Table of Contents
- What Is SEMrush & Why It’s Popular
- 10 Best Semrush Free Alternative 2026
- 1. Ahrefs - Overall Best Semrush Free Alternative
- 2. Keyword Surfer - Best Semrush Free Alternative
- 3. Ubersuggest - Budget-Friendly Semrush Alternative
- 4. Moz - Powerful and Reliable Semrush Free Alternative
- 5. Similarweb - Smart Traffic Intelligence Semrush Alternative
- 6. SEO PowerSuite - All-in-One Semrush Free Alternative
- 7. Google Keyword Planner - Affordable Semrush Free Alternative
- 8. AnswerThePublic - Easy to use Semrush Free Alternative
- 9. Mangools - Beginner-Friendly Semrush Free Alternative
- 10. Raven Tools - Best Reporting Platform Semrush Alternative
- Which Semrush Alternative Is Best for You and Why?
- Why would people look for alternatives to Semrush?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Conclusion
- Best SEMrush Free Alternatives: Quick Comparison
Top 10 Best Semrush Free Alternative 2026 (Free and Paid)
As an SEO analyst, chances are you’ve used SEMrush at some point. It’s really powerful and practically an industry standard research tool for SEO. But it’s not always the most budget-friendly option, especially for startups or freelance Bloggers, just stepping into the SEO world.
The pricing can feel really high and usage limits on lower plans can restrict deep research. That’s exactly why more and more SEO professionals are wanting to go for SEMrush alternatives, especially free ones that still get the job done.
Another common challenge is that not everyone needs a full enterprise-level toolkit. Many SEO analysts are looking for specific functionalities like keyword research, backlink analysis, competitor tracking, site audits, without the need to pay for the features they hardly use.
Limited free access and caps on keyword tracking (in Semrush) are often the reasons that push users to explore smarter Semrush alternatives.
And that’s exactly what this post is about. We’ve done the research for you. In this post, we’ll talk about the best Semrush free alternatives in 2026. These tools offer solid SEO capabilities, free plans, trial versions and practical features that SEO analysts actually need.
Let’s get started!
What Is SEMrush & Why It’s Popular
Semrush is an AI-powered digital marketing and SEO tool used by agencies and freelancers to improve online visibility and grow their organic traffic. Semrush has tools for keyword research, backlink analysis, competitor benchmarking, site health audits and traffic insights, supporting almost every aspect of SEO.
It has become popular because it brings all these powerful tools into one place. It helps the users understand their own websites and competitor landscapes with data-driven metrics.
Let’s take an SEO manager! He uses Semrush to discover high-value keywords for a new product launch and analyze competitors’ backlink profiles to create successful link-building strategies.
This level of detailed data in one dashboard can help make smarter decisions. To contemplate everything in a nutshell, below we’ve added the reasons why Semrush is popular among the SEO analysts:
- Comprehensive SEO toolset covering everything: One of the biggest reasons Semrush is so popular is because it brings almost every important SEO function into one single dashboard. You can research keywords, analyze competitors, run full technical site audits, track rankings, monitor backlinks, and even plan content strategies without switching between multiple tools.
- Trusted by millions of SEO analysts worldwide: Semrush has built a strong reputation in the digital marketing industry for providing reliable updated data. If you’re checking keyword difficulty or backlink profiles, users trust it 100% as the numbers are backed by a massive database. That level of trust matters a lot, especially when businesses are making decisions based on SEO data.
- Offers beginner-friendly data + advanced analytics for professionals: Another reason for its popularity is flexibility. Beginners can easily understand the interface and guided reports, while experienced SEO professionals can dive deep into advanced filters, competitor gap analysis, historical data tracking and custom reporting.
- Free trials allow users to test features: Semrush also lowers the entry barrier by offering free trials and limited free access. This gives users a chance to explore features, run audits, check keywords and test competitor analysis before investing in a paid plan. For freelancers or SEO executives wanting tools for their company, this free trial makes it easier to assess if the platform is good for their workflow or not.
