Semrush vs SE Ranking
People reach for this comparison expecting SE Ranking to be the cheap alternative to Semrush. That was true once and is not any more: SE Ranking's Core plan is $129 a month against Semrush's $139 entry plan, so the two now sit about ten dollars apart. With price close to neutral, the decision comes down to what you are actually buying — depth of keyword and backlink data, or breadth of workflow and agency reporting.
Which should you choose?
Choose Semrush if
- Agencies running SEO and PPC for multiple clients
- In-house marketing teams that need competitor intelligence
- Content teams that want research and optimization in one suite
Choose SE Ranking if
- Small and mid-sized agencies managing several client sites
- In-house teams that want daily rank tracking without an enterprise contract
- Teams that need white-label client reporting without buying a separate tool
- Freelancers moving up from free rank checkers
Cheapest to start
SE Ranking · From $129/mo
Free plan
Semrush
Highest editor rating
Semrush · 4.7
| Compare | Semrush |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes |
| Starting price | From $139/mo |
| Editor rating | 4.7 |
| Ease of use | Moderate (3/5) |
| Category | SEO |
| Pricing model | Free account with daily request caps. Paid plans billed monthly: SEO $139, Starter $199, Pro+ $299 and Advanced $549 per month. 7-day free trial. |
| Plans |
|
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension, API |
| Integrations | Facebook & Instagram, Google Analytics, Google Workspace, LinkedIn, WordPress |
| Best for |
|
| Pros |
|
| Cons |
|
| AI assistant | Yes |
| AI content generation | No |
| API access | Yes |
| Backlink analysis | Yes |
| Browser extension | Yes |
| Competitor analysis | Yes |
| Content optimization | Yes |
| Keyword research | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes |
| Rank tracking | Yes |
| Reporting & dashboards | Yes |
| Roles & permissions | No |
| Site audit | Yes |
| White-label / custom branding | Yes |
Common questions
- Is Semrush cheaper than SE Ranking?
- SE Ranking starts lower, at $129 a month against $139 for Semrush. Both figures are the entry paid plan billed monthly, checked against each vendor's own pricing page. Higher tiers and add-ons can change the comparison, so price the plan you actually need.
- Does Semrush or SE Ranking have a free plan?
- Semrush has a free plan. SE Ranking does not, though it offers a free trial.
- How long is the Semrush and SE Ranking free trial?
- Semrush offers a 7-day free trial, and SE Ranking offers a 14-day free trial.
- Which is easier to use, Semrush or SE Ranking?
- In VERILO's editorial assessment SE Ranking is the easier of the two, scoring 4 out of 5 against 3 for Semrush. That is a judgement about how quickly a new team gets productive, not a measured benchmark.
Our verdict
Semrush carries the larger dataset and the wider remit, covering PPC, content and social research alongside SEO, and VERILO rates it 4.7 against SE Ranking's 4.3. SE Ranking is the easier of the two to work in — 4 out of 5 for ease of use against 3 — and its agency tooling is better value: the $69-a-month Agency Pack bundles white-label reporting, 10 client seats and a lead generator that you would otherwise buy separately. Choose Semrush if data depth is the thing you are paying for, or if one subscription needs to cover more than SEO. Choose SE Ranking if your work is rank tracking, audits and client reporting, and you want a tool that is quicker to operate day to day. What should no longer decide it is price. Check both on the day you buy, and remember that SE Ranking's white-label reporting and API access are add-ons requiring annual billing, which can move the real cost well above the headline.
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