7 Semrush Alternatives and Their Pros and Cons (Updated 2024)
The digital landscape is constantly evolving and outdoing your competitors for visibility and conversions is now more difficult than ever. Amidst this, the importance of a robust SEO tool cannot be overstated.
And when it comes to titans of the SEO industry, Semrush has long led the charge.
The premier SEO toolkit offers keyword research, competitor analysis, site auditing, and more, making it indispensable for digital marketers. And this is why Semrush boasts over 895,000 active global users who trust the platform to optimize their online visibility.
However, while Semrush does stand as a beacon of SEO excellence, its pricing, learning curve, and other features might not necessarily align with your preferences.
But fret not, because, in this article, we explore 7 best Semrush alternatives. By the end of this comprehensive guide, you will be well-acquainted with their features, strengths, weaknesses, and everything else that you need to make an informed choice for your SEO and SEM needs.
Why Do You Need SEO and Digital Marketing Tools?
For businesses, the internet is the golden ticket they need to exponentially increase their reach. Unlike traditional marketing, the Internet transcends many limitations, allowing you to expand your customer base beyond the local audience.
This is precisely why digital marketing and advertising is a staggering US$ 321 Billion industry.
Your brand visibility, in simple terms, refers to how your page appears on search pages.
As per data, over 25% of people tend to click on the first Google search result. Given the multitude of companies vying to target the same consumer base, your business must distinguish itself and secure top ranks on Search Engine Result Pages (SERP) for maximum outreach.
Now, your position on SERP is determined by the effectiveness of your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) efforts.
SEO is a multifaceted strategy aimed at enhancing your site’s relevance, and quality as per the search engine algorithm which ultimately improves the likelihood of your page appearing in search results.
SEO comprises many elements such as keyword optimization, backlinks, mobile friendliness, site speed, etc. All of these work together to align your content with relevant searches as well as good user experience.
Here’s how digital marketing tools help with SEO:
- Targeted Marketing: Digital marketing software allows you to precisely target your potential customers. Data-driven keyword research and their integration enable a structured approach to brand exposure, customer engagement, and eventually, revenue generation.
- Enhanced Visibility: Platforms designed for digital marketing include SEO tools, social media PR and engagement products, and email marketing software. All of these are essential to build and sustain a robust online presence.
- Performance Measurement: To stay on top of the game, it is crucial to assess the ROI of your marketing campaigns. At the same time, you also need to know how well your competitors are doing to outrank them. Analytical tools in digital marketing software track your performance, as well as that of relevant websites, to help refine your SEO strategies.
What is Semrush?
Before we get to navigating Semrush alternatives, it is crucial that you first understand what Semrush is, and why it is used.
Semrush is a versatile, all-in-one tool designed to improve your online visibility. As per First Page Sage, any business that ranks first on SERP for its niche generates a 39.8% CTR. The Semrush tool kit gives you the unparalleled insights that you need to achieve this SERP placement.
The software excels in keyword research, competitor analysis, site auditing, and backlink tracking. It has an extensive database that is regularly updated, and this is precisely why users trust it for accurate analysis.
Due to ever-evolving algorithms, saturated online markets, and constant technology changes, digital marketing is tough.
Semrush enables the multidisciplinary approach needed for effective online advertisement, which is why it stands as a cornerstone for businesses aiming to thrive in the digital realm.
What is Semrush Used For?
Here’s what digital marketers around the world use Semrush for:
SEO
SEO involves optimizing content to rank it higher in search engine results. Semrush features like keyword research and competitor analysis come in handy to make strategic SEO decisions.
PPC
PPC or Pay-Per-Click is an online advertising model where advertisers pay high-authority websites to host and run their ads. Through Semrush, you can find keywords that have the lowest competition and high search volume to optimize your PPC campaign and maximize your reach.
SMM
Social media management or SMM involves creating, scheduling, and engaging with content on social media platforms. Semrush Social’s Poster tool automates the entire process, which helps streamline the workflow and maximize the impact of your social media strategy.
Keyword Research
Other than being a keyword research tool, Semrush also has a keyword difficulty (KD) metric that estimates your chances of ranking in the top 10 search results. This comprehensive analysis helps marketers make data-driven decisions, which ultimately boosts your visibility.
