Best Semrush Alternatives & Competitors for 2023 [Compared]

Top Semrush Alternatives and Competitors Worth Their Weight in Gold

Today we’re putting Semrush alternatives and competitors to the test.

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Before you make a decision about whether Semrush is the right SEO tool for your business, take a look at what features the competitors are offering.

1. SE Ranking

SE Ranking is an all-in-one SEO software that is a go-to solution for SEO agencies and small and medium businesses thanks to its versatile toolset, powerful data insights, and scalable pricing plans. 800,000 users worldwide choose SE Ranking for streamlining their SEO strategy and automating their SEO routine.

SE Ranking tools power up every aspect of search engine optimization: keyword and competitive research, tech audits, on-page optimization, content creation, backlink analysis and monitoring, local marketing, and more.

SE Ranking keyword databases cover the whole world and comprise 4.2 billion keywords. They developed unique AI-powered algorithms to provide more accurate keyword search volume and difficulty data. Also, SE Ranking claims it provides 100% accurate daily ranking updates.

SEO agencies appreciate SE Ranking for extra user seats included in standard subscription plans, Looker Studio integration, and unlimited automated SEO reporting (available with the dedicated Agency Pack add-on).

Price: SE Ranking uses a flexible pricing model based on the amount of data you need and the duration of your subscription. Every subscription plan is available in multiple variations so that you can gradually scale your subscription as your business needs grow. Plans start at $39.20/month and steadily increase up to $903.2/month.

Best for: Businesses and SEO agencies looking for a reliable yet budget-friendly SEO platform to cover all their SEO needs.

SE Ranking Dashboard - Semrush alternatives and competitors

SE Ranking vs. Semrush

See how SE Ranking compares with Semrush here.

Pros	Cons
Covers the whole cycle of content creation from keyword research through content generation with the help of an AI-powered content module to content performance tracking (accurate rankings + GA integration for behavioral metrics).	SE Ranking lacks some of Semrush’s advanced features such as the Share of Voice metric or Market Explorer module.
Provides you with a 360 overview of any website: the amount of traffic it gets from SEO and PPC campaigns, keywords it ranks for, Domain Trust score, and a detailed backlink profile overview.	The content module doesn’t yet have a content calendar functionality.
Offers one of the best tools for in-depth website audit that detects crawling and indexing issues, page experience problems, duplicate content, broken links, and more. You can use ready-made tips to fix detected issues and compare crawls to monitor your progress.	Historical data for keyword and competitive research is only available up until February 2020.
Comes with the best Keyword Rank Tracker in the market, which is famous for its pinpoint accuracy and unparalleled flexibility thanks to advanced filtering, tagging, and grouping capabilities. You can view historical data and track competitors’ rankings at no extra cost.	The Agency Pack offering doesn’t include a CRM.
SE Ranking tools such as On-Page SEO Checker, SERP Analyzer, and Content Editor heavily rely on AI and NLP technologies to provide users with deeper SEO insights.	SEMrush offers a stronger social media management suite.

2. Serpstat

Serpstat is a budget-friendly SEO platform with a strong emphasis on their easy-to-use and in-depth keyword research tool for both your own site and competing domains.

Providing information on 180 million domains, it has a significantly smaller database compared to SEMrush which has data from 816 million domains. However, Serpstat's domain database is still large in its own right.

Clean visuals allow users to see metrics clearly presented with colour and number coding. With generous multi-user plans, this can be a great benefit if you have a larger SEO team.

Price: Monthly plans start at $69 and steadily go up to $499.

Using our promo codes: "growhackscale_access_5" - you get FREE access to Serpstat for 5 days and with "growhackscale_5" - you get a 5% additional discount for buying subscriptions starting from 3 months.

Best for: Businesses looking for a reasonably priced or free platform to focus on implementing a strong keyword strategy across their site.

Serpstat Dashboard - Semrush alternatives and competitors

Serpstat vs. Semrush

See how Serpstat compares with Semrush here.

