Key takeaways
- Semrush costs $139 a month on its entry plan and $45 a month for each extra user. Most people who search for Semrush alternatives want the same core jobs for less.
- Zutrix, SE Ranking, Mangools, and Serpstat cover rank tracking, keyword research, backlinks, and audits from $19 to $129 a month.
- Ahrefs is the closest match on data depth, but it is not cheaper. Pick it for backlinks, not for savings.
- Google Search Console plus Ahrefs Webmaster Tools is the best free Semrush alternative for your own site.
- Match the tool to the job. A rank tracker with daily checks beats an all-in-one suite you only open twice a month.
People look for Semrush alternatives for one of three reasons. The price jumped, the seat limit hurts, or they only use two of the forty tools. This guide covers nine Semrush alternatives that fix at least one of those problems. Every price below was checked on September 16, 2026 on the vendor's own pricing page.
We build Zutrix, so we have a horse in this race. To keep it honest, we list our own limits next to everyone else's and we tell you when a rival is the better pick. Read the Semrush pricing breakdown first if you are not sure what you pay for today.
Why people look for Semrush alternatives
Semrush is a good product. It is also priced for teams. The entry SEO plan is $139 a month for one user, 5 projects, and 500 tracked keywords. Add a second user and you pay $45 more. Add AI search tracking and the Starter bundle is $199. A three person agency ends up near $300 a month before add-ons.
Most small teams use a short list of features: track rankings, find keywords, check backlinks, and run an audit. Those four jobs are exactly what the Semrush competitors below do. Some do them cheaper, some do one of them better, and some are free.
$139
Semrush entry plan per month, one user
$45
Extra cost per additional user each month
500
Keywords tracked daily on the entry plan
How we picked these alternatives
We started with the 25 tools that show up most often in "Semrush alternatives" searches and forum threads. Then we cut any tool that hides its prices, has no rank tracker, or has not shipped an update in 2026. The rest were scored on four things.
- Price for one user and for a three person team, checked on the live pricing page.
- Keyword limits: how many keywords you can track and how often positions update.
- Coverage: rank tracking, keyword research, backlinks, site audit, and AI search visibility.
- Fit: who the tool is built for, based on our own use and on user reviews.
Semrush alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Starts at | Tracked keywords | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zutrix | Daily rank tracking and AI visibility on a budget | $19 weekly checks, $29 daily | 250 | 7 day trial for $7 |
| SE Ranking | All-in-one for agencies | $129 per month | 2,000 | 14 day trial |
| Ahrefs | Backlink data and keyword database | $129 per month | 750 | Free Webmaster Tools |
| Mangools | Simple keyword research | $29 per month | 200 | Free account |
| Serpstat | Cheap all-in-one with API | $50 per month | Varies by plan | 7 day trial |
| SpyFu | Competitor PPC and SEO history | $39 per month | 5,000 weekly | 30 day refund |
| Moz Pro | Beginners and Domain Authority | $49 per month | Varies by plan | Free trial |
| Ubersuggest | Cheapest paid option | $29 per month | 125 | Free 3 searches a day |
| Google Search Console | Your own site, free | $0 | All queries | Free |
The best Semrush alternatives, reviewed
1. Zutrix
Zutrix
Rank tracking, keywords, backlinks, audits, and AI search visibility
- Price from
- $19 a month with weekly checks, $29 with daily checks
- Keywords
- 250 on Starter, up to 10,000 on Enterprise
- Users
- 2 on Starter, 10 on Agency, no per-seat fee
- Free option
- 7 day trial of the Agency plan for $7, 7 day money-back
- AI search
- Tracks 8 AI models on every plan
- White label
- Agency plan and above
Zutrix is the pick if rank tracking is your main job and you want daily checks without a $139 bill. The Rank Tracker checks desktop and mobile positions in any country or city and stores a screenshot of each SERP, so you can prove a ranking to a client. Every plan also includes keyword research, backlink monitoring, a site audit, and AI search visibility for ChatGPT, Gemini, and six other models.