Competitive Research
With Semrush, you can find website competitors in seven categories:
- Organic competitors – Ranking based on organic keywords.
- Paid search competitors – Sites using the same keyword as yours for the PPC campaign.
- Backlink competitors – Analysis of backlinks of competing sites.
- PLA (Product Listing Ads) competitors – Companies selling products identical to yours on e-commerce platforms.
- Position tracking competitors – Websites targeting the same custom list of keywords.
- Market competitors – Competitors in the same domain category.
- Display advertising competitors – Based on shared ads publishers and ad keywords.
PR
Semrush has a tool called Prowly that provides users with an extensive database of relevant journalists and media contacts. Additionally, it also helps you create press releases, and offers helpful insights into your overall PR performance.
Therefore, many big companies use Semrush when drafting their PR strategy.
Content Marketing
Semrush has a comprehensive content marketing tool that offers everything from researching and writing content to helping identify any loopholes or gaps in your existing content plan.
Marketing Insights
A successful business marketing strategy is always tailored according to the demographic and preferences of your audience. Semrush’s Market Explorer tool gives you valuable insights into your potential target customers, enabling you to effectively market your brand.
Site audit
Site auditing involves a thorough analysis of a website to identify any issues affecting its performance on SERP. Semrush runs a complete audit of your website, assessing factors like in-page SEO, crawlability, loading speed, and more.
It then generates a Site Health score, along with all the errors on your page. Afterward, you can use other tools on the software to improve your website.
Why is Semrush Considered the Best?
With all businesses now being advertised online, digital marketing tools are in more demand than ever. Innumerable marketing software, both free and paid, is easily available online.
However, Semrush stands as an indisputable titan of the industry, and here’s why:
All-in-one Robust Design
There are many software that focus only on a specific aspect of advertising and SEO. However, Semrush stands out by providing an all-encompassing solution for diverse digital marketing needs.
Users can conduct keyword research, competitor analysis, site audits, and much more, all within one platform. And this comprehensiveness, along with excellence, is one of the main reasons behind Semrush’s popularity.
Extensive Database
With 25.3 billion keywords, 43 trillion tracklinks, and over 800 million domains, Semrush boasts an expansive database. Utilizing this for marketing research and then making effective informed decisions is what helps businesses stay ahead of competitors.
Constant Innovation
Ever since its launch, Semrush has stayed committed to constant innovation. It frequently updates its features to adapt to the changes in algorithm and search engine updates.
Additionally, the developers also actively seek out and incorporate user feedback to improve the platform.
Why You Might Need Semrush Alternatives?
Before we jump to discussing Semrush alternatives, it is imperative to understand why you need them.
Now, despite all the unparalleled features Semrush has, it also has a few drawbacks that inconvenience certain businesses.
High Pricing
Let’s face it, when it comes to pricing, Semrush is fairly expensive. They offer three standard subscriptions that cost $129 – $499 a month.
Now, although this pricing is considered justified given the demand and premium quality of the software, it might still be costly for a lot of companies, especially small businesses. In this case, people go for Semrush alternatives that meet their digital marketing needs on a budget.
Learning Curve
Semrush has a user-friendly interface, but its learning curve can vary for each individual. For example, if you are a beginner, you might find it difficult to master advanced features like competitor analysis and site audit.
This unfamiliarity with the platform is one of the reasons people look for Semrush alternatives that are basic and easy to start with.
Diverse Business Needs
Diverse business needs can be a driving factor for people seeking Semrush alternatives.
Although Semrush is a comprehensive tool, businesses may have specific requirements like local SEO and e-commerce analytics that align better with other platforms. This is especially true for Semrush alternatives that are tailored to a particular niche.
Comparative Analysis of Semrush and Semrush Alternatives
We discussed how pricing, learning curve, and diverse business needs are the primary reasons why people look for digital marketing software other than Semrush.
