Semrush is one of the most popular SEO tools out there, but it can be expensive and sometimes overwhelming for beginners. If you’re looking for something easier to use, more affordable, or specialized for specific SEO tasks, there are plenty of alternatives to consider.
In this guide, we’ve rounded up the best Semrush alternatives for 2025, comparing them based on price, ease of use, and unique features. Whether you need keyword research, backlink analysis, site audits, or content optimization, these tools can help you grow your website without breaking the bank.
Top 11 Semrush Alternatives in 2025: Quick Overview
Before we break down each tool, here’s a quick comparison table:
| Semrush Alternative | Why Choose This Over Semrush? | Pricing | Free Trial? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs | Best for backlink analysis | Starts at $129/month | No |
| Moz Pro | Comprehensive SEO suite | Starts at $99/month | 30 days |
| Ubersuggest | Affordable & beginner-friendly | Starts at $12/month | 7 days |
| SE Ranking | Feature-packed & budget-friendly | Starts at $39/month | 14 days |
| Serpstat | All-in-one tool at a lower cost | Starts at $48/month | 7 days |
| SEO PowerSuite | One-time payment, full SEO suite | $299 one-time fee | Free version available |
| Majestic | Deep link analysis & trust metrics | Starts at $49.99/month | No |
| Mangools | Simple interface with essential features | Starts at $29/month | 10 days |
| SpyFu | Best for competitor keyword research | Starts at $39/month | No |
| Surfer SEO | Helps you write SEO-friendly content easily | Starts at $99/month | No |
| Screaming Frog SEO Spider | Unmatched for technical SEO audits | £199/year | Free (500-URL limit) |
1. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is widely recognized as one of the best SEO tools, particularly for backlink analysis. While it offers features like keyword research, rank tracking, and site audits, its true strength lies in its backlink database, which is one of the largest and most accurate in the industry.
Ahrefs is also adding AI-powered tools for content marketers, helping users generate content ideas and optimize pages more efficiently.
Another standout feature of Ahrefs is its user-friendly interface. Unlike Semrush, which can feel overwhelming with its vast array of data, Ahrefs simplifies SEO research, making it more accessible for beginners while still offering deep insights for experts. We have also shared information if Ahrefs offers a free trial or not.
Key Features of Ahrefs:
- Site Explorer: Analyze backlinks, organic traffic, and competitor PPC campaigns.
- Keywords Explorer: Find profitable keywords with search volume and ranking difficulty.
- Content Explorer: Discover high-performing content ideas based on search trends.
- Rank Tracker: Monitor keyword performance over time.
- Site Audit: Detect SEO issues and get actionable recommendations.
Why Choose Ahrefs Over Semrush? Ahrefs is the go-to tool for backlink research. Its backlink index is larger and updated more frequently than Semrush, making it the best choice for link-building and competitive analysis.
2. Moz Pro
Moz Pro has been a staple in the SEO industry for years. Moz Pro now boasts a backlink index of over 45.5 trillion links, rivaling or exceeding Semrush and Ahrefs in some areas.
One of the strongest aspects of Moz Pro is its Keyword Explorer. This feature provides detailed keyword suggestions, search volume, and difficulty scores, helping businesses identify the best keywords to target.
Moz also stands out with its proprietary Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) metrics, which help gauge the strength of a website and its potential to rank on Google. These metrics are widely used by SEO professionals to evaluate a website’s authority compared to competitors.
Key Features of Moz Pro:
- Keyword Explorer: Find and analyze keywords with difficulty scores.
- Site Crawl: Identify and fix technical SEO issues.
- Domain Authority (DA): A widely recognized metric for assessing site quality.
- Link Explorer: Analyze backlink profiles and compare with competitors.
- Rank Tracking: Monitor keyword performance over time.
Why Choose Moz Pro Over Semrush? Moz Pro is easier to navigate and better for beginners. Additionally, its DA metric is a widely trusted authority score that Semrush lacks.
3. Ubersuggest
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly and easy-to-use SEO tool, Ubersuggest is a fantastic choice. Created by Neil Patel, this tool offers basic but effective SEO functionalities that are perfect for small businesses, freelancers, and content creators.
