8 Semrush Alternatives and Their Pros and Cons

Written by
Megan Grant
Apr 10, 2023
25 min read

SEO is one of the most potent marketing channels for generating fantastic ROI, but building and executing a powerful SEO strategy is no easy feat. That’s where tools like Semrush come into play. Semrush is a robust, all-in-one platform that empowers you to conduct keyword research, explore website traffic and keyword rankings, and thoroughly analyze backlink profiles, all while optimizing a site’s technical performance.

Semrush is known for how powerful it is, but powerful doesn’t mean perfect. Let’s discuss some attention-worthy Semrush alternatives.

Wait, why would people look for alternatives to Semrush?

You might be thinking, “If Semrush is so great, why would people look elsewhere?” Well, there are a few points explaining why you might look for Semrush alternatives.

  • Harder to use. Sometimes, the more robust an SEO suite is, the higher the learning curve. Some users have too difficult a time navigating Semrush and finding what they need, so they go to a competitor instead.
  • Not budget-friendly. Depending on your budget, the subscription packages might be too expensive. The limits can be fairly low unless you’re willing to pay more, and they often increase their prices.
  • Additional add-ons mean additional costs. If you need to pay for every add-on along the way, the cost of the tool gets pretty pricey, pretty quickly.
  • You don’t always get what you pay for. Users have expressed concern over the accuracy of Semrush’s data — namely the rank tracker and backlink data. Identifying toxic links is often a challenge, and its website audit isn’t of great quality.

Now, let’s dive into top Semrush competitors!

8 of the best Semrush alternatives and why they excel

We sifted through a multitude of powerful SEO tools and handpicked the ones we thought measured up the most.  Here’s the list of the most worthy Semrush competitors:

  1. SE Ranking
  2. Ahrefs
  3. Moz Pro
  4. SpyFu
  5. Ubersuggest
  6. SEO Power Suite
  7. Raven Tools
  8. cognitiveSEO

We’ve also put together a comparison table to make it easier for you to evaluate Semrush alternative tools.

G2 rating

Semrush

4.6

SE Ranking

Winner!

4.8

Ahrefs

4.6

Moz Pro

4.4

SpyFu

4.6

Ubersuggest

4.2

SEO PowerSuite

4.5

Raven Tools

4.2

cognitiveSEO

4.5
Capterra rating

Semrush

4.7

SE Ranking

Winner!

4.7

Ahrefs

4.7

Moz Pro

4.5

SpyFu

4.5

Ubersuggest

4.4

SEO PowerSuite

4

Raven Tools

4.4

cognitiveSEO

4.5
TrustRadius rating

Semrush

8.9

SE Ranking

Winner!

8.9

Ahrefs

8.7

Moz Pro

8.2

SpyFu

8.2

Ubersuggest

8.3

SEO PowerSuite

9

Raven Tools

7.6

cognitiveSEO

10
Minimum pricing plan cost

Semrush

$129.95/month

SE Ranking

Winner!

$55/month

Ahrefs

$99/month

Moz Pro

$99/month

SpyFu

$39/month

Ubersuggest

$12/month

SEO PowerSuite

$299/year

Raven Tools

$39/month

cognitiveSEO

$129.00/month
Number of projects you can add

Semrush

5-40

SE Ranking

Winner!

10 – Unlimited

Ahrefs

5-100 Unverified projects

Moz Pro

3-50

SpyFu

Unlimited

Ubersuggest

1-15

SEO PowerSuite

20-400

Raven Tools

2-320

cognitiveSEO

5-25

Number of manager seats included in subscription plans

Semrush

1, $45-100/month per extra seat

SE Ranking

Winner!

1-5, $20/month per extra seat

Ahrefs

1, $20-50/month per extra seat

Moz Pro

1-5, $49/month per extra seat

SpyFu

1-5

Ubersuggest

1-5

SEO PowerSuite

1

Raven Tools

2-40

cognitiveSEO

2-10

Core SEO tools

Semrush

  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research Tools
  • Website Audit
  • On-Page SEO Checker
  • Competitive Research
  • Backlink Analytics and Audit
  • Content Marketing Tools
  • Local SEO Tools

SE Ranking

Winner!

