Why Is Semrush So Expensive? (3 Affordable Alternatives!)

Semrush is a popular SEO tool with lots of helpful features. But it’s also a bit pricey tool. So why is Semrush so expensive? That’s what we are going to be explaining in this post.

Moreover, we’ll also share the top 3 affordable alternatives to Semrush so you can still do keyword research and other SEO tasks without going out of your budget. Ready? Let’s jump right in!

Key Takeaways:

• Semrush’s price tag comes from its extensive features, accurate data, and top-notch customer service.
• Semrush offers a wide range of SEO tools in one package. More tools mean more cost.
• Reliable and accurate data requires more resources, so Semrush invests in keeping its data on point.
• Ubersuggest, SpyFu, and RankIQ are the best affordable alternatives to Semrush.
• Ubersuggest is the most affordable pick with keyword research and other SEO features suitable for Bloggers.
• SpyFu is well-known for its competitive analysis, whereas RankIQ stands out with its content optimization, SEO reports, and keyword library features.

Why Is Semrush So Expensive?

In short, the higher cost of Semrush is due to its extensive features, data accuracy, regular updates, and quality customer support. Although the tool might be costly, it is well justified for larger business and SEO agencies, considering the added value you get from it.

Comprehensive Set of Tools

So, Semrush is like a toolbox filled with everything you could ever need for SEO. It’s got keyword tools, site checks, you name it. All these tools in one place add up.

Data Accuracy

Semrush invests a lot in ensuring that the data you see is accurate. Reliable data is crucial for making informed business decisions.

That level of accuracy requires sophisticated algorithms and continuous updates, which, you guessed it, cost money.

Regular Updates

SEO changes. Like, a lot. Semrush keeps up by updating its tools and features. Staying current costs them money, which is ultimately passed on to the product’s end users.

Advanced Features

Semrush provides some advanced features that are often missing in cheaper alternatives. For instance, Keyword Gap analysis, historical data, and more. 

These extra capabilities offer deeper insights but come at an additional cost.

Quality Customer Support

Quality customer support is often overlooked until you need it. 

Semrush offers great customer service, including quick answers to your questions. Quality help costs a bit more.

Now before we dive further, here are handpicked posts related to SEO and keyword research that are worth checking out:

• 237 Best Niche Ideas For Blogging
• The Best Evergreen Niches For Affiliate Marketing
• The Ultimate Guide To Ranking Micro Niche Sites

Best Affordable Alternatives To Semrush

Ubersuggest

Overview:

Are you looking for a more affordable option than Semrush? You should consider Ubersuggest, the most affordable and beginner-friendly SEO tool in the market.

Features:

• Keyword research is an essential part for any blog’s growth. And with Ubersuggest, the keyword research process is a lot easier. Just type in a word and—boom!—you get a bunch of related keywords, their search volume, and competition level.
• It helps in competitive analysis which means you can easily identify keywords your competitors are already ranking.
• Tracking keywords manually is tedious. Ubersuggest automates this. It provides you with timely charts and data, giving you a snapshot of your performance over time.
• Ubersuggest offers detailed website analytics. You get to see crucial metrics like page views, bounce rates, and more. It’s an all in one solution for understanding how your site is performing.
• Backlinks are important for your website’s authority. Ubersuggest lists all websites linking to you, making it easier for you to assess your website links.

Ubersuggest vs. Semrush:

Ubersuggest provides all the essential SEO features suitable for bloggers, website owners, and SEO specialists. However, it does lack some advanced features like Keyword Gap analysis, which Semrush offers. This advanced feature is generally more useful for those deeply involved in SEO.

Pricing:

Ubersuggest is a cost-effective solution. You can start with a few free daily searches. If you need more, the $12 per month plan provides 150 daily searches. Even better, you can secure lifetime access for just $120. For larger needs, an enterprise plan is available for $400, offering up to 900 daily searches for life.

Who Is It Best For?

Ubersuggest is a good choice if you’re a blogger, a small business owner, or new to SEO. It offers practical and affordable solutions for most common SEO tasks.

However, if you’re after in-depth analytics and advanced features, you might find it lacking. In that case, Semrush or a similar comprehensive tool might be a better fit.

SpyFu

Overview:

Simply put, SpyFu is a tool designed to help you understand what your competitors are up to in the world of digital marketing. From SEO and PPC to keywords and backlinks, the tool gathers all the essential data and information. And that helps in staying ahead of the game.

Features:

• SpyFu allows you to find the best keywords for your website. More targeted keywords? That’s a straight path to boosting your website’s visibility.
• It’s especially popular for its competitive analysis and tracking their keywords.
• It also offers an SEO health check feature, helping you audit your website.
• Then, there’s the backlink tracker feature, which helps you analyze the backlinks of any website.
• Apart from these SEO features, SpyFu also comes with features like PPC keywords which are more useful in the paid advertising industry.