Before we discuss the best Semrush alternatives and their features in detail, let’s see how our picks compare to Semrush:
| Software | Pricing | Pros | Cons |
| Semrush | Pro – $129 /month
Guru – $259 /month Business – $499 /month |
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| Ahrefs | Trial – $7 for 7 days
Life Plan – $99 /month Advanced Plan – $399 /month |
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| Moz | Standard – $99 /month
Medium $179 /month Large $299 /month Premium $599/month |
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| SpyFu | $39 /month (monthly plan)
$16 /month (annual plan) |
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| Serpstat | Individual – $45 /month
Team – $85 /month Agency – $355 /month |
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| SE Ranking | Essential – $44 /month
Pro – $87.20 /month Business – $191.20 /month |
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| Ubersuggest | Individual – $12 /month
Business – $20 /month Agencies – $40 /month |
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| WebCEO | Solo – $37 /month
Startup – $99 /month Agency – $99 /month Corporate – $299 /month |
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Seven Best Semrush Alternatives
Here’s our curated list of seven digital marketing software that you can consider when looking for the best Semrush alternatives:
Ahrefs
When it comes to Semrush alternatives, Ahrefs is our top recommendation. Because, if there’s one SEO tool that comes close to beating Semrush in terms of robustness, database, and user reviews, it’s Ahrefs.
The tool is widely used globally for in-depth content analysis, link building, keyword research, site audits, rank tracking, and more.
For a general overview, here are some of the features Ahrefs offers:
Website’s Performance Analysis
An in-depth analysis of a website’s performance gives you valuable insights into the effectiveness of your SEO and marketing strategy. Ahrefs enables you to compare your current and previous data.
Their Top Pages tool identifies your site’s top-performing pages based on organic traffic, whereas their SERP feature analysis includes information on featured snippets, knowledge panels, and other elements affecting your click-through rates.
Additionally, the platform also allows rank tracking that allows users to track their website’s ranking for specific periods over a particular period.
All these things aid you in strategic decision-making for website optimization and enhanced visibility.
Daily Updates on Backlink Performance
The algorithm checks the quantity and quality of incoming links to your site to determine its SERP positioning, because of which backlinks are considered the most crucial element of off-page SEO.
Backlinks coming from low-authority or irrelevant websites can get your website penalized. Ahrefs offers daily updates on backlink performance which helps identify and remove any toxic backlinks to protect your brand visibility.
Keyword Research
Ahrefs’ Keyword Explorer assists in identifying relevant keywords for your content. Users can enter a seed keyword, and the tool generates a list of related keywords along with their search volume, keyword difficulty, and potential number of clicks for search results.
Traffic Potential
Ahrefs has a Traffic Potential metric that estimates the number of visitors your page can attract based on its ranking position, as well as the search volume of its main keyword.
Content creators and SEO professionals can then plan their content accordingly to attract a larger share of organic search traffic.
SERP Similarity Score
If you are unsure about the number of keywords you should target on one page, take to Ahrefs for help. The software can provide you a SERP similarity score of different keywords, so you can see how they compare in terms of the total number of competitor pages for them.
Moz
Moz prides itself in being an all-in-one SEO tool that offers a range of features to boost your online visibility. Its user-friendly interface makes it particularly great for beginners.
Let’s dig into various amazing features extended by Moz:
Keyword Explorer
Moz has a Keyword Explorer that can generate monthly search volume, difficulty, and organic CTR for any seed keyword with just one click. You can then prioritize high-volume keywords and phrases that your competitors are not ranking for.
Link Explorer
Link Explorer is a handy tool for backlink audit. It allows you to analyze backlink quality, view link metrics, and assess the link profile of a website.
However, it is essential to mention that Moz has a limited backlink index, i.e., the total number of crawled and indexed links is less than that of other tools in a similar price range. This limitation hinders the software from providing a comprehensive picture of your link profile.
Local SEO
Local SEO is an optimization strategy built around a target demographic in a particular area. While international SEO usually focuses on generic keywords, local SEO involves competing for keywords that have a higher search volume in a limited area.
Moz offers complete local SEO management by providing business listings, review management, and other tools to optimize your local search presence.
MozBar
With MozBar, the software offers SEO analysis in real-time, as you browse the web. By installing this extension, you can view page authority, domain authority, and link data for any content on SERP.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO encompasses everything that optimizes your site for search engines while also delivering the best user experience.
Moz’s site auditing tool identifies and fixes any issues within your technical SEO to help outrank competitors.
SpyFu
SpyFu is one of the best Semrush alternatives you can find online. Living up to its name, the software specializes in in-depth competitor analysis to aid you in effectively planning your SEO and advertising strategies.
