Surfer SEO vs Frase: Power vs Value Compared
The feature-rich optimization platform versus the budget-friendly content brief tool. We compare features, pricing, and use cases to help you choose.
Quick Verdict
Surfer SEO is the more powerful platform with superior real-time optimization, comprehensive features, and advanced AI writing capabilities. Frase wins on value, offering excellent content briefs and SERP analysis at less than half the price. Choose Surfer for power; choose Frase for budget.
| Criteria | Surfer SEO | Frase |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Real-Time Content Optimization | Content Briefs & Research |
| Starting Price | $99/month | $45/month (Basic) |
| Free Trial | 7-day money-back guarantee | 5-day trial for $1 |
| G2 Rating | 4.8/5 (537 reviews) | 4.8/5 (297 reviews) |
| Key Strength | Content Editor & AI writing | Content briefs & SERP analysis |
| Key Limitation | Higher price point | Less robust optimization |
What is Surfer SEO?
Surfer SEO is a comprehensive content optimization platform founded in 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland. It has grown to serve over 150,000 users worldwide, becoming one of the most widely adopted content optimization tools in the SEO industry.
Surfer SEO's strength lies in its real-time Content Editor that provides specific, data-driven recommendations as you write. It analyzes top-ranking pages to suggest optimal word count, heading structure, keyword usage, and content elements.
Key Strengths
- Content Editor: Industry-leading real-time optimization with 0-100 Content Score
- Surfer AI: Generate complete, optimized articles with one click
- Content Audit: Analyze existing pages and get improvement recommendations
- Keyword Research: Built-in clustering and topical mapping tools
Who Uses Surfer SEO
Surfer SEO is particularly popular with:
- Content marketing agencies optimizing at scale
- In-house SEO teams at mid-size to enterprise companies
- Professional content writers focused on SEO performance
- SaaS companies with content-led growth strategies
What is Frase?
Frase is an AI-powered content optimization tool founded in 2016 in Boston, USA. It has carved out a niche as the go-to platform for content research and brief creation, helping content teams plan and optimize articles efficiently.
Frase differentiates itself through its content brief workflow. It automatically analyzes top-ranking pages to extract topics, headings, questions, and keywords, dramatically reducing the time needed for content research and planning.
Key Strengths
- Content Briefs: Best-in-class brief generation from SERP analysis
- Outline Builder: Automatically extract headings and structure from competitors
- Question Research: Find questions people ask about any topic
- Affordable Pricing: Accessible plans starting at just $45/month
Who Uses Frase
Frase is particularly popular with:
- Freelance content writers on a budget
- Small businesses starting with content marketing
- Content strategists focused on research and planning
- Teams that want efficient brief creation workflows
Surfer SEO vs Frase: Feature Comparison
Both tools help create SEO-optimized content, but they take different approaches. Here's how they compare across key categories.
Content Editor & Optimization
The content editor is where you write and optimize your content with real-time guidance.
Surfer SEO's Approach
Surfer's Content Editor is considered industry-leading for real-time optimization.
- 0-100 Content Score updated in real-time
- Specific word count and heading targets
- NLP-powered keyword recommendations
- Structure guidelines with exact counts
Frase's Approach
Frase provides optimization scoring with a focus on topic coverage.
- Topic Score showing coverage level
- Term frequency recommendations
- Side-by-side competitor view
- Integrated with brief workflow
Verdict: Surfer SEO's Content Editor is more sophisticated with granular recommendations. Frase's editor is functional but less detailed in its optimization guidance.
Content Briefs & Research
Content briefs help plan articles by analyzing what top-ranking content covers.
Surfer SEO's Approach
Surfer includes brief creation as part of its Content Editor workflow.
- Outline suggestions based on SERP analysis
- Heading recommendations with examples
- Topic clusters and keyword grouping
- Integrated with Content Editor
Frase's Approach
Frase is built around content briefs as its core feature.
- Automatic SERP analysis of top 20 results
- Outline Builder with drag-and-drop headings
- Question extraction from search results
- Competitor content comparison view
Verdict: Frase wins for content briefs. It was built specifically for this workflow and offers superior SERP analysis, outline building, and question research features.
AI Writing Capabilities
Both tools offer AI writing assistance to speed up content creation.
Surfer SEO's Approach
Surfer AI generates complete, SEO-optimized articles automatically.
- One-click full article generation
- Pre-optimized for target keywords
- Customizable tone and style settings
- Additional credits for AI articles
Frase's Approach
Frase offers AI writing tools focused on assistance rather than full generation.