  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research Tool
  • Website Audit
  • On-Page SEO Checker
  • Competitive Research
  • Backlink Checker and Monitor
  • Content Marketing Module
  • Local Marketing Module

Ahrefs

  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research Tool
  • Website Audit
  • Competitive Research
  • Content Explorer
  • Backlink Checker

Moz Pro

  • Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Explorer
  • Website Audit
  • Backlink Analysis

SpyFu

  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research
  • Competitive Analysis
  • PPC Research
  • Backlink Research

Ubersuggest

  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research Tool
  • Website Audit
  • Competitive Analysis
  • Backlink Analysis

SEO PowerSuite

  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Website Auditor
  • SpyGlass (Backlink analysis)
  • LinkAssistant (Link-building)

Raven Tools

  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research Tool
  • Website Auditor
  • Competitor Research
  • Backlink Tracker
  • Link Spy (link-building)
  • Content Management Tools

cognitiveSEO

  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Site Audit
  • Backlink Analysis
  • Content Optimization Tool
Advanced SEO tools & integrations

Semrush

  • API
  • Looker Studio
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Search Console
  • Google Business Profile

SE Ranking

Winner!

  • API
  • Looker Studio
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Search Console
  • Google Business Profile

Ahrefs

  • API
  • Looker Studio
  • Google Search Console

Moz Pro

  • API
  • Google Analytics

SpyFu

  • API

Ubersuggest

  • Google Analytics
  • Google Search Console

SEO PowerSuite

  • API
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Keyword Planner

Raven Tools

  • API
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Search Console
  • Google Ads

cognitiveSEO

  • API
  • Google Analytics
Agency-first tools & features

Semrush

  • Branded, scheduled reports
  • Lead Generator
  • CRM & Client Portal
  • Agency Partners Directory

SE Ranking

Winner!

  • White Label SEO Tools
  • Lead Generator
  • Branded, scheduled reports
  • Additional user seats
  • Agency Catalog

Ahrefs

  • Reporting Tool
  • SEO Agencies Directory

Moz Pro

  • White labeled, scheculed reports

SpyFu

  • White labeled reports
  • Business Leads

Ubersuggest

  • Reporting Tool

SEO PowerSuite

  • White labeled, scheduled reports

Raven Tools

  • White Label SEO Tools
  • Branded SEO reports
  • Task Manager (Light CRM)

cognitiveSEO

  • White labeled, scheduled reports
Free Trial

Semrush

✅ 7 days

SE Ranking

Winner!

✅ 14 days

Ahrefs

Moz Pro

✅ 30 days

SpyFu

☑️ free version

Ubersuggest

✅ 7 days

SEO PowerSuite

☑️ forever-free plan

Raven Tools

✅ 7 days

cognitiveSEO

✅ 7 days

SE Ranking

Winner!

Ubersuggest

SEO PowerSuite

Raven Tools

cognitiveSEO

Name
Semrush
SE Ranking
Winner!
Ahrefs
Moz Pro
SpyFu
Ubersuggest
SEO PowerSuite
Raven Tools
cognitiveSEO
G2 rating
4.6
4.8
4.6
4.4
4.6
4.2
4.5
4.2
4.5
Capterra rating
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.5
4.5
4.4
4
4.4
4.5
TrustRadius rating
8.9
8.9
8.7
8.2
8.2
8.3
9
7.6
10
Minimum pricing plan cost
$129.95/month
$55/month
$99/month
$99/month
$39/month
$12/month
$299/year
$39/month
$129.00/month
Number of projects you can add

