Best Semrush Alternatives Shortlist
Here’s my shortlist of the best Semrush alternatives:
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
As a marketing specialist, you want to boost your online presence and stay ahead of the competition, and while Semrush is a valuable digital marketing tool, it may not fit your team’s needs.
Therefore, you might be looking for an alternative solution—except with so many tools on the market, it can be challenging to know where to start.
To help you in your search, I've used my industry experience to independently test and review a range of digital marketing tools. In this article, I'll share my top picks for the best Semrush alternatives. I’m confident you’ll find your next solution in the list below.
What Is Semrush?
Semrush is a digital marketing tool that helps you with search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, and competitive research. It's commonly used by marketing professionals, SEO specialists, and digital agencies to enhance online visibility and site ranking, while also tracking overall performance.
The software offers key features, such as keyword research, site audits, and competitor analysis, to help you understand your market and improve your online strategy. Overall, Semrush provides valuable insights to boost your team's marketing efforts.
Why Look for a Semrush Alternative?
While Semrush is a strong solution, there are a number of reasons why some users seek out alternative tools. You might be looking for a Semrush alternative because…
- It exceeds your budget limits
- You need features tailored for local SEO
- Your team requires easier-to-use software
- You want better customer support availability
- It lacks specific industry-focused tools
- You need more flexible pricing plans
If any of these sound like you, you’ve come to the right place. My list contains several digital marketing tool options that are better suited for teams facing these challenges and seeking an alternative.
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Best Semrush Alternatives Summary
This comparison chart summarizes pricing details for my top Semrush alternatives to help you find the best one for your budget and business needs.
Tools | Price | |
---|---|---|
Ahrefs | From $129/month | Website |
Serpstat | From $55/month (billed annually) | Website |
SEO PowerSuite | From $299/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
SpyFu | From $33/month (billed annually) | Website |
BrightLocal | From $35/month | Website |
Moz Pro | From $99/user/month | Website |
SimilarWeb | From $125/month (billed annually) | Website |
BrightEdge | Pricing upon request | Website |
Raven Tools | From $39/month (billed annually) | Website |
CognitiveSEO | From $89/month (billed annually) | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareBest Semrush Alternatives Reviews
Below are my detailed summaries of the best Semrush alternatives that made it onto my shortlist. My reviews offer an in-depth look at the key features, pros & cons, integrations, and ideal use cases of each tool to help you find the best one for you.
Ahrefs is an all-in-one SEO and marketing intelligence platform designed for digital marketers and SEO agencies. It's widely used to enhance effectiveness in SEO practices and improve organic traffic.
Why it's a good Semrush alternative: Ahrefs offers user-friendly SEO features, making it accessible for marketers seeking simplicity and efficiency. With tools like Site Explorer and Keywords Explorer, you can easily analyze your competitors and find keyword ideas and opportunities. Its position history feature also helps you track rankings over time and improve your online visibility with ease.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include keyword research, backlink analysis, and content explorer, which help you find link-building opportunities. Additional features, such as Rank Tracker and Site Audit allow your team to monitor search rankings, track performance, and identify technical issues on your site.
Integrations include Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Data Studio, Ahrefs API, and Slack.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Extensive keyword data
- Reliable backlink analysis
- Comprehensive site audit
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- No mobile app
Serpstat is a growth hacking tool for SEO, PPC, and content marketing professionals. It provides a range of features to help users improve search rankings and online visibility.
Why it's a good Semrush alternative: Serpstat offers growth hacking capabilities, making it suitable for teams focused on rapid SEO improvements. Its keyword research tool provides valuable insights into search trends and opportunities. The site audit feature also helps identify and fix website issues that may affect performance, while the rank tracking tool ensures you keep tabs on your keyword positions, supporting fast and effective on-page SEO strategies.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include competitor research, which gives you an edge by analyzing your rivals' strategies, a backlink analysis tool to help you discover link-building opportunities, and a content marketing tool that offers suggestions for improving your site's content effectiveness.
Integrations include Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Facebook, Twitter, Trello, and Slack.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Strong competitor analysis
- Suitable for rapid growth strategies
- Insightful content marketing tools
Cons:
- Limited advanced features
- May be complex for beginners
SEO PowerSuite is an SEO software suite used by digital marketers and SEO professionals. It provides advanced tools for keyword research, link building, and rank tracking.
Why it's a good Semrush alternative: SEO PowerSuite offers unlimited rank tracking, making it suitable for teams needing extensive monitoring capabilities. The software’s Rank Tracker feature allows you to track unlimited keywords across search engines, while its SpyGlass tool provides in-depth backlink analysis. Additionally, SEO PowerSuite provides a Website Auditor feature that helps identify on-page issues, giving your team the flexibility to manage large-scale SEO campaigns effectively and efficiently.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include the link-assistant tool, which helps you manage and build quality backlinks, a keyword research module that provides insights into search volume and competition, and a task scheduler to automate repetitive SEO tasks, saving your team time.
