9 Best Alternatives to Semrush in 2026

Ahrefs is the best Semrush alternative for SEO professionals and content marketers whose work centers on backlink analysis and keyword research. Ahrefs runs on a proprietary index of 170 trillion crawled pages and 41.9 billion keywords, against the 28 billion keywords Semrush reports, and it includes API and MCP access on every paid plan, where Semrush lists API data integration on its $455.67/month Advanced tier. Ahrefs also gives more room per dollar: Lite costs $129/month for 5 projects and 750 tracked keywords against 5 sites and 500 keywords on Semrush SEO ($117.33/month billed annually, $139 monthly), and Ahrefs Standard costs $249/month for 20 projects and 2,000 tracked keywords against 15 sites and 1,500 keywords on Semrush Pro+ at $248.17/month billed annually. Ahrefs has a free tier and a $29/month Starter plan, while Semrush has no free plan, and Brand Radar and Custom Prompts cover the AI-answer visibility Semrush reports on. Semrush is still the better choice for teams that run more than SEO: Semrush adds advertising, content, local, and social toolkits, states daily AI prompt allowances (50 on Starter, 100 on Pro+, 200 on Advanced), and sells white-labeled reports to agencies. Both tools have a steep learning curve, and Ahrefs includes only one user per plan, with extra seats at $40-80/month against Semrush's $45/month.

Compared to Semrush: 41.9 billion keywords in a proprietary index against Semrush's 28 billion, 20 projects and 2,000 tracked keywords on $249/month Standard against 15 sites and 1,500 keywords on Semrush's $248.17/month Pro+, no advertising, local, or social toolkits listed and one user per plan

Pricing: Free tier · paid from $29/mo — $129/month for Ahrefs Lite (5 projects, 750 keywords) vs $117.33/month billed annually for Semrush SEO (5 sites, 500 keywords); $249/month for Ahrefs Standard vs $248.17/month for Semrush Pro+ (verified November 1, 2026)

SE Ranking is the best Semrush alternative for agencies managing 10 to 30 client projects that want rank tracking, audits, and AI-visibility data without Semrush's per-site limits. SE Ranking Core costs $103.20/month billed annually ($129 monthly) for 10 projects, 2,000 keywords and 100 AI prompts tracked daily, and 25,000 API credits; Semrush's cheapest plan, SEO, costs $117.33/month billed annually for 5 sites and 500 keywords, and Semrush Starter tracks 50 AI prompts a day for $165.17/month. SE Ranking Growth at $223.20/month billed annually tracks 5,000 keywords across 30 projects with 3 manager seats, the keyword allowance Semrush reserves for its $455.67/month Advanced plan. SE Ranking also has iOS and Android apps, an MCP server for Claude and ChatGPT, a 14-day trial with no card required, and a moderate learning curve against Semrush's steep one. Semrush is still the better choice for teams that want the broadest toolset and fewest add-ons: Semrush bundles advertising, content, local, and social toolkits and reports 28 billion keywords and 43 trillion backlinks, a dataset SE Ranking's listing does not size. SE Ranking charges $69/month extra for white-label reports and $71.20/month for its AI Search toolkit, so a fully equipped agency stack quickly exceeds $200-300/month.

Compared to Semrush: 10 projects and 2,000 daily-tracked keywords for $103.20/month billed annually against 5 sites and 500 keywords on Semrush's $117.33/month SEO plan, iOS and Android apps and a moderate learning curve against Semrush's steep one, white-label reports and the AI Search toolkit sold as $69 and $71.20 monthly add-ons

Pricing: From $103.20/mo — $103.20/month billed annually for SE Ranking Core (10 projects, 2,000 keywords) vs $117.33/month billed annually for Semrush SEO (5 sites, 500 keywords) (verified September 23, 2026)

Moz Pro is the best Semrush alternative for in-house marketers and small agencies that report on Domain Authority and track a handful of sites. Moz Pro starts at $49/month for one site, under half of Semrush's $117.33/month entry plan billed annually, and Moz Medium tracks 1,500 keywords across 10 Campaigns with 2 users for $143/month billed yearly ($179 monthly), the same keyword allowance Semrush gives on Pro+ at $248.17/month billed annually ($299 monthly) for 15 sites. Domain Authority, Page Authority, Spam Score, and Brand Authority appear in every Campaign report and the MozBar Chrome extension, Moz reports a link index of 44.8 trillion links, and its learning curve is rated moderate against Semrush's steep. Semrush is still the better choice for keyword-heavy research and daily AI tracking. Moz Standard ($99/month) allows only 150 keyword queries a month, Moz reports 1.25 billion keyword suggestions against Semrush's 28 billion keywords, and Moz refreshes AI prompt tracking weekly across three models where Semrush tracks prompts daily across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. Moz also sells local listings management (Moz Local) separately, offers no refunds, and holds 2.4/5 from 242 Trustpilot reviews, with complaints centered on charges after trials and cancellations.

