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 and Ahrefs remain the two full-suite leaders. Semrush starts at $139.95 per month, while Ahrefs now offers a $29 Starter plan for smaller sites.
- Surfer at $99 per month and Frase at $45 per month are the content optimization specialists. Frase is the cheaper entry point for briefs and AI writing.
- Screaming Frog is the technical SEO essential. The free version crawls 500 URLs, and the paid licence is $279 per user per year with no subscription.
- Mangools, SE Ranking and SpyFu cover the budget tier. Mangools starts at $49 per month with a limited free plan, while SpyFu offers limited free searches.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Semrush | teams wanting one platform for SEO, PPC and content | $139.95 per month | Free trial |
 Ahrefs | backlink analysis and keyword research depth | $29 per month | No |
 Moz Pro | beginners who want SEO guidance, not just data | $49 per month | Free trial (7 days) |
 Surfer | optimizing content to rank with data-backed scores | $99 per month | No |
 Screaming Frog | technical SEO audits and site crawling | $279 per user/year | Yes |
 SE Ranking | affordable rank tracking with solid audits | See website | Free trial (14 days) |
 Mangools | simple keyword research without the complexity | $49 per month | Yes |
 SpyFu | spying on competitor keywords and ad history | See website | Yes |
 Frase | AI content briefs and optimization on a budget | $45 per month | Free trial |
 Majestic | deep backlink index research and link audits | $49.99 per month | No |
Is your product missing or out of date?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.
The top ten SEO software reviewed
#1
Semrush
Best for: teams wanting one platform for SEO, PPC and content
Visit semrush.com
Starting price$139.95 per month
Free planFree trial
Semrush tries to be the whole marketing department in one login. Keyword research, site audits, rank tracking, backlink analysis, PPC competitor data, social scheduling and content writing tools all live under one subscription. Agencies like having one bill instead of five, and the data depth across channels is genuinely hard to match.
The price is the barrier. Starting at $139.95 per month, Semrush costs more than most freelancers want to spend, and the plan structure has shifted several times, so confirm current limits before you buy. New users also face a learning curve. The dashboard packs in so much that finding the right report takes practice. Teams that use the PPC and content features get full value. Pure SEO buyers should compare Ahrefs first.
What we like- Huge keyword and backlink database
- PPC, social and content tools beyond SEO
- Regular feature updates
Watch out for- $139.95 entry price is steep for freelancers
- Interface can overwhelm new users
- Plan names and limits change often
#2
Ahrefs
Best for: backlink analysis and keyword research depth
Visit ahrefs.com
Starting price$29 per month
Free planNo
Ahrefs built its reputation on backlink data, and it still leads there. The crawler finds links competitors miss, the referring domains report is the standard for link audits, and the keyword data covers most markets well. The $29 Starter plan is new enough to matter. It gives smaller sites real Ahrefs data without the old $129 minimum.
There is no free trial, which frustrates first-time buyers. The free Ahrefs Webmaster Tools covers site audits and basic backlinks for verified sites, and that is genuinely useful. But the paid plans jump from $29 to $129 for Lite ($108 annual), a big step. Heavy users also need to understand the credit system for data exports. Link builders and SEO specialists who live in backlink data will not find better. Casual users may not need this much power.
What we like- Backlink index is the industry reference
- $29 Starter plan lowers the entry cost
- Free Webmaster Tools for site audits
Watch out for- No free trial on paid plans
- Lite at $129 per month jumps fast from Starter
- Credit-based limits can confuse
#3
Moz Pro
Best for: beginners who want SEO guidance, not just data
Visit moz.com
Starting price$49 per month
Free planFree trial (7 days)
Moz Pro is the patient teacher of SEO software. Where Ahrefs throws data at you, Moz explains what to do with it. The site crawl prioritizes fixes, the keyword tool suggests next steps, and the learning resources built into the platform help beginners improve. Domain Authority remains a widely quoted metric, for better or worse, and Moz invented it.
The data does not match the leaders. The backlink index is smaller than Ahrefs, and the keyword database is thinner than Semrush. The Starter plan at $49 per month ($39 annual) has limits that push active users toward Standard at $99 quickly. But the 7-day trial on higher plans lets you test properly. Moz Pro suits in-house marketers learning SEO and small businesses that want direction. Specialists who need the deepest data should look elsewhere.
What we like- Friendlier learning curve than Semrush or Ahrefs
- Domain Authority metric widely referenced
- 7-day trial on Standard and Medium plans
Watch out for- Backlink index smaller than Ahrefs
- $49 Starter plan has tight limits
- Some tools feel dated next to newer rivals
Starting price$99 per month
Free planNo
Surfer turned content optimization into a number. Paste a draft, get a content score, and see exactly which terms, headings and word counts the top-ranking pages use. SEO teams trust the score enough to guide rewrites, and the brief builder pulls competitor headings and questions into a usable outline fast. The Google Docs and WordPress integrations keep writers in their normal workflow.