Pros	Cons
Keyword variations feature offers you tested keyword variations that optimise your pages without chancing a keyword stuffing penalty.	No backlink monitoring.
Missing Keywords function showcases competing pages ranking in the top 10 for keywords you’re missing.	Doesn’t include social media tracking like SEMrush.
Find out which of the sites’ pages are most relevant to specific keywords.	No SEO writing tool which SEMrush does have.
The Batch Analysis tool allows you to compare up to 200 domains.	The keyword difficulty tool can be inaccurate.
Serpstat allows you to use all features with some limitations for free. SEMrush only offers a 7-day trial.	Keyword database is more limited than competitors’.

3. GrowthBar

GrowthBar is one of the top SEO tools for marketers and bloggers that was built for growth. Their mission is to make it 10x easier to get new customers.

It’s a delightful web app that makes it easier than ever to perform keyword research, competitive analysis, content generation with the click of a button and rank tracking.

They also offer a Chrome extension that surfaces SEO data on the fly as you browse the web.

The most impressive feature is their Content Generator tool. Enter any keyword and GrowthBar’s powerful AI will instantly create a content outline for you that will tell you exactly what to write so you can rank fast.

The tool is modern, fun to use and more affordable than most alternatives.‍

Price: GrowthBar is free to use for 5 days and then plans start at $29/mo.

Best for: It's a great option for modern marketers and bloggers looking for a budget-friendly SEO platform to perform keyword research, content generation, competitive analysis and rank tracking.

GrowthBar vs. Semrush

See how GrowthBar compares with Semrush here.

Pros	Cons
Simple and and easy to use dashboards that are easy and fun to use and more affordable than SEMrush.	Unlike SEMrush, GrowthBar doesn’t include metrics like trend, and SERP features.
AI-driven Content Generation tool creates SEO optimized content outlines with the click of a button.	It can take a few minutes to update rankings.
Rank tracker dashboard allows you to monitor SEO performance over time for particular keywords.	It can take 24 hours to hear back from their support team.
Spy on your competitors and see which keywords and marketing channels are working for them.	Provides less data options overall.
Offer a Chrome extension that is fantastic for surfacing critical SEO data on the fly.	Does not offer an on-page SEO checker.

4. WebCEO

WebCEO is an all-in-one SEO cloud based software. One of the oldest tools in the market; been in the market since 2001. One of its key features is its availability in over 20 languages including Greek, Hebrew, Ukrainian, Korean among many others, unlike other SEO tools that are mostly available in about 10 - 14 languages.

It boasts over 18 powerful tools grouped as

SEO Tools for Keyword Research & Rank Tracking
Online SEO Tools for Site Audit: Technical Audit tool, Sitemap Generation tool etc.
Online SEO Tools for Link Earning: Content Submission tool, Backlink Checker tool etc.
Traffic Analysis SEO Tools: Google Ads, Google Search Console
Social Media Analytics: Web Buzz Monitoring Tool, Social Engagement tool
SEO Tools for Competitor Metrics - WebCEO's Competitor Metrics Module

It also allows for Google Analytics integration which makes reporting much easier.

Price: Monthly plans start at $35 for a Solo Plan and go up to $299 for a Corporate Plan. If you pay annually, you get 3 months off across all their plans.

Best for: All businesses across the board, from small business to large corporates and agencies. Their tools work well for anyone and any business looking to upgrade their overall SEO strategy.

WebCEO vs. Semrush

See how WebCEO compares with Semrush here.

Pros	Cons
Allows unlimited additional user logins at no extra cost.	No audience targeting feature - SEMrush has one.
Offers white-label on your own domain SEO tools with no mention of WebCEO.	No webinar training available.
Provides Majestic backlink data for free.	User interface could use some work: contains many features, some users might find it confusing at first.
Allows multi-targeting in Rank Tracker with any plan.	No freemium option.
Keyword database is updated with each user query.	Not the most intuitive tool for beginners; assumes that you already know how to use the information it’s providing.

