Best Free, Paid SEMrush Alternatives Review – November 2023

Semrush launched in 2008 and it has evolved and become one of the most popular SEO tools.

But, the most popular doesn’t mean the perfect one. The Semrush creator created this tool by thinking for the masses. But we all are not the same. In that sense, we require a perfect SEO tool that suits our requirements.

In this guide, I will review some of the best free and paid SEMrush alternatives in November 2023.

• SERanking
• Surfer
• Mangools
• SEO PowerSuite
• Ahrefs
• Moz Pro
• Screaming Frog
• Ubersuggest
• Google Search Console
• Google Analytics

Let’s first understand what SEMrush is and then proceed ahead with the alternatives of the same.

About SEMrush Software

SEMrush is a powerful digital marketing and SEO keyword research tool that is used by many marketing professionals. It can be used to track keyword rankings on multiple search engines, diagnose website issues, and provide robust data that includes organic keywords, paid keywords, backlinks, and much more to analyze the performance of competitors’ websites and analyze the keywords gap to create high-demand profitable content.

While it can be quite a useful tool, some users may find that they need a SEMrush alternative if they want additional features or are looking for something more cost-effective.

For example, some alternatives, such as Moz Pro and SE Ranking, provide more advanced keyword tracking capabilities and better reporting options than SEMrush. Additionally, SE Ranking offers pricing plans that are cheaper than SEMrush and includes additional features such as link-building tools.

Other alternatives, such as Ahrefs, offer more comprehensive content optimization tools than what SEMrush provides. Finally, Surfer has an intuitive user interface and an excellent selection of reports for tracking search engine rankings over time.

Ultimately, whether you’re looking for an alternative to SEMrush due to cost or simply because you want more features from a different software package, there are plenty of great options to choose from – all depending on your budget and needs.

If you are still opting for SEMrush, then we have listed a few of the benefits you might get with it below. Check them out:

Benefits of Using SEMrush

Semrush is a top-to-bottom solution for website research. Its biggest strength is its variety of tools. Take a look at how SEMrush can prove to be advantageous…

• Instantly discover and research keywords to achieve top rankings on SERPs.
• Identify technical issues and problems so you can optimize your website accordingly.
• Monitor the success of your SEO efforts over time on multiple search engines.
• Get valuable insight into what strategies your competitors are using to succeed online.
• Cut down setup and maintenance time with automated feature updates and notifications.

If you are looking for more, then you can always consider for SEMrush alternatives. If you are thinking why, below we have sorted it for you.

Reasons to Try SEMrush Alternatives

Below are the primary reasons why many are looking for SEMrush alternatives. Take a look:

• Semrush can be expensive for small businesses on tight budgets
• Semrush detailed analytics may be overwhelming for beginners
• Limited customization options are available
• It has a higher learning curve, which takes your time and patience to learn.
• In the free plan, you only get limited features.

So, if you are looking for alternatives for the same reasons, you must do it the right way. Below we have provided the necessary steps that can help you find the right SEO tools.

How to Choose an SEO Tool or Software?

Below are the steps that you must take to find an ideal tool for your SEO needs. Let’s dive in:

Research and Identify Your Needs

Analyze the current state of your website’s SEO, identify specific areas where you need help, and determine the metrics and features that are important for your business.

Compare Different Tools

Once you know your needs, compare different SEO tools available in the market that match those requirements and read reviews from verified users to gauge their performance better.

Interface

Compare and check the interface of different software, is it a beginner-friendly software from where you can easily navigate each tool? How many clicks and time does it take to show data for each search? Do they have an understandable interface?

So, check these things and make sure you choose the right one, otherwise, you will get lost in the maze and not get the right information.

Evaluate Documentation and Support

Confirm that the product you’re considering provides complete documentation regarding installation, configurations, and usage instructions, as well as technical support for any issues you encounter.

Test Features & Functionality

Before committing to a particular tool, make sure to test it thoroughly with realistic data or on a free trial/demo version, if available, to verify all of its features work correctly.

Cost Analysis

Clarify the pricing structure associated with each software option so that you understand what’s included in the cost before making a purchase decision. Some solutions may offer additional services like keyword research or link-building assistance that can be added as required.

