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This comparison is based on research of each tool’s official features and pricing, checked on 2 November 2026. We haven’t run long-term hands-on tests yet. See how we review tools.
Quick verdict
SE Ranking is the better value for most small businesses and local service firms. Its Core plan is listed at $129 a month ($103.20 billed annually) and includes local marketing tools, 2,000 tracked keywords a day and 10 projects. Semrush is the bigger platform with more add-ons. Its entry SEO plan is listed at $139 a month ($117.33 billed annually), but it tracks 500 keywords across 5 websites. Choose Semrush if you need its wider toolset and AI search add-ons, and SE Ranking if you want more tracking for less money.
[AFFILIATE: SE Ranking] Visit SE Ranking
Who this comparison is for
This comparison is for small business owners, in-house marketers and small agencies choosing their first paid SEO tool. If you market a local service business, pay special attention to the local SEO section, because that is where the two tools differ most in what the entry plan includes. We compare the plans as listed, not data quality, which we have not tested yet.
Side-by-side comparison
| SE Ranking Core | Semrush SEO (entry) | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $129/mo | $139/mo |
| Billed annually | $103.20/mo (save 20%) | $117.33/mo (save up to 17%) |
| Free trial / plan | 14-day free trial, no card | Free plan: 1 demo project, 10 reports per day |
| Projects / websites | 10 projects | 5 websites to monitor |
| Keywords tracked daily | 2,000 | 500 |
| User seats | 1 manager seat | Additional users from $45/mo |
| Local SEO | 3 locations, local and map rank tracker, listing management | Separate “Local” product |
| AI search tracking | 25 prompts daily, 5 AI engines | AI tracking on SEO + AI Search plans (Starter $199/mo) |
| Site audit | 250k pages per month | Site Audit included |
All prices in USD, as shown on each vendor’s pricing page on 2 November 2026. Prices are in USD as shown on each vendor’s site; UK and Australian prices may differ and can include VAT/GST.
Pricing in detail
SE Ranking
SE Ranking lists two self-serve plans and Enterprise:
- Core: $129/mo, or $103.20/mo billed annually. 10 projects, 1 manager seat, 2,000 keywords tracked daily, 250k audit pages a month, 25K API credits and MCP access.
- Growth: $279/mo, or $223.20/mo billed annually. 30 projects, 3 manager seats, 5,000 keywords daily, 2M audit pages a month, historical data and guest links.
- Enterprise: custom pricing.
Extra manager seats are listed from $16, and an Agency Pack add-on with white-label reporting is listed at +$69/mo, annual billing only.
Semrush
Semrush now sells several toolkits. Under “SEO + AI Search” it lists:
- SEO: $139/mo, or $117.33/mo billed annually. 5 websites, 500 keywords tracked daily, basic keyword research and competitor analysis, Position Tracking and Site Audit.
- Starter (SEO + AI Search): $199/mo, or $165.17/mo billed annually. Adds keyword research and optimisation tools, MCP access and AI visibility tracking (50 prompts daily).
- Pro+: $299/mo, or $248.17/mo billed annually. 15 websites, 1,500 keywords daily, historical data, content optimisation and multi-location tracking.
- Advanced: custom pricing.
- Free: $0, one demo project and 10 reports per day.
Additional users start at $45/mo. Local, Content, Social and other toolkits are sold separately.
Which is better for local service businesses?
If you run or market a trades business, local search is what matters: map pack rankings, Google Business Profile, and tracking keywords like “emergency plumber near me” in specific towns.
SE Ranking’s Core plan lists local marketing with 3 locations, a Local & Map Rank Tracker with 1,500 keywords, listing management across 100+ directories and GBP posts. That’s a lot of local functionality in the base plan.
Semrush sells Local as a separate toolkit, so local listing features aren’t part of the entry SEO plan. Check Semrush’s pricing page for its current price.
For a single local business, SE Ranking is the simpler and cheaper route to local tracking.
Which is better for keyword research?
Semrush’s entry plan includes keyword research and competitor analysis. SE Ranking’s Core plan lists “unlimited keyword, competitor, backlink research”, with a keyword database expansion limit of 17.5k on Core.