10 Best Semrush Free Alternative 2026
Now that we understand why people are looking for Semrush alternatives, let’s dive deep into the best Semrush free alternative in 2026. We’ll explore each tool’s strengths like its potential in keyword research, backlink analysis, technical SEO or content optimization and highlight how they are good in terms of free access and pricing.
⏰ TL;DR:
1. Ahrefs – Overall Best Semrush Free Alternative
2. Keyword Surfer – Best Semrush Free Alternative
3. Ubersuggest – Budget-Friendly Semrush Alternative
4. Moz – Powerful and Reliable Semrush Free Alternative
5. Similarweb – Smart Traffic Intelligence Semrush Alternative
6. SEO PowerSuite – All-in-One Semrush Free Alternative
7. Google Keyword Planner – Affordable Semrush Free Alternative
8. AnswerThePublic – Easy to use Semrush Free Alternative
9. Mangools – Beginner-Friendly Semrush Free Alternative
10. Raven Tools – Best Reporting Platform Semrush Alternative
1. Ahrefs – Overall Best Semrush Free Alternative
1st in the list, we’ve Ahrefs, a popular all-in-one SEO and digital marketing platform, used to research keywords and improve search rankings.
It helps you see what people are searching for, how your site is doing and what your competitors are doing, all in one place. Ahrefs has tools to explore link profiles, making it a strong alternative to SEMrush for many SEO tasks.
Ahrefs lets you practice basic keyword research and competitive analysis.
Beginner SEO executives can run audits and explore content opportunities before moving on to more advanced enterprise projects. Even freelancers use Ahrefs because they can use its free tools or Starter tier features without immediately paying for a full SEMrush subscription, saving money while still doing strong SEO work.
Features
- Site Explorer: Allows you to analyze any website’s traffic and backlinks. You can see which pages get the most visits and how strong those links are. This helps you understand competitors and find opportunities to improve your own SEO.
- Keywords Explorer: Keywords Explorer is a tool for finding and researching keyword ideas. You enter a keyword and it shows monthly search volume, difficulty, related keywords and click estimates.
- Rank Tracker: It lets you monitor how your website ranks in search engines over time for the keywords you care about. You can check progress and measure how well your SEO work is paying off.
- Site Audit: The Site Audit feature of Ahref checks your website for SEO problems (like broken links or missing title tags) and suggests fixes. It also crawls your site just like a search engine would, which helps make your site more search-friendly.
Plans
| Ahrefs Free Plan | Semrush Free Plan |
| Unlimited Free Plan (audit websites, see backlinks, and check organic traffic) | 7 Days Free Trial on Paid Plan (Only 10 Free Prompts in the Free Plan) |
Pro and Cons
- Strong competitor & backlink analysis tools.
- Excellent for keyword research + content planning.
- Not as deep for PPC and social analytics
2. Keyword Surfer – Best Semrush Free Alternative
Keyword Surfer is a 100% free Chrome extension from SurferSEO that displays useful SEO metrics directly on Google search results. Once you install it, it shows search volume, keyword ideas, estimated traffic, CPC (cost-per-click) and other data without you needing to switch tabs or open a separate tool for SEO work.
This makes quick keyword research and content exploration faster and simpler right from the search page itself.
This keyword research chrome extension helps uncover keyword opportunities and related terms to grow organic traffic. It gives quick information into what your audience is searching for and helps you plan content ideas based on actual search data.
Plus, it also offers a practical way to learn real SEO keyword research without paying for premium tools, so new users can apply concepts practically. For YouTube SEO creators, it’s a best fit for finding and validating keywords to optimize video titles and tags.
Features
- Keyword Metrics in SERPs: Every time you search on Google, the extension overlays search volume and on-page SEO metrics right in the search results. This helps you instantly see how valuable a keyword might be.
- Related Keywords + Overlap Scores: Keyword Surfer shows related keyword suggestions just by the side of your search results, with an overlap score showing how closely related they are to your main term.