These are the steps that can help you reach the right SEO tool for your specific needs. To make it more clear, below, we have covered top SEMrush alternatives that can fit in without thinking twice. Let’s begin.

Semrush vs SERanking vs Surfer SEO

Features	SEMrush	SERanking	Surfer SEO
Easy to use	Little bit difficult	Yes	Yes
Free trial	7 days (have a free plan with limited features)	14 days (no free plan)	7 days (no free plan)
Plans	Pro – Guru – Business	Essential – Pro – Business	Essential – Advanced – Max
Monthly Subscription	$129 – $249 – $499	$55 – $109 – $239	$89 – $179 – $299
Yearly Subscription	$108 – $208 – $216/month	$44 – $87 – $191/month	$69 – $149 – $249/month
Projects	5 – 15 – 40	10 – Unlimited	7 days (have a free plan with limited features)
Users	Only 1	1 – 3 – 5	2 – 5 – 10
Keywords	500 – 1500 – 5000	750 – 2000 – 5000	3000 (100/day)
Social media marketing tools	Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Google business profile.	Only Facebook & Twitter	No, it only focuses on SEO tasks
AI content generator	This feature is a part of the content marketing platform and is available with the Guru and the Business plan subscription.	It’s an add-on. There are 3 plans ($29-49-99) available where the number of articles and words varies.	In this add-on, you have to pay $29 for each article.

These three software offer almost the same tools. But the main difference between them is the number of tools, pricing plans, and their main focusing features like SERanking focuses on keyword research, Surfer focuses on content research.

But SemRash is the only one that prioritizes each tool and that’s why it’s more expensive than others. So, if you know what particular changes or improvements you need to make to your website, it will be easy for you to choose from these three.

Top 7 Semrush Alternatives and Competitors in November 2023

Below we have specified free and paid Semrush alternatives for your needs. Let’s check the paid ones first.

Paid SEMrush Alternative and Competitors in November 2023

SE Ranking

SE Ranking is an SEO software designed to help businesses track and improve their website visibility on major search engines. It provides comprehensive tools that help users understand, monitor and analyze a website’s performance in search engines.

Benefits of choosing SERanking

• SE Ranking offers an easy-to-use interface that provides full-scale keyword tracking, competitor analysis, and website audit tools.
• SE Ranking algorithm pulls accurate search engine rankings on location.
• Helps SEOs visualize how different markets respond based on their country or city searches by pulling Geographic data right into the search query results.
• Generates detailed PDF reports with key relevant performance metrics over any chosen timeframe: local visibility index, competitor comparison, etc.
• Send daily email alerts when a major ranking drop happens or when a desirable top result is reached.

Most Important SERanking Features

Site Audit – Go through the existing content structure of your web pages or blog posts to make sure everything is according to SEO standards and generate useful advice on how to optimize them further; 

Keyword Research – Real-time data analysis allowing you to compare local/global visibility levels between different keywords;

Competitor Analysis – This tool points out your main, high-ranking competitors and shows their SEO and PPC campaign data. This data can help you to build a solid strategy to improve your website. Here you can monitor the rankings of up to 10 different websites, including yours.

Multiple Reports – Create beautiful diagrams that are tailored for clients, visually representing tracked presence metrics in one handy place;

Why choose SE Ranking over SEMrush?

SERanking is a powerful and easy-to-use SEO tool for tracking data, providing insights, and improving website ranking. It is an ideal alternative to popular services such as SEMrush since it has all the features users need from competitors in one intuitive platform.

SERanking comprehensive approach provides full-scale keyword tracking, competitor analysis, and website audit tools.

SERanking Software Pros

• A comprehensive suite of Position Tracking & Auditing Tools 
• Intuitive layout and modern design 
• Reasonable pricing structure 
• Ability to conduct multi suggest searches 

SERanking Software Cons

• Some features still require improvement, such as traffic estimation features 
• No mobile app is available at this point

SERanking Software Pricing Plan

• Essential: $23.52/month
• Pro: $52.32/month
• Business: $114.72/month

My Verdict on SERanking

My verdict on SERanking is that it’s the most affordable all-in-one alternative to Semrush.

