Best Semrush Alternatives in 2026: 9 Tools Compared

Ahrefs is the best Semrush alternative if backlinks matter most. Its backlink index and referring-domain data are the deepest in the industry, and its Keywords Explorer pairs difficulty scores with traffic potential estimates that help you judge whether a keyword is worth chasing. Site Audit and rank tracking cover the rest of the core SEO workflow.

The Starter plan at $29 per month is a limited entry point, and the full Lite plan costs $129 per month, close to Semrush itself. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools is free for your own sites, which makes it a useful companion even if you do not pay. For link research and content research at depth, Ahrefs is the strongest tool on this list.

SE Ranking is the closest Semrush alternative for most people. It bundles keyword research across many locations, rank tracking, site audits, backlink monitoring and AI visibility tracking in one platform, without the add-on maze that pushes Semrush costs up. The Core plan costs $129 per month, or $103.20 per month billed annually, and includes a 14-day free trial.

The price is still serious, and lower-tier history is limited to six months. For an agency or a growing business that wants one platform to replace Semrush, SE Ranking is the best overall alternative, with white-label reporting that agencies value.

Moz Pro is the best Semrush alternative for beginners and for teams that benchmark against Domain Authority. Its interface is friendlier than Ahrefs or Semrush, its learning resources are excellent, and Domain Authority remains the metric most SEOs quote when comparing sites. The Starter plan costs $49 per month, with Standard at $99 per month for fuller features.

The backlink index is smaller than Ahrefs, and lower tiers cap campaigns and keywords. For a small team that wants solid SEO fundamentals and a metric everyone understands, Moz Pro is a dependable choice.

Mangools is the best budget pick for bloggers and freelancers. Its bundle includes KWFinder for keyword research, SERPChecker for search results analysis, SERPWatcher for rank tracking, LinkMiner for backlinks and SiteProfiler for site overviews, all in the cleanest interface on this list. The Basic plan costs $29.90 per month billed annually, with a free account for a few lookups a day.

Daily lookup caps on lower plans and limited technical auditing are the trade-offs. For a solo blogger or freelancer who needs real keyword data without a $100-plus subscription, Mangools is the best value here.

Ubersuggest is the cheapest usable Semrush alternative. The free tier covers a few searches a day, and paid plans start at $12 per month, with a lifetime Individual deal sometimes offered. You get keyword suggestions, traffic estimates, backlink data and site audits, which covers the basics for a small site.

Data depth is thinner than Ahrefs or Semrush, rank checks on entry tiers are weekly, and there are no API plans on entry tiers. For a small website owner who does occasional SEO work and wants to spend as little as possible, Ubersuggest is the right choice.

Serpstat is the budget all-in-one. For $69 per month on the Individual plan, or $50 per month billed annually, you get keyword research, rank tracking, backlink analysis and site audits in one workspace, with daily rank tracking on every plan. Team plans offer good value for small agencies.

The entry plan excludes JavaScript rendering and API access, and daily search and position-check caps apply. For a growing business that wants a full suite without Semrush pricing, Serpstat is a strong middle-ground choice.

SpyFu is the best Semrush alternative for competitor research. It shows which keywords competitors rank for, which ones they buy ads on, and how that history has changed over time, which is invaluable for PPC and SEO planning. The Basic plan costs $39 per month, or $29 per month billed annually, with limited free searches and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Rank refresh is weekly on Basic, and there is no AI brand monitoring on that tier. Technical auditing is weaker than at SE Ranking or Ahrefs. For a marketer whose main job is watching competitors, SpyFu is the best tool here.

KeySearch is a favorite of niche site builders and bloggers for good reason. At $20 per month on the Starter plan, it offers keyword difficulty scores, competitor analysis, rank tracking and a backlink checker, which covers the core research workflow for a small site. A 7-day trial lets you test it first.

The database is smaller than Ahrefs or Semrush, and backlink data is thinner. For a blogger or niche site owner who wants affordable, focused keyword research, KeySearch is a strong pick.

Google Search Console is not a Semrush replacement on its own, but it is essential, and it is free. It shows the actual queries that bring users to your site, your impressions, clicks and average positions, plus indexing status and technical issues, all from Google's own data. No third-party tool can match that accuracy for your own site.

It only covers sites you own, with no competitor data, and the data is sampled and time-lagged. Pair Search Console with a research tool from this list: use Search Console to measure your own performance, and the paid tool to research keywords and competitors.