5-40

10 – Unlimited

5-100 Unverified projects

3-50

Unlimited

1-15

20-400

2-320

5-25

Number of manager seats included in subscription plans

1, $45-100/month per extra seat

1-5, $20/month per extra seat

1, $20-50/month per extra seat

1-5, $49/month per extra seat

1-5

1-5

1

2-40

2-10

Core SEO tools
  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research Tools
  • Website Audit
  • On-Page SEO Checker
  • Competitive Research
  • Backlink Analytics and Audit
  • Content Marketing Tools
  • Local SEO Tools
  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research Tool
  • Website Audit
  • On-Page SEO Checker
  • Competitive Research
  • Backlink Checker and Monitor
  • Content Marketing Module
  • Local Marketing Module
  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research Tool
  • Website Audit
  • Competitive Research
  • Content Explorer
  • Backlink Checker
  • Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Explorer
  • Website Audit
  • Backlink Analysis
  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research
  • Competitive Analysis
  • PPC Research
  • Backlink Research
  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research Tool
  • Website Audit
  • Competitive Analysis
  • Backlink Analysis
  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Website Auditor
  • SpyGlass (Backlink analysis)
  • LinkAssistant (Link-building)
  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Keyword Research Tool
  • Website Auditor
  • Competitor Research
  • Backlink Tracker
  • Link Spy (link-building)
  • Content Management Tools
  • Keyword Rank Tracker
  • Site Audit
  • Backlink Analysis
  • Content Optimization Tool
Advanced SEO tools & integrations
  • API
  • Looker Studio
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Search Console
  • Google Business Profile
  • API
  • Looker Studio
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Search Console
  • Google Business Profile
  • API
  • Looker Studio
  • Google Search Console
  • API
  • Google Analytics
  • API
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Search Console
  • API
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Keyword Planner
  • API
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Search Console
  • Google Ads
  • API
  • Google Analytics
Agency-first tools & features
  • Branded, scheduled reports
  • Lead Generator
  • CRM & Client Portal
  • Agency Partners Directory
  • White Label SEO Tools
  • Lead Generator
  • Branded, scheduled reports
  • Additional user seats
  • Agency Catalog
  • Reporting Tool
  • SEO Agencies Directory
  • White labeled, scheculed reports
  • White labeled reports
  • Business Leads
  • Reporting Tool
  • White labeled, scheduled reports
  • White Label SEO Tools
  • Branded SEO reports
  • Task Manager (Light CRM)
  • White labeled, scheduled reports
Free Trial

✅ 7 days

✅ 14 days

✅ 30 days

☑️ free version

✅ 7 days

☑️ forever-free plan

✅ 7 days

✅ 7 days

1. SE Ranking

SE Ranking strikes the perfect balance between functionality and ease of use, making it our top Semrush alternative. It is an intuitive and user-friendly platform, making it easy for users to perform complex tasks like diving deeper into a website’s analytics. Let’s break SE Ranking down by our aforementioned criteria.

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Functionality

In the past, SE Ranking was lauded by its users for its exceptional rank tracking capabilities and is rightfully considered one of the best rank tracking tools. By offering position tracking (backed by its dedicated crawlers) for Google, Yahoo, Bing, and even YouTube, SE Ranking guaranteed accurate ranking data like no other tool. 

To this day, SE Ranking’s position tracking tool remains the market leader because of its ultra-reliable data and unparalleled usability. Its grouping, tagging and filtering options always ensure a top-notch user experience. 

Still, few user reviews focus on rank tracking alone. They also praise SE Ranking for its wide and constantly expanding range of features, its impeccable usability, and its budget-friendly pricing plans. 

With SE Ranking, you can find plenty of keyword opportunities, audit your whole website or optimize individual pages, snoop on your competitors’ SEO and PPC campaigns (both current and historical), as well as build a healthy backlink profile and monitor your most precious backlinks. You can even create content briefs and write SEO-friendly texts five times faster with the help of AI-powered SEO tips and AI writing assistance from its Content Marketing Module. This fairly new tool has already gained popularity among users and can be called one of the best Surfer SEO alternatives.

SE Ranking also caters to marketing agencies by offering unlimited reporting, White labeling and Looker Studio integration. 

Look at this side-by-side table-view comparison of SE Ranking vs Semrush to learn how both tools’ capabilities stack up against one another. 

Interface

SE Ranking provides a smooth user experience thanks to its simple navigation. The top menu features standalone tools, whereas the lefthand menu displays everything related to your project. When you click on the tools at the top, the lefthand menu changes. This makes it quick and easy to find anything you need, whether it’s traffic that your competitors are getting from paid ads (Competitive Research > Paid Traffic Research) or the SERP history of specific keywords (Keyword Research > Organic SERP History).

