Best SEMrush Alternative: Top Tools Compared (2025)
SEMrush is powerful but expensive at $140/month. Here are the best SEMrush alternatives that deliver 80% of the features at 40-60% of the cost.
Why Look for a SEMrush Alternative?
SEMrush is one of the most popular SEO tools on the market, and for good reason—it's comprehensive, reliable, and packed with features. But that comes at a cost: $140/month for the Pro plan.
For indie hackers, startups, and small agencies, that's a significant investment. Especially when most users only need:
- Keyword research and search volume data
- Rank tracking for their primary keywords
- Basic backlink analysis
- SERP competitor analysis
The good news? Several excellent alternatives offer these core features at a fraction of the price.
Top 5 Best SEMrush Alternatives
1. Keywords.chat - Best for Indie Hackers
Price: $59/month
Best for: Solo founders, indie hackers, and small teams who want simplicity over enterprise features
Keywords.chat takes a different approach: instead of complex dashboards, you just chat with an AI that has access to real SEO data. Ask questions like:
- "What's the search volume for 'best CRM software'?"
- "Show me where my site ranks for 'project management tools'"
- "Analyze the top 10 results for 'email marketing platforms'"
Pros:
- No learning curve - just ask questions
- 58% cheaper than SEMrush ($59 vs $140/mo)
- All essential SEO tools included
- Perfect for non-technical users
Cons:
- Fewer advanced features than SEMrush
- No white-label reporting (yet)
2. Ahrefs - Best for Serious SEOs
Price: $129/month
Best for: SEO professionals and agencies who need the most accurate backlink data
Ahrefs is SEMrush's main competitor and offers similar features with a cleaner interface. Many SEO pros actually prefer Ahrefs' backlink index over SEMrush's.
Pros:
- Industry-leading backlink database
- Cleaner UI than SEMrush
- Excellent keyword research tools
- Site audit and rank tracking included
Cons:
- Still expensive at $129/mo
- Complex for beginners
- Fewer PPC/advertising features than SEMrush
3. Ubersuggest - Best Budget Option
Price: $29/month (or $290 lifetime)
Best for: Beginners and those on a tight budget
Neil Patel's Ubersuggest is the most affordable professional SEO tool on the market. While it lacks some advanced features, it covers the basics well.
Pros:
- Very affordable ($29/mo or lifetime deal)
- Simple, beginner-friendly interface
- Good keyword research and suggestions
- Chrome extension included
Cons:
- Limited data compared to SEMrush/Ahrefs
- Basic backlink analysis
- Fewer international databases
4. Mangools (KWFinder) - Best for Keyword Research
Price: $49/month
Best for: Content creators and bloggers focused on finding low-competition keywords
Mangools offers a suite of 5 SEO tools with a focus on keyword research through KWFinder. It's particularly good at finding long-tail, low-competition opportunities.
Pros:
- Beautiful, intuitive interface
- Excellent keyword difficulty scores
- 5 tools in one (KWFinder, SERPChecker, SERPWatcher, LinkMiner, SiteProfiler)
- Great value at $49/mo
Cons:
- Smaller keyword database than SEMrush
- Limited historical data
- Basic site audit features
5. SE Ranking - Best All-Rounder
Price: $65/month
Best for: Agencies and freelancers who need white-label reports
SE Ranking is an underrated all-in-one SEO platform that offers similar features to SEMrush at about half the price. It includes white-label reporting, making it popular with agencies.
Pros:
- Comprehensive feature set
- White-label reporting included
- Good balance of price and features
- Marketing plan builder (unique feature)
Cons:
- Interface feels dated
- Smaller backlink database than SEMrush/Ahrefs
- Occasional data accuracy issues
Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Price/Month | Best For | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keywords.chat | $59 | Indie hackers | Chat-based simplicity |
| Ahrefs | $129 | SEO professionals | Best backlink data |
| Ubersuggest | $29 | Budget users | Most affordable |
| Mangools | $49 | Bloggers | Keyword difficulty |
| SE Ranking | $65 | Agencies | White-label reports |
| SEMrush | $140 | Enterprises | Most comprehensive |
Which One Should You Choose?
Here's my honest recommendation based on your situation:
- Solo founder/indie hacker with 1-3 projects? → Keywords.chat ($59/mo) or Mangools ($49/mo)
- On a super tight budget? → Ubersuggest ($29/mo)
- Running an agency? → SE Ranking ($65/mo) or Ahrefs ($129/mo)
- Need the absolute best backlink data? → Ahrefs ($129/mo)
- Managing 50+ clients? → Stick with SEMrush ($140/mo)
💡 Pro Tip: Most of these tools offer free trials. Try 2-3 alternatives for a week each to see which workflow fits your style. The "best" tool is the one you'll actually use consistently.
What You're Really Paying For
When choosing between SEMrush and its alternatives, remember you're not just paying for features—you're paying for:
- Data accuracy – How fresh and reliable is the keyword/backlink data?
- Database size – How many keywords and backlinks are indexed?
- Update frequency – How often is the data refreshed?
- Support quality – How quickly do they respond to issues?
SEMrush excels in all these areas, but most alternatives are "good enough" for 80% of users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a completely free alternative to SEMrush?
Not with all features, but you can use Google Search Console (free) for your own site's data, Google Keyword Planner (free with Google Ads account) for search volumes, and Answer The Public (3 free searches/day) for keyword ideas. For a full-featured tool, Ubersuggest at $29/month is the most affordable option.
Which is better: Ahrefs or SEMrush?
Both are excellent. Ahrefs is generally preferred for backlink analysis and has a cleaner interface. SEMrush has more PPC/advertising features and better social media tools. For pure SEO (keyword research, rank tracking, backlinks), most pros prefer Ahrefs.
What's the cheapest SEMrush alternative with all core features?
Ubersuggest at $29/month is the cheapest, but has limited data. For better data quality, Mangools at $49/month or Keywords.chat at $59/month offer the best value with all essential features.
Can I use multiple free tools instead of paying for SEMrush?
Yes, but it's time-consuming. You'd need to combine Google Search Console (your rankings), Google Keyword Planner (search volumes), Answer The Public (keyword ideas), and manual SERP analysis. This works on a $0 budget but takes 5-10x longer than using a paid tool.
Do SEMrush alternatives have the same data quality?
Ahrefs has comparable (some say better) backlink data. Others like Mangools, SE Ranking, and Keywords.chat use reliable data sources but may have smaller databases. For most small businesses, the difference is negligible—you're still getting accurate search volumes and keyword suggestions.
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Start Free Trial →Final Thoughts
SEMrush is an excellent tool, but it's not the only option. For most indie hackers and small teams, a simpler, more affordable alternative will serve you just as well.
The key is to choose a tool that matches your:
- Budget – Don't overpay for features you won't use
- Skill level – Pick something you'll actually use regularly
- Use case – Do you need white-label reports? Chat interface? API access?
Start with a free trial, test it for a week, and see if it fits your workflow. That's the only way to know if it's the right tool for you.
Have questions about choosing the right SEO tool? Reach out at hello@keywords.chat