- Collections for Keyword Organization: You can save keywords into collections as you research. This means you can bookmark ideas into proper folders and export them as CSV files for planning your content calendar.
- Data from 70+ Countries: It provides localized keyword data for over 70 countries, so you can research keywords specific to where your audience is based, absolutely important for targeting different markets on blogs or YouTube.
Plans
| Keyword Surfer Free Plan | Semrush Free Plan |
| Completely Free (Keyword research features such as Search volume, CPC) | 7 Days Free Trial on Paid Plan (Only 10 Free Prompts in the Free Plan) |
Pro and Cons
- 100% free with no subscription cost.
- Keyword data shown directly in Google search results.
- Easy to use for beginners.
- No keyword difficulty score.
3. Ubersuggest – Budget-Friendly Semrush Alternative
The next best Semrush alternative, Ubersuggest, is an easy-to-use SEO and keyword research platform that helps people find search terms and identify ways to grow organic traffic. It offers keyword data, site audits, content suggestions and ranking insights in a unified dashboard that’s accessible even to SEO newbies.
Ubersuggest highlights specific keyword opportunities so you can plan the content for your audience.
Its simplicity makes it practical for sites with narrow focus areas, where deep enterprise analytics aren’t required but it is very important to understand keyword potential and competition.
For WordPress users, Ubersuggest offers SEO basics like keyword suggestions and site health checks, without forcing them to buy or invest on any paid version of the tool. Compared to Semrush, Ubersuggest delivers a more affordable entry point with easy to understand metrics.
Features
- Research & AI Suggestions: Provides keyword volume and related keyword suggestions to help you see the keywords that can grow your organic traffic. Its interface makes it easy to plan content that targets both search trends and user interest.
- SEO Analyzer: The tool’s audit features scan your site for SEO problems like broken links, missing metadata or performance concerns. It then offers suggestions to improve health and visibility.
- Competitor Analysis Tools: You can study the competitor domains to see their top-ranking keywords and backlink sources. This helps understand what plans are working for similar sites and how you might use them for your own SEO planning.
- Rank Tracking: The tool lets you monitor how your pages rank over time for selected keywords. This helps you see the impact of your SEO efforts and adjust plans based on shifts in search performance.
Plans
| Ubersuggest Free Plan | Semrush Free Plan |
| Freemium Model! You can sign up for a free account | 7 Days Free Trial on Paid Plan (Only 10 Free Prompts in the Free Plan) |
Pro and Cons
- Easy to use for non-technical SEO users.
- Affordable compared to enterprise SEO tools.
- Data depth and accuracy may lag.
4. Moz – Powerful and Reliable Semrush Free Alternative
Now, next is Moz, an SEO software company that provides tools and data to help websites improve their visibility in search engines.
Its important platform, Moz Pro, includes keyword research, rank tracking, backlink analysis, site auditing and competitive insights, all presented in a user-friendly interface that makes SEO more approachable for small teams. Moz also offers Moz Local for managing local business listings & reputation across Google.
If we talk about the PPC Beginners, Moz’s keyword tools (especially the Keyword Explorer tool) help identify promising terms to target in paid campaigns and offer information about the organic competitiveness. It also adds context with difficulty scores and suggestion lists, which can help you plan ads more strategically.
Features
- Keyword Explorer: Moz’s keyword research tool shows search volume and SERP data in a clear layout. It helps show related keyword ideas and prioritizes opportunities based on organic potential, giving marketers important information.
- Rank Tracking: This feature lets you monitor where your keywords rank over time across locations and devices. This makes tracking performance simpler and more visual, helping marketers evaluate SEO progress.
- Site Crawl & SEO Audit: This feature scans your entire site to find on-page and technical SEO issues (like broken links or duplicate content), then summarizes what to fix so you can improve site health.
- Link Explorer (Backlink Analysis): It offers a powerful backlink analytics tool that shows your domain’s backlink profile and link quality. This helps you understand your link authority and how competitors are building theirs.