SE Ranking's platform

User reviews

On G2, SE Ranking has an overall rating of 4.8/5 stars (from over 1,100 reviews), which is the highest on this platform compared to other Semrush alternatives on this list. It also has 4.4/5  stars and 485 reviews on Trustpilot. Users applaud it for its wide range of features, data accuracy, and fair pricing. One user even calls it the “perfect SEO tool” with a “reasonable price,” saying, “The ease of use is fantastic. You can learn the basics in less than 5 minutes, especially when it comes to keyword rank tracking and competitor research.”

Price

While many of SE Ranking’s features are comparable to Semrush, it is a much more cost-efficient SEO solution. SE Ranking’s plans range from $55 a month to $570 a month (compared to $129.95 for Semrush’s cheapest plan). SE Ranking also offers a 20% discount if you choose to pay annually. 

SE Ranking’s Pro and Business plans already include user seats, while Semrush makes you pay $45-$100 for every additional user.

Each of SE Ranking’s pricing plans offers different variations with higher and lower data limits. Its Pro plan, for example, gives you the option to track the positions of 2000 keywords and audit 250k pages, or you can track 3500 keywords and audit 400k pages, depending on your preference. Such a flexible approach allows businesses to steadily upgrade their allowance as their projects and needs grow.

All three of SE Ranking’s plans include Google Analytics, Search Console and Looker Studio integrations. Its Business plan also grants you access to its API feature.

SE Ranking’s price and capabilities make it suitable for in-house SEO professionals and also team looks for robust software for SEO agencies. Semrush, on the other hand, is costlier and has a higher learning curve, which means you’ll need a bigger budget (and more bandwidth and patience) to learn the tool.

2. Ahrefs

Ahrefs is a serious contender as one of the closest alternatives to Semrush. Both tools have similar features and functionalities.

Functionality

If you’re looking for a wealth of data, you came to the right place. Ahrefs has loads of it. From in-depth backlink analysis capabilities, tons of opportunities to research competitors and their top pages, and paid traffic exploration, to finding the best PPC keywords, identifying broken links, and seeing where your competitors outrank you, Ahrefs is an all-in-one SEO tool that excels when it comes to data.

Ahrefs boasts probably the largest backlink database and can easily vouch for the quality of its backlink data. Still, some users complain that its keyword search volumes and traffic estimates are a bit off. Also, the platform lacks content and local SEO tools. This means you’ll need to pay extra to cover your content marketing and local SEO needs or consider Ahrefs alternatives that offer such features.

Interface

Ahrefs has a steeper learning curve. It’s certainly not as intuitive as Ubersuggest, but it’s easier on the eyes than Semrush. If you commit to taking the time to learn it, you’ll reap the rewards. Ahrefs has tons of nooks and crannies: Just take a look at the left-hand side navigation menus.

Ahrefs platform

Also, Ahrefs’s interface and user experience is only marginally smoother than Semrush.

User reviews

The crowd has spoken, and they love Ahrefs. On Capterra, it has 4.7 out of 5 stars and 483 reviews. It’s currently sitting at 4.6 out of 5 stars on G2, with 451 reviews. And on TrustRadius, it averages 8.7 out of 10 stars and 336 reviews and ratings. One recent review called it the “most brilliant built digital marketing software ever.” Not bad!

Price

Ahrefs isn’t cheap, but it can be more affordable than Semrush in some cases. It’s also worth noting that its prices tend to increase as the limit usage decreases, meaning you’ll pay more for less access. Its most basic subscription (Lite) costs $99 a month, which is perfect for individuals, small businesses, and SEO hobbyists. It includes 75 trackable keywords, 2,500 max rows per report, weekly updates on those keywords, 100,000 crawl credits per month for each site audit, and a maximum of 25,000 crawlable pages per project. You get unlimited verified projects and up to five unverified projects. However, you are limited to tracking the rankings of only five websites and performing one website audit per website per month.