The company rebranded from Surfer SEO to Surfer, but the pricing stayed premium. Essential starts at $99 per month with no free plan, just a 7-day money-back guarantee. AI writing and advanced features consume credits on top of the base plan. Solo bloggers often find Frase at $45 covers their needs for less. Surfer earns its price for agencies and content teams where ranking precision justifies the cost.
What we like- Content score is trusted by many SEO teams
- Brief generation speeds up content production
- Integrates with Google Docs and WordPress
Watch out for- $99 entry is expensive for solo creators
- No free plan, only a 7-day money-back guarantee
- AI features cost extra credits
Starting price$279 per user/year
Free planYes
Every technical SEO has Screaming Frog installed. The spider crawls your site and reports broken links, redirect chains, duplicate titles, missing meta data, hreflang errors and dozens of other issues in a sortable table. The free version handles 500 URLs, enough for small sites. The paid licence at $279 per user per year (listed as 199 pounds or 245 euros) adds unlimited crawling, integrations and saved crawls.
It is desktop software, which is both the strength and the weakness. Crawls run on your machine, fast and private, but there is no cloud dashboard to share with clients. The interface shows raw data without much hand-holding. Beginners should pair it with a friendlier suite like Moz Pro or SE Ranking. Technical users will find nothing else at the price that crawls as thoroughly.
What we like- Free version crawls up to 500 URLs
- One-time annual licence, no monthly subscription
- Finds technical issues other tools miss
Watch out for- Desktop software, not cloud-based
- Interface intimidates non-technical users
- $279 per year per user adds up for teams
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial (14 days)
SE Ranking positions itself as the value alternative to the big suites. Rank tracking, site audits, keyword research, backlink monitoring and white-label client reports come in one package at prices well below Semrush. Agencies on tight margins like the white-label reports and the per-keyword pricing flexibility.
The vendor does not publish simple plan prices, so expect to check the site or talk to sales for current rates. The 14-day trial is generous and lets you run real projects before paying. Backlink data does not match Ahrefs, and the interface takes some learning. But for rank tracking and site audits on a budget, SE Ranking delivers the core workflow without the premium price.
What we like- 14-day free trial to test everything
- Rank tracking is accurate and affordable
- White-label reports for agencies
Watch out for- Pricing not published clearly, check the site
- Backlink data thinner than Ahrefs or Semrush
- Interface has a learning curve
Starting price$49 per month
Free planYes
Mangools is the friendly face of keyword research. KWFinder shows keyword difficulty as a simple score, SERPChecker previews the competition, and the whole suite takes minutes to learn. Bloggers and affiliate marketers who found Ahrefs overwhelming often land here and stay. The Basic plan at $49 per month drops to $29.90 with annual billing, which undercuts nearly every rival.
The simplicity has limits. The keyword database is smaller than Semrush or Ahrefs, so obscure niches may show thin data. Backlink analysis exists but is basic. The 10-day trial is shorter than most. Mangools also offers a limited free plan for very light use. It is the right pick when you need keyword ideas fast and do not want to study a manual first.
What we like- Easiest keyword tool to learn
- Limited free plan for light use
- $29.90 per month annual price is very affordable
Watch out for- Smaller keyword database than leaders
- Backlink features are basic
- 10-day trial is short
#8
SpyFu
Best for: spying on competitor keywords and ad history
Visit spyfu.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
SpyFu does one thing well. Type in a competitor domain and see every keyword they rank for, every ad they have run, and how their visibility changed over years. PPC managers use it to find profitable keywords competitors bid on. SEOs use it to find content gaps. The limited free searches give a real taste before any payment.
The vendor does not publish plan prices clearly, so check the site for current rates. SpyFu is narrower than Semrush or Ahrefs. It will not replace a full site audit tool or a content optimizer. But for competitor research specifically, the historical ad data goes back further than most rivals, and the price is lower. Pair it with Screaming Frog for technical audits and you cover a lot for little money.
What we like- Limited free searches let you test before paying
- Deep historical PPC and SEO competitor data
- Simple interface focused on competitor research
Watch out for- Pricing not published, see the website
- Data depth below Semrush for keywords
- Fewer features outside competitor analysis
#9
Frase
Best for: AI content briefs and optimization on a budget
Visit frase.io
Starting price$45 per month
Free planFree trial
Frase bundles research, briefs, AI writing and optimization for less than half of Surfer's entry price. The Solo plan at $45 per month creates content briefs from top-ranking pages, pulls People Also Ask questions automatically, and scores your draft as you write. A 7-day free trial with no credit card required makes it easy to test, and there is a limited free version with one document and 2,500 AI words.
The optimization depth does not match Surfer in competitive niches. The interface looks older than it should. The $35 per month SEO add-on provides unlimited AI writing and keyword search volume, which pushes the real cost higher for power users. But for solo creators and small teams producing 4 to 20 articles a month, Frase at $45 is the cheapest serious option in the category.