Competitor Keyword Spy
By using SpyFu, you can find out all about the keywords your competitors are targeting via both paid and organic search campaigns. This helps you refine your keyword strategy.
AdWords Advisor
SpyFu’s AdWords Advisor feature provides actionable recommendations to improve your Google Ads campaigns. It suggests changes to ad copy, bidding strategies, and more, aiming to enhance campaign performance.
Keyword Research
SpyFu has a large database where you can discover new keywords. You can also take this a step ahead towards advanced and more targeted research by applying filters on search volume, ranking difficulty, and cost-per-click (CPC).
Ad History and Budget Insights
On SpyFu, you can view the complete history of your competitor’s ad campaigns and variations. Additionally, you get in-depth insights into variations in their marketing budget over time.
This is one of the features that makes SpyFu one of the best Semrush alternatives for competitor analysis.
SEO and Backlink Research
SpuFu displays a complete review of a domain’s organic search rankings and SEO performance. Users can also explore the entire backlink profile of a domain, which helps draft a good link-building strategy.
Serpstat
Serpstat is another comprehensive SEO platform that offers a variety of features similar to Semrush, such as keyword research and competitor insights. It is considered particularly helpful for robust backlink analysis.
Keyword Research
Serpstat offers extensive keyword research, generating data regarding search volume, keyword difficulty, and related keywords.
While the keyword database is smaller as compared to other software in the same price range, the keyword clustering feature makes Serpstat a handy tool for content optimization.
Site Audit
The Serpstat site audit tool points out any issues within your technical SEO and provides recommendations for improvement. Generally, in site analysis, Serpstat addresses any issues related to crawlability and meta tags.
Backlink Analysis
With Serpstat, you can analyze your backlink profile. Additionally, you can also generate a thorough review of your competitor’s link-building strategy.
Competitor Research
On Serpstat, users can compare their website’s performance with competitors against several on-page and off-page SEO elements. Furthermore, Serpstat also provides data on organic and paid search visibility, and website traffic on different pages competing for your target keyword.
Rank Tracking
Serpent monitors the performance of each keyword over time. To assess the effectiveness of a particular keyword, users can simply track changes in their search rankings.
SE Ranking
SE Ranking is another great option when it comes to Semrush alternatives. It offers a range of tools for search engine optimization and digital marketing, all of which you need to rank your website.
Keyword Tracking
SE Ranking provides real-time tracking of keyword position in search engine results. You can then monitor these results to improve your keyword selection and integration.
Page Changes Monitoring
SE Ranking monitors changes on specific web pages, alerting users of any alterations that may impact their SEO performance. This feature also helps you stay up to speed with your competitors’ approach to SEO.
Social Media Management
Globally, many marketers and business owners rely on SE Ranking to handle their social media. The software automates the management of your online brand by enabling you to schedule posts and track engagement.
Furthermore, you can access, run, and manage all your social media accounts directly from the platform.
Local SEO Tracking
SE Ranking has everything you need to effectively implement local SEO. You can track your SERP position and keyword performance in specific locations and then accordingly optimize your website for visibility in local searches.
Marketing Plan and Task Manager
SE Ranking comes with a task manager and marketing plan tool that facilitates team collaboration for SEO activities. Both these tools are great for streamlining workflow and improving your productivity.
White-Label Reporting
Digital marketers often have to create custom reports for each client or stakeholder. SE Ranking has a built-in feature that allows you to make site audit reports with your logo, color schemes, and branding elements.
These reports look internally generated which reinforces a professional image, besides creating a consistent brand image.
Ubersuggest
When it comes to keyword research, Ubersuggest stands as an indispensable tool. Launched by world-renowned SEO expert Neil Patel, Ubersuggest quickly bagged a large consumer base by providing unparalleled excellence in SEO and marketing tools.
Keyword Research
Ubersuggest provides insights into search volume, ranking difficulty, and CPC for keywords. Additionally, users can discover new keyword ideas and assess their potential impact on SEO and paid advertising.
Competitor Analysis
Ubersuggest is also helpful in analyzing competitors’ websites. It can uncover their best-performing pages, organic keywords, as well as backlink strategies. This information is vital in improving your SEO strategy to outrank the competition.