We haven’t compared the size or accuracy of the two databases ourselves, so we can’t tell you which data is better yet. We’ll add that when we’ve run side-by-side checks on the same keywords.
Which is better for agencies?
SE Ranking’s Agency Pack (+$69/mo) adds white-label reporting, and extra seats start at $16. Growth’s 30 projects and guest links suit small agencies. Semrush’s Pro+ covers 15 websites and multi-location tracking, but extra seats are priced from $45/mo. For a small agency on a budget, SE Ranking costs less per seat. For an agency selling advanced research or AI visibility work, Semrush’s wider product range may justify the cost.
AI search visibility
Both vendors now sell tracking for how brands appear in AI answers. SE Ranking Core lists 25 prompts daily across 5 AI engines. Semrush includes AI visibility from its Starter plan ($199/mo) with 50 prompts daily. If AI search tracking is a priority, Semrush offers more prompts on its plan, but at a higher price.
Who should pick which
Choose SE Ranking if you:
- Run a local or small business site and want local rank tracking included
- Need to track more than 500 keywords without paying for a bigger plan
- Want cheaper extra seats or white-label reports
Choose Semrush if you:
- Want a wide set of marketing toolkits from one vendor (Local, Content, Social, Advertising)
- Need more AI visibility prompts
- Prefer a free plan to try the interface first
How these fit your wider stack
An SEO tool only helps if the site underneath is quick and well built. If you’re still choosing a platform, see is Hostinger worth it and our best website builder for plumbers. For email, see Brevo vs MailerLite.
How to pick a plan size
Most small businesses buy more SEO tool than they use. Before you choose, count three things:
- Sites: how many websites you actually manage. A single business usually needs one project.
- Keywords: a local trades business might track 20 to 50 service keywords across a few towns, which is well within both entry plans. If you track hundreds of keyword and town combinations, SE Ranking’s 2,000 daily keywords on Core give more room than Semrush’s 500.
- People: how many logins you need. Extra seats cost $16 and up on SE Ranking and $45 and up on Semrush.
Then decide how often you’ll use the tool. If you’ll only check rankings once a month, consider a month-to-month plan rather than paying a year upfront, and cancel when you’re not using it.
What an SEO tool won’t do for a local business
An SEO tool shows you data. It won’t fix the basics for you. For most local service businesses, these jobs matter more than which tool you pay for:
- Completing and updating your Google Business Profile
- Getting genuine reviews from real customers
- Writing one clear page for each service and area you cover
- Making sure your site loads fast and your phone number is tappable on mobile
- Keeping your business name, address and phone number consistent across directories
A tool helps you measure progress and spot technical problems, such as broken links or missing page titles, but the work is still yours.
How we researched this comparison
We read the official pricing pages for SE Ranking and Semrush on 2 November 2026 and copied plan names, prices and limits exactly as listed. We haven’t yet run both tools on the same site, so this comparison does not cover data accuracy, speed or ease of use. Read more on our how we test page.
Our verdict
For most small businesses, SE Ranking is the better value: four times the daily keyword tracking of Semrush’s entry plan, local SEO tools included, and a lower price. Semrush is the stronger choice if you need its broader toolkits or more AI search tracking and can afford it.
[AFFILIATE: SE Ranking] Visit SE Ranking
[AFFILIATE: Semrush] Visit Semrush
FAQs
Is SE Ranking cheaper than Semrush?
Yes, at the entry level. SE Ranking Core is listed at $129/mo and Semrush SEO at $139/mo (both checked 2 November 2026), and SE Ranking’s plan tracks more keywords.
Is SE Ranking as good as Semrush?
On listed features, SE Ranking covers rank tracking, audits, backlinks, keyword research and local SEO. Semrush offers more separate toolkits. We haven’t tested data quality side by side yet.
Does Semrush have a free plan?
Yes. Semrush lists a free plan with 1 demo project and 10 reports per day.
Does SE Ranking have a free trial?
Yes. SE Ranking lists a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
Which is better for local SEO?
SE Ranking includes local tools, map rank tracking and listing management in Core. Semrush sells Local as a separate toolkit.