Review · #8 in our 2026 ranking
Semrush review (2026)
Verdict. Semrush is a seo suite priced from $139/mo ($117.33/mo annual), with 7-day free trial, plus a permanent free plan to test it. The broadest SEO and competitive-intelligence suite, now split into an SEO plan and higher tiers that bundle AI search visibility tracking. It is the right call for sEO professionals, marketers and agencies that need the deepest data and competitive analysis available. The main reason to look elsewhere: expensive once you need ai search: the real entry point becomes $199/mo.
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| Category | SEO suite |
|---|---|
| Entry price | from $139/mo ($117.33/mo annual) |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial, plus a permanent free plan |
| AI search (GEO) | Tracking — Tracks how AI engines answer, but does not produce the content that fixes it. |
| Best for | SEO professionals, marketers and agencies that need the deepest data and competitive analysis available. |
| Integrations | Google Search Console, Google Analytics, WordPress, Looker Studio, API, MCP |
| Languages | Multilingual |
| Data source | official site, read 2 August 2026 |
What Semrush is
Semrush sits in the seo suite category. SEO suites are the data layer: keyword databases, backlink indexes, rank tracking, site audits and competitor analysis, now with AI-visibility tracking bolted on. They tell you what to do; you still do it.
The broadest SEO and competitive-intelligence suite, now split into an SEO plan and higher tiers that bundle AI search visibility tracking. In practice that means it is built for sEO professionals, marketers and agencies that need the deepest data and competitive analysis available. If that is not your situation, the tool can still work, but you will be paying for capability you do not use, which is the most common reason teams churn out of this category.
Key features
Every item below is listed on Semrush's own site or pricing page. We do not repeat marketing claims we could not find in the vendor's documentation.
- Keyword research and competitive analysis on one of the largest databases
- Rank tracking, site audit and position tracking
- Content optimization and cannibalization detection
- AI visibility tracking across Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini
- Backlink analytics and link-building tools
- API and MCP access on higher plans
Semrush pricing and plans
Semrush starts at from $139/mo ($117.33/mo annual). The $139 SEO plan does not include AI visibility. Prompt tracking starts with the $199/mo Starter plan (50 prompts daily), rising to 100 on Pro+ and 200 on Advanced. A free plan exists with no card required.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | Limited daily lookups, no credit card required. |
| SEO | $139/mo ($117.33 annual) | 5 websites, 500 keywords tracked daily, position tracking, site audit. |
| Starter (SEO + AI Search) | $199/mo ($165.17 annual) | Adds AI visibility tracking, 50 prompts tracked daily across Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini. |
| Pro+ | $299/mo ($248.17 annual) | 100 prompts tracked daily plus expanded limits. |
| Advanced | $549/mo ($455.67 annual) | 200 prompts tracked daily, largest limits. |
Compare this against every other tool we track on the AI SEO software pricing comparison, or work out what it costs you per published article with the content cost calculator.
AI search visibility: Tracking
AI visibility is a paid tier rather than an add-on: the $139 SEO plan excludes it, and prompt volume scales with price from 50 to 200 daily.
This matters more each quarter. Roughly two thirds of US Google searches now end without a click, so being quoted inside an answer is often the only visibility available for informational queries. Our guides on generative engine optimization and getting cited by ChatGPT explain what actually moves that needle, and the GEO content scorer checks whether a specific page is structured to be quoted.
Strengths and limits
Strengths
- Deepest dataset and competitive analysis in the category
- Free plan and 7-day trial make evaluation cheap
- AI visibility is native to the platform, not a separate subscription
Limits
- Expensive once you need AI search: the real entry point becomes $199/mo
- Many features gated behind higher tiers or paid add-ons
- Extra seats start at $45/mo
Capability check against Ahrefs and SE Ranking
Same criteria for every tool on this site, taken from published feature documentation. "Partial" means the capability exists but is limited by tier, scope or depth.
| Capability | Semrush | Ahrefs | SE Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writes content | Partial | Partial | Partial |
| Publishes to your CMS | No | No | No |
| Keyword research | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-page optimization | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Technical audit | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Backlinks | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rank tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI visibility tracking | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Internal linking | Partial | Partial | Partial |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes | No |
Who Semrush is for
Pick Semrush if
- Deepest dataset and competitive analysis in the category
- Free plan and 7-day trial make evaluation cheap
- AI visibility is native to the platform, not a separate subscription
Look elsewhere if
- Expensive once you need AI search: the real entry point becomes $199/mo
- Many features gated behind higher tiers or paid add-ons
- Extra seats start at $45/mo
Suites are priced per seat and per project. Before upgrading, check whether you actually hit the limits of the cheaper tier, and whether AI-visibility tracking is included or sold as an add-on.