It delivers the most basic as well as extended functionalities required by digital marketing agencies at an affordable price point while still easily competing against pricier competitors like SEMrush, thanks particularly due to its AI-powered audits feature.

---

Surfer

What is Surfer? Surfer is a content marketing and SEO tool designed to help companies optimize their websites and improve organic search ranking. By using its powerful data-driven insights, users can get accurate keyword research tools, page audits, backlink tracking, link-building tools, and more.

It helps them gain visibility in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) by identifying high-volume keywords used by customers searching for specific products or services related to what they offer.

Benefits of Choosing a Surfer

• The user experience of Surfer is efficient and simple, with easy navigation that allows users to quickly access all the features they need.
• Using machine learning algorithms and multiple data sources, Surfer provides insights that are highly accurate so businesses can make informed decisions when it comes to their SEO strategies.
• With Surfer’s dynamic dashboard that updates in real-time, users can stay on top of changes in SERPs (search engine results pages) and adjust their strategies accordingly.
• The platform also offers automation capabilities that make it easier for businesses to monitor and update their strategies without manual effort.
• The platform also offers website audit tools that will detect any potential issues with page speed or technical errors on the site that may be hindering performance in SERPs.

Most Important Surfer Features

Keyword Research Tool – Helps businesses identify potential keywords based on real-time data from competitor sites as well as related queries from Google searches. 

On-Page Audit Tool – Identify all technical issues on a website, including broken links, meta tags & redirects, as well as comprehensive recommendations on how those could be fixed; generate report instantly & receive a detailed list of actionable improvements required for better rankings

Content Analysis Tool – Analyses how well content is optimized to determine if a web page is underperforming & provides a recommendation regarding optimization strategy; compares competition’s relevant contents vs yours easily through the visual comparison table.

Backlink Tracking Tool – Monitor new & lost backlinks as well as your Page Authority Score throughout time & observe overall progress via clear graphical representation.

Why choose Surfer over SEMrush?

SEMrush offers an extensive suite of digital marketing tools but does not provide a content analysis tool like Surfer does; this makes it difficult to identify where your content should be optimized to drive traffic & conversions more effectively.

Additionally, SEMrush’s keyword research feature requires navigation thru several different filters before you find what you want, while the same process with Surfer requires only a few clicks making it more convenient, especially when conducting short ad hoc research.

Surfer Software Pros

• Easy setup & usability
• Powerful insights & data points
• Affordable pricing & plans available
• Intuitive features & interactive interface

Surfer Software Cons

• Limited customer care options

Surfer Software Pricing Plan

• Basic: $49/month
• Pro: $99/month
• Business: $199/month

Also, Surfer free plan is available with limited features.

My Verdict on Surfer

Surfer provides everything that any SEO professional or digital marketer would need when working on driving organic search traffic from keyword research to optimizing existing webpages for better performance. All in an easy-to-use package whose pricing structure is incredibly affordable for a wide variety of budgets.

---

Mangools

What are Mangools? Mangools is a suite of SEO tools designed to make SEO tasks easier and more efficient. It provides data on keyword research, competitor analysis, site audits, backlink checks, and much more – all in one place.

Benefits of choosing Mangools

• Easy-to-use interface
• Cost-effective pricing plans
• Accurate keyword insights
• Comprehensive performance metrics
• Flexibility for large or small teams

Most Important Mangools Features

Keyword Research – Quickly uncover profitable & trending keywords with an intuitive keyword explorer.

Site Audit – Automatically discover potential issues & opportunities across your website, such as broken links, 404 errors, duplicate content & more.

Backlink Analysis – Monitor your backlink profile to ensure it’s secure from link spam & stay up to date with new high-value opportunities.

Competitor Analysis – Analyze competitors’ strategies to reveal their strengths & weaknesses for unprecedented competitive insights.

Why choose Mangools over SEMrush?

Mangools provides a wide range of features at a cost that is considerably lower than SEMrush’s monthly subscription fee while still delivering accurate results. Its user-friendly interface also makes navigation simple and straightforward, allowing users to quickly find the information they need without having to waste time.