One of the main reasons people choose Ubersuggest over Semrush is its pricing and its 30-day trial giving access to all of its features. Semrush can cost hundreds of dollars per month, whereas Ubersuggest starts at just $12/month, making it one of the most affordable SEO tools available.
Ubersuggest provides keyword research, backlink data, site audits, and competitor analysis, all within a simple and beginner-friendly interface. It also includes SEO insights and recommendations, which are particularly helpful for those who are new to SEO.
Key Features of Ubersuggest:
- Keyword Suggestions: Discover profitable keywords for SEO and PPC.
- Site Audit: Get actionable insights into site health and performance.
- Competitive Analysis: Analyze competitor keywords and rankings.
- Backlink Data: Track backlinks and explore link-building opportunities.
Why Choose Ubersuggest Over Semrush? Ubersuggest is significantly cheaper and ideal for beginners or small businesses that don’t need a complex SEO suite like Semrush.
4. SE Ranking
SE Ranking is a full-featured SEO tool that offers almost everything Semrush does—but at a much lower price. It’s great for rank tracking, competitor research, and keyword analysis, making it a favorite among small businesses and agencies looking for an affordable yet powerful tool.
One of SE Ranking’s standout features is its highly accurate keyword rank tracking. Unlike Semrush, which provides broad ranking data, SE Ranking allows you to track rankings across different locations and devices, making it great for local SEO campaigns.
Another plus is its clean and easy-to-use dashboard, which provides a streamlined experience without the data overload of Semrush.
Key Features of SE Ranking:
- Rank Tracking: Highly accurate keyword position monitoring.
- SEO Website Audit: Find and fix on-page SEO issues.
- Backlink Monitoring: Track backlinks and analyze link-building strategies.
- Competitor Analysis: Compare SEO performance with top competitors.
Why Choose SE Ranking Over Semrush? SE Ranking is cheaper, easier to use, and better suited for local SEO. If you want a cost-effective all-in-one SEO tool, this is a great option.
5. Serpstat
Serpstat has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the most versatile and cost-effective Semrush alternatives on the market. This all-in-one SEO platform offers an impressive suite of tools for keyword research, competitor analysis, backlink tracking, and site auditing, all at a more affordable price point than Semrush.
One of Serpstat’s strongest features is its keyword clustering tool, which helps content marketers group related keywords together for more strategic content planning. This feature alone can save hours of manual work and significantly improve your content strategy.
Serpstat also excels at competitor analysis, providing detailed insights into your competitors’ organic and paid search strategies. The platform even offers a unique feature that allows you to see the keywords your competitors rank for that you don’t, giving you immediate opportunities to expand your content strategy.
Key Features of Serpstat:
- Keyword Research: Discover keywords with search volume, difficulty, and CPC data.
- Competitor Analysis: Analyze competitors’ organic and paid strategies.
- Backlink Analysis: Explore backlink profiles and find link-building opportunities.
- Site Audit: Identify and fix technical SEO issues.
- Rank Tracker: Monitor your keyword positions across multiple search engines.
Why Choose Serpstat Over Semrush? Serpstat offers comparable features to Semrush at a significantly lower price point. Its $48/month starting price makes it an excellent option for businesses with limited budgets that still need robust SEO capabilities.
6. SEO PowerSuite
SEO PowerSuite now charges $299/year for its suite, including Rank Tracker, Website Auditor, SEO SpyGlass, and LinkAssistant. Unlimited projects, keywords, and competitors make it ideal for agencies.
SEO PowerSuite consists of four integrated tools: Rank Tracker for keyword monitoring, WebSite Auditor for on-page analysis, SEO SpyGlass for backlink research, and LinkAssistant for link-building campaigns. Together, these tools provide a complete SEO workflow solution that rivals Semrush’s capabilities.
What sets SEO PowerSuite apart is its flexibility and customization options. The software allows for unlimited projects, keywords, and competitors, which is perfect for agencies managing multiple clients or businesses with many websites.
