I Compared 6 Semrush Alternatives for Content and SEO Tasks

As someone who’s been in the SEO game for a while, I have used Semrush heavily for years. It was my go-to tool for keyword research and competitor analysis. However, I relied on Ahrefs for off-page SEO since I found its backlink research quite accurate and easy to absorb. 

Similarly, I have trusted Clearscope and have used the tool for content optimization for almost four to five years. I also use various other SEO tools for such specific use cases. 

Be it the pricing or feature set of Semrush that made you look for an alternative, we have the set of tools that can address your needs. In this article, I have tested and covered six tools that bring something unique to the table. I’ll describe my experience with each tool, what I liked (and didn’t), and why you might want to make the switch.

What makes the best Semrush alternatives?

Semrush is an SEO tool with various features, including keyword research, SEO audit, backlink analysis, and value-added functionality. An alternative to Semrush would have all or some of these features. They may effectively serve different market segments and cater to specific use cases. 

Based on my research, a good Semrush alternative would: 

• Offer keyword research. Suggest keywords to include to remain competitive on the search engine results (SERP) page. Perform competitor analysis to showcase gaps in keyword coverage. 

• Cater to a specific area under SEO, if not all. A good Semrush alternative will cater to one or all focus areas, including on-page, off-page, or technical SEO. 

• Deliver insights to carry out analysis. The platform delivers insights that users can use to make targeting and optimization decisions. 

Top 6 Semrush alternatives I find useful

Below are the leading Semrush alternatives I found on the market, which offer competitive — or, in some cases, better value than Semrush. 

This list is based on G2 reviews from 2025. We’ll keep updating it to reflect the latest and best alternatives. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity.

I have used Semrush and Ahrefs for a long time. They seem similar to me for the SEO work we did. However, I found Ahrefs to support off-page SEO better. For on-page elements, Ahrefs and Semrush do a similar job. 

However, from a usability standpoint, I’d go with Semrush because of the Ahrefs credit system. It feels like I’m running out of credits and need to keep that thought in mind, which doesn’t give me such a great experience. Without the credit system, I’d pick Ahrefs. 

Although the Ahrefs Lite plan starts from $129 a month, the company offers a Starter plan that costs $29 a month. It’s suitable for professionals who don’t have heavy SEO needs but need a point of reference to inform their strategy and execution. 

Source: Ahrefs

To list Ahrefs as an alternative, I compared the backlink research, keyword data, site audits, and various other functionalities of the two software programs. In my research, I found that Ahrefs does a better job at backlink research than Semrush. However, Semrush’s keyword data, with its overall UI, seems better and much easier to understand and use. 

Source: Ahrefs

For site audits, both Semrush and Ahrefs did a pretty decent job tracking technical SEO issues, finding missing H1s, and recognizing 404 errors. 

If you are okay with the credit system, Ahrefs seems to be reliable SEO software and a decent Semrush alternative.

What I dislike about Ahrefs:

The estimated traffic data for a page that Ahrefs calculates based on rankings, search volume, and other factors can sometimes be inaccurate.

What G2 users dislike about Ahrefs: 

“Pricey compared with other tools out there. It is not good for small-sized businesses and projects because of the cost.” 

– Ahrefs Review, Ellen C, Marketing Associate

Clearscope is a content-first SEO platform that lets you optimize content for better search engine rankings. I use Clearscope regularly in my writing projects. It gives me a comprehensive set of keywords that improve on-page SEO for my blogs and landing pages. 

Clearscope compares the pages’ ranking for a particular keyword on the SERP. Based on this analysis and the analysis of the broader SE trends from the keywords, it suggests words to include in a content piece. 

Source: Clearscope

It comes with a grade assessment. You get a better grade or the highest A++ when you successfully include Clearscope’s keyword recommendations in your content. It estimates the readability of your content and lets you optimize it to match the competition on the SERP.

What I dislike about Clearscope:

Some of its suggestions for keywords seem irrelevant. This is when competitors have covered the same in their content. Their content might not be the best to take inspiration from or do something similar.

What G2 users dislike about Clearscope:

“Not much. The only shortfall I noticed is that the space to ‘create report’, the most important area in CL, looks like a search bar. So, if I wanted to search for older reports, I’d have accidentally typed it out into this tab and would have lost a credit. It’s just a UX thing, and once you get used to using CL, it’ll be okay. I hope it soon brings in a good plagiarism feature.” 

– Clearscope Review, Ashitha J, Content Marketing Manager

Moz Pro is power-packed with comprehensive SEO features and functionalities. It was the first software I actively used while learning about SEO and content marketing. 

It lets you track your website’s health and offers link building and keyword suggestions for SEO wins. Most importantly, it has tons of learning content for SEO and inbound marketing. It gives site warnings when it detects issues on your webpages. 

The tool takes a little effort but produces accurate results when identifying irrelevant and spammy backlinks. You can use this data to disavow spammy links pointing to your website. It is really easy to use and helpful, as it delivers the guidance you need to optimize your website for search engines.

What I dislike about Moz Pro:

I can only look at three competitors within a campaign, and I cannot add more for a detailed comparison. 

What G2 users dislike about Moz Pro: 

“Every software has some drawbacks. The one minor dislike is that sometimes, when choosing a reporting period, it seems to be a little glitchy, and takes a minute to get the reporting periods correct. Not a big deal, but annoying.” 

