Head-to-head · SEO platforms · facts checked 13 Sept 2026
SE Ranking vs Semrush
Semrush scores 8.3 to SE Ranking's 7.8 among the SEO platforms we rate, and is the better pick for 2 of the 4 kinds of buyer below.
From
$129.00/mo (Core plan)
Free plan
No
From
$139.95/mo (SEO plan)
Free plan
Yes — limited free account available
The verdict
Semrush wins, 8.3 to 7.8
SE Ranking's Core plan at $129 a month includes local SEO with 3 locations and 1,500 local keywords; Semrush's SEO plan costs $139.95 a month and sells local SEO separately, at $30 a month per location. SE Ranking also writes 25 articles a month and builds content briefs in its base plan; Semrush's article generator and briefs sit in a separate Content Toolkit at $60 a month. SE Ranking offers live chat support; Semrush has no live chat, only a contact form.
Pick SE Ranking if you want articles, briefs and local SEO in one plan.
Pick Semrush if you want backlink scale and don't mind separate content add-ons.
Best for
Who each one suits, decided on the criteria that matter to that buyer and the checked facts where the two differ.
SEO specialists doing research
Too close to call
SE Ranking 10.0 · Semrush 10.0 on keyword research and rank tracking and site audit, competitors and backlinks
Content writers and editors
Too close to call
SE Ranking 7.5 · Semrush 7.5 on content writing and optimisation
- Content languages: SE Ranking 8 languages, Semrush 7 languages
Freelancers on a budget
Semrush
SE Ranking 2.5 · Semrush 4.5 on pricing
- Free plan: Semrush yes, SE Ranking no
- But SE Ranking leads on free trial: 14 days against 7 days
Agencies and in-house teams
Semrush
SE Ranking 8.0 · Semrush 8.3 on works with your tools and team and support
- Chrome extension: Semrush yes, SE Ranking no
- But SE Ranking leads on live chat with a person: SE Ranking yes, Semrush no
Section 01
How they score
Both are scored the same way, against the other SEO platforms we rate, from facts on each vendor's own pages. Semrush leads on 2 of 6 criteria.
Keyword research and rank tracking30% of the score
SE Ranking10.0
Semrush10.0
Site audit, competitors and backlinks20% of the score
SE Ranking10.0
Semrush10.0
Pricing20% of the score
SE Ranking2.5
Semrush4.5
Content writing and optimisation15% of the score
SE Ranking7.5
Semrush7.5
Works with your tools10% of the score
SE Ranking8.0
Semrush10.0
Team and support5% of the score
SE Ranking8.0
Semrush5.0
Section 02
Where they differ
Every point where the two vendors' published facts disagree, with a link to where each fact was read. "Not published" means the vendor does not say either way.
Published by only one of them
Seats on the cheapest plan
Semrush
Not published
Where they match (18)
Section 03
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
SE Ranking
Core
$129/mo · $1,238/yr
Repeatable SEO + GEO delivery, rank tracking across engines, unlimited keyword & comp. research, Data Studio / Matomo / GA / GSC
Growth
$279/mo · $2,680/yr
Multi-client SEO + GEO workflows, all Core features, project lifetime historical data, API access with 100K credits
Agency Pack (add-on)
$69/mo (up to $129/mo)
Add-on for agency workflows and white label features, (30 to 100 prompts)
AI Search (add-on)
$89/mo (up to $345/mo) · $854.4/yr (up to $3,312/yr)
Add-on for AI search and GEO tracking capabilities, (200 to 1,000 prompts)
API (add-on)
$45/mo (up to $555/mo) annual billing only
Add-on for extended API access, (3 million to 60 million credits)
Semrush
SEO
$139.95/mo · $1,407.96/yr
5 websites, 500 keywords tracked daily, basic keyword research and competitor analysis, Position Tracking, Site Audit, AI visibility reports
Starter (SEO + AI Search)
$199/mo · $1,982/yr
5 websites, 500 keywords, 50 prompts tracked daily, 1 domain AI brand performance, 300 AI visibility reports/day, MCP access
Pro+ (SEO + AI Search)
$299/mo · $2,978/yr
15 websites, 1,500 keywords, 100 prompts tracked daily, historical SEO data, content optimization, keyword cannibalization analysis
Advanced (SEO + AI Search)
$549/mo · $5,468/yr
40 websites, 5,000 keywords, 200 prompts tracked daily, SEO share of voice, API data integration, maximum power tier
Section 04
Pros and cons
From each tool's full review, written from the same checked facts.