If you want access to more features and higher limits, Ahrefs’s next plans are $199, $399, and $999 per month. Users can join for free, but it will start costing you money in the form of credits once they begin using the various tools. Be ready to pay $20-50/month for every additional user and at least $100 to update your ranking data daily instead of weekly.

3. Moz Pro

This all-in-one suite of SEO tools is another common Semrush alternative. Moz Pro aims to remove the complexity of SEO and make it more accessible and easy to digest, helping users spend less time sifting through complicated spreadsheets and more time using data to make smarter decisions.

Functionality

Moz Pro offers all the standard tools you’d expect from a professional SEO toolset. Its Keyword Explorer tool, for example, helps you understand how people are finding you online, and helps you identify the keywords you should be targeting. This puts the tool on the list of the best keyword search software. Moz Pro also lets you track local and national rankings in Google (US and international, plus mobile), Yahoo and Bing; crawl and audit your site to identify errors or bugs; find opportunities to better optimize your web pages; and improve your overall linking architecture. Unfortunately, Moz Pro isn’t as flexible as SE Ranking and other Semrush alternatives, and it is not currently being actively developed or expanded.

Interface

While Moz Pro is robust, its user interface isn’t as smooth. It’s also more difficult to customize views and reports. Plus, its data isn’t always as fresh and accurate as it could be. Because of this, some users may give their preference to some other Moz alternatives like SE Ranking or Semrush.

Moz Pro platform

User reviews

Moz Pro currently has 4.4 out of 5 stars on G2, with more than 350 reviews. On Gartner, it has 4.6 out of 5 stars with 11 ratings. It also has 8.2 out of 10 stars, on TrustRadius, with 371 reviews and ratings. Moz Pro, then, isn’t as highly regarded as some of the other Semrush alternatives on this list.

Price

Moz Pro’s most basic plan (Standard) is cheaper than Semrush’s—$99 a month versus $129 a month, respectively—but its subscription prices shoot up from there. With it, you get fewer projects (three versus five on Semrush), but more keywords to track (300 across four search engines, so 1,200 in total, versus 1,500 on Semrush). Moz’s most basic plan also crawls up to 400,000 pages per month vs 100,000 pages with Semrush.

4. Spyfu

Founded in 2005, SpyFu has steadily improved its suite of ‘spy’ tools to become a well-rounded keyword research and competitor analysis platform for the budget-conscious. With its user-friendly interface, intelligent PPC features, and affordable pricing options, SpyFu takes the guesswork out of optimizing your website without breaking the bank–so it’s also one of the best Semrush alternatives. 

Functionality

Spyfu is an all-in-one SEO suite with a focus on competitor analysis. Praised by SMBs and agencies for its Ad History feature, Spyfu provides tons of data on a competitor’s PPC ads, including ad copy, landing pages, and estimated ad spend. Users will enjoy this feature for its ability to reveal how their competitors’ ad copy evolved over time, turning their competitors into their greatest advisors. 

But if you require brand monitoring and social media features to monitor your competitors, Semrush would be a better choice as SpyFu does not include them.

Also, SpyFu lacks tools for technical and on-page optimization. Its rank-tracking capabilities are very basic, and its backlink databases are not as extensive as what you get with Semrush and Ahrefs.

SpyFu also has robust keyword research features, providing users with information on cost-per-click, search volume, and historical data. Keep in mind, however, that SpyFu’s strength lies in its competitor-based keyword research capabilities, so you won’t get as much information on long-tail keywords as you would using Semrush. SE Ranking is also a great alternative to SpyFu if you’d rather have a keyword grouping feature to organize and optimize your content for long-tail keywords.

Interface

Spyfu interface

Agencies and SMBs alike will enjoy how SpyFu conveniently lays out its navigation bar across the top of the dashboard with the following tabs: Overview, SEO Research, PPC Research, Keyword Research, Backlinks, List Builder, Tracking, and Reports. Consider this SpyFu’s welcome mat to its easy-to-use interface, which was designed to provide users with quick and easy access to all of its data. SpyFu’s dashboard’s design is also intuitive: Its color scheme and type font are easy on the eyes.