Where Semrush wins: its keyword database is bigger, and it has PPC and social tools we do not build. If you need forty tools, Semrush is the better suite. If you need four tools done well, Zutrix costs about one fifth as much.
Zutrix: pros and cons
Pros
- Daily rank checks from $29 a month
- AI visibility tracking included on every plan
- Verifiable SERP screenshots for client reports
- Team seats included, no per-user charge
Cons
- Smaller keyword database than Semrush or Ahrefs
- No PPC or social media tools
- Bing tracking is still marked coming soon
2. SE Ranking
SE Ranking
The closest all-in-one match for agencies
- Price from
- $129 a month on Core, $103.20 on annual billing
- Keywords
- 2,000 daily on Core, 5,000 on Growth
- Users
- 1 seat on Core, 3 on Growth
- Free option
- 14 day free trial
- White label
- Agency Pack add-on, $69 a month on annual billing
SE Ranking is the tool most agencies land on when they leave Semrush. It has a rank tracker, keyword research, a backlink checker, a site audit, and a content editor. The Core plan costs about the same as Semrush but tracks four times as many keywords. The catch is seats. One manager seat on Core, and white label costs extra.
SE Ranking: pros and cons
Pros
- 2,000 tracked keywords for the price of 500 at Semrush
- Strong client reporting once you add the Agency Pack
- AI search tracking available as an add-on
Cons
- Not cheap for a solo user
- White label and API cost extra
- Keyword database is smaller than Semrush
3. Ahrefs
Ahrefs
The other big suite, strongest on backlinks
- Price from
- $129 a month on Lite, $29 a month on the Starter plan
- Keywords
- 750 tracked on Lite, 2,000 on Standard
- Users
- 1 included, extra users $40 to $80 a month
- Free option
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools, free for sites you own
Ahrefs is not a cheaper Semrush. It is a different big suite with a better backlink index and a cleaner interface. People switch for the data, not for savings. The $29 Starter plan is a real bargain for one person who mainly needs Site Explorer and Keywords Explorer. Read our Semrush vs Ahrefs comparison for the full head to head.
Ahrefs: pros and cons
Pros
- Best backlink index of any tool on this list
- Free Webmaster Tools for your own sites
- Starter plan at $29 for light use
Cons
- Lite plan costs the same as Semrush
- Rank tracker limits are lower than SE Ranking
- Extra seats are expensive
4. Mangools
Mangools
KWFinder, SERPChecker, SERPWatcher, LinkMiner, SiteProfiler
- Price from
- $29 a month on Entry, $19.90 on annual billing
- Keywords
- 200 tracked on Basic, 700 on Premium, 1,500 on Agency
- Lookups
- 100 keyword lookups a day on Basic, 500 on Premium
- Free option
- Free account with a few lookups a day
Mangools is five small tools with one login. KWFinder is the reason people buy it. It shows keyword difficulty and search volume in a clean list that a beginner can read in a minute. The rank tracker and backlink tool are basic. Buy it for keyword research. Pair it with a real rank tracker if you track more than a few hundred terms. See our Mangools alternatives guide if you outgrow it.
Mangools: pros and cons
Pros
- Easiest keyword tool to learn
- Very cheap on annual billing
- Free plan for quick checks
Cons
- Daily lookup caps are tight
- Rank tracker and backlink data are thin
- No site audit
5. Serpstat
Serpstat
Budget all-in-one with a good API
- Price from
- $50 a month on Individual, $42 on annual billing
- Team plans
- Team $100, Agency $410 a month
- Free option
- 7 day trial with a refundable $1 charge
Serpstat covers the same jobs as Semrush at a third of the price. Keyword research, rank tracking, backlinks, audits, and an API on the cheaper plans. The interface is busier and the keyword database is strongest in Eastern Europe and weaker in the US. It is a fair choice for a freelancer who wants everything in one place. Our Serpstat alternatives guide lists the trade-offs.
