How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Semrush SEO plan costs 139.95 dollars per month, or 117.33 dollars billed annually, so every tool here saves money, but limits differ sharply.
- SE Ranking is the closest all-in-one replacement, while Ahrefs Starter at 29 dollars suits backlink and keyword research on a budget.
- The cheapest usable tools are Ubersuggest and KeySearch, but both cap tracked keywords and projects far below Semrush.
- Price the job, not the entry plan: tracking 10,000 keywords needs a higher tier on most tools, and some cannot reach it at any self-serve price.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 SE Ranking | Closest all-in-one replacement | $129 per month | Free trial |
 Ahrefs | Backlink and keyword depth | $29 per month | Yes |
 Mangools | Simple keyword research | $29 per month | Yes |
 Ubersuggest | Cheapest usable research | $12 per month | Yes |
 Serpstat | Core SEO on a smaller budget | $69 per month | Free trial |
 Moz Pro | Beginner-friendly SEO | $49 per month | Free trial |
 SpyFu | Competitor and PPC research | $39 per month | Yes |
 KeySearch | Budget keyword research | $24 per month | Yes |
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The best cheaper semrush alternatives
#1SE Ranking
Best for: Closest all-in-one replacement4.7/5 on
G2 (1,606 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit seranking.com
Starting price$129 per month
Free planFree trial
SE Ranking is the best all-round Semrush alternative in October 2026 guides. Core costs 129 dollars per month, or 103.20 dollars billed annually, and covers rank tracking, keyword and competitor research, backlinks, site audits, and AI prompt tracking. Rank tracking covers 2,000 keywords a day on Core in one guide, which suits small agencies and growing sites.
Core includes one manager seat, with extra seats from about 16 dollars per month in one guide, and larger keyword volumes need Growth at 279 dollars or keyword packs. SE Ranking fits teams that want the Semrush job done in one tool at a lower price, without the add-on maze. Agencies can add an Agency Pack for white-label reporting at about 69 dollars per month billed annually.
What we like- Closest Semrush feature match
- Rank tracking for 2,000 keywords daily
- AI prompt tracking
Watch out for- Core has one manager seat
- Extra seats from about 16 dollars
- Add-ons for scale
#2Ahrefs
Best for: Backlink and keyword depth4.5/5 on
G2 (717 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit ahrefs.com
Starting price$29 per month
Free planYes
Ahrefs is the professional standard for backlink and keyword discovery depth. Starter costs 29 dollars per month in recent guides, while Lite costs 129 dollars, close to Semrush entry, and Standard costs more for deeper research. Free Webmaster Tools cover audits and backlinks for your own sites, which helps small sites start free.
Starter is a limited entry plan, and base rank refresh is weekly on main plans, with daily refresh costing extra. Ahrefs fits teams where backlink data and keyword discovery matter most, and where rank tracking can run weekly. Teams that need daily tracking at scale should compare SE Ranking instead.
What we like- Best backlink data
- Strong keyword discovery
- Free Webmaster Tools for own sites
Watch out for- Starter is limited
- Lite is 129 dollars
- Weekly base rank refresh
- Deeper research needs Standard
#3Mangools
Best for: Simple keyword research4.7/5 on
G2 (97 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit mangools.com
Starting price$29 per month
Free planYes
Mangools bundles KWFinder, SERPChecker, SERPWatcher, and LinkMiner in a clean interface that beginners learn fast. Guides disagree on Basic pricing, listing about 29 dollars per month on annual billing in one guide and 37.70 dollars per month billed annually in another, so confirm the current price before buying. Limited free lookups help evaluation.
Limits are the trade-off: the top plan tracks only about 1,500 keywords, and Basic rank updates run weekly, with daily updates only on Agency. Mangools fits freelancers and small sites that need real keyword data without Semrush complexity, not agencies tracking thousands of keywords.