User Reviews

SpyFu doesn’t have as many reviews as some of the larger competitors on this list, but it clearly nurtures its smaller user base. It currently sits at 4.6 out of 5 stars on G2, with 494 reviews. It also has 4.5 out of 5 stars and 140 reviews on Capterra, and 8.2 out of 10 stars with 130 reviews on TrustRadius.

One recent review on G2 even referred to SpyFu as their “secret weapon for successful online marketing”, and lauded it for its ability to “save time and resources.” This sounds promising for SMBs and agencies who want reliable SEO data but don’t have the time or energy to scour the internet for it.

Price

SpyFu’s subscription plans are way more affordable than Semrush’s plans. Its Basic plan starts at $39/month versus Semrush’s $129.95/month, rising to $79/month for its professional plan. Its price jumps to $299 for Teams, but it’s nowhere near as expensive as Semrush’s equivalent (Business plan), which is $499.95. With Teams, you get five user logins (all of Semrush’s plans come with one user login by default), over 10 years of historical data, 40k weekly tracked keyword rankings, API access, and more. Also, unlike Semrush, no matter what plan you choose, SpyFu gives you unlimited access to its US and international data. 

5. Ubersuggest

In a short amount of time, Ubersuggest, created by Neil Patel, evolved from a simple keyword research tool to a robust SEO platform that retains an incredibly user-friendly interface. It is often regarded as one of the best SEO tools for those with limited SEO knowledge, making it one of the top Semrush alternatives.

Functionality

One of Ubersuggest’s user reviews says it best: “Ubersuggest offers an easy-to-use interface that simplifies keyword research and analysis.” 

This platform is a lifesaver for people who are either new to SEO and analytics, or people who want to improve the health of their website without having to become an expert. It condenses and simplifies information that could otherwise be overwhelming for some users to digest, which makes it more user-friendly than Semrush.

Interface

Ubersuggest has a minimalist aesthetic, but still has all of the information you’ll ever want or need. On the dashboard, for example, it immediately gives you ideas for how to better optimize your site.

Ubersuggest platform

It’s straightforward to use and easy to navigate.

The menu on the left side gives you access to everything you could possibly need, including a site audit, keyword and content ideas, traffic estimates, top pages, a backlinks overview feature and new opportunities to explore, a keyword generator, and even an AI writer! Most of these features are pretty basic—you won’t find Ubersuggest on the list of the best site audit tools or the best link building solutions.

Still, while being not as comprehensive as Semrush, Ubersuggest gets the job done and can sometimes do it better.

User reviews

On G2, users gave Ubersuggest 4.2 out of 5 stars. On Trustpilot, it scored 3.9 out of 5 stars. It also currently has 8.3 out of 10 stars on TrustRadius. Ubersuggest is a newer tool and isn’t the most well-known Semrush alternative, but it’s quickly evolving and giving Semrush a run for its money.

Price

Patel isn’t scared to take on his competitors. In fact, he’s pretty blunt about how much cheaper Ubersuggest is than alternatives like Semrush.

Ubersuggest Plans&Pricing

Make one Ubersuggest payment and spend a fraction of what you would with Semrush.

Ubersuggest subscription plans

There’s also the option of opting for a monthly plan. Ubersuggest subscriptions range from $29 to $99 a month, which are significantly cheaper than even Semrush’s cheapest plan. With the Individual plan (the most affordable), you get 150 reports per day, one project, 150 searches on Chrome through their extension, 125 trackable keywords, a weekly site audit that’ll crawl 1,000 pages, 20,000 keyword suggestions, and so much more. Check out the full details of each plan on the Ubersuggest website.

While Ubersuggest might not have all the bells and whistles that Semrush has, it still provides comprehensive data while also being a cost-effective solution. Unsurprisingly, one user said, “Earlier, we used to use Semrush, which was way too costly. Since the start of 2022, we switched to Ubersuggest, which does the job well and at a reasonably low price.”

6. SEO PowerSuite

SEO PowerSuite is an all-in-one SEO tool that is also one of the main Semrush alternatives and it is consistently ranked among the G2 leaders in SEO software. Users appreciate the ability to automate, customize, and brand their SEO reports.