Mangools Software Pros

• Intuitive Interface
• Accurate Results
• Cost-Effective Plans
• Comprehensive Tools

Mangools Software Cons

• Limited Reports 
• Limited Support

Mangools Software Pricing Plan

• Basic: $29.90/month
• Premium: $44.90/month
• Agency: $89.90/month

My Verdict on Mangools

Overall, I would recommend that those looking for powerful yet affordable SEO tools choose Mangools over other options like SEMrush. Despite its relatively small list of features, the program provides accurate results in an easy-to-navigate format at a price that can fit any budget – making it hard to beat!

---

SEO PowerSuite

What is SEO PowerSuite?SEO PowerSuite is a collection of four software tools designed for effective and comprehensive search engine optimization. It offers a range of useful features and helps businesses rank higher in search engine results in pages to attract more customers and leads. Over 5 million SEO specialists used this.

Benefits of choosing SEO PowerSuite

• Comprehensive toolset for optimizing websites
• Accurate keyword data analysis
• Easy to use, with step-by-step instructions
• Low price compared to competitors

Most Important SEO PowerSuite Features

Site Audit Tool – This tool scans websites for errors that can negatively impact rankings, such as slow loading times, broken links, etc., providing steps on how to fix them.

Link Manager – This feature helps website owners track incoming backlinks to check which ones are beneficial and improve their website’s link portfolio. To ease your work, many filters are available in the link section, and by using them you can check every link’s status.  

Rank Tracker – This tool enables users to monitor their website’s ranking changes in SERPs (search engine result pages) over specific time periods for different keywords.

Ranking Difficulty Indicator (RDI) – This feature provides insights into how difficult it would be for a business to rank higher for particular keywords/phrases, helping businesses prioritize the most relevant search queries for their industry or target market.

Schedule Tasks – SEO PowerSuite has this unique feature where you can easily schedule tasks like checking rank, site auditing, keyword analysis, data generating, emailing, and much more.

Exporting – With one click you can export the data in your preferable format, whether CSV, TXT, HTML, SQL, or XML.

Why choose SEO PowerSuite over SEMrush?

SEO PowerSuite offers tools that are more geared towards small businesses at smaller price points. It also has a helpful user manual and step-by-step tutorials available free of cost, making it an ideal solution even for those starting out in the field of search engine optimization.

Additionally, its user interface is simple enough that you will find it easy to understand and use right away compared to its competitor SEMrush, which can be somewhat difficult to navigate due to its many features and options.

SEO PowerSuite Software Pros

• Comprehensive toolset
• Easy setup 
• Affordable price

SEO PowerSuite Cons

• Limited customer support
• Limited scalability

SEO PowerSuite Software Pricing Plan

• Pro: $299.00 per year
• Enterprise: $699.00 per year

It also helps you with a free trial

My Verdict on SEO PowerSuite

SEO PowerSuite is an excellent choice for beginners looking for comprehensive software tools without breaking their budget or spending too much time learning how it functions. Because of its intuitive features and easy interface, experts are willing to use this tool.

Although some features may be absent from this software suite compared to others, it still has a wide range of useful tools which help businesses optimize their websites effectively and increase visibility in SERPs quickly!

---

Ahrefs

What is Ahrefs? Ahrefs is an all-in-one SEO toolkit that helps users to manage their search engine optimization (SEO). This toolkit provides data and insights that help businesses improve their website performance, content marketing, and link-building strategies. It also offers powerful keyword research and audit capabilities.

Benefits of choosing Ahrefs

• With the help of Ahrefs’ tools, users can automate tedious SEO activities such as auditing a website for technical issues or tracking its performance in the SERPs.
• Ahrefs has access to a huge database of keywords, allowing users to create comprehensive lists of low-volume long-tail phrases.
• Ahrefs can provide detailed information about any website’s backlinks, so users can easily identify potential link targets and build better links.
• This tool offers accurate local keyword ranking metrics so users can track how well they are doing in any given locality.

Most Important Ahrefs Features

Website Audit – Allows you to run comprehensive website audits with detailed reports on technical SEO errors, plus actionable fixes. This Website Audit has been designed to check for multiple issues including problems with incoming and outgoing links, HTML tags, and performance issues such as slow-loading pages. Solving these major faults also saves you valuable time.

Backlink Analysis – Offers quick visibility into any website’s backlink profile, URL, Anchor text distribution, Linking domains & No follow Links, etc.

