Semrush starts at $139/month (SEO plan, billed monthly) and SE Ranking starts at $65/month (Essential plan, billed monthly), making SE Ranking the cheaper entry point by more than half. Semrush counters with a larger data ecosystem, AI visibility tracking across Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini, and add-on toolkits for local, advertising, and content marketing. If budget is the deciding factor, SE Ranking wins on price; if you need the deepest competitive and AI-visibility data, Semrush is the stronger pick.
Bottom line: SE Ranking wins clearly on price, starting at $65/mo monthly versus Semrush's $139/mo, with comparable core rank tracking, audits, and backlink tools. Semrush wins on data depth, AI visibility tooling, and ecosystem breadth, so the right choice depends on whether budget or data depth matters more to you.
TL;DR
- SE Ranking's Essential plan costs $65/mo billed monthly ($52/mo on annual), while Semrush's entry SEO plan is $139/mo monthly ($117.33/mo billed annually).
- Semrush's AI-focused Starter plan (SEO + AI Search) is $199/mo monthly and tracks 50 prompts daily across Google Search, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.
- SE Ranking's Pro plan ($119/mo monthly) includes 3 user seats, 30 projects, 2,000–3,500 keywords, content marketing, and local marketing tools.
- Semrush offers a free plan with 1 demo project and 10 reports/day; SE Ranking has no free plan but a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
- Semrush's Local Toolkit starts at $30/mo per location for Google Business Profile automation, review auto-replies, and Map Rank Tracker.
- SE Ranking offers a refund within the first 14 days; Semrush lets you cancel or change plans anytime.
- Both tools cover rank tracking, site audits, backlink monitoring, and keyword research — the difference is data depth and price.
Head-to-head
| Dimension | Semrush | SE Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $139/mo monthly (SEO plan); $199/mo Starter with AI tracking | From $65/mo monthly (Essential); $119/mo Prowinner |
| Ease of use | Powerful but feature-dense; steeper learning curve | Cleaner, more approachable for solo users and small teamswinner |
| Features | 50+ tools incl. AI Visibility, Local, Advertising, Content, Social, PR toolkitswinner | Rank tracking, audits, backlinks, keyword research, content/local/social on Pro |
| Support | Help Center, onboarding, demos; enterprise adds 24/7 support and dedicated managerwinner | Standard support; priority support and team training on Business plan |
| Integrations | API on Advanced, 20+ external report integrations, MCP access on Starter+winner | Looker Studio on Pro; API access on Business |
| Setup | Free plan, no credit card; 1 demo project, 10 reports/day | 14-day free trial, no credit card required |
| AI search visibility | Tracks ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Google Search; 50–200 prompts/day by tier; AI sentiment monitoringwinner | No dedicated AI visibility quota documented in available plan details |
| Local SEO | Local Toolkit from $30/mo per location: GBP AI Agent automation, review auto-replies, Map Rank Trackerwinner | Local marketing tools included from the Pro plan |
Scores
Semrush
semrush.com ↗Semrush is an all-in-one online visibility platform covering SEO, AI search visibility, advertising, content, social media, and local marketing. Its plans combine the SEO Toolkit and AI Visibility Toolkit in a single subscription: the SEO plan ($139/mo monthly) covers 5 websites and 500 daily-tracked keywords with basic keyword research, Position Tracking, and Site Audit; the Starter plan ($199/mo monthly) adds AI visibility tracking across Google Search, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini with 50 prompts tracked daily and an AI-ready Site Audit; Pro+ ($299/mo monthly) adds 15 websites, 1,500 keywords, historical data, and content optimization; Advanced ($549/mo monthly) adds 40 websites, 5,000 keywords, SEO share of voice, and API access. Specialist toolkits — Local (from $30/mo per location), Advertising ($99–$220/mo), Traffic & Market, Content, Social, and AI PR — can be added on top. A free tier offers 1 demo project and 10 reports per day with no credit card required.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 1 demo project, 10 reports/day, limited AI Visibility features, no credit card |
| SEO | $139/mo | 5 websites, 500 keywords tracked daily, Position Tracking, Site Audit, AI sentiment monitoring |
| Starter (SEO + AI Search) | $199/mo | 5 websites, 500 keywords, 50 AI prompts/day, 300 AI visibility reports/day, AI-ready Site Audit, MCP access |
| Pro+ (SEO + AI Search) | $299/mo | 15 websites, 1,500 keywords, 100 AI prompts/day, historical data, multi-location tracking |
| Advanced (SEO + AI Search) | $549/mo | 40 websites, 5,000 keywords, 200 AI prompts/day, SEO share of voice, API access |
| Local Toolkit Base | $30/mo | Per location, billed annually; GBP automation with AI Agent, review auto-replies, Map Rank Tracker 375 credits |
Pros
- Broadest toolkit coverage: SEO, AI visibility, local, advertising, content, social, and PR in one ecosystem
- AI Visibility tracking across Google Search, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini from the Starter plan up
- Free plan with 10 reports/day and no credit card required
- Annual billing saves up to 17%
- Enterprise-grade options including API access, SSO, and 24/7 support
- Used and endorsed by teams at Wix, Vodafone, Monash University, and Skyscanner
Cons
- Entry price of $139/mo monthly is roughly double SE Ranking's entry tier
- The base SEO plan lacks the full AI visibility feature set — no dedicated prompt-tracking quota or AI-ready Site Audit
- Key features like additional users ($45/mo), lead generation ($90/mo), and advanced reporting are paid add-ons
- Feature-dense interface can overwhelm beginners
SE Ranking