Plans
| Moz Free Plan | Semrush Free Plan |
| Use basic Moz free tools like limited keyword research & MozBar (a browser SEO extension) | 7 Days Free Trial on Paid Plan (Only 10 Free Prompts in the Free Plan) |
Pro and Cons
- Easy-to-use interface that’s beginner-friendly.
- Strong backlink & keyword research tools.
- The database is smaller compared to Semrush.
5. Similarweb – Smart Traffic Intelligence Semrush Alternative
After Moz, we’ve SimilarWeb, a global digital intelligence platform that offers information about website and app performance and online market trends. It collects data from billions of web interactions to help users understand how websites perform, where traffic comes from, what keywords drive visits and how competitors compare.
It is used by businesses and SEO analysts to make data-driven decisions across SEO and digital strategy.
SimiliarWeb’s free audit and analysis tools (like Website Traffic Checker, and Technology Checker) let Technical SEO users practice real-world site analysis.
These tools help them identify issues like poor traffic sources and keyword gaps. These skills are really important for technical SEO auditing. It is often considered easier for newbies as it has a simple interface and strong traffic analytics.
Features
- Website Traffic Analytics: SimilarWeb’s Traffic tool lets you type any site’s URL to see monthly visits, engagement metrics (like bounce rates & visit duration) and traffic sources. This helps learners see where users come from and how they interact with content.
- SERP Insights: The free keyword generator tool provides keyword suggestions & query ideas that help technical SEO learners think and brainstorm relevant terms. It also shows competitor keywords, helping the interns understand real keyword relevance.
- Competitor Analysis: Lets users mark their site against competitors’ performance, showing differences in traffic channels and marketing strategies. Users can practice comparing performance data side-by-side.
- Browser Extension: Offers a free browser extension and a set of free tools (like the technology checker and company profile checker) that provide SEO learners with quick information about site’s global rankings and performance as they browse the web.
Plans
| SimilarWeb Free Plan | Semrush Free Plan |
| Free for analysis of website traffic, keyword data, and competitor performance | 7 Days Free Trial on Paid Plan (Only 10 Free Prompts in the Free Plan) |
Pro and Cons
- Strong competitive benchmarking.
- Valuable free tools for learners.
- Free plan has limited features
6. SEO PowerSuite – All-in-One Semrush Free Alternative
What’s so special about SEO PowerSuite! It is an all-in-one SEO software tool that is designed to cover every major SEO task like keyword research + ranking analysis to site health checks and link building.
It combines four powerful desktop tools that help users improve search visibility and manage backlinks across many search engines. It runs on your computer with tools you can use without time-limited trials.
It is a great starting point because its free tools let you learn the fundamentals of SEO before upgrading to the premium version.
Technical SEO tasks such as deep site audits and keyword optimization are merged into the toolkit, giving interns good experience with real-world challenges.
Features
- Performance Checker: This tool helps you explore endless keyword ideas and keep track of rankings across various search engines. You can monitor performance over time and improve your keyword strategies.
- WebSite Auditor: WebSite Auditor tool of PowerSuite performs in-depth technical SEO audits and site crawls to show the on-page issues that might harm rankings. It highlights structural problems, helping you fix issues before they affect your search traffic.
- LinkAssistant: It is a specialized tool that simplifies outreach. It finds relevant link opportunities and tracks progress across your link network. For technical SEO, this feature reduces manual outreach efforts and supports long-term backlink plans.
- SEO SpyGlass: SEO SpyGlass studies your site’s backlinks from multiple angles. You can research competitors’ backlinks and check the link quality. This helps technical SEO efforts by revealing toxic links that should be removed.
Plans
| SEO PowerSuite Free Plan | Semrush Free Plan |
| Create one project, run site audits (up to 500 URLs) and track rankings for free | 7 Days Free Trial on Paid Plan (Only 10 Free Prompts in the Free Plan) |
Pro and Cons
- Free plan lets interns explore tools before committing to paid plans.
- Tracks rankings across many search engines.
