Semrush vs SE Ranking
Semrush starts at $117.33/mo and SE Ranking at $103.20/mo on annual billing — but seat fees, project caps and tracked-keyword limits decide the real bill. See it costed below.
Costed for three setups
| Setup | Semrush | SE Ranking | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blogger · 1 site · 100 keywords weekly · 1 user | $117.33/mo SEO | $103.20/mo Core | SE Ranking |
| Blogger · 1 site · 100 keywords weekly · 1 user (monthly billing) | $139.95/mo SEO | $129/mo Core | SE Ranking |
| Small business · 5 sites · 500 keywords daily · 2 users | $162.33/mo SEO | $223.20/mo Growth | Semrush |
| Small business · 5 sites · 500 keywords daily · 2 users (monthly billing) | $184.95/mo SEO | $279/mo Growth | Semrush |
| Agency · 10 sites · 1,500 keywords daily · 3 users | $338.17/mo Pro+ (SEO + AI Search) | $223.20/mo Growth | SE Ranking |
| Agency · 10 sites · 1,500 keywords daily · 3 users (monthly billing) | $389/mo Pro+ (SEO + AI Search) | $279/mo Growth | SE Ranking |
At a glance
| Feature | Semrush | SE Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing unit | Per account + paid extra users | Per account (manager seats included) |
| Watch out for | The pricing page does not say how many logins a plan includes — extra users are an add-on “starting at $45/mo”, so teams pay per head. | Core includes 1 manager seat and Growth 3; extra seat prices are not published on the pricing page. |
| Cheapest paid (annual) | $117.33/mo | $103.20/mo |
| Cheapest paid (monthly) | $139.95/mo | $129/mo |
| Entry plan includes | SEO: 5 projects · 500 tracked keywords · daily updates · users Not listed · extra from $45/mo | Core: 10 projects · 2,000 tracked keywords · daily updates · 1 user |
| Forever free | Yes | No |
| Trial | 7 days | 14 days |
| Add-ons | Additional users starting at $45/mo; Lead Generation $90/mo; Base Report $10/mo; Pro Report $20/mo. Enterprise: custom pricing. | Agency Pack +$69/mo (annual billing only); API add-on +$29/mo; AI Visibility from $71/mo; standalone SE Ranking API from $179/mo; Planable SMM from $33/mo. Extra keywords and user seats are purchasable (prices Not listed). |
All plans
Semrush
| Plan | Mo | Yr/mo | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 1 project · no rank tracking listed · update frequency Not listed · users Not listed |
| SEO | $139.95 | $117.33 | 5 projects · 500 tracked keywords · daily updates · users Not listed · extra from $45/mo |
| Starter (SEO + AI Search) | $199 | $165.17 | 5 projects · 500 tracked keywords · daily updates · users Not listed · extra from $45/mo |
| Pro+ (SEO + AI Search) | $299 | $248.17 | 15 projects · 1,500 tracked keywords · daily updates · users Not listed · extra from $45/mo |
| Advanced | — | — | 40 projects · 5,000 tracked keywords · update frequency Not listed · users Not listed |
SE Ranking
| Plan | Mo | Yr/mo | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core | $129 | $103.20 | 10 projects · 2,000 tracked keywords · daily updates · 1 user |
| Growth | $279 | $223.20 | 30 projects · 5,000 tracked keywords · daily updates · 3 users |
| Enterprise | — | — | unlimited projects · tracked keywords Not listed · update frequency Not listed · users Not listed |
Gotchas
Semrush
- The pricing page does not say how many logins a plan includes — extra users are an add-on “starting at $45/mo”, so teams pay per head.
- SEO and Starter have the same 5-site / 500-keyword limits; Starter’s extra $59/mo buys AI Visibility, not more tracking.
- Annual billing saves up to 17% ($117.33/mo instead of $139.95 on SEO).
SE Ranking
- Core includes 1 manager seat and Growth 3; extra seat prices are not published on the pricing page.
- Annual plans are billed upfront (20% off); free assisted migration only on annual.
- Only one active session per login — shared logins get kicked out.
FAQ
Is Semrush cheaper than SE Ranking?
For 5 sites, 500 keywords tracked daily, 2 users, annual billing: Semrush $162.33/mo on SEO vs SE Ranking $223.20/mo on Growth. The answer flips with seat add-ons, project caps and daily vs weekly tracking — use the calculator on the SEO tools hub for your exact setup.
Do Semrush and SE Ranking have free plans or trials?
Semrush: Free plan: $0 — 1 demo project and 10 reports per day across the core tools, no credit card. Paid plans: 7-day free trial. SE Ranking: No forever-free plan; 14-day free trial, no credit card (10 projects, 750 tracked keywords per day during the trial).
Which limits matter most when comparing SEO tools?
Included users and the price of extra seats, project/site caps, tracked keywords (and whether they update daily or weekly, pooled or per project), and whether the annual price is billed upfront. Our calculator checks each against the official plan cards.