Functionality

SEO PowerSuite comes complete with its own rank tracker, website auditor, SpyGlass (their tool for analyzing backlinks), and LinkAssistant (for link-building and management). It also assists you in optimizing your content for search engines. Additionally, they offer custom white labeling and Google Analytics integration. However, while it’s comparable to Semrush in terms of collecting data, it’s not as good at analyzing data and providing recommendations for how tobest use it, which is something that SMBs, agencies, and enterprises will really need. 

Interface

According to user reviews, navigating this SEO tool can be a tad cumbersome. While it’s powerful and in-depth, expect a steeper learning curve if you don’t already know where to look. Then again, your experience with Semrush will be similar.

User reviews

It has 4 out of 5 stars on Capterra, 9 out of 10 on TrustRadius, and 4.5 out of 5 on G2, making SEO PowerSuite pretty consistent across the board based on reviews, it is a good (not great) Semrush alternative, that is unless you’re prepared to pay up. 

Pricing

SEO PowerSuite has a forever-free plan, which gives you unlimited keywords to track, 500 URLs to crawl and audit, and up to 1,100 links to track and audit. However, you won’t have access to additional features like scheduled reports, data exporting, and the ability to save projects, which is something you might find yourself missing greatly. If you want to upgrade, consider that the two paid plans are $299 and $499 a year. 

7. Raven Tools

Admittedly, this SEO and reporting tool has flown (get it? Raven? Flown?) under the radar, but it’s nothing to turn your nose up at. It even integrates your marketing and advertising data, allowing you to consolidate all of your efforts (and their results) under one roof.

Functionality

Raven Tools has no shortage of tools and features, including reporting, competitor research, its website auditor, rank tracker, backlink tracker, keyword research, and social media reporting. It also offers a tool called “Link Spy”, which helps you check up on your competitors and find new opportunities to get links back to your website. Raven Tools also includes plenty of integrations, including Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Google/Bing/Facebook ads.

Reviews indicate, however, that if you’re looking to scale and need something more comprehensive, you’ll probably find better success with Semrush.

Interface

Raven Tools doesn’t get very many points for ease of use. Its users say that it can be needlessly complicated and tedious, and that it (surprisingly) doesn’t even provide the most basic data, particularly from Google ads (a major drawback for SMBs and agencies). Users have also reported bugs and glitches when trying to integrate additional third-party software into Raven Tools, which is a major drawback for all users.

Raven Tools interface

User reviews

Raven Tools is a worthy contender, with 4.4 out of 5 stars on Capterra, 4.2 out of 5 stars on G2, and 4.5 out of 5 stars on Gartner. On TrustRadius, however, it only has 7.6 out of 10 stars. It’s also worth noting that Raven Tools  doesn’t have nearly as many overall reviews as Semrush, so you can’t fully compare the two.

Pricing

Raven Tools’ monthly plans range from $39 to $399 per month. What’s interesting is that even their cheapest plan gives you access to everything; it’s just more limited compared to its pricier options. Namely, you’ll get two domains/projects, two users, some data storage, its “light” CRM, unlimited automated client reports, 50,000 monthly page crawls, white labeling features, and 1,500 trackable keywords monthly.

8. cognitiveSEO

While cognitiveSEO is one of the lesser-known Semrush alternatives, it provides top-notch digital marketing strategy analysis and insights to help your brand grow online.

Functionality

It has a built-in content optimization tool, site auditing, backlink analysis, penalty recovery, a rank tracker, an SEO dashboard, marketing reports, and an SEO API. You can also use cognitiveSEO’s free tools if you want to take it for a test drive.

Interface

Users have said that the interface isn’t very intuitive and can be quite slow, especially the keyword research tool. Some people also note that cognitiveSEO is only suitable for agencies and bigger enterprises, but not for smaller companies and solopreneurs. (It’s worth pointing out that cognitiveSEO rates higher for its quality of support, which makes sense given that it’s a much smaller tool/company.)

cognitiveSEO platform

User reviews

Users have rated it 4.5 out of 5 stars on G2, 8 out of 10 stars on TrustRadius, and 4.5 out of 5 stars on Capterra. Similar to Raven Tools, it’s one of the lesser-known Semrush competitors, which puts it at a disadvantage compared to Semrush by default.

