Semrush vs Surfer
Semrush uniquely has 2 features.
| Semrush | Surfer | |
|---|---|---|
| Company | ||
| Founded | 2008 | 2017 |
| HQ | Boston, USA | Wrocław, Poland |
| AI model | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| User base | 10M+ users | 150,000+ |
| Platforms | Web, Chrome Extension, iOS, Android | Web, Chrome Extension, WordPress, Google Docs |
| Languages | 25+ | Multiple (used across Southeast Asia and multiple markets per scrape) |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Free plan | Yes — limited free account available | No |
| Free trial | Yes — 7 days | Yes — free account available (Start for Free) |
| Starting price | $139/mo (SEO plan) | $59/mo, Discovery |
| Enterprise | Custom — request demo | $999/mo+ (tailored/custom) |
| All plans | SEO$139/moStarter (SEO + AI Search)$199/moPro+ (SEO + AI Search)$299/moAdvanced (SEO + AI Search)$549/mo | Discovery$59/moStandard$119/moPro$219/moPeace of Mind$359/moEnterpriseCustom |
| Positioning | ||
| Best for | SEO professionals, digital marketers, agencies, and enterprises seeking comprehensive search visibility and AI search monitoring | Marketers, SEO specialists, agencies, and content teams wanting data-driven content optimization and AI search visibility |
| Differentiator | Semrush One unifies traditional SEO and AI search visibility (LLM citation tracking) on a single platform built on 17 years of search intelligence, with 28B keywords, 43T backlinks, and 289M+ LLM prompts monitored. | Surfer is the only closed-loop AI Visibility OS that combines content scoring, real-time optimization, and multi-LLM brand mention tracking (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI, Gemini) in one unified workflow. |
| Competitors | Ahrefs, Moz, Mangools, SE Ranking, Surfer SEO, BrightEdge | Clearscope, MarketMuse, Semrush, Ahrefs, Frase, NeuronWriter |
| Features | ||
| AI Copywriting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Backlink Analysis | ✓ | ✕ |
| Content Brief | ✓ | ✓ |
| Content Editor | ✓ | ✓ |
| GSC Integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Keyword Clustering | ✓ | ✓ |
| Keyword Research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Long Form Writing | ✓ | ✓ |
| On Page SEO | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rank Tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| SERP Analysis | ✓ | ✓ |
| Topic Clusters | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ||
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chrome Extension | ✓ | ✓ |
| CMS | WordPress, Google Docs, Shopify via integrations | WordPress, Google Docs, Contentful (listed on Pro+) |
| Google Docs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Key Integrations | Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Google Ads, Adobe (parent company), Lovable AI builder, ChatGPT, MCP access, Zapier, WordPress, Google Docs | WordPress, Google Docs, Contentful, Chrome Extension, Surfer API |
| Wordpress | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zapier | ✓ | — |