- Desktop-based software and offline access.
- The free plan has limits on saving projects.
7. Google Keyword Planner – Affordable Semrush Free Alternative
Google Keyword Planner (GKP) is a 100% free tool inside Google Ads that helps users discover keyword ideas and estimate performance trends for specific search terms and phrases.
It’s especially useful for people focused on pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns and SEO research, since it shows search volume and suggested bid estimates that help refine organic strategies. GKP lets you filter results by location, language, date range, and more, giving accurate information.
For Website Flippers, Keyword Planner helps quickly assess if a site’s topic has strong search demand by checking relevant high-volume keywords and their trends. Local SEO freelancers benefit by targeting geo-specific keywords and matching their local clients’ services with terms actual searchers use.
Features
- Discover New Keyword Ideas: It lets you enter seed phrases or categories to generate relevant keyword suggestions. It reveals related terms people frequently search for, helping you expand content or ad targeting with real user queries.
- Search Volume and Trend Analysis: The tool shows historical average monthly search volumes and trends so you can understand how the interest in certain KWs changes over time.
- Bid Estimates: It provides estimated bid prices for each keyword, giving insight into how competitive a term is in paid advertising. This helps you set realistic budgets and choose cost-effective keywords.
- Location & Language Filters: With geolocation and language filters, it allows you to tailor keyword data to specific countries or linguistic groups. This is especially helpful for local SEO work or region-specific campaigns.
Plans
| Google Keyword Planner Free Plan | Semrush Free Plan |
| Create a Google Ads account (free) to access it. Basic keyword research features available. | 7 Days Free Trial on Paid Plan (Only 10 Free Prompts in the Free Plan) |
Pro and Cons
- Free to use with a Google Ads account.
- Provides keyword volume directly from Google search data.
- Built-in forecasts + bid estimates help PPC planning.
- Not designed for organic SEO gap analysis.
8. AnswerThePublic – Easy to use Semrush Free Alternative
What is so good about AnswerThePublic SEO tool? See! It is a search-listening and keyword research tool that gathers auto-complete data from major search engines like Google, Bing, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram to show real questions and phrases people are searching for.
It helps users discover content ideas and trends, presented in simple visual formats.
Its free tier gives a simple, visual way to explore keyword ideas and understand how searchers phrase queries. It also offers a budget-friendly way to kick off keyword research and audience insight tasks, letting teams uncover topics worth creating content around before investing in larger platforms.
It is easy to use for quick idea generation and focuses on real search questions.
Features
- Search Listening: It turns raw search data from autocomplete into visual maps of questions and phrases people actually type online. This helps users quickly spot what topics and queries matter most to an audience.
- Multi-Platform Keyword Insights: The tool doesn’t just pull Google data, instead it also pulls suggestions from search engines like Bing, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, giving a broader view of what users are curious about.
- AI-Powered Prompt Reports: With integrated AI models (like ChatGPT and Gemini), AnswerThePublic can generate AI-driven keyword reports that surface intent, helping users understand not just what people search but why.
- Export & Sharing Options: Users can export keyword results in formats like CSV, making it easy to organize ideas or present findings to project stakeholders. This is helpful for SEO students and agencies needing to document work or share insights.
Plans
| AnswerThePublic Free Plan | Semrush Free Plan |
| Create an account and run up to 3 searches per day (Access to visual reports and search history) | 7 Days Free Trial on Paid Plan (Only 10 Free Prompts in the Free Plan) |
Pro and Cons
- Reveals real search questions.
- Visual keyword maps make data easy to understand.
- The free plan helps students to explore SEO without cost.
- Lacks deeper SEO metrics like competitive scores.
9. Mangools – Beginner-Friendly Semrush Free Alternative
Now, the next alternative to Semrush is Mangools! It is an SEO software for businesses to discover high-potential keywords and improve organic search performance through easy-to-use tools and clear data.
It brings keyword research and rank tracking into one simple dashboard that doesn’t confuse the users, making it good for beginners as well. It is especially helpful because it offers free account access and transparent pricing with no heavy commitment, allowing companies to explore SEO workflows.