5. SEO PowerSuite

SEO PowerSuite is a desktop-based all in one toolkit that’s used by over 5 million SEO specialists and site managers.

Made up of 4 different tools, it’s great for diving deep into technical SEO data and for performing in-depth SEO audits to push your future strategy. Its superior analytical tools are excellent for assessing what your competitors are doing right.

Price: $299/year for the Professional Plan. $699/year for the enterprise plan.

There’s also a free option that includes all tools, however, copying or exporting data isn’t enabled for free users.

Best for: Agencies and professionals looking to track their competitors’ statistics and rankings to strengthen their own SEO strategy.

SEO Powersuite - Semrush alternatives and competitors

SEO PowerSuite vs. Semrush

See how SEO PowerSuite compares with Semrush here.

Pros	Cons
Track your ranking for keywords on 450+ global and local search engines on both mobile and desktop.	Each user must purchase a full-price license to use the platform.
Access a link assistant application that searches for link building prospects for your site in the form of comments, guest posts, product reviews etc.	Using a desktop-based platform requires a huge download and lots of computing power.
Automate key SEO tasks like rank tracking, backlink checks and website audits.	Unlike SEMrush, SEO PowerSuite is a set of tools instead of an integrated platform making it a little more complex for some users.
Compare up to 40 competitors against your site.	Application updates mean frequently having to download new software.
Adapt to key search engine algorithm changes with automatic platform updates.	No PPC software unlike SEMrush.

6. Ahrefs

It probably won’t come as a surprise that Ahrefs is one of the top contenders when it comes to SEO tools. The closest competitor to SEMrush, it offers comparable features with a few added bonuses.

Ahrefs boasts excellent internet-wide and site-specific crawling capabilities as well as robust features like keyword management and competitive analysis. Although it’s interface can seem confusing it’s an authoritative option for professional marketers.

Price: Lite plans for 1 user start at $99/month, plans steadily increase depending on the number of users and projects with a full-blown agency plan costing $999/month. Yearly plans come with discounts.

Best for: Ahrefs is probably best for agencies who're looking to track keyword movements across multiple client accounts/projects.

Ahrefs homepage - Semrush competitors and alternatives

Ahrefs vs. Semrush

See how Ahrefs compares with Semrush here.

Pros	Cons
Uncover all the keywords your competitors are ranking for and analyse their top-ranking web pages.	Ahrefs doesn’t include keyword metrics like trend, competitive density, and SERP features which SEMrush does have.
Essential SEO data including keywords, value and traffic is presented in a clear, user-friendly dashboard.	Restrictions on the most basic plan limit the platform to one user and just five projects unless you pay extra.
Perform keyword research for 9 additional search engines including Amazon and YouTube.	No disavow tool. If your site receives bad backlinks, you’ll have to manually remove them by uploading them to Google Search Console's Disavow tool.
View how many backlinks your site will need to rank for a specific keyword.	The web traffic stats aren’t as accurate as other platforms - Ahrefs’ web traffic stats are usually 4-5x lower than those reported in Google Analytics and Google Search Console.
Use the SEO add-on for Chrome and Firefox web browsers. This tool shows metrics such as; backlinks profile, PPC cost and search volume for all search engine results.	No integration with Google Analytics, which is a negative if you like to use GA for SEO reporting.

7. Moz Pro

Another big name in the SEO world, you might have come across Moz already through their leading digital marketing blog.

Moz Pro is a solid all-rounder SEO platform that combines the best of keyword research, competitive analysis and content marketing. Easy to navigate, Moz’s clear layout makes it a practical and user-friendly option.

Price: $99/month for their standard plan with other plans ranging in price up until premium costing $599/month. Annual plans offer discounts. Many of Moz Pro’s features are accessible with limitations for free.

Best for: Moz Pro is best for small businesses looking to improve their SEO strategy by using powerful free tools and don’t need the in-depth data that other platforms provide. Moz Pro is good for anyone new to SEO that wants access to extensive help resources.

