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Last updated: October 29, 2026
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Semrush vs SE Ranking (2027): Prices, Trials and Which SEO Tool to Pick
Choose SE Ranking if you want a full SEO toolkit at the lowest price with strong rank tracking: Core costs $129 a month, or $103.20 on annual billing, with 2,000 keywords tracked daily and a 14-day free trial. Choose Semrush if you want the broadest marketing toolkit, a free plan and AI search visibility tools: SEO costs $139 a month, or $117.33 on annual billing, with a 7-day free trial. On annual billing, SE Ranking Core is $14.13 a month cheaper than Semrush SEO.
- SE Ranking: Core $129/month ($103.20 annual), 2,000 tracked keywords; Growth $279 ($223.20 annual), 5,000 keywords; 14-day trial; no free plan.
- Semrush: free plan; SEO $139/month ($117.33 annual); Starter (SEO + AI Search) $199 ($165.17); Pro+ $299 ($248.17); 7-day trial.
- Annual saving: SE Ranking 20%, Semrush about 16%.
- Entry toolkit, 3 years on annual billing: SE Ranking $3,715.20 vs Semrush $4,223.88.
- AI search visibility tools: Semrush Starter and Pro+.
Semrush vs SE Ranking at a glance
| SE Ranking | Semrush | |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | No free plan | Free plan, no card |
| Trial | 14 days | 7 days |
| Entry toolkit | Core $129 ($103.20 annual) | SEO $139 ($117.33 annual) |
| Higher plan | Growth $279 ($223.20 annual) | Pro+ $299 ($248.17 annual) |
| Annual saving | 20% | About 16% |
| Strength | Value and rank tracking | Broad toolkit, data depth, AI Search |
Pricing compared
Entry toolkits
SE Ranking Core costs $103.20 a month on annual billing; Semrush SEO costs $117.33. On monthly billing, the gap is $10 ($129 vs $139).
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per month) | Per year (annual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SE Ranking Core | $129 | $103.20 | $1,238.40 |
| Semrush SEO | $139 | $117.33 | $1,407.96 |
| SE Ranking Growth | $279 | $223.20 | $2,678.40 |
| Semrush Pro+ | $299 | $248.17 | $2,978.04 |
Free options and trials
Semrush offers a free plan with limited daily queries, plus a 7-day trial of paid plans. SE Ranking has no free plan, but its 14-day trial is twice as long.
3-year cost
| Plan (annual billing) | 3-year total |
|---|---|
| SE Ranking Core | $3,715.20 |
| Semrush SEO | $4,223.88 |
| SE Ranking Growth | $8,035.20 |
| Semrush Pro+ | $8,934.12 |
SE Ranking saves about $509 at entry level and about $899 at the higher tier over three years.
Features that decide the choice
| If you need… | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The lowest price for a full toolkit | SE Ranking | $103.20 vs $117.33 (annual) |
| A free plan to start | Semrush | SE Ranking has none |
| The longest trial | SE Ranking | 14 days vs 7 |
| Daily rank tracking for many keywords | SE Ranking | 2,000 on Core, 5,000 on Growth |
| AI search visibility tracking | Semrush | Starter and Pro+ plans |
| The broadest marketing toolkit | Semrush | SEO plus wider marketing tools |
Rank tracking compared
SE Ranking is known for rank tracking: Core tracks 2,000 keywords daily, about 5.2 cents per keyword per month on annual billing, and Growth tracks 5,000. Semrush also tracks rankings, with limits that depend on the plan; check its plan comparison for the number of tracked keywords and projects you'll need. Agencies that report positions to many clients often choose SE Ranking for this reason.
Data and research
Semrush is widely used for keyword research, competitor analysis and backlink data, and adds AI Search tools that track how brands appear in AI answers. SE Ranking covers the same core jobs (keyword research, competitor research, site audits and backlinks) at a lower price. For most small businesses, both have enough data; test both on your own domain and competitors.
Three real-world scenarios
A freelancer with five clients
Rank tracking for about 400 keywords per client and monthly reports: SE Ranking Core ($103.20 a month, annual) fits within 2,000 keywords, at $20.64 per client.