Its straightforward information lets teams quickly understand where organic traffic gains are possible and which keywords or backlinks drive results. As far as Semrush is concerned, Mangools is often preferred by startups because of its user-friendly interface and inclusion of core SEO functions in every tier.
Features
- Long-Tail Keyword Research: KWFinder helps you uncover high-volume keywords with low competition and clear difficulty scores, making it easier to find SEO opportunities that your site can realistically rank for.
- SERPWatcher: It tracks how your keywords rank every day and delivers simple reports showing progress over time. It helps you monitor the performance of your SEO efforts and quickly spot changes or trends in search rankings.
- Localized SERP + Competitor Insights: It lets you analyze real search engine results pages in different locations and see important metrics such as featured snippets or competitor visibility. This visualization makes competitive analysis easier and more precise.
- Backlink Opportunities & Link Strength: LinkMiner gives you backlink data including number of references and link strength, helping you explore backlink opportunities and competitor link profiles for tactical SEO improvements.
Plans
| Mangools Free Plan | Semrush Free Plan |
| Offers a Free / Free+ Plan (Daily tracked keywords (like 50 keywords daily) | 7 Days Free Trial on Paid Plan (Only 10 Free Prompts in the Free Plan) |
Pro and Cons
- Affordable pricing with essential tools included.
- Transparent SEO metrics with actionable insights.
- Not as strong for advanced technical SEO audits.
10. Raven Tools – Best Reporting Platform Semrush Alternative
And lastly, we’ve Raven Tools, the best alternative to Semrush and a marketing platform that helps users perform website audits and competitor research.
Its integrated reporting lets users build automated reports with drag-and-drop elements, making data easy to present to clients. Newbie SEO executives benefit because Raven Tools allows practice with keyword tracking and backlink insights, empowering them to build skills before moving to advanced projects.
It also offers affordable plans with multiple user seats and campaign limits, so managing a few clients doesn’t require expensive subscriptions like Semrush’s higher tiers. Its reporting automation saves time when delivering monthly analytics and its competitive backlink and rank tracking tools cover important SEO tasks efficiently.
Features
- Site Auditor: It’s Site Auditor performs technical SEO audits across desktop and mobile sites, uncovering on-page issues that could hurt rankings. It generates a health score and provides a prioritized checklist of fixes, improving SEO.
- Backlink Tools: The Backlink Explorer feature lets users analyze backlinks for any domain and track link growth. It sources backlink data from Majestic and Moz partners to deliver trustworthy insights.
- Rank Tracking: It provides customizable rank tracking across multiple search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, Yandex, Baidu). Users can track keyword rankings daily, weekly or monthly and segment results by device, location or language.
- Drag-and-Drop Marketing Reports: It helps build professional, branded reports quickly using a visual drag-and-drop interface. It connects data from all SEO tools into customizable modules and supports scheduled automated delivery.
Plans
| Raven Tools Free Plan | Semrush Free Plan |
| offers a free trial (typically 7 days) Includes site audits, backlink analysis, keyword research, and automated reporting | 7 Days Free Trial on Paid Plan (Only 10 Free Prompts in the Free Plan) |
Pro and Cons
- Multiple user seats included in plans.
- Strong automated reporting.
- Reporting visualizations may be with fewer graphics
Which Semrush Alternative Is Best for You and Why?
If you plan to choose the right Semrush alternative, at first, it can be really difficult, especially if you’re a newbie SEO executive. The thing is that you don’t always need a full-paid SEO tool to get meaningful data. Many tools offer freemium models that let you handle keyword research and backlink checks for free.
In this section, we’ll tell you the most popular 3 SEMrush alternatives & explain who each one is best for and why they could be a good option for your SEO work.