Moz homepage - Semrush alternatives and competitors

Moz vs. Semrush

See how Moz compares with Semrush here.

Pros	Cons
Essential SEO tools like Keyword Explorer and backlink research are available for free.	Creation of reports and data is slower than SEMrush and Ahrefs.
Access MozBar, a Google Chrome Extension offering a look into your site’s Page Authority and Domain Authority.	Paid additional features offered in the pro plans are not as powerful as SEMrush.
View a user-friendly interface that is arguably better presented than Ahrefs and SEMrush.	Fewer tools related to technical aspects like site speed.
Track your link profile and uncover new link building opportunities with Open Site Explorer.	Limited backlinks database.
Receive weekly crawl updates including data on 404s, duplicate content and missing meta data.	Weaker competitor analysis tool than other platforms.

8. SpyFu

Just like the name suggests, SpyFu focuses on spying on your competitors’ sites. While SEMrush offers similar metrics, SpyFu has more comprehensive and diverse competitor analytics. Cleanly presented, don't let the simple user interface fool you - SpyFu tracks 80 million domains and 5 billion results.

Uncover the competition’s secret SEO and PPC tactics and get a competitive edge with your own strategy.

Price: The lowest-priced monthly plan is $39. A professional monthly plan is $78 and the top tier team monthly plan is $299.

Best for: Agencies looking to truly understand their competitors overall SEO strategy and how they can use this knowledge to improve their own and gain an advantage over other sites.

SpyFu dashboard - Semrush alternatives and competitors

SpyFu vs. Semrush

See how SpyFu compares with Semrush here.

Pros	Cons
Receive an in-depth breakdown of your competitor’s traffic sources, their top ranking keywords, their Google Ads spending and backlinks.	Less focus on analysing your own domain.
Search results are unlimited on higher price plans, most platforms including SEMrush are limited.	Doesn’t have a traffic analysis tool, SEMrush does.
View 20 years of competitor data, compared to SEMrush’s database that goes back to 2012.	Keyword research tool doesn’t include such advanced filtering or as many suggestions as SEMrush.
Easy to use with a simple intuitive interface.	Ad spend is just an estimate.
Access resources to help you best harness the platform.	Hard to tell which geo-locations the rankings are coming from.

9. CognitiveSEO

Focused on site crawling, CognitiveSEO will go through your whole site and uncover weak points where you can improve your SEO strategy.

Using SEO auditing algorithms, CognitiveSEO picks out the finer points of SEO across your site including checking backlinks and keyword strategy to ensure that your strategy is coherent and fully optimized.

Price: Starting at $129.99 monthly with custom made plans for larger businesses and agencies.

Cognitive SEO - Semrush competitors and alternatives

CognitiveSEO vs. Semrush

Pros	Cons
Identify the current SEO challenges your site faces including duplicate content, sitemap problems and sluggish response times.	User interface looks out of date and can be difficult to navigate.
Access a targeted keyword analysis.	The rank tracking tool doesn’t compare multiple sites.
Find out which keywords and phrases you need to achieve a top rank in the SERPs.	Short competitor analysis with the free plan.
Use the backlink analysis tool to find out where you’re getting your backlinks.	Slow online support response time.
Schedule customisable detailed reports to be sent out on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.	No content gap analysis.

Best for: Agencies who want to view a detailed SEO audit of their sites before implementing new strategies.

10. Monitor Backlinks

Monitor Backlinks manages, monitors and tracks every backlink that points to your site. The platform gives you all the advanced information you need for conducting research surrounding your backlinks as well as how to create better backlinks.

The platform automatically tracks backlinks for you and provides extensive information on each link, helping you understand who is linking to you and in what ways.

Price: Monthly prices start at $25 with plans going up to $188.