SE Ranking
Pros
- SE Ranking's pricing undercuts major competitors like Clearscope and MarketMuse by a meaningful margin, offering strong value for budget-conscious teams.
- The May 2025 content editor overhaul introduced a fully rebuilt Content Editor with an integrated AI Writer, significantly expanding the platform's capabilities.
- The platform combines brief builder, NLP keyword layer, SERP analysis, competitor outline review, and AI Writer into a single unified workflow.
- Google Docs integration is available with live content scoring that persists in real time as you write, benefiting teams already working in Docs.
- SE Ranking has a longer track record than most competitors, having been around since 2013 with over a million platform users.
- The content editor workflow pulls organic competitor data from the SERP to generate word count targets, heading structures, and competitor references automatically.
- The gap between what SE Ranking claims and what it actually delivers is narrower than expected, indicating honest product positioning.
- The platform covers keyword research, site auditing, backlink checking, and on-page SEO in addition to content editing, making it a true all-in-one suite.
Cons
- SE Ranking started as a rank tracker and the content editor is one module inside a larger suite, meaning it may not feel as purpose-built as dedicated content tools.
- The platform has real feature gaps despite its broad coverage, and is not described as a perfect solution for all content workflows.
- The claimed one million users figure refers to the full platform, not the content editor specifically, making it difficult to gauge adoption of that module.
- Whether the execution of the content editor architecture matches its ambitious design is noted as an open question requiring deeper evaluation.
- The tool's breadth may overwhelm users who only need a standalone content grader rather than a full SEO suite.
Semrush
Pros
- Semrush covers an exceptionally wide range of SEO capabilities including site auditing, rank tracking, keyword research, backlink analysis, PPC tools, and social scheduling all in one platform.
- The Keyword Magic Tool draws from a database of 28 billion keywords, giving users access to one of the largest keyword datasets available.
- AI Visibility Toolkit launched in October 2025 allows users to monitor brand presence across LLM platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity using over 317 million tracked prompts.
- Position Tracking provides daily rank updates with multi-location options, making it useful for agencies managing multiple client campaigns.
- The platform has 17 years of development behind it, meaning core SEO data quality is well-established and trusted by a reported 10 million users.
- Backlink analysis covers 43 trillion backlinks according to Semrush, giving users substantial data for link building and competitive research.
- Content tools include both brief generation and a live optimization editor, streamlining the content production workflow within a single platform.
Cons
- The sheer breadth of tools creates a significant learning curve, with G2 reviewers in agency and marketing roles consistently flagging it before noting any positives.
- At $139.95 per month for the base plan, the cost is a meaningful commitment, and the value delivered appears to depend heavily on which pricing tier you're on.
- The gap between what Semrush promises and what it actually delivers varies significantly based on how much users are paying, suggesting key features may be paywalled.
- The platform may have expanded too broadly, making it difficult for users to know which tools to use, in what order, and for which workflows without weeks of onboarding.
- The Adobe acquisition completed April 2026 introduces uncertainty about the platform's future direction, pricing, and enterprise software bloat.
- AI Visibility Toolkit is still relatively new as of 2025-2026, meaning the feature set and data reliability in that area may not yet be fully mature.
- The volume of features across the platform risks overwhelming smaller teams or solo practitioners who only need a subset of what Semrush offers.
Section 05
SE Ranking vs Semrush: common questions
Which is better, SE Ranking or Semrush?
Semrush scores 8.3 and SE Ranking 7.8 out of 10 among the SEO platforms we rate. Semrush is ahead on pricing and works with your tools. SE Ranking is ahead on team and support.
Is SE Ranking or Semrush cheaper?
SE Ranking's cheapest paid plan is $129.00/mo (Core plan) and Semrush's is $139.95/mo (SEO plan). Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
Do SE Ranking and Semrush have a free plan?
Semrush does and SE Ranking does not.
What can SE Ranking do that Semrush cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: live chat with a person.
What can Semrush do that SE Ranking cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: free plan and chrome extension.
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