Keywords Explorer – Gives you in-depth data about the keywords you target including estimates for Traffic & Difficulty to rank for each phrase etc. 

Rank Tracker – Helps keep your main landing pages ranked in the top 10 by monitoring changes to your rankings over time.

Why choose Ahrefs over SEMrush?

Ahrefs offers a more detailed approach when researching topics or analyzing competitors compared to other competitors such as SEMrush. They are more specialized in backlink analysis & keyword research compared to SEMrush.

Additionally, its straightforward dashboard makes it easier for users to use its features than SEMrush. I am recommending you read my head-to-head Ahrefs vs SEMRush comparison in November 2023.

Ahrefs Software Pros

• Easy-to-use Interface, 
• Accurate data, 
• Predictive analytics

Ahrefs Software Cons

• Expensive pricing models,

Ahrefs Software Pricing Plan

• Lite: $99.00 per month
• Standard: $199.00 per month
• Advanced: $399.00 per month

You can also use it for free with limited features.

My Verdict on Ahrefs

As an all-encompassing marketing toolkit online, Ahrefs feature delights many digital experts due to its ability to provide difficult-to-find specialized information, including deep competitor analysis, but at the same time, you may feel that its pricing plans are often expensive compared to similar services.

---

Moz Pro 

What is Moz Pro? Moz Pro is a suite of tools designed to help businesses improve their search engine optimization (SEO). It provides website audits and keyword research tools that allow businesses to analyze their sites and uncover the best strategies for improvement. It also provides reporting features to track the performance of SEO campaigns over time.

Benefits of choosing Moz Pro

• Comprehensive SEO analysis
• Easy keyword research
• Access to industry-leading insights

Most Important Moz Pro Features

Site Audits Tool – Allows businesses to scan websites to gather comprehensive SEO data on any page. This includes checking for broken links, duplicate content, and SEO compatibility issues.

Keyword Research Tool – Uncovers profitable keywords with detailed metrics such as competitive difficulty, seasonal trends, and more which can help drive traffic from organic searches.

Algorithm Updates Tracking – Monitors changes in Google’s algorithm to adjust SEO tactics accordingly for optimum results.

Why choose Moz Pro over SEMrush?

Moz Pro has a range of features that cater specifically towards SEO, such as advanced analysis tools, algorithm update tracking capability, powerful keyword research capabilities, etc., while SEMrush focuses more on competitor benchmarking and measuring marketing efforts online by generating detailed reports on web traffic and performance.

Additionally, Moz Pro offers excellent value for money when compared with SEMrush, when both subscription plans are compared based on cost per feature/functionality offered by both services.

Moz Pro Software Pros

• Comprehensive coverage of SEO needs
• Simple yet effective UI design
• Excellent customer support

Moz Pro Software Cons

• Occasional inaccurate data output

Moz Pro Software Pricing Plan

• Standard: $99.00 per month
• Medium: $179.00 per month
• Large: $299.00 per month
• Premium: $599.00 per month

My Verdict on Moz Pro

Overall if you need an all-in-one suite of tools designed specifically for improving your business’ website search engine optimization (SEO), then I highly recommend giving Moz Pro a try.

Great value for money and is one of the best all-around providers in this area, which makes it ideal for small companies looking to get started with their first major digital marketing campaigns without having to spend too much budget upfront.

---

Screaming Frog

What is Screaming Frog? Screaming Frog is an SEO spider tool that crawls websites like a search engine and helps identify technical issues, such as broken links, duplicate content, and redirects.

The software can also help users to analyze website metadata and build sitemaps. It is popular amongst digital marketers looking for an effective Semrush alternative as it offers more comprehensive website analysis at a fraction of the cost.

Screaming Frog Software Pros

• Easy to install & use
• Comprehensive analysis features
• Affordable pricing plans

Screaming Frog Software Cons

• Limited Search Engine data
• Difficult to interpret data

---

Ubersuggest

What is Ubersuggest? Ubersuggest is a free online tool for keyword and content research. It offers a similar range of features to those found on Semrush and other paid tools but at no cost.

With Ubersuggest, users can do keyword research, competitor analysis, track ranking for multiple keywords, generate content ideas, and uncover link-building opportunities.