Integrations include Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Google Ads, Google Data Studio, Google Sheets, and Bing Webmaster Tools.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Unlimited keyword tracking
- Insightful backlink analysis
- Extensive site auditing
Cons:
- Can be resource-intensive
- Limited support documentation
SpyFu is an online competitive intelligence tool primarily used by digital marketers and SEO professionals. It excels in helping users gain insights into competitors' online marketing strategies and keyword usage.
Why it's a good Semrush alternative: SpyFu offers detailed competitor keyword research, making it ideal for teams focused on understanding rival strategies. It offers key features like keyword analysis and ad history which allow you to see what your competitors are bidding on and how they've performed over time. The tool's PPC research capabilities also help track competitors' ad spend and performance.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include backlink tracking, domain authority comparison to help you evaluate multiple competitors at once, and keyword ranking tracking to monitor your performance over time.
Integrations include Google Ads, Google Analytics, Google Data Studio, HubSpot, and Semrush API.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- In-depth competitor insights
- Historical ad data
- Detailed PPC analysis
Cons:
- Limited data for smaller sites
- Lacks advanced SEO features
BrightLocal is a local SEO tool designed for businesses and agencies looking to improve their online presence. It helps users with tasks like tracking local search rankings and managing online reviews.
Why it's a good Semrush alternative: BrightLocal excels in local SEO management, making it ideal for businesses wanting to improve their local search visibility. It offers features like local rank tracking, which lets you see how your business ranks in specific areas. The review management tool also helps you gather and manage customer feedback effectively.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include citation tracking, allowing your team to see where your business is listed online, a local search audit feature that provides insights into your local search performance, and a Google My Business audit tool to help you optimize your profile for better visibility.
Integrations include Google Analytics, Google My Business, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Effective review management
- Comprehensive citation tracking
- Detailed local audits
Cons:
- Limited to local SEO
- Can be complex for new users
Moz Pro is an SEO software suite designed for marketing professionals and SEO specialists. It assists users in improving their SERP visibility and tracking site performance.
Why it's a good Semrush alternative: Moz Pro offers AI-powered SEO insights, making it valuable for teams looking to optimize their search strategies. The tool provides an intuitive keyword explorer, helping you find high-impact keywords for your campaigns. Its site crawl feature also identifies and fixes issues affecting your site's visibility. Together, these AI-driven insights successfully enable your team to make informed marketing decisions with ease.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include rank tracking, a link explorer feature, and page optimization guidance that provides actionable advice to improve your content's SEO performance.
Integrations include Google Analytics, Google Data Studio, HubSpot, Semrush API, and WordPress.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Strong keyword research tools
- Effective site audit functionalities
- Detailed backlink analysis
Cons:
- Limited mobile support
- Requires SEO knowledge
Similarweb is a web analytics tool designed for businesses and agencies to analyze market trends, track competitors, and evaluate online performance. It serves organizations looking to make informed decisions based on data-driven insights.
Why it's a good Semrush alternative: Similarweb offers in-depth traffic data and market intelligence to help you understand industry performance. You can evaluate competitors' strengths and weaknesses using features like audience segmentation and traffic share breakdowns. You’ll also find its intuitive analytics tools helpful for crafting informed marketing and growth strategies. Overall, its ability to provide insights across industries makes it versatile for diverse business needs.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include keyword gap analysis to discover untapped opportunities, audience behavior tracking to refine targeting strategies, and geographic breakdowns of traffic to understand regional performance better.
Integrations include Google Analytics, Salesforce, Marketo, HubSpot, Adobe Analytics, Tableau, Slack, Trello, Google Data Studio, and Microsoft Power BI.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Detailed traffic data across industries
- Flexible for various business sizes
- Real-time competitor insights
Cons:
- Can feel overwhelming for beginners
- Limited advanced features
BrightEdge is an enterprise SEO platform used by large-scale businesses and digital marketing agencies. It helps users optimize their search engine strategies and measure content performance.
Why it's a good Semrush alternative: BrightEdge offers enterprise SEO solutions, making it suitable for large organizations needing advanced capabilities. The platform's Data Cube provides extensive keyword suggestions and content insights, while its StoryBuilder feature helps you visualize SEO data for better decision-making. Additionally, its recommendations engine offers tailored suggestions for optimizing content, helping teams meet the complex needs of enterprise-level SEO campaigns.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include contentIQ, which audits your site for technical issues and optimization opportunities, the Intent Signal feature to help you understand user behavior and search intent, and the Share of Voice tool to measure your brand's visibility against competitors.
Integrations include Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Google Search Console, Adobe Experience Manager, and Oracle Eloqua.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Strong data visualization tools
- Tailored SEO recommendations
- Advanced analytics capabilities
Cons:
- Can be complex to implement
- Limited flexibility for custom needs
Raven Tools is a digital marketing platform aimed at marketing agencies and professionals. It offers tools for SEO, social media, and PPC campaign management and reporting.