SpyFu vs. Semrush:

SpyFu offers all the basic SEO features, which is sufficient for most bloggers and SEO professionals. However, if you want more in-depth reports with additional features, then Semrush has a better edge. 

SpyFu does have a robust competitive analysis feature that helps you find great untapped keyword topics. However, it lacks features such as social media management tools. Also, its database is not as vast as Semrush.

Pricing:

SpyFu offers different plans, but you can get started for as low as $39 per month. Considering the insights you get, it’s a nice deal!

Who Is It Best For?

If you’re new to the SEO game or are on a budget, SpyFu is a fantastic option. It gives you what you need, especially its competitive analysis feature is really solid. 

On the flip side, if you’re looking for an all-in-one SEO and digital marketing tool, Semrush is a better pick. 

RankIQ

Overview:

RankIQ is an all-in-one SEO Tool suitable for bloggers. It not just helps you find low-competition keywords but also offers detailed SEO reports and Content Optimizer features.

Features:

• One of the standout features of RankIQ is its detailed SEO Reports. It outlines everything from the estimated word count, keywords you should cover, words you should use in your title, similar to what tools like Frase.io and Surfer SEO Offer.
• What sets RankIQ apart from other tools is that it does the heavy lifting for you. All the keywords are pre-researched and sorted into different niches in the Keyword Library. So, all you have to do is pick the ones you like from a list of low-competition, high-traffic keywords.
• RankIQ also comes with a Content Optimization feature that helps you analyze and optimize the blog posts you’ve already written.

RankIQ vs. Semrush:

RankIQ is pretty similar to SurferSEO. It helps you figure out all the essential keywords you’ll need to sprinkle into your blog post to get it to rank higher. What’s super cool is that it also has a keyword library where you can dig around for those low-competition keywords across various niches. But hold on, it’s not your typical SEO or keyword research tool.

So, RankIQ’s keyword library is already chock-full of low-competition keywords and solid prospects in more than 500 niches. Yep, you heard it right—500!

Now, this is both a good thing and a bad thing. On the upside, you don’t have to waste time sifting through mountains of data to find those untapped and good potential topics.

But Here’s the Catch

The flip side is you can’t use a search function, use filters, or find out additional information about keywords as you could do in the case of Semrush.

So that could be pretty limiting if you’re an SEO professional and prefer to choose your own keywords through research based on the various criteria and analytics.

Pricing:

RankIQ comes in three different plans, starting from $49 per month. It’s cheaper than the starting cost of Semrush, which comes at $129.95. So RankIQ’s starting plan is still more affordable than Semrush’s plan.

In the $49 base plan, you get access to 16 SEO content brief reports per month.

Who Is It Best For?

RankIQ is best for bloggers who just want the done-for-you keyword research tool and helpful features like SEO Report, Content Optimizer. The content optimizer feature is not present in Semrush, so that’s something worth considering.

However, if you love digging deep into keyword analytics, research through the data and prefer the flexibility of finding your own keywords, then Semrush is the right choice. 

In short, RankIQ is mainly suitable for bloggers who want to optimize their content and find new content ideas. But Semrush is best for bloggers, content marketers, and SEOs who like to play around with data and advanced features.

Is Semrush Worth It?

Pros	Cons
Comprehensive SEO tools	Pricey
Competitor analysis	Learning curve
Content ideas	Too many features can be overwhelming for some
Site audits
User-friendly interface
Regular updates

Detailed Reports, Accurate Data, Advanced Features covering all aspects of blogging and SEO. These are what make Semrush really stand out.

For instance, consider its keyword research tool. You get detailed insights about each keyword, from intent, volume, keyword difficulty, to CPC, and additional filters.

Moreover, it has a Keyword Magic tool that gives you new low-competition keyword suggestions. You can find great long-tail keywords easily by filtering the data to questions and also tweaking its keyword difficulty.

These are just examples; there are tons of features you can dive into and explore.

For Whom Is It Best?

• If you’re running a marketing agency, the comprehensive tools that Semrush offers can be really beneficial for your agency’s growth.
• If you’re a professional SEO and often require advanced data for doing insightful analysis or running your own tests, then this tool is just right for you.
• If you’re a professional blogger and want an excellent tool to discover low-competition but high-searched keywords and other advanced features, then this tool is perfect for you.

Who Should Avoid?

• If you’re just starting out and your budget is tight, the monthly fee might seem steep.
• If you’re already good at finding low-competition keywords for your blog and you’re just starting, then all the features could be too much for you
• If you’re a local business that doesn’t rely much on online visibility, you might not need the depth of features Semrush offers.