– Moz Pro Review, Brian H, Vice President of Marketing

Seobility is a complete package of website crawler, rank tracker, backlink monitor, and competitor analysis in one platform. The best part is that it offers a free plan for new users, and paid plans arguably offer more value than other SEO tools. 

Although I found its ability to analyze technical issues amazing, the tool has a smaller keyword database than giants like Semrush. It’s a decent SEO tool for those seeking an affordable, all-in-one solution. I like that each feature is neatly organized into separate tabs, making it easier to navigate through the tool. 

It comes with a rank tracking system that allows you to rank multiple websites together and check the ones performing the best. 

What I dislike about Seobility:

I felt it was tricky to implement the technical SEO recommendations. It would be great to have priority in optimizing different things. 

What G2 users dislike about Seobility:

“While Seobility is a powerful SEO tool, the free version has some limitations, such as the number of keyword checks and crawl pages per day. Additionally, the backlink analysis could be more extensive than other SEO tools. However, its price and ease of use still offer great value.” 

– Seobility Review, Marius B, Administrator

SE Ranking arguably gives more value for just $52 compared to paying extensively for using the other tools. The SERP ranking checker lets you track 250 keywords on the lowest plan. They offer a Keyword Manager feature that enables you to manage up to 10,000 keywords on a list. If you upgrade to a Pro plan, you get the functionality to download around 50,000 keywords in one report at just $95.20/month. 

To do this on Semrush, I need to be on a plan that costs between $200 and $300. With SE Ranking, you get value for the price you’re paying. You can tag keywords, check content scores, and integrate them with Google Analytics and the Search Console. 

Source: SE Ranking

I personally liked the way I was able to identify competitors and conduct keyword gap analysis while assessing keyword difficulty, cost-per-click data, and keyword trends available. SE Ranking also has Domain Trust and Page Trust scores, similar to Domain Rating in Ahrefs. 

What I dislike about SE Ranking:

The learning curve is steep. When trying to click some links, prompts to upgrade the tool appear. If the UI showcased what I had access to, it would have been a much better experience. 

What G2 users dislike about SE Ranking:

“The interface is a bit confusing initially because we need to change our habits when switching tools.” 

– SE Ranking Review, Remi B, Head of Digital Strategy and AI

Similarweb is a great tool for performing competitive SEO research. It starts at $125/month. I tested the tool and got an overview of detailed traffic insights, including website visits, traffic sources, and audience demographics. It’s easy to compare our website traffic with that of our competitors. This analysis showcases the strengths and weaknesses of our digital strategy. 

I love how Similarweb shows trends in the broader market. The insights helped me understand the consumer and the target market in detail while using the benchmarks.

Source: Similarweb

I could see what other people were searching for in real time to optimize content based on current trends. It was easy to understand how competitors’ paid and SEO strategies impacted our keyword rankings. 

What I dislike about Similarweb:

I found Similarweb’s data accuracy to be inconsistent sometimes. The estimates provided may not always reflect real-time changes in traffic patterns.

What G2 users dislike about Similarweb:

“Given my frequency of usage, I found the tool a bit expensive. Having the opportunity to select some options would be appreciated. Besides, I often spot discrepancies between our internal data and data shown by Similarweb, which can lead to confusion and doubts about competitors’ data.” 

– Similarweb Review, Thibault D, Chief Marketing Officer

Comparison of the best Semrush alternatives

Feel like you have an information overload? This comparison table makes it easier for you.

Frequently asked questions on SEO tools and Semrush alternatives

1. Is it worth paying for Semrush?

Semrush is a comprehensive SEO suite for companies of all sizes. It might be a little costly for smaller companies. The software has robust features and functionality that cater to more advanced use cases and are suitable for medium-sized companies and large enterprises. 

2. Is Similarweb better than Semrush?

If you’re seeking a broader overview of market trends, Similarweb might better suit your needs. However, when you’re intensely focused on SEO growth and need insights to understand the market, competition, and growth trends, Semrush is more suitable. 

3. Which is better, Semrush or Ahrefs?

These two tools are similar in features and functionality. I found Ahrefs to be better than Semrush for off-page SEO. However, Ahrefs has credit limits; therefore, if you heavily use SEO software, Semrush would be a better alternative. 

4. Is Semrush the best SEO tool?

When it comes to an SEO tool, the term “best” borrows its definition from the use case, company size, and market segment. Therefore, based on this factor, Semrush can be the best SEO tool for some companies. However, this might not always be the case.

5. Is Semrush a US company?

Yes, Semrush is an American public company. 

Ask the right questions

Exploring alternatives opened my eyes to how diverse and influential the SEO tool market has become. Depending on what you need, whether it’s Clearscope’s content optimization, Ahrefs’ backlink data, or SE Ranking’s affordable all-in-one approach, there’s likely a better fit out there for your workflow and budget.

Personally, I’ve ended up mixing and matching tools based on the task at hand. For example, I use Clearscope when I’m working on content strategy and Ahrefs when I need to dive deep into competitor profiles. No tool is perfect, but each one offers a fresh perspective and a more tailored experience. 

The goal of the article was to give you a glimpse of the tool from the inside. Use it to inspire your points of discussion in demos and walkthroughs. This will help you clear up any confusion around your specific use case for SEO software. 

Looking for more options? Check out the highly-rated SEO tools on G2.