Key Features of SEO PowerSuite:
- Rank Tracker: Monitor rankings across 400+ search engines with unlimited keywords.
- WebSite Auditor: Perform in-depth technical SEO audits and content analysis.
- SEO SpyGlass: Analyze backlink profiles and compare with competitors.
- LinkAssistant: Find link-building opportunities and manage outreach campaigns.
Why Choose SEO PowerSuite Over Semrush? SEO PowerSuite’s one-time payment model ($299) offers significant long-term savings compared to Semrush’s recurring subscription fees. It also provides unlimited tracking capabilities with no monthly limits, making it ideal for agencies and larger businesses.
7. Majestic
Majestic is a specialized SEO tool that focuses primarily on backlink analysis, offering one of the most comprehensive backlink databases in the industry. While it doesn’t provide all the features of Semrush, it excels in what it does best: providing deep insights into link profiles and trust metrics.
What makes Majestic stand out is its proprietary metrics, including Trust Flow and Citation Flow. These metrics help SEO professionals evaluate the quality and trustworthiness of backlinks rather than just counting the number of links, which can be a more accurate predictor of SEO success.
Majestic also offers historical data going back several years, allowing you to track the evolution of backlink profiles over time. This historical perspective can reveal trends and patterns that might not be evident with just current data.
Key Features of Majestic:
- Site Explorer: Analyze backlink profiles with detailed metrics.
- Trust Flow: Measure the quality of backlinks based on trustworthy sites.
- Citation Flow: Evaluate link equity and power.
- Topical Trust Flow: Understand the relevancy of backlinks to your niche.
- Clique Hunter: Find common backlink sources among competitors.
Why Choose Majestic Over Semrush? Majestic offers superior backlink analysis with unique quality metrics that Semrush doesn’t provide. If your primary focus is on link building and backlink analysis, Majestic offers more depth and specialized features at a lower cost than Semrush.
8. Mangools
Mangools is a suite of five interconnected SEO tools designed to simplify SEO research and analysis. What sets Mangools apart from Semrush is its intuitive interface and straightforward approach to SEO, making it perfect for beginners and intermediate users who find Semrush overwhelming.
The Mangools suite includes KWFinder for keyword research, SERPChecker for SERP analysis, SERPWatcher for rank tracking, LinkMiner for backlink analysis, and SiteProfiler for site metrics. Each tool is focused on doing one thing well, rather than trying to be an all-in-one solution.
Many users appreciate Mangools for its clean, visual data presentation. Complex SEO metrics are displayed in an easy-to-understand format with color-coded difficulty scores and straightforward recommendations.
Key Features of Mangools:
- KWFinder: Discover low-competition keywords with accurate difficulty scores.
- SERPChecker: Analyze search results pages with detailed SEO metrics.
- SERPWatcher: Track keyword rankings with an intuitive progress dashboard.
- LinkMiner: Explore backlink profiles with visual previews.
- SiteProfiler: Get comprehensive domain metrics and competitor insights.
Why Choose Mangools Over Semrush? Mangools is significantly more affordable than Semrush while offering an exceptionally user-friendly interface. Its visual approach to SEO data makes it perfect for beginners and marketers who prefer simplicity over excessive features.
9. SpyFu
SpyFu was built with competitor analysis in mind, making it one of the best Semrush alternatives for businesses focused on understanding and outperforming their competition. This tool specializes in revealing the exact keywords your competitors are using in both organic and paid search, along with their ad copy and landing page strategies.
What makes SpyFu particularly valuable is its historical data. The tool allows you to see how your competitors’ strategies have evolved over time, including which keywords they’ve targeted consistently and which ones they’ve abandoned.
SpyFu also excels at PPC research, providing detailed information about competitors’ Google Ads campaigns, including estimated budgets, most profitable keywords, and ad copy variations. This makes it an excellent choice for businesses that run both SEO and PPC campaigns.
Key Features of SpyFu:
- Competitor Analysis: Uncover competitors’ most profitable keywords and strategies.
- Keyword Research: Find profitable keywords with competition metrics.
