Head-to-head · AI SEO Software
Semrush vs SE Ranking
Semrush leads on 1 check, SE Ranking on 0, and 0 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreSemrush · 9.3/10
- Free planonly Semrush
- Free trialboth
Semrush scores higher on our rubric for ai seo software: 9.3 against 8.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #3.
Semrush offers free plan; SE Ranking doesn't.
Semrush is the better fit for established SEO and marketing teams. SE Ranking is the better fit for growing SEO teams needing broad tracking.
- Semrush fits best
Established SEO and marketing teams
- SE Ranking fits best
Growing SEO teams needing broad tracking
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Side by side
| Feature | Semrush 9.3/10 Visit ↗ | SE Ranking 8.9/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.3 | 8.9 |
| Ranking | #1 in AI SEO Software | #3 in AI SEO Software |
| Best for | Established SEO and marketing teams | Growing SEO teams needing broad tracking |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Starting price | — | $103.20/mo |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | — |
| Free trial | 7 days | 14 days |
| Free trial length | 7 days | 14 days · no card needed |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Support | Tickets, Docs, Community | Email, Live chat, Docs |
| Compliance | PCI DSS | GDPR |
| Integrations | 20+ integrations | 16 integrations |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Semrush 0/1 · SE Ranking 0/1 | ||
| SEO content briefs | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Specs | ||
| Keyword research | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Content optimization | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Rank tracking | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Technical SEO audits | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Competitor analysis | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Publishing workflows | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Semrush is an online visibility management platform for marketers, agencies, and businesses. Its SEO toolkit brings together keyword discovery, competitor research, position tracking, technical website crawling, backlink analysis,… Read the review → |
SE Ranking is an SEO platform for agencies and in-house marketing teams that want research, monitoring, auditing, and reporting in one workspace. Its feature set covers keyword research, scheduled rank tracking by search engine, location,… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Semrush — where it wins
- Covers keywords, rankings, audits, backlinks, competitors, and reporting
- Includes keyword metrics for search volume, difficulty, intent, and CPC
- Offers scheduled audits, recurring crawls, exports, and API access
Where it doesn't
- Monitoring is capped at 5 websites on the SEO and Starter plans
- Daily keyword tracking starts at 500 keywords on entry plans
- Advanced capabilities are split across multiple paid plan tiers
SE Ranking — where it wins
- Tracks keywords, rankings, competitors, backlinks, audits, and local SEO
- Includes Google Analytics 4, Search Console, Looker Studio, and automation integrations
- Offers daily rank and AI prompt tracking plus Data and Project APIs
Where it doesn't
- No free plan; the free trial lasts 14 days
- Core includes 10 projects and 1 manager seat
- Enterprise pricing and limits are custom
- Semrush9.3/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial
A broad SEO platform for teams that need research, monitoring, audits, and reporting in one place.
Visit SemrushFull verdict → - SE Ranking8.9/10 · 14-day trial
A broad SEO workspace for teams that need tracking, audits, research, reporting, and APIs.
Visit SE RankingFull verdict →
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All AI SEO software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
Last updated · How we research and update







