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Last updated: October 29, 2026

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3 Best Semrush Alternatives in 2027 (Cheaper Options)

Semrush's SEO Toolkit costs $139/month, or $117.33 on annual billing, and its AI search plans go up to $299. If you mainly need rank tracking, backlinks or basic keyword research, you can pay much less.

Quick answer: the best Semrush alternatives

• SE Ranking — best for agencies and rank tracking on a budget.
• Ahrefs — best for backlink research.
• Moz Pro — best for beginners and simple rank tracking.

Semrush alternatives compared

Prices checked on October 29, 2026 on each vendor's pricing page.

* From recent pricing guides; the vendor page hides prices. Verify before buying.

Why people switch from Semrush

• SEO Toolkit costs $139/month ($117.33 annual).
• AI search plans cost up to $299/month.
• Solo users rarely use the full toolkit.
• Rank tracking alone is cheaper elsewhere.

The 3 best Semrush alternatives in detail

1. SE Ranking — best for agencies and rank tracking on a budget

Pricing: Core $103.20/month (annual), $129 monthly. Free option: No free plan. Official pricing.

• Pros:
  • 2,000 keywords tracked daily on Core
  • 20% off with annual billing
  • 14-day trial
• Cons:
  • Smaller backlink database than Ahrefs
  • No free plan

Choose it if: you want rank tracking and SEO audits at a lower price.

Try SE Ranking free → 14-day free trial

2. Ahrefs — best for backlink research

Pricing: Starter $29/month, Lite $129/month. Free option: Ahrefs Free: site data and issue fixes. Official pricing.

• Pros:
  • Industry-leading backlink index
  • Clean interface
• Cons:
  • Lite costs $129/month
  • Annual billing only saves up to 17%

Choose it if: backlink research is your priority, or you only need Starter at $29.

Try Ahrefs free → Starter trial

3. Moz Pro — best for beginners and simple rank tracking

Pricing: Starter from about $49/month. Free option: Free tools (MozBar, limited keyword research). Official pricing.

• Pros:
  • Easy to understand metrics
  • Lower entry price
• Cons:
  • Starter tracks only 50 keywords
  • Smaller data sets than Semrush

Choose it if: you want simple metrics at an entry price.

Try Moz Pro free → Free trial

Pick in 10 seconds

• Rank tracking value → SE Ranking
• Backlinks → Ahrefs
• Beginner budget → Moz Pro

FAQ

Is Ahrefs better than Semrush?

Ahrefs is often preferred for backlinks; Semrush covers more marketing areas and has a free plan and trial.

What is the cheapest Semrush alternative?

Ahrefs Starter at $29/month for keyword research, or Moz from about $49/month.

Is there a free Semrush alternative?

Google Search Console is free for your own site's data; Semrush itself has a free plan.

Related

• Ahrefs vs Semrush (2027): Prices, Trials & Which to Choose
• Semrush vs SE Ranking (2027): Prices, Trials & Which to Pick
• Semrush Pricing 2027: Free Plan, Trial & Every Toolkit Cost