- AI paragraph and section writing
- Templated AI tools for specific tasks
- Pro Add-on for unlimited AI access ($35/mo)
- AI Article Wizard for guided generation
Verdict: Surfer SEO offers more robust AI writing with full article generation. Frase's AI is capable but requires the Pro Add-on for full access and focuses more on assistance than automation.
Additional Features
Beyond core content creation, both platforms offer additional tools for SEO workflows.
Surfer SEO's Extras
- Content Audit for existing pages
- SERP Analyzer for deep competitor analysis
- Keyword Research with clustering
- Grow Flow for weekly SEO tasks
- AI Tracker for LLM visibility monitoring
Frase's Extras
- Answer Engine for question research
- GSC integration for ranking tracking
- Content analytics dashboard
- Team collaboration features
- Custom AI templates
Verdict: Surfer SEO offers more diverse features including content auditing and comprehensive keyword research. Frase focuses on research and collaboration features at its price point.
Surfer SEO vs Frase: Pricing Comparison
Frase offers significantly more accessible pricing, while Surfer SEO justifies its higher cost with more features.
Surfer SEO Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Articles |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | $99 | 30/month |
| Scale | $219 | 100/month |
| Scale AI | $299 | 100 + AI articles |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | |
7-day money-back guarantee. Annual billing saves ~17%.
Frase Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | $14.99 | 4/month |
| Basic | $45 | 30/month |
| Team | $115 | Unlimited |
| Pro Add-on | +$35 | Unlimited AI |
5-day trial for $1. Annual billing saves ~15%.
Value Analysis
Frase offers exceptional value—its Basic plan ($45) provides similar article limits to Surfer's Essential ($99) at less than half the price. For budget-conscious teams, Frase delivers solid content optimization at an accessible price point.
Consider: Surfer SEO's higher price includes features Frase doesn't offer, like Content Audit and more comprehensive keyword research. If you need those features, Surfer's pricing is justified.
What Users Say: Surfer SEO vs Frase Reviews
Both tools have strong user ratings. Here's what real users report about each platform.
| Platform | Surfer SEO | Frase |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | 4.8/5 (537 reviews) | 4.8/5 (297 reviews) |
| Capterra | 4.9/5 (417 reviews) | 4.8/5 (334 reviews) |
| Trial Access | 7-day money-back | 5-day trial ($1) |
What Users Love About Surfer SEO
- Content Editor quality: Best-in-class real-time optimization
- Feature completeness: Everything needed for content SEO
- AI capabilities: Powerful article generation with Surfer AI
“Surfer SEO has become essential to our content workflow. The Content Score gives our writers clear targets to hit.”
What Users Love About Frase
- Content briefs: Best-in-class brief creation workflow
- Value for money: Excellent features at an affordable price
- SERP analysis: Quick competitor research and insights
“Frase's content brief feature saves us hours every week. It scrapes the top 20 results and gives us everything we need.”
Common Complaints
Surfer SEO
Higher price point limits accessibility. Can feel overwhelming for beginners. Some report occasional data inconsistencies.
Frase
AI writing requires additional add-on. Less detailed optimization guidance than competitors. Some report AI output needs more editing.
Who Should Use Surfer SEO vs Frase?
The right choice depends on your budget, content workflow, and specific feature needs.
Choose Surfer SEO If You...
- Need the most comprehensive content optimization features
- Want AI-generated articles as part of your workflow
- Need content auditing for existing pages
- Have the budget for premium tools ($99+/month)
Choose Frase If You...
- Are on a tight budget (starting at $45/month)
- Prioritize content research and brief creation
- Need excellent SERP analysis and question research
- Are a freelancer or small team starting with SEO content
Quick Decision Framework
| Your Priority | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Content Editor quality | Surfer SEO | More detailed, real-time optimization |
| Content briefs | Frase | Built around brief-first workflow |
| Budget | Frase | More than 50% cheaper entry price |
| AI writing | Surfer SEO | Full article generation built-in |
| Content auditing | Surfer SEO | Dedicated audit feature included |
| Question research | Frase | Answer Engine specializes in this |
Final Verdict: Surfer SEO vs Frase
Surfer SEO is the more powerful platform with superior real-time optimization, comprehensive features, and advanced AI capabilities. It's worth the premium price for teams that need best-in-class content optimization tools.
Frase offers exceptional value for budget-conscious users. Its content brief workflow is actually superior to Surfer's, and at less than half the price, it's the smart choice for freelancers, small teams, and anyone prioritizing research over advanced optimization.