Recently Ubersuggest launched a new tool called AI Writer, where they write complete content or part of it (as per your requirement) after scanning the details of Google search results.

Ubersuggest Software Pros

• Easy-to-use interface
• Comprehensive keyword data

Ubersuggest Software Cons

• Limited analysis features
• No advanced tracking options

Now, let’s hop on to the free SEMrush alternatives that can give you the results you are looking for.

Free Semrush Alternatives in November 2023

Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) is a tool provided by Google to help webmasters and website owners analyze their performance in search engine results, as well as diagnose potential problems that may be hindering it.

It can be used to track a website’s rank in organic search results, optimize its visibility on SERPs (search engine result pages), submit and check sitemaps, and identify high-performing keywords.

GSC offers data that can be valuable for SEO research and content optimization campaigns, making it an ideal alternative to Semrush for those looking for a more affordable option.

Benefits of Google Search Console

• Detailed information about how your site appears on SERPs so you can quickly spot any issues or opportunities for optimization.
• Insight into the average position of your pages on organic search results so you can compare performance over time.
• Analysis of user CLICKs from SERPs, so you understand which search terms are driving traffic along with the other related queries users are typing in.
• Alerts about possible problems with the website, such as crawl errors or triggers like manual penalties from Google that need addressing ASAP.
• Opportunities to link up different analytics profiles, such as Facebook Insights or Bing Webmaster Tools with GSC, so all data comes together in one place.
• Accessible insights into what people are searching for when they find your website through organic search, including page speeds and user experience factors

Important Google Search Console Features

Site Maps – the ability to submit site maps being crawled by the engine, manage URL redirects, and flag sitemap issues if there are any.

Search Appearance – tracking of rich snippets and structured data associated with your content to improve user experience.

Links & Indexing – managing who links to your site & what will be indexed by google while monitoring 404 & soft 404 status codes.

International Targeting – changing geographic target locations/regions plus setting language declarations, ensuring accuracy when targeting international audiences.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a powerful web analytics tool that provides invaluable information about websites and their performance. It’s an ideal alternative to Semrush, as it offers similar tools designed to help marketers understand how users interact with their online presence and make informed decisions based on the collected data.

Benefits of Google Analytics

• Easy-to-use user interface that makes it easy for non-technical users to understand data and make informed decisions.
• Ability to track seemingly impossible measures such as bounce rates, downloads, and time on page.
• Real-time reporting so you can see the effects of your marketing efforts instantly when changes are made to your digital content.
• Multiple ways of viewing data, from graphical representations to numerical breakdowns – all customizable depending on what kind of insights you’re looking for.

Important Google Analytics Features

Acquisition Tracking – tracks users who came from sources such as email campaigns, display ads, search engine results, and more to measure effectiveness during campaigns.

Goal Setting & Conversion Tracking – set up goals and paths for website visitors and track their progress through completion leading up to a successful conversion or sales transaction.

Website Performance Monitoring – keeps tabs on page loading times, page requests per session, and other metrics which help determine the overall performance overall the website itself; alerts if any performance trends occur so marketers stay updated on current user experiences on their pages in real-time.

Should I use multiple SEO Tools?

Using multiple SEO tools has become increasingly common for digital marketers over the years, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to optimizing your website.

Different tools serve various purposes, from providing keyword research insights to uncovering competitor analysis opportunities; different tools offer unique perspectives on user behavior and trends that could potentially help enhance web pages and content marketing strategies.

Therefore, leveraging multiple tools will ensure better performance and results overall as well as reduce the risk of relying solely on one solution being too focused on its own vision.

Conclusion – Over to You

There is no single best alternative to SEMrush, but instead, each option has its own advantages depending on what specific tasks need to be completed.

It is important to Utilizing multiple SEO tools will provide a comprehensive understanding of how search engines rank pages so that optimal strategies can be implemented accordingly.

A combination of free and paid solutions may also be necessary when managing several websites or blogs, as budget or cost-per-month constraints must be taken into consideration as well.

Overall, there are many great Semrush alternatives out there and many of them provide a free trial. So, before committing to long-term contracts with any one provider – research each possibility thoroughly, then pick what works best for your business needs!