Monitor Backlinks homepage - Semrush competitors and alternatives

Monitor Backlinks vs. Semrush

Pros	Cons
Fight against bad backlinks that might be damaging your SERP rankings with the unique disavow tool.	Limited to only monitoring 4 other websites, even with the more advanced plan.
Notifies you when your competitors receive new backlinks so you can discover new link building opportunities.	Less focus on keyword comparison with no research tool.
Tracks your most important keywords and compares your rankings to your competitors.	Interface design and overall UX are weaker.
Sources new backlink opportunities.	More focused on personal backlink tracking instead of competitor backlink analysis.
Near-instant notifications of new backlinks pointing to your site.	Filtering data by time is limited to only a few options like last month, three months and one year.

Best for: Agencies looking for in-depth analysis of their sites’ backlinks and how they can improve their backlinks based on real data.

11. Majestic

One of the first SEO platforms out there, Majestic is still one of the most powerful tools online, specialising in comprehensive link analysis.

Majestic provides reliable and up to date information, and has a huge link database at users’ disposal for drilling down on the finer SEO details. One of its key advantages is the ability to explore a domain or URL in depth with the unique site explorer tool.

Price: A lite monthly plan is $49.99, a pro monthly plan is $99.99 and a top API monthly plan is $399.99.

Best for: Marketers looking to closely compare their sites’ backlinks to their competitors to gain the competitive advantage.

Majestic SEO homepage - Semrush alternatives and competitors

Majestic vs. Semrush

See how Majestic SEO compares with Semrush here.

Pros	Cons
The unique Clique Hunter feature lets you know sites that link to your competitors but not you.	Traffic analysis tool doesn’t match SEMrush.
View the full profile of a backlink to help improve your site’s link building.	Rank tracker is not 100% accurate.
Create custom reports.	Backlink history sometimes misses links.
Majestic has its own metrics trust and citation flow which examine sites with a similar link profile as well as scoring the number and quality of links. SEMrush doesn’t have an exact equivalent.	Keyword research tools are weaker than SEMrush which has broader insights into which keywords are richer.
One of the largest databases of backlinks, bigger than SEMrush.	Data is often presented in hard to interpret graphs.

12. UpCity’s SEO Report Card

UpCity SEO Report Card - Semrush Competitors Alternatives

UpCity’s free SEO Report Card analyses your site to see how it compares to its competitors.

For a free tool, it provides pretty in-depth data on where your website ranks on several search engines as well as the success of your keyword strategy. The platform also provides trust metrics and website accessibility intel helping you assess key data like your site’s level of authority and load time.

Price: Free

UpCity SEO Report Card vs. Semrush

Pros	Cons
Uncover how many of your site pages have been indexed.	Fewer advanced competitive analysis features.
Find out how accessible your site is based on load time and ease of accessibility for crawlers.	Too much focus on the usage and ranking of a keyword on the specific page.
Trust metrics detail the level of trust and authority your site is considered to have.	Limited additional analysis is added to the SEO results.
Analyse how your site ranks on Google, Yahoo! and Bing.	Tools lack the depth of competitors.
See how successful the implementation of your main keyword has been across the site.	The platform focuses on converting users to clients of their inbound marketing service.

Best for: Small businesses looking for simple and easy to understand metrics to assess the success of their current SEO strategy.

Final thoughts on Semrush Competitors and Alternatives

Semrush is often considered the gold standard of powerful SEO platforms. However, if you’re just starting out in SEO, the cost can be prohibitive and the huge quantity of features and tools can be overwhelming.

Even if you’re a seasoned SEO pro, it’s always good to check out the competition to see if there might be any new features you’re missing out on.

When making a final decision, try thinking about which features are a priority, how many sites you’ll be monitoring, your team size as well as your SEO budget.

Before you commit to a subscription, remember to take advantage of all the free features and trials. Once you’ve found a platform that works for your business, go for it but always keep an eye out for future alternatives.

Looking for a quick 'n' easy solution? Take our quiz today to find the Semrush alternative that's best for your business.

Best Semrush Alternatives & Competitors for 2023