What we like- Clean simple interface
- KWFinder and SERPChecker
- Easy for beginners
Watch out for- Top plan tracks only about 1,500 keywords
- Weekly rank updates on Basic
- Single user on Basic
Starting price$12 per month
Free planYes
Ubersuggest is the cheapest usable keyword research tool, with guides listing Individual plans from 12 dollars per month to 29 dollars per month depending on billing and promotion. One guide notes an Individual offer at 16 dollars per month billed annually, but warns that the displayed offer is promotional, not a promise about renewal. Limited daily searches come free.
Entry limits are tight: 1 project and 125 tracked keywords on entry in one guide, with weekly rank checks and no API plans. Ubersuggest fits a small owned website with periodic SEO work, not an agency or a large site. Confirm renewal pricing before committing, since promo rates differ from renewal rates.
What we like- Cheapest usable keyword research
- Simple interface
- Site audits included
Watch out for- Entry covers 1 project and 125 tracked keywords
- Weekly rank checks
- Promo pricing may not renew
#5Serpstat
Best for: Core SEO on a smaller budget4.6/5 on
G2 (464 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit serpstat.com
Starting price$69 per month
Free planFree trial
Serpstat combines keyword research, rank tracking, backlink analysis, and site audits in one lower tier. Individual costs 69 dollars per month, or 50 dollars billed annually, in guides, with 5 projects and 100 searches per day on entry in one guide. Team at 129 dollars and Agency at 499 dollars add white-label reports and daily checks.
Entry excludes JavaScript rendering and API access, and tracking consumes checks, so heavy users need higher tiers. Serpstat fits teams that want the Semrush core modules at roughly half the price, and that can live with entry limits. Agencies needing white-label reports should price the Agency plan, not the Individual plan.
What we like- Same core modules as Semrush
- Rank tracking and audits
- Lower entry than Semrush
Watch out for- Entry excludes JavaScript rendering and API
- Tracking consumes checks
- Weekly checks on Team
#6Moz Pro
Best for: Beginner-friendly SEO4.3/5 on
G2 (608 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit moz.com
Starting price$49 per month
Free planFree trial
Moz Pro is the beginner-friendly option, with Domain Authority benchmarking and a 30-day trial. Starter costs 49 dollars per month, or 39 dollars billed annually, in guides, while Standard costs 99 dollars. Moz tools are easy to learn, and the community and learning resources suit SEO beginners.
Starter covers one website, and even Large at 299 dollars stops at 3,000 tracked keywords with no self-serve path to 10,000 in one 2026 pricing study. Moz Pro fits beginners and small sites that value Domain Authority comparisons and simple workflows, not large-scale rank tracking.
What we like- Beginner-friendly
- Domain Authority benchmarking
- 30-day trial
Watch out for- Starter covers one website
- Large stops at 3,000 tracked keywords
- Weekly refresh
#7SpyFu
Best for: Competitor and PPC research4.6/5 on
G2 (518 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit spyfu.com
Starting price$39 per month
Free planYes
SpyFu leads on competitor SEO and PPC research, with deep Google Ads history and organic ranking data for rival domains. Basic costs 39 dollars per month, or 29 dollars billed annually, in guides, with limited free results for evaluation. Pro plus AI at 119 dollars covers 15,000 tracking slots for larger competitor programs.
Basic covers 1 tracking project with weekly rank refresh and no Search Console integration, so teams needing daily tracking or many projects need Pro. SpyFu fits teams whose main job is competitor research, especially PPC history, rather than all-in-one SEO management.
What we like- Best competitor keyword history
- Google Ads history
- Simple pricing
Watch out for- Weekly rank refresh
- 1 tracking project on Basic
- No Search Console integration on Basic
Starting price$24 per month
Free planYes
KeySearch is a budget keyword research tool with keyword difficulty scores, competitor analysis, rank tracking, and a backlink checker. Guides disagree slightly on price, listing 20 dollars per month in one guide and 24 dollars per month in another, so confirm the current rate. A free tier without volume data helps evaluation.
Backlink depth and advanced features trail Ahrefs and Semrush, and limits are smaller across the board. KeySearch fits freelancers and small sites that need honest keyword data at the lowest usable price, and that do not need enterprise backlink or audit depth.
