Semrush alternatives: which SEO platform fits your team
The best Semrush alternatives depend on what you use Semrush for. Ahrefs is the usual pick when backlinks are the main focus, SE Ranking when you want rank tracking, audits and AI search tracking in one lower-priced plan, and Rankmetr when you need Google rankings and AI answers in one project, with a team that can do the work for you.
Why people look for a Semrush alternative
Semrush is one of the most complete SEO platforms on the market, which is also the main reason teams look elsewhere. Common reasons:
- Pricing. Full access to keyword research, rank tracking, site audit and AI visibility usually means a paid plan plus a separate toolkit.
- Features you do not use. Small teams often need rank tracking, keyword research and a site audit, not the whole suite of competitive analysis and content tools.
- Local tracking. Some teams need positions by city and device for several markets and want that to be the center of the tool, not one report among many.
- AI search. Visibility in ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Overviews is now a separate question, and teams want it next to their keyword rankings and traffic data instead of in another product.
Semrush vs Ahrefs vs SE Ranking vs Rankmetr
Public pricing and features, monthly billing, as listed on each vendor's pricing page on October 27, 2026.
| Tool | Paid plans from | Free plan or trial | AI search tracking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush | $139/mo (SEO plan) | Free plan with 1 demo project; 7-day free trial | AI Visibility Toolkit, separate subscription at $99/mo |
| Ahrefs | $29/mo (Starter), $129/mo (Lite) | Ahrefs Free plan | Brand Radar add-on: custom prompts from $50/mo, AI Visibility Index from $199/mo |
| SE Ranking | $129/mo (Core) | 14-day free trial | Included from Core: 100 prompts daily across 5 AI models |
| Rankmetr | Not published (private beta) | Beta access on request | AI visibility monitoring in beta: ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode |
Sources: Semrush pricing, Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit, Ahrefs pricing, Ahrefs Brand Radar, SE Ranking pricing, checked October 27, 2026. Prices change; check the vendor's page before you buy.
The main Semrush alternatives in brief
Ahrefs
Known for excellent backlink data and its site explorer. A strong choice if link analysis and competitor research matter most. A free plan is available with data on your own site.
SE Ranking
Rank tracking, site audit, keyword research and AI search tracking in one plan at a lower starting price, with a 14-day free trial.
Moz Pro
The company behind the Domain Authority score. Useful if your team already reports on Moz metrics and wants keyword and link tools around them.
Ubersuggest
A budget keyword and site audit tool aimed at beginners and small businesses that need the basics.
Rankmetr
Rank tracking, keyword research and clustering, technical audit, links and AI visibility in one project, plus done-for-you SEO and GEO. In private beta.
What SEO features do you actually need?
Before you compare plans and cost per month, list what your team opens every week. For most teams it is a short list:
- Keyword research tool: search volume, keyword difficulty and ideas from competitors, ideally grouped by SERP so you know which page targets which group.
- Rank tracking: keyword rankings by country, city and device, with daily or weekly updates and alerts when traffic pages drop.
- Site audit: a crawl that finds technical SEO issues and re-checks them after fixes.
- Backlink analysis: your backlink profile, new and lost links, and competitor donors.
- Content support: briefs and checks that help your content match search results.
- Reporting: reports a manager or client can read without learning the interface.
- AI search: whether AI answers mention your brand, now part of most SEO strategy discussions.
Free plans are usually limited to one project or a few checks per day, which is enough to learn a tool but not for managing several sites.
Which Semrush alternative is best for you
Choose Ahrefs if backlinks and competitor link analysis drive your SEO work and you are fine with add-ons for AI search.
Choose SE Ranking if you want an affordable all-in-one SEO tool with rank tracking, audits and AI search tracking included in the starting plan.
Choose a free Semrush alternative (Google Search Console, the free plans of Semrush and Ahrefs, free checkers) if you only need occasional checks of your own site. Free tools rarely cover daily rank tracking or competitor data.
Choose Rankmetr if you need Google rankings by city and device and visibility in ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Overviews in one report, with tasks at the end of each report, and the option to hand the work to our team. We work with English and Russian-speaking markets, with Georgian support planned.
Stay with Semrush if your team uses its full set of content, competitive research and advertising tools every day. Switching only makes sense if you pay for features you do not use.
Where we are not the right choice yet
- Private beta: access is given on request and prices are not published yet.
- No own web index: we do not run our own database of billions of keywords and backlinks like Semrush and Ahrefs; data is collected per project.
- Fewer AI models: we track ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode; some AI trackers already cover Claude, Copilot and more.
- Agency features: agency mode with client links is coming soon.
- No Yandex: we work with Google and AI assistants only.
How to switch from Semrush without losing data
- 01
Export your keywords
Export tracked keywords, projects and competitor lists from Semrush before the subscription ends.
- 02
Recreate projects
Add the same keywords, locations and devices in the new tool and run tracking in parallel for a few weeks.
- 03
Compare and switch
Check that positions match within a reasonable range, then move your reports.
FAQ
What is the cheapest Semrush alternative?
Among the tools in our table, Ahrefs Starter has the lowest listed paid price. Free options include Google Search Console and the free plans of Semrush and Ahrefs.
Can I get Semrush features for free?
Partly. The Semrush free plan gives one demo project, and Google Search Console shows your own keywords and clicks. Daily rank tracking and competitor data need a paid plan.
Is Ahrefs better than Semrush?
Neither is better for everyone. Ahrefs is often chosen for backlink analysis, Semrush for its wider set of marketing tools. Compare them on the features you use every week.
Which Semrush alternatives track AI search?
As of October 27, 2026, SE Ranking includes AI search tracking in its plans, Ahrefs sells Brand Radar as an add-on, Semrush sells the AI Visibility Toolkit separately, and Rankmetr has AI visibility monitoring in beta.
How long does it take to migrate from Semrush to another tool?
Usually a few days to set up projects, plus a few weeks of parallel tracking to make sure positions and reports match.
Related
Try Rankmetr in the beta
Tell us which Semrush features you actually use, and we will tell you honestly whether Rankmetr covers them.
Sources: Semrush pricing (2026-10-27), Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit (2026-10-27), Ahrefs pricing (2026-10-27), Ahrefs Brand Radar (2026-10-27), SE Ranking pricing (2026-10-27)