6. SpyFu
SpyFu
Competitor keyword and ad history
- Price from
- $39 a month on Basic, $29 on annual billing
- Keywords
- 5,000 tracked, updated weekly
- Free option
- 30 day money-back guarantee
SpyFu is the cheapest way to see which keywords a competitor buys ads on and which ones it ranks for. It stores years of history, so you can watch a rival's strategy change over time. Rank tracking updates weekly, which is too slow for active campaigns. Buy it for research, not for monitoring. If you need the reverse, read SpyFu alternatives.
7. Moz Pro
Moz Pro
Domain Authority and beginner-friendly reports
- Price from
- $49 a month on Starter, $99 on Standard
- Keywords
- 300 tracked on Standard, 1,500 on Medium
- Free option
- Free trial, plus free MozBar extension
Moz Pro is the friendliest suite for someone new to SEO. Domain Authority is the metric everyone quotes, and Moz owns it. The keyword database and backlink index are smaller than Semrush, and rank tracking limits are low for the price. Read our Moz vs Semrush comparison before choosing between the two.
8. Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest
The cheapest paid suite, with lifetime deals
- Price from
- $29 a month on Individual, or $290 for life
- Keywords
- 125 tracked on Individual
- Free option
- 3 free searches a day, 7 day trial
Ubersuggest is the tool people try when they want Semrush for the price of lunch. It does keyword ideas, a site audit, backlinks, and rank tracking. Limits are small and data freshness lags the bigger tools. The lifetime plan is a genuine bargain for a hobby site. For client work, you will outgrow it in a year.
9. Google Search Console and Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free)
For your own site, this pair is the best free Semrush alternative. Search Console shows every query that sent you a click, with average position, clicks, and impressions. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools adds a free site audit and a full list of your backlinks. Neither shows competitor data, and Search Console averages positions across cities and devices.
Free Semrush alternatives worth using
- Google Search Console: real clicks and positions for your own site. Always start here.
- Google Keyword Planner: search volume ranges for any keyword, needs a Google Ads account.
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools: free backlinks and site audit for sites you verify.
- Bing Webmaster Tools: includes a keyword research tool with Bing volumes.
- Zutrix free tools: a free keyword planner with real volumes and a Google Suggest tool for long tail ideas.
- Semrush free account: 10 requests a day and 10 tracked keywords. Fine for a quick check, not for daily work.
Which Semrush alternative should you pick?
| Your situation | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You mostly track rankings | Zutrix | Daily checks from $29, screenshots, team seats included |
| Agency with many client sites | SE Ranking | 2,000 keywords on the entry plan, strong reporting |
| Link building is the main job | Ahrefs | Best backlink index, free Webmaster Tools |
| You only do keyword research | Mangools | KWFinder is the simplest keyword tool |
| Tight budget, need everything | Serpstat or Ubersuggest | Full suite from $29 to $50 a month |
| Spying on competitor ads | SpyFu | Years of PPC and SEO history |
| Your own site, no budget | Search Console + Ahrefs Webmaster Tools | Free and accurate |
- +List the five features you opened in Semrush last month before you shop.
- +Run the same 20 keywords in the trial and compare positions with a live search.
- +Check seat pricing. Per-user fees double the bill for small teams.
- +Export your Semrush keyword lists before you cancel.
- xPick a tool for its keyword database size if you never search more than 50 keywords a day.
- xTrust a rank tracker that updates weekly for an active campaign.
- xPay for AI tracking add-ons when some tools include it.
FAQ
Common questions
Written by the Zutrix team
Last reviewed September 16, 2026
Zutrix has built rank tracking and SEO software for more than eight years. Our guides come from the same team that runs the product, and every how-to is checked against what we see in real ranking data across the keywords our customers track. We write them for people who are new to SEO and for agencies who want a clear answer fast.
Search volume and difficulty figures come from live Google results and third-party keyword data.