Site Audit
Ubersuggest can conduct on-page SEO audits. This helps identify any issues related to heading tags, title tags, keyword density and integration, images, etc. Users also receive practical solutions to overcome any gaps in their SEO strategy.
Backlink Analysis
With Ubersuggest’s backlink audit, you can monitor both newly acquired and lost incoming links for your website.
Site Speed Analysis
Your site having a loading speed of more than two seconds can make you lose a significant chunk of potential organic traffic. Ubersuggest runs a site speed analysis that checks your loading speed and identifies any bugs that could increase it.
It is crucial to mention that you need to optimize your website separately for mobile and desktop as processing speed varies for each device.
WebCEO
Our last pick for best Semrush alternatives is WebCEO. Its fast-load time, user-friendly interface, and intuitive design appeal to a large number of marketers who employ the software to improve the brand’s online visibility.
Rank Tracking
With WebCEO, it is easy for website owners to monitor their keyword and URL positions on SERP. This tracking is done over time to observe any particular trend affecting your visibility.
Keyword Research
WebCEO enables you to do in-depth keyword research by displaying search volume and potential number of clicks for all relevant phrases.
Additionally, WebCEO also has a keyword spy tool where you can find competitor keywords by simply entering their site on the home tab. This not only expands your keyword suggestion list but also equips you with the information you need to outperform similar websites.
On-Page Optimization and Technical SEO Audits
With WebCEO, you can perform professional SEO audits.
Their online site auditor assesses your website for any broken internal and external links, broken anchor texts, and broken /low-quality, blurry images. This helps improve and maintain your site’s credibility.
Additionally, WebCEO’s on-page optimization tools run a thorough check on your URL, headings, body, and ALT image tags.
It also checks the landing page for keyword integration and suggests changes if keywords are not placed in sections that search engines consider for SERP ranking.
Backlink Analysis
WebCEO comes with a backlink checker that provides you with a list of different backlinks for each page of your site. All these links are sourced from relevant and high-authority sites.
Final Words
Semrush is undeniably a versatile digital marketing tool. However, for anyone looking for Semrush alternatives, there are a number of noteworthy software that cater to different business needs and marketing preferences.
In this post, we presented a list of seven best Semrush alternatives after considering their SEO features (keyword research, competitor analysis, site audit, backlink analysis, etc.), and pricing.
From Ahrefs to WebCEO, each platform mentioned in the article is top-notch to draft an effective digital marketing strategy. So now, consider your requirements, budget constraints, and any specific advertising goals to select the best tool to multiply your online visibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Semrush have a free plan?
Users can avail of Semrush Free which enables preliminary digital marketing analysis by providing:
- The basic idea of website’s performance like organic search traffic, main organic competitors, and backlink information
- Top organic keywords your domain is ranking for and their position on SERP
- Keyword Magic Tool is free to use and allows you to generate keyword ideas, and analyze their search volume
- SEO content template
- SEO Writing Assistant for suggestions for content optimization
It is essential to mention that while Semrush’s free version is valuable, you need to get a monthly subscription to access its advanced features.
What are the best free Semrush alternatives?
It is difficult to find a free tool that is as extensive as Semrush. However, if you are looking for something that caters to basic digital marketing needs, here are some great options you to consider:
- Google Keyword Planner – Offers data on keyword search volume, CPC, competitor analysis, and more, completely free of cost.
- Ubersuggest – Free plan offers three keyword searches a day.
- Siteliner – Audits 250 site pages for free.
- BuzzSumo – 10 free keyword searches a month.
Note that of all these tools, only Google Keyword Planner gives you unlimited access to all its features completely free of cost.
It is also essential to mention that the depth of analysis and other features in free alternatives might not match the results of paid tools like Semrush.
I’m founder of BizStack at Cagri Sarigoz LLC and a passionate advocate for entrepreneurs.
With over 14 years in tech, marketing, and AI, including my role as Head of SEO at CitizenShipper and co-founder of TaleBot at Intale AI, I’m dedicated to sharing genuine, useful product insights and tips.
At BizStack, I aim to cut through the digital noise to provide clear, actionable advice.
And more than all else, I’m a father to a (always) little girl and a husband.
Contact me at [email protected] for assistance.
Co Authors :
Ana is a content writer at BizStack and ensures our content meets and goes beyond our readers’ expectations.