An in-house marketer at a small company
Keyword research, competitor pages and site audits for one website: both fit. Start with Semrush's free plan and 7-day trial, then compare with SE Ranking's 14-day trial on the same tasks.
An agency whose clients ask about AI visibility
Semrush Pro+ ($248.17 a month, annual) includes AI Search tools. SE Ranking Growth ($223.20) is cheaper if AI visibility isn't a client requirement.
Start SE Ranking's 14-day trial → Track 2,000 keywords daily on Core · Affiliate link
Hidden costs and limits to check
- Tracked keywords and projects differ by plan on both tools.
- Annual billing saves 20% on SE Ranking and about 16% on Semrush, but locks you in.
- Extra users and add-ons can raise the cost on both.
- Paying for two tools: most small teams need only one.
Alternatives worth comparing
| Tool | Entry price | Why consider it |
|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs | Starter $29; Lite $129 | Cheapest keyword research, backlinks |
| Moz | from about $49/month * | Beginners |
| Google Search Console | Free | Your own site's real data |
* From 2026 pricing guides. See Semrush pricing, SE Ranking pricing, Ahrefs vs Semrush and best SEO tools for small business.
How to choose in 5 steps
- Write down your main SEO job: rank tracking, research, audits or AI visibility.
- Count keywords you need to track daily.
- Start Semrush's free plan, then run both trials in parallel.
- Run the same tasks on your domain and three competitors.
- Keep one tool and switch to annual billing after two months.
Terms explained
- Tracked keyword: a keyword whose position is checked daily.
- Project: one website monitored in the tool.
- Site audit: a crawl that lists technical SEO issues.
- AI Search visibility: tracking how often your brand appears in AI answers.
Reporting for clients and managers
Both tools produce scheduled reports with rankings, traffic estimates and audit results. SE Ranking's reports are popular with agencies because they're quick to brand and schedule for many clients on lower plans. Semrush's reports draw on its broader toolkit, including competitive and AI visibility data on higher plans. If you send monthly reports to many clients, test the report builder in both trials, because it's often where agencies spend the most time.
Ease of use
Semrush offers a huge range of tools, which can feel overwhelming at first but rewards marketers who use many of them. SE Ranking's interface is more focused on core SEO tasks, which many small teams find easier to learn.
Our verdict
SE Ranking is the better value: Core at $103.20 a month on annual billing gives small teams and agencies a full toolkit with 2,000 keywords tracked daily and a 14-day trial. Semrush is the better choice if you want a free plan, the broadest marketing toolkit or AI search visibility tools, for about $14 more a month. Agencies focused on rank tracking lean SE Ranking; marketers who want one tool for everything lean Semrush.
How we compiled this page
We compared Semrush's and SE Ranking's official pricing pages on October 29, 2026, and calculated annual and three-year costs from published prices.
FAQ
Is SE Ranking cheaper than Semrush?
Yes: $103.20 a month for Core versus $117.33 for Semrush SEO on annual billing.
Is Semrush better than SE Ranking?
Semrush offers a broader toolkit, a free plan and AI Search tools. SE Ranking offers better value and strong rank tracking.
Which has a longer free trial?
SE Ranking: 14 days, versus 7 days for Semrush.
Does SE Ranking have a free plan?
No. Semrush does.
Which is better for agencies?
SE Ranking for rank tracking and reporting at a lower price; Semrush when clients want AI visibility and broader marketing data.
Can I use both Semrush and SE Ranking?
Some agencies do, using SE Ranking for daily rank tracking and Semrush for research. Small teams usually need only one.
Which is more accurate?
Both estimate search volumes and traffic, and both check real rankings for tracked keywords. Compare their numbers with Google Search Console during your trials.
Which is better for local SEO?
Both track rankings by location. Test the cities and devices you care about during the trials.
Do both offer site audits?
Yes. Both crawl your website and list technical SEO issues to fix, such as broken links and missing tags.
Sources
semrush.com/prices and seranking.com/subscription.html, checked October 29, 2026. Moz price from 2026 pricing guides.
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