Ahrefs (Free Tools & Paid Options)
Ahrefs is one of the best SEO platforms in the industry, famous for its deep backlink database and reliable keyword research capabilities. While the full Ahrefs tool is paid, the Ahrefs Free Tools (like the keyword generator and backlink checker) is great for SEO learners and starters, who are testing how to use the tool and how SEO is done.
Google Keyword Planner (Free)
Google Keyword Planner is a completely free tool that’s perfect for anyone who needs accurate keyword volume and search trend data directly from Google. You’ll need a Google Ads account, but you don’t have to spend on ads to use the planner itself, making it a good choice for freelance SEO service providers who want reliable keyword ideas without paying anything.
Ubersuggest (Freemium)
Ubersuggest, the brainchild of Neil Patel, offers keyword ideas, SEO audit tools, backlink overview and content suggestions in its free version (with daily search limits). It’s good for beginners and bloggers, who want an all-in-one SEO dashboard without switching into paid software right away. You get access to keyword suggestions and basic competition metrics as well.
Why would people look for alternatives to Semrush?
Many users like the SEO executives and interns learning how to do SEO of a website, look for Semrush alternatives because the cost & the difficulty to use Semrush can be a problem, especially early in their SEO journeys.
While Semrush is really a good choice, not everyone needs every advanced feature right away. Interns learning SEO basics often seek tools that are more affordable and still deliver meaningful insights without a costly subscription.
In simpler words, here are five key reasons why SEO users look for Semrush alternatives:
High Cost
Semrush’s paid plans can feel really expensive, especially for interns, working with a tight budget. When you’re just starting doing SEO, investing in a monthly subscription can be a problem. Many users want to test strategies and experiment with keyword research. That’s why they often explore free alternatives first.
Limited Free Access
While Semrush has a free version, it comes with strict daily limits and restricted access to detailed reports. You can only perform a limited number of searches per day and deeper SEO related data often require upgrading to a paid plan. For those who need to analyze multiple competitors these limitations can be frustrating.
Difficult to Handle the tool
Semrush is packed with features, which is a good thing but at the same time, it can also feel confusing for new SEO interns. When they log in for the first time, they’re often greeted with dozens of tools and filters. Without proper guidance, it can take time to understand what each feature does and how to use it effectively.
Usage Limits
Even on lower paid plans, Semrush restricts how much data you can access. There are limits on keyword tracking numbers and the depth of competitor insights. For agencies managing multiple clients and handling large websites, these restrictions can slow down the workflow. Once you hit those limits, you’re often encouraged to upgrade to a higher plan.
Feature-Specific Needs
Not every user needs an all-in-one SEO tool. Some people only require keyword research tools, while others may just want a reliable backlink checker or an audit tool. Paying for an entire platform when you only use one or two features doesn’t make any sense. That’s why many SEO professionals look for lighter, free and specialized alternatives.
Looking for Semrush alternatives help SEO users find tools that match their specific skill set and project needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best free alternative to SEMrush?
Ubersuggest, Ahrefs and Moz are the best free alternatives to Semrush. They are among the most popular choices. These platforms offer free keyword research, limited backlink data and basic site audit features that are useful for SEO analysts and beginners.
Is there a completely free SEMrush alternative?
Yes, Google Keyword Planner and Ahref are completely free Semrush alternatives. They provide generous free plans or limited free access to core features. They also offer valuable data at no cost, making them practical alternatives for users who want to avoid paid subscriptions.
Can free SEO tools replace SEMrush?
Yes, to some extent! Free SEO tools can handle many basic tasks such as keyword research, backlink checking and technical audits, but they usually cannot fully replace SEMrush for advanced competitor analysis or detailed reporting. For SEO freelancers, free tools may be sufficient.
Which free tool is best for keyword research?
For free keyword research, Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest (free version) and AnswerThePublic are excellent options. They help users discover search volume estimates and search intent insights. While they may limit daily searches or detailed metrics, they are highly effective for newbies and small-scale SEO projects.
Are free SEO tools accurate?
Yes! Free SEO tools can provide accurate data, but at times, the metrics are often limited compared to premium platforms. Search volumes and backlink counts may not be as detailed as paid tools. That said, for basic research and strategy planning, free tools offer reliable SEO data.
