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SEO & AI toolsSE Ranking vs Semrush
By Cathy Riddell · Prices checked 1 Nov 2026 · Last updated 1 Nov 2026
How this page was made: I compared each vendor’s official pricing and feature pages on 1 Nov 2026. Hands-on test notes are added only after I’ve used the product on a real account; until then they’re marked as pending. My review method.
SE Ranking vs Semrush at a glance
| SE Ranking Core | Semrush SEO | Semrush Starter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (monthly) | US$129/mo | US$139/mo | US$199/mo |
| Price (billed annually) | US$103.20/mo (save 20%) | US$117.33/mo | US$165.17/mo |
| Projects / websites | 10 projects | 5 websites | 5 websites |
| Keywords tracked daily | 2,000 | 500 | 500 |
| Users | 1 manager seat | Additional users from US$45/mo | Additional users from US$45/mo |
| Research | Unlimited keyword, competitor and backlink research | Basic keyword research and competitor analysis | Keyword research, optimisation and competitor insights tools |
| Site audit | 250k pages a month | Site Audit included | AI-ready Site Audit |
| AI search tracking | 25 prompts daily across 5 AI engines | Tracks performance in AI search | 50 prompts daily, 1 domain |
| API / MCP | 25K API credits and MCP access | Not listed on this plan | MCP access |
| Free option | 14-day free trial, no credit card | Free plan (1 demo project, 10 reports a day); 7-day free trial | 7-day free trial |
All figures from each vendor’s official pricing page, read 1 Nov 2026. USD.
SE Ranking
The SEO platform I’d start most small businesses and freelancers on
- Core: US$103.20/mo billed annually, or US$129 monthly (official page, 1 Nov 2026)
- 10 projects and 2,000 keywords tracked daily: 4× Semrush SEO’s 500
- Local and content marketing tools included on Core
- AI visibility tracking: 25 prompts daily across 5 AI engines
- 14-day free trial, no credit card required
Which is cheaper, SE Ranking or Semrush?
SE Ranking. Its Core plan is US$129/mo, or US$103.20/mo billed annually, against US$139/mo (US$117.33/mo annually) for Semrush’s SEO plan. The bigger gap is in the limits: Core tracks 2,000 keywords a day across 10 projects, while Semrush SEO covers 500 keywords and 5 websites. To get 1,500 tracked keywords on Semrush you’d need Pro+ at US$299/mo (US$248.17/mo annually) (official pages, 1 Nov 2026).
Is Semrush better than SE Ranking?
For some teams, yes. Semrush’s higher plans add tools SE Ranking doesn’t put front and centre, such as content optimisation, keyword cannibalisation analysis and multi-location/device tracking on Pro+, and it has a permanent free plan for light use. If you run paid search and SEO together, or your team already knows Semrush, the extra cost may be justified. For a small business tracking its own site and a few competitors, SE Ranking’s Core limits go further for the money.
How do the next plans up compare?
| SE Ranking Growth | Semrush Pro+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (monthly) | US$279/mo | US$299/mo |
| Price (billed annually) | US$223.20/mo | US$248.17/mo |
| Projects / websites | 30 projects, 3 manager seats | 15 websites |
| Keywords tracked daily | 5,000 | 1,500 |
| Extras | Historical data across the project’s lifetime, guest links, page changes monitoring, dedicated support | Historical SEO data, content optimisation, cannibalisation analysis, multi-location/device tracking, 100 AI prompts daily |
Official pricing pages, read 1 Nov 2026.
What about agencies?
SE Ranking sells an Agency Pack add-on for US$69/mo (annual billing only) with white-label platform and reports, 30 client seats and an agency catalogue listing. Semrush sells report add-ons (Base Report US$10/mo, Pro Report US$20/mo with white-labelling) and a US$90/mo Lead Generation add-on with an agency partners profile (official pages, 1 Nov 2026).
SE Ranking: best value for small businesses
SE Ranking’s Core plan (US$129/mo, or US$103.20/mo billed annually) includes 10 projects, 1 manager seat, 2,000 keywords tracked daily, 250k audited pages a month, 25K API credits and MCP access, rank tracking across major search engines, unlimited keyword, competitor and backlink research, a website and on-page audit, Looker Studio/GA/GSC integrations, local and content marketing, and AI visibility tracking (25 prompts daily across 5 AI engines). Growth (US$279/mo, or US$223.20/mo annually) raises that to 30 projects, 3 seats and 5,000 keywords. The free 14-day trial needs no credit card, and annual plans include free assisted migration (official page, 1 Nov 2026).
Trade-off: Core has a single manager seat, and payments are non-refundable except where the service wasn’t delivered as promised, per SE Ranking’s FAQ.
Try SE Ranking free for 14 days Affiliate link · disclosure
Semrush: the bigger toolkit, at a higher price
Semrush’s SEO plan (US$139/mo, or US$117.33/mo billed annually) covers 5 websites, 500 tracked keywords, basic keyword research and competitor analysis, Position Tracking, Site Audit and AI search tracking. Starter (US$199/mo) adds fuller research and optimisation tools, MCP access and 50 AI prompts tracked daily. Pro+ (US$299/mo) moves to 15 websites, 1,500 keywords, historical data and content optimisation. There’s a free plan (1 demo project, 10 reports a day) and a 7-day free trial (official page, 1 Nov 2026).
Visit Semrush Not an affiliate link
Which should you choose?
- Choose SE Ranking if you want more tracked keywords and projects per dollar, local SEO tools included, and a trial with no card.
- Choose Semrush if you need its wider toolkit on Starter or Pro+, a free plan for occasional checks, or your team already works in it.
More options: best SEO tools for small businesses and Ahrefs alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is SE Ranking cheaper than Semrush?
Yes. SE Ranking Core is US$103.20/mo billed annually (US$129 monthly); Semrush’s SEO plan is US$117.33/mo billed annually (US$139 monthly), per the official pricing pages checked 1 Nov 2026.
How many keywords can I track on each?
SE Ranking Core tracks 2,000 keywords daily across 10 projects. Semrush’s SEO and Starter plans track 500 across 5 websites; Pro+ tracks 1,500 (official pages, 1 Nov 2026).
Does SE Ranking have a free trial?
Yes, a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. SE Ranking says the trial includes up to 10 projects and 750 tracked keywords a day (official page, 1 Nov 2026).
Does Semrush have a free plan?
Yes. Semrush’s free plan includes 1 demo project and 10 reports a day across its tools, and paid plans have a 7-day free trial (official page, 1 Nov 2026).
Which is better for agencies?
SE Ranking’s Growth plan (30 projects, 5,000 keywords) plus its US$69/mo Agency Pack adds white-label reporting and 30 client seats. Semrush offers white-label Pro Reports for US$20/mo and agency features on its higher plans.
Cathy is an Adelaide-based digital agency founder who sets up and runs small-business software for real clients. She writes every BizStacked guide and keeps the prices on each page dated and sourced. How I review →
Related guides
Sources
- https://seranking.com/subscription.html: SE Ranking official pricing page, checked 1 Nov 2026
- https://www.semrush.com/prices/: Semrush official pricing page, checked 1 Nov 2026
Prices are in USD unless stated and come only from the official vendor pages above. Vendors change prices and run promotions often, so confirm on the official page before you buy. Star ratings aren’t published until hands-on testing is complete.