SEMrush vs SE Ranking: All-in-One Giant vs Value Champion
The industry's most comprehensive marketing suite versus a rising star offering similar features at a fraction of the cost. We analyzed both to help you decide.
Quick Verdict
SEMrush is the industry leader with the largest keyword database, powerful content tools, and comprehensive marketing features—ideal for enterprises and agencies with bigger budgets. SE Ranking offers exceptional value with 80% of SEMrush's features at 40% of the cost—perfect for SMBs, freelancers, and budget-conscious teams who need professional-grade SEO tools.
| Criteria | SEMrush | SE Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | All-in-One Digital Marketing | Budget-Friendly Comprehensive SEO |
| Starting Price | $139.95/month | $52/month |
| Free Trial | 7-day free trial | 14-day free trial |
| G2 Rating | 4.5/5 (2,100+ reviews) | 4.8/5 (1,300+ reviews) |
| Key Strength | Largest keyword database | Best value for money |
| Key Limitation | High price, steep learning curve | Smaller database, basic content tools |
What is SEMrush?
SEMrush is an all-in-one digital marketing platform founded in 2008 and publicly traded on the NYSE since 2021. With over 10 million users worldwide, it's one of the most widely adopted marketing tools available, serving everyone from individual bloggers to Fortune 500 companies.
Beyond SEO, SEMrush covers PPC advertising, social media management, content marketing, and competitive research. This comprehensive approach makes it popular with marketing teams who prefer consolidated tooling over managing multiple specialized platforms.
Key Strengths
- Massive keyword database: 25+ billion keywords with comprehensive search volume and intent data
- Content marketing toolkit: SEO Writing Assistant, Topic Research, and content audit features
- All-in-one platform: SEO, PPC, social media, and content marketing in one subscription
Who Uses SEMrush
SEMrush is particularly popular with:
- Digital marketing teams needing SEO, PPC, and social in one tool
- Content marketing teams using the SEO Writing Assistant
- Large agencies managing comprehensive client campaigns
- Enterprise companies requiring extensive reporting and API access
What is SE Ranking?
SE Ranking is an all-in-one SEO platform founded in 2013 with headquarters in London. It has grown to serve over 800,000 users by offering professional-grade SEO tools at accessible price points, making it a popular choice for small businesses, agencies, and freelancers.
The platform provides comprehensive SEO coverage including keyword research, rank tracking, site audits, backlink analysis, and competitor research. SE Ranking has earned a reputation for excellent customer support and continuous improvement, reflected in its consistently high ratings on software review platforms.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional value: Comprehensive SEO platform starting at $52/month—63% less than SEMrush
- Accurate rank tracking: 100% accurate daily rankings with local and mobile tracking included
- Agency-friendly features: White-label reports, client management, and lead generation tools built-in
Who Uses SE Ranking
SE Ranking is particularly popular with:
- Small to medium businesses seeking affordable, professional SEO tools
- Marketing agencies needing white-label capabilities at lower cost
- Freelance SEO consultants who need comprehensive features in one platform
- Teams migrating from expensive tools to reduce overhead
SEMrush vs SE Ranking: Feature Comparison
Both platforms cover the essential SEO toolkit, but they differ in depth and breadth. Here's how they compare across key categories.
Keyword Research
Keyword research is foundational to SEO success. Both tools deliver solid capabilities, but SEMrush has a significant scale advantage.
SEMrush's Approach
Industry-leading Keyword Magic Tool with the largest database and sophisticated filtering.
- 25+ billion keyword database (largest)
- Keyword Magic Tool with topic clusters
- Search intent classification
- Keyword Gap analysis vs competitors
SE Ranking's Approach
Solid keyword research with AI-powered suggestions and competitive analysis.
- 4+ billion keyword database
- AI-powered keyword clustering
- Competitive keyword gap analysis
- Keyword difficulty scores
Verdict: SEMrush wins for keyword research with a database 6x larger than SE Ranking's. For comprehensive keyword discovery and long-tail opportunities, SEMrush is superior. SE Ranking covers most common use cases adequately for users with tighter budgets.
Content Tools & Optimization
Content optimization tools help ensure your content ranks well. This is where SEMrush has a significant advantage.
SEMrush's Approach
Comprehensive content marketing toolkit from ideation to publication and monitoring.
- SEO Writing Assistant (real-time)
- Topic Research with questions
- Content Audit tool
- Brand monitoring and mentions
SE Ranking's Approach
Basic content optimization features focused on on-page analysis.
- Content Editor with recommendations
- On-page SEO checker
- Competitive content analysis
- Basic content grading
Verdict: SEMrush wins decisively for content tools. The SEO Writing Assistant alone justifies the premium for content-heavy workflows. SE Ranking's content features are basic by comparison—adequate for occasional use but not for content marketing teams.
Rank Tracking
Accurate rank tracking is essential for measuring SEO progress. Here, SE Ranking offers a compelling value proposition.
SEMrush's Approach
Position Tracking tool with Share of Voice metrics and SERP feature tracking.
- 500 keywords (Pro plan)
- Daily updates on all plans
- SERP feature tracking
- Share of Voice metrics
SE Ranking's Approach
Flexible rank tracking with more keywords per dollar and granular location options.
