Semrush searches often come from people who need one report — a technical audit or a competitor's ad spend — and not a platform.
Buy the report, not the suite, unless you will run it every month.
Side by side
| Tool | Pricing | Best for | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs | Paid | An in-house SEO lead at a company where organic search drives real revenue. | Web, API |
The options, and what each one costs you
- Better if
- An in-house SEO lead at a company where organic search drives real revenue.
- You give up
- The entry price is high with no meaningful free tier beyond limited web tools, so it is hard to justify for a hobby site.
Frequently asked
What is the best alternative to Semrush?
It depends on what you are leaving for. Buy the report, not the suite, unless you will run it every month. Our closest match on features and price is Ahrefs.
Is there a free alternative to Semrush?
None of the alternatives we list are free; Semrush itself is the cheaper option.
How much does switching from Semrush cost?
Migration is usually the expensive part, not the licence: exports rarely preserve permissions, history or automations. Budget a day per active workspace for anything with a database in it.
How we picked
Every tool here is in our Marketing & SEO directory, which means we have used it and written down where it falls short. Nothing on this page is sponsored, and the order is not for sale.