seranking.com ↗SE Ranking is a budget-friendly, all-in-one SEO platform that consistently ranks among the lowest-priced tools on the market while offering a competitive feature set. Its Essential plan ($65/mo billed monthly, $52/mo on annual) includes 1 user seat, 5 projects, 500 tracked keywords, Rank Tracker, Website Audit, Backlink Checker & Monitor, and Keyword Research. The Pro plan ($119/mo monthly, $95.20/mo annual) is widely considered the best value: 3 user seats, 30 projects, 2,000–3,500 keywords, Looker Studio integration, Share of Voice metric, 3 months of historical data, plus content marketing, local marketing, and social media tools. The Business plan ($259/mo monthly, $207.20/mo annual) adds 5 seats, unlimited projects, 5,000–15,000 keywords, priority support, team training, all-time historical data, and API access. A 14-day free trial requires no credit card, and refunds are available within the first 14 days of purchase.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | $65/mo | 1 user seat, 5 projects, 500 keywords, Rank Tracker, Website Audit, Backlink Checker & Monitor, Keyword Research ($52/mo billed annually) |
| Pro | $119/mo | 3 seats, 30 projects, 2,000–3,500 keywords, Looker Studio, Share of Voice, 3 months historical data, content/local/social marketing ($95.20/mo billed annually) |
| Business | $259/mo | 5 seats, unlimited projects, 5,000–15,000 keywords, priority support, team training, all-time historical data, API access ($207.20/mo billed annually) |
Pros
- Starts at $65/mo monthly ($52/mo annual) — among the lowest entry prices in the market
- Pro plan bundles 3 user seats, 30 projects, and content marketing at a price competitors charge for entry tiers
- 14-day free trial with no credit card required
- Refund available within the first 14 days
- Cancel anytime; charges simply stop at the next billing cycle
- Cleaner, more approachable interface for small teams
Cons
- No free plan (only scattered free tools and the 14-day trial)
- Essential plan lacks historical data, expanded keyword database, and content marketing
- Monthly billing costs 20% more than annual plans, which are paid upfront for the year
- Priority support and team training are reserved for the Business plan
- Smaller data ecosystem and less developed AI visibility tooling than Semrush
Pricing compared
AI search visibility in 2026
Local SEO for small businesses
Trials, refunds, and flexibility
Which should you pick?
FAQs
Is SE Ranking cheaper than Semrush?
Yes, at every comparable tier. SE Ranking's Essential plan starts at $65/mo billed monthly ($52/mo on annual billing), while Semrush's entry SEO plan is $139/mo monthly ($117.33/mo billed annually). Even SE Ranking's Business plan at $259/mo monthly undercuts Semrush's AI-focused Starter tier at $199/mo only at the entry level — Semrush's higher tiers ($299–$549/mo) cost more but add AI visibility quotas, larger keyword limits, and API access.
Does Semrush or SE Ranking have a free trial or free plan?
Both, in different forms. Semrush offers a permanent free plan with 1 demo project and 10 reports per day, no credit card required, plus 7-day trials on its Advertising Toolkit and 14-day trials on Starter and Pro+ plans via partner links. SE Ranking has no free plan but offers a 14-day free trial requiring only an email, name, and password — no credit card — and refunds purchases canceled within the first 14 days.
Which tool is better for tracking AI search visibility in 2026?
Semrush currently offers the more developed AI visibility product. Its Starter plan and above track brand performance across Google Search, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini, with 50 prompts tracked daily on Starter, 100 on Pro+, and 200 on Advanced, plus AI sentiment monitoring, per-domain AI brand performance, and an AI-ready Site Audit. Semrush has also partnered with Adobe on a unified GEO solution. SE Ranking's published plan details focus on core SEO capabilities without a comparable dedicated AI prompt-tracking quota.
Which plan do reviewers recommend for SE Ranking?
Third-party pricing analyses consistently point to the Pro plan as the best value: at $119/mo billed monthly ($95.20/mo annual) it includes 3 user seats, 30 projects, 2,000–3,500 tracked keywords, Looker Studio integration, the Share of Voice metric, 3 months of historical data, and content, local, and social media marketing tools. The Essential plan is solid but lacks historical data and content marketing, while Business is aimed at larger teams needing unlimited projects, API access, and priority support.
How much do Semrush's add-ons cost on top of the base plan?
Semrush charges separately for several add-ons: additional users start at $45/mo, the Lead Generation add-on (branded Agency Partners profile and verified badge) is $90/mo, Base Reporting is $10/mo, and Pro Reporting with white-labeling and AI summaries is $20/mo. Specialist toolkits are also separate: the Local Toolkit starts at $30/mo per location and the Advertising Toolkit at $99/mo (Base) or $220/mo (Pro). Budget for these when comparing total cost against SE Ranking's more bundled plans.
Can I cancel either tool at any time?
Yes. Semrush lets you cancel, downgrade, or upgrade at any time unless you're on custom enterprise terms with a signed agreement. SE Ranking also lets you cancel anytime — after the first 14 days there's no refund, but charges simply stop at the next billing cycle and you keep access until the plan expires; within the first 14 days you can get a full refund. Note that SE Ranking's annual plans are paid upfront, so cancellation timing matters more there.
Sources
- SEO & AI Search Plans and Pricing | Semrush
- SEO & AI Search Plans and Pricing | Semrush
- Local Toolkit Plans and Pricing | Semrush
- Semrush Subscription plans & Toolkits
- Pricing and Plans | Advertising Toolkit
- SE Ranking Price & Subscription Plan Costs in 2026
- Semrush Pricing 2026: New Plans & Cost Breakdown
- Semrush: Your Unfair Advantage for Growing Brand Visibility
- Semrush — Adobe Brand Visibility for AI search