- PPC Research: Analyze competitors’ ad campaigns and copy.
- Backlink Analysis: Discover competitor backlink sources.
- Rank Tracking: Monitor keyword performance over time.
Why Choose SpyFu Over Semrush? SpyFu offers more in-depth competitor analysis features at a lower price point than Semrush. Its historical data and competitive intelligence tools are unmatched, making it ideal for businesses in competitive niches.
10. Surfer SEO
If your main goal is to write content that ranks well on Google, Surfer SEO is a great tool to consider. Unlike Semrush, which covers everything from backlinks to PPC, Surfer focuses mainly on content optimization, helping you create blog posts and pages that perform better in search.
Surfer SEO is content-focused, offering Content Editor, Content Audit, Surfer AI, and AI Tracker to optimize pages and monitor brand visibility in AI search environments.
Another helpful feature is the Content Audit, which shows how to improve your existing pages to boost rankings. This makes it super useful for content marketers, bloggers, and anyone working with written content.
Key Features of Surfer SEO:
- Content Editor: Real-time writing suggestions based on top-ranking pages.
- Content Audit: Tips to improve old blog posts and pages.
- Keyword Research: Find related keywords and search topics.
- SERP Analyzer: Understand what’s working for competitors.
- Outline Builder: Automatically creates blog structures from top results.
Why Pick Surfer SEO Over Semrush? If you’re focused on writing content that ranks, Surfer SEO is easier and more helpful. It gives live feedback while writing and focuses only on what helps your content perform better in search.
11. Screaming Frog SEO Spider
If your main focus is on technical SEO and fixing on-site issues, Screaming Frog is an indispensable tool that no other platform on this list, including Semrush, can match in terms of depth and specificity. Unlike cloud-based all-in-one solutions, this is a powerful desktop crawler that thoroughly examines your website from a search engine’s perspective.
SEO professionals use Screaming Frog to spot a wide range of technical problems, from broken links and redirect chains to duplicate content, missing meta tags, and issues with sitemaps and robots.txt files. Its ability to handle large websites and its customizable features make it the go-to tool for in-depth technical audits.
One of the standout advantages of Screaming Frog is its pricing. It offers a free version that allows crawling up to 500 URLs—perfect for small websites. For larger sites or advanced features, the paid version comes with a low-cost annual license, rather than a monthly subscription, providing excellent value for the insights it delivers.
Key Features of Screaming Frog SEO Spider:
- Comprehensive Technical Audits: Checks broken links, redirect chains, server errors, and more.
- On-Page Analysis: Audits meta titles, descriptions, headings, and other on-page elements.
- URL Visualization: Creates visual representations of your site’s structure to easily spot issues.
- Customization: Extract data using XPath, CSS Path, or regex for specialized needs.
- Google & Third-Party Integration: Connects with Google Analytics, Search Console, and APIs from tools like Ahrefs and Moz to enrich crawl data.
Why Choose Screaming Frog Over Semrush? While Semrush’s Site Audit tool gives a good general overview, Screaming Frog is the specialist tool for deep technical SEO. It’s the best option for granular, site-wide audits and fixing complex on-page issues. Its one-time annual license for unlimited URLs makes it a highly cost-effective choice for SEO professionals and agencies.
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Conclusion: Ahrefs is the #1 Semrush Alternative
While Semrush is undoubtedly a powerful SEO tool, it’s not the only option available. Depending on your specific needs, budget, and level of SEO expertise, one of these alternatives might be a better fit for your business.
For backlink analysis, Ahrefs and Majestic offer more comprehensive data and specialized features. If you’re on a tight budget, tools like Ubersuggest, SE Ranking, and Serpstat provide similar functionality at a fraction of the cost. For beginners, user-friendly options like Mangools might be more approachable than Semrush’s complex interface.
Remember that the best SEO tool is the one that aligns with your specific goals and requirements. Many of these platforms offer free trials, so take advantage of them to test different options before making a commitment. By choosing the right tool for your needs, you’ll be well-equipped to improve your search visibility and drive more organic traffic to your website in 2025 and beyond.