- Flexible keyword limits (pay for what you need)
- Daily updates on all plans
- Local pack and mobile tracking
- 100% ranking accuracy guarantee
Verdict: SE Ranking edges ahead for rank tracking value. You get more keywords per dollar spent, with equally accurate daily updates. SEMrush's Position Tracking is solid but more expensive per keyword tracked.
Site Audit & Technical SEO
Both platforms offer comprehensive site audit capabilities for identifying technical SEO issues.
SEMrush's Approach
Comprehensive site auditing with detailed issue explanations and fix recommendations.
- 140+ technical SEO checks
- Thematic issue grouping
- Core Web Vitals monitoring
- Integration with Google Analytics
SE Ranking's Approach
Thorough site audits with clear prioritization and actionable recommendations.
- 120+ technical checks
- Issue severity scoring
- Page-level optimization tips
- Scheduled automated audits
Verdict: A tie. Both offer excellent site audit capabilities that will serve most users well. SEMrush has slightly more checks; SE Ranking offers clearer prioritization. Choose based on other factors—site auditing shouldn't be the deciding feature.
SEMrush vs SE Ranking: Pricing Comparison
Price is where these tools differ most dramatically. SE Ranking delivers professional-grade features at a fraction of SEMrush's cost.
SEMrush Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | $139.95 | $117.33/mo |
| Guru | $249.95 | $208.33/mo |
| Business | $499.95 | $416.66/mo |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | |
7-day free trial available. 17% discount on annual billing. Extra users cost $45-$100/month.
SE Ranking Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | $52 | $44/mo |
| Pro | $95 | $79/mo |
| Business | $189 | $158/mo |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | |
14-day free trial available. 20% discount on annual billing. Flexible keyword add-ons available.
Value Analysis
SE Ranking's Business plan ($189/month) includes more features than SEMrush's Pro plan ($139.95/month) at a lower top-tier cost. For agencies and teams, SE Ranking's pricing structure is significantly more accessible—you could run 2-3 SE Ranking accounts for the price of one SEMrush Business plan.
The math: Annual savings switching from SEMrush Pro to SE Ranking Pro: approximately $540/year. For teams on tight budgets, that's meaningful.
What Users Say: SEMrush vs SE Ranking Reviews
Real user feedback reveals practical insights that feature lists miss. Here's what actual users report.
| Platform | SEMrush | SE Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | 4.5/5 (2,100+ reviews) | 4.8/5 (1,300+ reviews) |
| Capterra | 4.6/5 (2,200+ reviews) | 4.8/5 (270+ reviews) |
| TrustRadius | 8.4/10 | 9.0/10 |
What Users Love About SEMrush
- Comprehensive toolkit: All marketing tools in one platform saves context-switching
- Content features: SEO Writing Assistant is frequently praised by content teams
- Training resources: SEMrush Academy and certifications add professional value
“The breadth of features is unmatched. We use SEMrush for SEO, PPC research, and content planning. Having everything in one place is worth the premium.”
What Users Love About SE Ranking
- Value for money: Professional features without the enterprise price tag
- Customer support: Responsive, helpful team consistently praised in reviews
- Ease of use: Intuitive interface with shorter learning curve than competitors
“We switched from SEMrush after the price increases became untenable. SE Ranking does everything we need at a third of the cost. The support team has been fantastic.”
Common Complaints
SEMrush
High and increasing prices are the top complaint. Interface can feel overwhelming. Support response times vary. Some features feel less polished than specialized tools.
SE Ranking
Smaller keyword database limits some research. Content tools are basic compared to SEMrush. Backlink data isn't as comprehensive. Less brand recognition in enterprise contexts.
Who Should Use SEMrush vs SE Ranking?
The right choice depends on your budget, team size, and which features matter most to your workflow.
Choose SEMrush If You...
- Need the largest keyword database for comprehensive research
- Rely heavily on content tools like SEO Writing Assistant
- Want PPC and social media tools alongside SEO
- Work at an enterprise needing industry-standard tools
Choose SE Ranking If You...
- Need professional SEO tools on a limited budget
- Run an agency needing affordable white-label reports
- Prioritize rank tracking accuracy at lower cost per keyword
- Value responsive customer support and easy onboarding
Quick Decision Framework
| Your Priority | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword research depth | SEMrush | 25+ billion keywords, largest database |
| Content optimization | SEMrush | SEO Writing Assistant, Topic Research |
| Value for money | SE Ranking | 63% lower starting cost |
| Rank tracking cost | SE Ranking | More keywords per dollar |
| Agency white-label | SE Ranking | Built-in, affordable |
| All-in-one marketing | SEMrush | SEO + PPC + Social + Content |
Final Verdict: SEMrush vs SE Ranking
SEMrush remains the industry leader for good reason. Its massive keyword database, sophisticated content tools, and all-in-one marketing capabilities make it the choice for enterprises, large agencies, and teams where comprehensive features outweigh budget concerns.
SE Ranking has emerged as the value champion in the SEO tools market. For SMBs, freelancers, and budget-conscious agencies, it delivers 80% of SEMrush's functionality at 40% of the cost—with higher user satisfaction ratings to boot.
The Bottom Line
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Author
Co-Founder & SEO Execution
Co-founder of PikaSEO. 11 years in corporate tech, then bootstrapped entrepreneur. Leads SEO execution and content-led growth for SaaS companies.