Pricing

This tool isn’t the most budget-friendly Semrush alternative. The cheapest cognitiveSEO plan is $129.00 a month. You can track 1,500 keywords, analyze 200,000 inbound links, get 150 content audit credits, and analyze 50,000 links per site. You’ll also get two user seats and five campaigns. All three plans allow for Google Analytics integration. You won’t be able to white-label the tool unless you upgrade or use JavaScript crawling, get API access, or work with a customer success manager. Its price might also not be suitable for solopreneurs, and agencies might not like that cognitiveSEO provides no option for white labeling.

What criteria did we evaluate in Semrush alternatives?

In order to adequately evaluate Semrush alternatives, we looked at a variety of factors:

  • Functionality: What features does the SEO tool provide? Are they fleshed out enough to give in-depth information? Also, how much flexibility do you have in customizing the tool and the data it reports back?
  • Interface: How long and how many clicks does it take a user to get where they want to go? Is the user experience seamless and streamlined, or cluttered and nonsensical? Is it intuitive enough even for beginners to navigate?
  • User reviews: What are people saying about the tool? Does it have a positive reputation? Why or why not?
  • Price: Does the SEO tool offer various pricing options for different budgets, without excessively hampering access or functionality?

For context, here’s how we evaluated Semrush:

Functionality

Its functionality is both its biggest strength and biggest downfall. Semrush is a top-to-bottom solution, with tools for keyword research, on-page SEO, local SEO, competitor analysis, content marketing, rank tracking, link building, social media management, paid advertising, and beyond. However, its breadth also makes it difficult to navigate. It’s too easy to get lost and too hard to quickly find what you need.

Interface

If you already know your way around Semrush (or you’re willing to spend the time to learn), then you’ll love this solution. Its hefty learning curve, however, means that you’ll be going down the proverbial rabbit hole at some point. Plus, it can feel kind of clunky, which makes it difficult to find the information you’re looking for.

User reviews

Semrush has a fairly solid reputation, with 4.6 out of 5 stars on G2, 4.4 out of 5 stars on Gartner, and 8.9 out of 10 stars on TrustRadius. Unsurprisingly, one of the most common complaints in reviews is about its navigability (or lack thereof).

Price

Semrush isn’t the nicest to your wallet (although it has a free trial and free version with very limited capabilities). Semrush’s cheapest plan is $129.95 per month and provides you with five projects (meaning sites), 500 keywords to track, and 10,000 results per report (meaning the number of available rows of data). If you want more access and features, including Looker Studio integration, you will have to upgrade. Semrush’s next two plans are $249.95 and $499.95 per month. Each of its plans only allows one user to be logged in at a time, which means you have to purchase additional seats. 

FAQs

Is Semrush the best?

Semrush has a lot of advantages. It offers a generous range of tools and solutions that produce a diverse set of data. However, there is a steep learning curve and the lack of a more affordable monthly plan may be an impediment for some companies. 

What is the best alternative to Semrush?

While there are so many options available, SE Ranking is the best alternative to Semrush. It’s a comprehensive solution that’s also user-friendly and streamlined, all at a reasonable price.

Is there a free alternative to Semrush?

Yes! Ubersuggest has a free plan with limited access, whereas other SEO platforms provide free trials. If you’re an SMB, agency, or bigger, you should already be planning to upgrade to gain access to more features.

Which is better, Ahrefs or Semrush?

It depends on your needs and goals, but in terms of cost, Ahrefs has the potential to be a more affordable solution. It’s also better for backlink analysis, whereas Semrush is better for content and local marketing.

Which is better, Semrush or Ubersuggest?

Again, it depends on your needs and goals! Semrush is better suited for bigger companies that have the budget and manpower to stomach its hefty price tag. Ubersuggest is better suited for individual SEOs looking for a free or cost-efficient tool that gets the job done.

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