What we like- Very affordable
- Keyword difficulty scores
- Rank tracking and backlink checker
Watch out for- Smaller limits than Semrush
- Less backlink depth
- Fewer advanced features
How we chose
We compared these tools on entry price, tracked keyword limits, project limits, backlink depth, rank refresh speed, and extra seat costs. Pricing studies from August through October 2026 shaped the figures, and we flagged every case where guides disagree on price, since SEO vendors change tiers and promotions often. We favored tools that cover research, rank tracking, and audits at a lower price than Semrush, and we priced the 10,000-keyword job wherever studies allowed.
We also separated three buyer types. All-in-one buyers should shortlist SE Ranking and Serpstat, backlink buyers should shortlist Ahrefs, and budget buyers should shortlist Ubersuggest and KeySearch. SpyFu suits competitor research specifically, while Mangools and Moz suit beginners. The right pick follows the job, not the lowest entry price.
Price the 10,000-keyword job, not the entry plan
Entry prices hide keyword limits. One 2026 study found the cheapest cloud route to 10,000 tracked keywords costs 119 dollars per month, less than Semrush entry, while Mangools, Ubersuggest, and Moz cannot reach 10,000 at any self-serve price. List your tracked keywords, projects, and refresh speed before comparing, since those three numbers decide the real bill.
Check rank refresh speed and seat costs
Weekly refresh suits most small sites, but daily refresh matters for competitive niches and client reporting. Semrush extra seats start near 45 dollars per month, while SE Ranking extra seats start near 16 dollars and Ahrefs near 40 dollars. Add seats and refresh upgrades to the entry price before judging which tool is cheaper.
Confirm renewal pricing, not just promo pricing
Ubersuggest and other tools show promotional annual offers that may not renew at the same rate. Confirm renewal price, cancellation terms, and whether annual billing refunds unused months. A promo that doubles at renewal can erase a year of savings, so get the renewal figure in writing before paying annually.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cheaper Semrush alternative?
SE Ranking is the best all-round alternative, with Core at 129 dollars per month covering research, tracking, backlinks, audits, and AI prompt tracking. Choose Ahrefs instead if backlink data is your priority, and Serpstat if you want the same core modules at a lower entry price.
Is there a free alternative to Semrush?
No single free tool replaces Semrush, but a free stack covers a small site: Google Search Console for real rankings and clicks, Bing Webmaster Tools for keyword and backlink research, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for your own site, and Semrush free plan for 10 reports a day. Add Google Keyword Planner for volume ranges.
How much cheaper are these tools than Semrush?
Ubersuggest and KeySearch cost roughly a tenth of Semrush entry, while SE Ranking and Ahrefs Lite cost only slightly less than Semrush at 129 dollars versus 139.95 dollars. The saving depends on the tier: budget tools save the most but cap limits, while all-in-one tools save less but keep more features.
Which tool is best for agencies?
SE Ranking with the Agency Pack is the closest all-in-one agency fit, adding white-label reporting and client seats. SpyFu Pro plus AI and Serpstat Agency also offer white-label reports, while Semrush itself sells a Pro Report add-on at 20 dollars per month. Compare white-label and seat costs, not just entry price.
Should I pay annually for an SEO tool?
Annual billing typically saves 15 to 20 percent across these tools, but confirm renewal pricing first, since promo offers may not renew. Pay annually when you have used the tool for at least a month and confirmed limits fit your keyword list. Pay monthly while testing, since switching costs are low.
Sources we checked (12)
- https://seranking.com
- https://ahrefs.com
- https://mangools.com
- https://www.ubersuggest.com
- https://serpstat.com
- https://moz.com
- https://spyfu.com
- https://www.keysearch.co
- https://www.uneed.best/alternatives/semrush
- https://www.outrank.so/blog/semrush-alternatives
- https://wordpattern.org/blogs/semrush-alternatives/
- https://omidsaffari.com/blog/semrush-alternatives
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.