What we like- $45 Solo plan is the cheapest content optimizer here
- Auto-pulls questions and headings into briefs
- 7-day free trial with no credit card
Watch out for- Optimization scoring less precise than Surfer
- Interface feels dated
- SEO add-on at $35 per month extra for full features
Starting price$49.99 per month
Free planNo
Majestic is the backlink specialist that refuses to become a full suite. The link index is enormous, the historic data goes back further than most competitors, and Trust Flow remains a useful quick read on link quality. Link builders doing outreach and audits keep Majestic alongside Ahrefs because the two indexes find different links.
The Lite plan at $49.99 per month has no trial, so you buy on reputation. The interface has barely changed in years, and keyword research is an afterthought. Majestic will not help you write content or track rankings well. But for pure backlink analysis, especially historic link profiles and competitor link gaps, it earns its place in a specialist toolkit.
What we like- Backlink index rivals Ahrefs for depth
- Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics useful for link quality
- Historic index goes back years
Watch out for- No free trial
- Interface feels old
- Weak on keywords and content features
How we chose
We reviewed ten SEO tools that cover the main jobs. Keyword research, backlink analysis, rank tracking, site audits and content optimization. For each we checked the vendor's pricing page for current plan prices and trial terms, read the feature documentation, and reviewed public feedback on G2, Capterra and Reddit. We included full suites, specialists and budget options so different team sizes and budgets see a fit. We did not test the software hands-on, and no vendor paid for placement.
What to look for before you buy
Match the tool to the job you do most. Keyword research and content planning point to Semrush, Ahrefs or Mangools. Backlink audits point to Ahrefs or Majestic. Content optimization points to Surfer or Frase. Technical crawling points to Screaming Frog. Rank tracking on a budget points to SE Ranking. Buying a full suite when you only need one job wastes money every month.
Check the data limits, not just the price. Ahrefs uses credits for exports. Semrush limits projects and tracked keywords by plan. Surfer charges AI credits on top of the subscription. Mangools caps lookups. The $29 or $49 entry plan often covers less than the marketing page suggests. List the keywords you track, the pages you audit and the reports you run, then match those numbers to the plan limits.
Trials and free tiers
Use the trial like a real project. Screaming Frog's free 500-URL crawl handles a full small-site audit. SE Ranking gives 14 days, enough for a complete workflow test. Moz Pro gives 7 days on Standard and Medium. Frase gives 7 days with no credit card. Ahrefs, Surfer and Majestic offer no trial, so lean on their free tools, money-back guarantees and review videos before paying.
One suite or several specialists
A single Semrush or Ahrefs subscription simplifies billing and logins. But specialists often do their one job better for less. Screaming Frog plus Frase plus SE Ranking can cost less than one Semrush plan while covering technical audits, content and rank tracking. The tradeoff is juggling three tools. Agencies with many clients usually prefer the suite. Freelancers with focused workflows often prefer the specialists.
Frequently asked questions
Which SEO software is best for beginners?
Moz Pro is the most beginner-friendly paid suite, with guidance built into the workflow and a 7-day trial. Mangools is the easiest keyword tool to learn, with a limited free plan. Screaming Frog's free 500-URL crawl teaches technical SEO fast. Start with free tiers before paying.
Is Ahrefs or Semrush better?
Ahrefs leads on backlink data depth. Semrush leads on breadth, adding PPC, social and content tools beyond SEO. Ahrefs now starts at $29 per month, while Semrush starts at $139.95. Link-focused SEOs usually pick Ahrefs. Teams that also run ads or manage content usually pick Semrush.
Can I do SEO with free tools?
Partly. Screaming Frog crawls 500 URLs free. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools gives free site audits. Mangools has a limited free plan. SpyFu allows limited free searches. Frase has a limited free version. These cover audits and basic research. Rank tracking, large keyword lists and historical data need a paid plan.
What is the cheapest good SEO tool?
Frase at $45 per month is the cheapest content optimizer. Mangools at $29.90 per month annual is the cheapest friendly keyword tool. Screaming Frog at $279 per year is the cheapest technical crawler with no subscription. SE Ranking is the cheapest full-suite alternative, though pricing needs confirmation on their site.
Do I need Surfer or Frase if I have Semrush?
Not necessarily. Semrush includes content tools, but Surfer and Frase specialize in optimization scoring and briefs. Writers who optimize many articles find the dedicated workflow faster. If you publish occasionally, Semrush's built-in tools may be enough. Test Frase's 7-day trial to see if the specialist workflow helps.
How accurate are keyword difficulty scores?
They are estimates, not measurements. Every tool calculates difficulty differently from its own data. Use the scores to prioritize, not to decide. Check the actual top-ranking pages for your keyword. A low difficulty score means little if the top results are major brands with thousands of links.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://www.semrush.com
- https://ahrefs.com
- https://moz.com
- https://surferseo.com
- https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk
- https://seranking.com
- https://mangools.com
- https://www.spyfu.com
- https://www.frase.io
- https://majestic.com
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.