Is Ubersuggest really free?
Yes! Ubersuggest offers a limited free version that allows users to perform a certain number of daily searches. It provides access to keyword ideas, domain overview data, and basic SEO metrics. If you want to access the advanced features and higher usage limits, in that case, you’ll need to go for a paid plan, so it is technically freemium rather than completely free.
Can beginners do SEO with free tools?
Yes! Beginners can do SEO with free tools. Tools like Ahrefs, Ubersuggest (free plan), Google Keyword Planner and Moz free SEO tools provide enough data to understand keyword performance, site issues and traffic behavior. These tools are perfect for learning SEO fundamentals before investing in premium software.
What’s the best free backlink checker?
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools is considered one of the best free backlink checkers for verified websites. Other options like Ubersuggest and Moz’s Link Explorer (free version) also provide limited backlink data. See! Free versions may restrict the number of results shown, however, they are useful for analyzing basic link profiles.
SEMrush vs Ahrefs free: Which is better?
When comparing SEMrush and Ahrefs free access, Ahrefs generally provides more practical value for site owners, especially for backlink analysis and technical audits. Semrush offers limited free searches, while Ahrefs gives deeper analysis once you verify your website. For broader SEO research, both tools have limitations in their free versions.
When should I move to paid SEO tools?
You should consider moving to paid SEO tools when your website traffic grows or you require advanced competitor tracking and automated reporting. Paid tools become important when free versions no longer provide sufficient data depth. You should go for a paid SEO tool when SEO becomes a revenue-driving strategy for your business.
Conclusion
Look! What really matters for SEO analysts and website optimization professionals is functionality. You need reliable keyword research data, competitor analysis insights, backlink tracking, technical site audits, rank tracking, SERP analysis and content optimization features.
For a newbie SEO executive, it’s especially important to test tools that offer free keyword reports, limited backlink analysis, site audit summaries, rank tracking trials and competitor insights before investing in a paid subscription.
That’s why finding out the best SEMrush alternatives is very important.
Here, we’ve added some of the top alternatives that offer free trials and free SEO features like Ubersuggest, Ahrefs Tools, Moz Free Tools, Mangools (trial), and others that provide practical value without needing you to make heavy investment.
Take advantage of these options and choose the one that fits your workflow and budget best.
Best SEMrush Free Alternatives: Quick Comparison
Short on time? Below, we’ve laid out the top SEMrush alternatives in a quick comparison table so you can instantly see what each tool offers. This format makes it easy to compare free features and core SEO functions at a glance before diving deeper.
| Tools | Key Features | Free Plan | Best For |
| Ahrefs | Site Explorer, Keyword Explorer & Site Audit | Unlimited Free Plan | SEO learners & for Backlink analysts |
| Keyword Surfer | Keyword metrics, Overlap Scores, Data from 70+ Countries | Free Chrome Extension | Agencies & professional SEO analysts |
| Ubersuggest | Research & AI suggestions, SEO Analyzer + Competitor Analysis Tool | You can Sign Up for Free | SEO executives & Freelance SEO content Writer |
| Moz | Rank Tracking, Site Crawl & Link Explorer + SEO Auditing as well | Free Browser SEO extension | Beginner-Friendly and for SEO teams |
| SimilarWeb | SERP insights, Browser Extension & Competitor Analysis | Free SEO features (Including 100% site analysis) | SEO learners & Auditors |
| SEO PowerSuite | Performance Checker, Website Auditors & SEO spyGlass tool | Free analysis of upto 500 URL’s | Good for Technical SEO and Analysts |
| Google Keyword Planner | Discover KW ideas & Search Volume + Trend Analysis | 100% Free tool (No Limitations at all) | PPC executives & For Google Ads |
| AnswerThePublic | Search Listening feature & Multi-Platform Keyword Analysis | Free Upto 3 searches per day & Full access | SEO Freebies & Learners |
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