Why it's a good Semrush alternative: Raven Tools excels in customizable reporting, offering flexibility for agencies that need to tailor reports to client needs. Its drag-and-drop report builder allows you to create detailed and branded reports. The platform’s SEO audit tool also identifies site issues affecting performance, while its keyword research tool helps you discover opportunities for better ranking.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include social media management, which lets you schedule and track posts across platforms, a backlink explorer tool that provides insights into link-building strategies, and competitor analysis to help you understand market dynamics and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Integrations include Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Twitter, YouTube, CallRail, and Mailchimp.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Flexible report customization
- Comprehensive SEO audits
- Effective keyword research
Cons:
- Can be complex to set up
- May be feature-heavy for small businesses
CognitiveSEO is a digital marketing toolkit designed for SEO experts and agencies focusing on detailed analysis and strategy improvement. It offers insights into keyword rankings, backlinks, and content performance to enhance search engine visibility.
Why it's a good Semrush alternative: CognitiveSEO provides advanced SEO analysis, which is ideal for teams looking for in-depth data and strategic insights. Its Site Explorer feature offers a detailed look at backlink profiles, helping you understand link-building opportunities, while the keyword tool provides advanced keyword difficulty analysis, ensuring you target the right audience. These features, combined with its content visibility helps to enhance your content's impact by analyzing its overall search performance.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include rank tracking, which allows you to monitor keyword positions over time, a content website audit tool that evaluates your website's content quality and relevance, and a penalty recovery tool to help identify and recover from Google penalties.
Integrations include Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Facebook, Twitter, and Bitly.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Detailed backlink analysis
- Effective penalty recovery tool
- Comprehensive keyword insights
Cons:
- Requires SEO expertise
- Can be data-heavy
Other Semrush Alternatives
Here are some additional Semrush alternatives that didn’t make it onto my shortlist, but are still worth checking out:
- Agency Analytics
For automated analytics
- WooRank
For digital agency solutions
- SE Ranking
For all-in-one SEO tools
- Conductor
For enterprise-level content marketing
- Mixpanel
For product analytics insights
- Surfer
For on-page optimization
- KeySearch
For budget-friendly keyword research
- Frase
For AI-driven content creation
- AlliAI
For automated search optimization
Related Reviews
If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for here, check out these other tools that we’ve tested and evaluated:
Semrush Alternatives Selection Criteria
When selecting the best Semrush alternatives to include in this list, I considered common buyer needs and pain points, like cost-effectiveness and feature comprehensiveness. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair:
Core Functionality (25% of total score)
To be considered for inclusion in this list, each solution had to fulfill these common use cases:
- Best keyword research
- Competitor analysis
- SEO site audit
- Backlink checker/tracking
- Rank tracking
Additional Standout Features (25% of total score)
To help further narrow down the competition, I also looked for unique features, such as:
- AI-driven insights
- Local SEO tools
- Content optimization
- Social media analytics
- Automated reporting
- SERP analysis
Usability (10% of total score)
To get a sense of the usability of each system, I considered the following:
- User-friendly interface
- Ease of navigation
- Customizable dashboards
- Mobile access
- Speed of updates
Onboarding (10% of total score)
To evaluate the onboarding experience for each platform, I considered the following:
- Availability of training videos
- Interactive product tours
- Access to webinars
- Ready-made templates
- Chatbot assistance
Customer Support (10% of total score)
To assess each software provider’s customer support services, I considered the following:
- 24/7 support availability
- Multiple support channels
- Response time
- Knowledge base access
- Dedicated account managers
Value For Money (10% of total score)
To evaluate the value for money of each platform, I considered the following:
- Pricing transparency
- Range of paid plans
- Features and free tools included in plans
- Free versions, trials, or demos
- Discounts for long-term use
Customer Reviews (10% of total score)
To get a sense of overall customer satisfaction, I considered the following when reading customer reviews:
- Overall satisfaction ratings
- Commonly mentioned strengths
- Reported issues or drawbacks
- User testimonials
- Frequency of updates and improvements
Key Features of Semrush Alternatives
When selecting a Semrush alternative, keep an eye out for the following key features:
- Keyword Research Tools: Helps identify high-performing and long-tail keywords to improve SEO strategies.
- Competitor Analysis: Provides insights into rival strategies to refine your own.
- Backlink Tracking: Monitors and evaluates backlink data and broken links to enhance link-building efforts.
- Site Audit Capabilities: Identifies technical issues affecting website performance and SEO.
- Traffic Analytics: Tracks website traffic from visitors, sources, and engagement for better decision-making.
- Content Optimization: Analyzes and suggests improvements to boost content visibility.
- PPC Campaign Tracking: Monitors paid ads and helps optimize ROI on advertising spend.
- RankTracking: Keeps track of your site’s keyword rankings over time.
- Reporting Tools: Creates custom reports for clients or team members to share insights.
- Local SEO Support: Helps businesses optimize their visibility in specific geographic areas.
What’s Next?
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