Best Semrush Alternatives
Semrush retired its $139.95 Pro plan, so the cheapest way in is now $199/mo — which sends a lot of people looking. The good news is that you rarely need everything Semrush does. Ahrefs Starter costs $29 and has the better backlink index; Mangools and Moz are far friendlier to learn; SpyFu is unbeatable on competitor ad history; and Screaming Frog crawls your site for free. Below, the best Semrush alternatives ranked, with what each one is actually for.
We compared 9 Semrush alternatives. SE Ranking is the top pick at 4.8/5 (from $129/mo). 1 has a free plan. 8 cost less than Semrush's $199/mo. 6 rate higher than Semrush itself (4.5/5).
Why look for a Semrush alternative?
Semrush rates 4.5/5 and is genuinely strong at huge feature set — most people switch because of a specific trade-off:
- •Expensive
- •Capped results on lower tiers
Semrush alternatives compared
| Tool | Starts at | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush (the original) | $199/mo | 4.5/5 | Marketers & agencies |
| SE Ranking | $129/mo | 4.8/5 | SEO agencies |
| Mangools | $61/mo | 4.7/5 | Freelancers & small teams |
| Screaming Frog | Free | 4.7/5 | Technical SEOs |
| Ahrefs | $29/mo | 4.6/5 | SEO professionals |
| Serpstat | $50/mo | 4.6/5 | Growing agencies |
| SpyFu | $39/mo | 4.6/5 | PPC marketers |
| Similarweb | Custom | 4.5/5 | Enterprise analysts |
| Moz Pro | $49/mo | 4.3/5 | SMBs & in-house marketers |
| Ubersuggest | $12/mo | 4.2/5 | Solo founders & bloggers |
The best Semrush alternatives, ranked
Agency-grade SEO platform with white-label reporting
Why switch: Best-rated in category. Best for SEO agencies.
The friendliest keyword research UX in SEO
Why switch: Superb, uncluttered UX. Best for Freelancers & small teams.
The industry-standard technical SEO crawler
Why switch: Deepest technical crawl available. Best for Technical SEOs.
SEO toolset with the best backlink index
Why switch: Best backlink data. Best for SEO professionals.
Broad SEO and PPC suite at mid-market pricing
Why switch: Wide feature coverage for the price. Best for Growing agencies.
Competitor PPC and SEO espionage
Why switch: Unmatched historical ad data. Best for PPC marketers.
Enterprise market and traffic intelligence
Why switch: Unrivalled traffic estimates. Best for Enterprise analysts.
Veteran SEO suite built around Domain Authority
Why switch: Excellent learning resources. Best for SMBs & in-house marketers.
Budget SEO built for beginners
Why switch: Cheapest paid entry point. Best for Solo founders & bloggers.
Pick by priority
Best rated → SE Ranking
4.8/5 across 1,432 reviews. Best-rated in category.
Free option → Screaming Frog
Has a genuine free plan — the cheapest way to test a switch.
Closest fit → SE Ranking
Our top overall pick for people leaving Semrush. Suits SEO agencies.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Semrush?+
SE Ranking is our top-ranked Semrush alternative, rated 4.8/5 and starting at $129/mo. Best-rated in category is its standout strength, and it suits SEO agencies.
Are there free alternatives to Semrush?+
Yes — Screaming Frog offers a free plan. Paid tiers unlock more, but the free tier is enough to test the fit.
What is a cheaper alternative to Semrush?+
8 of these start below Semrush's $199/mo: SE Ranking ($129/mo), Mangools ($61/mo), Screaming Frog (Free), Ahrefs ($29/mo), Serpstat ($50/mo), SpyFu ($39/mo), Moz Pro ($49/mo), Ubersuggest ($12/mo).
Why do people look for Semrush alternatives?+
The most common reasons are: expensive, capped results on lower tiers. Semrush still rates 4.5/5, so the right move depends on which trade-off matters to you.
Which Semrush alternative is rated highest?+
SE Ranking at 4.8/5, versus 4.5/5 for Semrush.