Alternatives and comparisons
If Semrush is not the fit, these are the tools solving the same job. Full breakdown on the Semrush alternatives page.
Ahrefs
SEO suite built on one of the largest independent web crawlers, with the strongest backlink dataset and a separately priced Brand Radar product for AI-answer research.
SEO suiteSE Ranking
Full-featured SEO suite that bundles 100 daily AI prompts and GEO research into its entry plan, undercutting the bigger suites on AI coverage.
SEO suiteMoz Pro
Long-established SEO suite best known for Domain Authority and Brand Authority, with AI Overview reporting bundled into every plan.
Head to head
Sorank vs Semrush
$99/site/mo vs $139/mo
Surfer SEO vs Semrush
$49/mo vs $139/mo
Search Atlas vs Semrush
$99/mo vs $139/mo
Semrush vs Ahrefs
$139/mo vs Starter $29/mo
Semrush vs Moz Pro
$139/mo vs Starter $49/mo, Standard $99/mo
Semrush vs Profound
$139/mo vs $99/mo
| Tool | Category | Entry price | Free trial | AI search |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush | SEO suite | from $139/mo ($117.33/mo annual) | 7-day free trial, plus a permanent free plan | Tracking |
| Ahrefs | SEO suite | Starter $29/mo (Lite $129/mo) | Free plan for verified sites; no general free trial | Tracking |
| SE Ranking | SEO suite | from $129/mo ($103.20/mo annual) | 14-day free trial, fully functional | Tracking |
| Moz Pro | SEO suite | Starter $49/mo, Standard $99/mo ($79 annual) | 7-day free trial (Standard and Medium monthly plans) | Tracking |
Frequently asked questions
How much does Semrush cost?
Semrush starts at from $139/mo ($117.33/mo annual). The $139 SEO plan does not include AI visibility. Prompt tracking starts with the $199/mo Starter plan (50 prompts daily), rising to 100 on Pro+ and 200 on Advanced. A free plan exists with no card required. We read these figures on the vendor pricing page on 2 August 2026; pricing in this category changes often, so confirm before you buy.
Does Semrush have a free trial?
7-day free trial, plus a permanent free plan. Full plan-by-plan terms are in the pricing section above, and we compare trial terms across all 30 tools in the pricing comparison.
Does Semrush help with AI search visibility?
Tracking. AI visibility is a paid tier rather than an add-on: the $139 SEO plan excludes it, and prompt volume scales with price from 50 to 200 daily. If AI visibility is your priority, compare it against the dedicated AI visibility trackers.
What is the best Semrush alternative?
The closest alternative on capability is Ahrefs (Starter $29/mo (Lite $129/mo), free plan for verified sites; no general free trial). We list every option side by side on the Semrush alternatives page.
Is Semrush worth it?
It is worth it when the job you need done matches what it actually does: the broadest seo and competitive-intelligence suite, now split into an seo plan and higher tiers that bundle ai search visibility tracking. Buying a suite does not produce content. Teams that buy one and have nobody to act on it get a very expensive rank tracker. Our ROI calculator turns that into a break-even figure for your own traffic and conversion numbers.
How we verified this
Pricing, plan limits, trial terms and feature lists on this page were read on Semrush's own site (source page) on 2 August 2026. We publish no star ratings and run no paid placements: read the methodology for the criteria behind every placement, and the changelog for what changed and when.
Last verified 2 August 2026. Prices, plans and features on this page were read on each vendor's own site on that date. Vendors change pricing often, so confirm before you buy. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will fix it.