for big brands. If SEO is your main channel, I’d pick an SEO-first team.
3. Which Schbang alternative is best for startups?
A funded B2B SaaS startup fits DerivateX, a growth-stage startup that runs ads fits upGrowth, and an early-stage founder who wants a fixed scope fits Road To Top 5.
Disclaimer
I researched these agencies on my own in October 2026, using public websites, pricing pages, case studies and the review profiles linked above. No company paid to be included. The agencies report their own case-study numbers, so treat them as examples, not promises. I run Road To Top 5, which competes with every agency named here. Prices, services and ratings change, so confirm the details before you sign.