Compared to Semrush: Domain Authority, Page Authority, and Spam Score in every report and the MozBar extension, 1,500 tracked keywords for $143/month billed yearly on Medium against $248.17/month billed annually on Semrush Pro+, 150 keyword queries a month on Standard and weekly rather than daily AI prompt tracking

Pricing: From $49/mo — $143/month billed yearly for Moz Medium (1,500 keywords, 2 users) vs $248.17/month billed annually for Semrush Pro+ (1,500 keywords); $49/month for Moz Starter vs $117.33/month for Semrush SEO (verified October 23, 2026)

Similarweb is the best Semrush alternative for marketers and analysts sizing a market or benchmarking competitors' total traffic before a launch, pitch, or investment decision. Similarweb models visits, engagement, channel mix, top pages, and audience demographics for 100 million-plus websites and 4 million-plus apps, and Similarweb's support docs cite a SparkToro study that found its traffic estimates closest to Google Analytics data among Similarweb, Semrush, and Ahrefs, strongest for sites with 5,000 to 100,000 monthly users. The Competitive Intelligence package costs $125/month billed annually ($199 month-to-month); the $333/month package adds keyword research, rank tracking, site audits, backlinks, and AI brand visibility with 150 tracked prompts, and the $542/month package adds ad creatives and spend. Similarweb also sells app, retail, sales, and stock intelligence, mostly through enterprise contracts. Semrush is still the better choice for day-to-day SEO: Similarweb's SEO module costs $333/month billed annually against Semrush's $117.33/month SEO plan, includes 1 user and 6 months of history, and shows no data for sites under about 5,000 monthly visits. API and MCP access need custom-priced Similarweb for Businesses, while Semrush includes API data integration on its $455.67/month Advanced plan and tracks up to 200 AI prompts a day.

Compared to Semrush: modeled traffic, channel, and audience estimates for 100 million-plus websites and 4 million-plus apps, SEO tools from $333/month billed annually against Semrush's $117.33/month SEO plan, no data for sites under about 5,000 monthly visits and 1 user per self-serve package

Pricing: Free tier · paid from $125/mo — $333/month billed annually for Similarweb's SEO and AEO package vs $117.33/month billed annually for Semrush SEO (verified October 23, 2026)

Serpstat is the best Semrush alternative for agencies and in-house teams that need many projects and API access without paying for Semrush's upper tiers. Serpstat Team costs $100/month for unlimited projects, 500 searches a day, up to 99,999 keyword position checks, 150,000 audited pages, the API, a ChatGPT and Claude MCP integration, and scheduled reports. Semrush caps its $117.33/month SEO plan (billed annually) at 5 sites and 500 tracked keywords, needs Pro+ at $248.17/month for 15 sites, and lists API data integration on Advanced at $455.67/month for 40 sites. Serpstat's Individual plan costs $50/month for 5 projects, annual billing saves up to 27%, white-label reports come with the $410 Agency plan, and the learning curve is rated moderate against Semrush's steep. Semrush is still the better choice for data depth and AI-answer tracking: Semrush reports 28 billion keywords and 43 trillion backlinks against Serpstat's 8.62 billion keywords and 529 billion backlinks, and Serpstat caps backlink results at 10,000 per report even on Agency. Semrush also tracks brand share of voice in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews on every paid tier, which Serpstat's listing does not mention, and bundles advertising, content, local, and social toolkits.

Compared to Semrush: unlimited projects with API and MCP access for $100/month against 5 sites on Semrush's $117.33/month SEO plan, an Individual plan at $50/month with up to 27% off for annual billing, 8.62 billion keywords and 529 billion backlinks against Semrush's 28 billion and 43 trillion with no AI-answer tracking

Pricing: From $50/mo — $100/month for Serpstat Team (unlimited projects, API) vs $117.33/month billed annually for Semrush SEO (5 sites) and $455.67/month for Semrush Advanced (API) (verified September 29, 2026)

Ubersuggest is the best Semrush alternative for small businesses and freelancers priced out by Semrush's $117.33/month entry plan billed annually. Ubersuggest Enterprise costs $99/month for 15 projects, 5 users, and 300 tracked keywords per project, against 5 sites and 500 keywords on Semrush's SEO plan, and Ubersuggest Individual starts at $29/month. Every paid plan is also sold as a one-time lifetime license ($290, $490, or $990), and the free plan allows 3 searches a day, 1 project, and 25 tracked keywords with no time limit, where Semrush has no free plan. Each paid plan tracks brand visibility in ChatGPT and Gemini answers, and Enterprise adds Google AI Overview tracking. The dashboard ranks quick wins by impact and effort, the learning curve is rated low against Semrush's steep, and Ubersuggest holds 4.1/5 from 578 Trustpilot reviews. Semrush is still the better choice for agencies and for anyone who needs trustworthy data at scale: Ubersuggest's metrics are third-party estimates that Trustpilot reviewers say do not always match live Google results, its 2.2 billion-plus keyword database is a fraction of Semrush's 28 billion, and it has no public API, white-label reports, or SSO. Lifetime purchases are non-refundable and come with a smaller AI-visibility allowance.

Compared to Semrush: 15 projects and 5 users for $99/month against 5 sites on Semrush's $117.33/month SEO plan, a free plan with no time limit and lifetime licenses from $290, third-party estimated data with a 2.2 billion-plus keyword database and no public API or white-label reports

Pricing: Free tier · paid from $29/mo — $29/month for Ubersuggest Individual and $99/month for Enterprise (15 projects) vs $117.33/month billed annually for Semrush SEO (5 sites) (verified October 23, 2026)

Mangools is the best Semrush alternative for solo SEOs, freelancers, and small marketing teams who need keyword research, rank tracking, and backlink checks but not Semrush's separate SEO, Content, Local, Advertising, Social, and AI PR toolkits. One Mangools subscription covers five tools under one login: KWFinder, SERPChecker, SERPWatcher, LinkMiner, and SiteProfiler. Mangools positions itself against Semrush with a simpler interface at a lower price point, its learning curve is rated low against Semrush's steep, and paid plans carry a 48-hour money-back guarantee. Semrush has no free plan, while Mangools publishes free standalone tools, including a SERP Simulator, Share of Search, an AI Search Grader, and a Reddit Threads Finder. Semrush is still the better choice for competitive research, audits, and AI tracking. Mangools' keyword and backlink databases are smaller than Semrush's 28 billion keywords and 43 trillion backlinks, so KWFinder and LinkMiner surface fewer opportunities in competitive niches. Mangools has no technical site-audit crawler where Semrush includes Site Audit on its $117.33/month SEO plan, daily rank updates need the top Agency plan, and Mangools shows its Basic, Premium, and Agency prices only inside an interactive widget, so they cannot be checked against Semrush's published $117.33 to $455.67/month range.

Compared to Semrush: five focused tools with a low learning curve against Semrush's steep one, free standalone tools and a 48-hour money-back guarantee where Semrush has no free plan, no site-audit crawler and smaller keyword and backlink databases

Pricing: Custom pricing

SEOWebChecker is the best Semrush alternative for site owners and freelancers who mostly need on-page audits and modest rank tracking, not a full marketing suite. Its free audit runs 50+ checks across 25 categories without a login, marks each Pass, Warning, or Fail with a recommended fix, and exports a PDF report. Premium costs $29/month and covers audits for 100 sites, unlimited AI keyword research, 10 competitors, backlink monitoring, and rank tracking for 500 keywords, the same keyword allowance as Semrush's $117.33/month SEO plan, which covers 5 sites. A free account adds 5 site audits and 50 keywords, Premium has a 7-day free trial, and the learning curve is rated low against Semrush's steep. Semrush is still the better choice for anything beyond audits and basic tracking. SEOWebChecker does not disclose where its keyword-volume, ranking, and backlink data come from, while Semrush reports 28 billion keywords and 43 trillion backlinks across 142 geo databases. The free SEOWebChecker audit scores one submitted page rather than crawling a whole site, AI-answer tracking is not part of its listing, and API access and white-label reports sit in a custom-priced Enterprise plan, while Semrush includes API data integration on its $455.67/month Advanced plan.

Compared to Semrush: a free 50-check page audit with PDF export and no login, 500 tracked keywords and audits for 100 sites for $29/month against 500 keywords and 5 sites on Semrush's $117.33/month SEO plan, undisclosed data sources and no AI-answer tracking

Pricing: Free tier · paid from $29/mo — $29/month for SEOWebChecker Premium (100 sites, 500 keywords) vs $117.33/month billed annually for Semrush SEO (5 sites, 500 keywords) (verified October 23, 2026)

FlexQueries is the best Semrush alternative for freelancers and small teams that run keyword, backlink, and audit work in bursts and do not want to pay Semrush's $117.33/month (billed annually) in quiet months. FlexQueries charges per action from a prepaid balance: $0.15 for a 225-row keyword report, $0.20 for a backlink overview with a year of history, about $1.30 for a 500-page audit, and about $0.85 per AI-visibility run across ChatGPT and Google AI answers. Credits start at $5 and never expire, there is no seat fee where Semrush charges from $45/month per extra user, and every feature is open to every account, including App Store, Google Play, and Amazon keyword research. A REST API and MCP server run the same research at the same prices, where Semrush lists API data integration on its $455.67/month Advanced plan. Semrush is still the better choice for steady daily use and for breadth: FlexQueries' own comparison says Semrush and Ahrefs offer broader suites, heavy users can pay more than a flat plan, prompt responses and competitor lookups cost extra beyond the published example prices, and scheduled rank tracking stops at a zero balance unless automatic reload is on. FlexQueries also has no white-label reports, which Semrush sells as an add-on.

Compared to Semrush: per-action pricing from a $5 prepaid balance with no monthly or seat fee, API and MCP access at the same per-action prices against Semrush's $455.67/month Advanced plan, a narrower suite than Semrush by FlexQueries' own comparison with no white-label reports

Pricing: From $5 one-time — $0.15 per keyword report and about $1.30 per 500-page audit from a $5 minimum top-up vs $117.33/month billed annually for Semrush SEO (verified November 1, 2026)