The honest comparison of SE Ranking vs Semrush is here!

I’ve been using Semrush since 2015, including for this blog you’re reading.

I have been using SE Ranking for the last couple of months as well.

I got some serious suggestions from the bloggers who have moved to SE Ranking and they are advising me too because we all know that SE Ranking is available at half the pricing of Semrush!

I am using both tools right now!

And the key differences are shocking. SE Ranking is powerful and has been given a tough competition to Semrush.

In this comparison post:

I will give you a wholesome experience of both Semrush & SE Ranking and quickly make you aware of the key differences so that you can decide which one is more suitable for you!

Let’s get started!

SE Ranking vs Semrush: Comparing Main Modules Side by Side

Quick Summary:

Which is better among Semrush & SE Ranking?

Here is my answer after spending enough time on both tools:

Semrush & SE Ranking offers a comprehensive SEO toolkit.

There is no denying the fact that SE Ranking offers a more money value as it offers all the core features at much lesser costs than Semrush.

However, Semrush has an edge in the number of total features and a bigger database.

SE Ranking is ahead in terms of lesser pricing, fair plans, simple UI, lesser learning curve, and a better Rank Tracking module.

On the other hand, Semrush has a comprehensive keyword research & competitive analysis module, more keyword suggestions, and access to huge historical data.

SE Ranking might not offer the “Extra features” Semrush has but I must say it has all the SEO features 95% of the users ever need. But you cannot ignore the fact of a larger database with Semrush.

Choose SE Ranking if your budget is less and you belong to a small-mid level blogger & SEO individual. No other Semrush alternative is as perfect as SE Ranking.

While Semrush is a must-grab when the budget is good and the access to a better & bigger database matters to you!

SE Ranking Pros & Cons

Pros:

• The plans of SE Ranking are cheap and offer more money value than Semrush plans.
• SE Ranking’s interface is intuitive and easy to navigate. Overall, Semrush UI require more time to get used to it
• The white label software is advanced in SE Ranking
• The Rank Tracking keyword allotment is more fair in SE Ranking
• The core features (Rank Tracking, Competitor Research, Keyword Analysis, Backlink Checker, Site Audit) are available.
• The Rank Tracking module is better in SE Ranking compared to Semrush
• It offers a 14-day free trial without the need for a credit card (unlike Semrush’s free trial, which requires your credit card details).

Cons:

• Comparatively, SE Ranking’s features are less than what Semrush offers.
• Limited database in SE Ranking, particularly in tools like competitor analysis, content marketing, and paid advertising.
• You cannot find a common tool for LSI keywords here
• Limited historical data (Feb 2020 – Present)

Semrush Pros & Cons

Pros:

• They have 50+ SEO tools in their software and gave a user fully fledged SEO tool than others.
• Their database of Backlinks and Keywords is enormous compared to SE Ranking
• Semrush has better competitive analysis than SE Ranking
• With its position tracking tool, you can track any keywords, domains, and competitors on Google. Also, you can track keyword positions across different devices and locations.
• It helps you identify keyword cannibalization issues within your website.
• Semrush offers extremely generous reporting limits compared to competitors including Ahrefs, Moz Pro, etc.
• They have access to huge historical data (2012 – Present).

Cons:

• The pricing of Semrush. It’s more expensive than SE Ranking.
• One major drawback of Semrush is that it only gives you data for Google.

Why Compare SE Ranking & Semrush

SE Ranking is more affordable and offers core features at a much lower price than Semrush – The primary reason users started comparing these two awesome platforms.

The interest begins with this “lower pricing” advantage.

In Semrush users used to be excited and make a decision based on the fact of “Extra Features”.

In reality, only about 10-20% of users, mostly agencies, need all the features that Semrush offers.

Small businesses, bloggers, or SEO freelancers usually don’t require such a comprehensive SEO toolkit. Most of the time, the core features we’ve discussed today are sufficient for their needs.

However, with Semrush, as you know, whether you use one module or all of them, you’ll be charged the same. Therefore, people are considering other SEO tools that offer similar core features at a lower price. SE Ranking stands at the top position in this category.

Keyword Research: SE Ranking Nearly Beats Semrush

Winner: Semrush

The first core feature I am comparing today is the “Keyword Research system”

Both SE Ranking and Semrush have a comprehensive keyword analysis tool. I have faced difficulty in declaring a final winner as well.

We all know Semrush has an edge in keyword databases, 25 Billion is the number compared to SE Ranking 5.6 Billion.

I found both SEO tools have these primary keyword related tools in their software:

• SE Ranking: Keyword suggestions tool, overview report
• Semrush: Keyword magic tool, Keyword overview report, Keyword gap tool

They both work almost the same way. You just have to put a “Seed keyword” and they show a detailed keyword overview report. For finding related keywords, they have separate keyword research tools.

So what’s the real catch here?

Well, 80-90% of similarities have been found in their keyword research system. But Yes, there are some important differences that users should know about before making their decision.

Here are the differences:

Key Differences Explained:

1.) I see Semrush always shows more keyword suggestions as compared to SE Ranking. Well, obviously it is because of its larger database.

2.) The keyword search volume accuracy looks similar to me in both the SEO tools.

3.) Their “keyword overview” report looks almost the same with minor changes only. For example:

• Both tools have shown similar metrics: KD, Search volume by countries, CPC, Intent, Trend, Competition, SERP Feature
• Semrush shows a “Keyword Cluster widget” while SE Ranking doesn’t.
• SE Ranking attached a powerful metric called “Ranking Dynamics” in the same report while you cannot find this metric in Semrush.

4.) I really liked how both the tools gave me the option to access all the keyword-related historical data month by month.

But Semrush has something extra.

First of all, it shows the last updated information in every keyword suggested. And not just that, it has given me the option to manually update the metric and access the latest fetched information.

SE Ranking lacks here.

5.) Both keyword research tools have included the “Export to . CSV” tool.

6.) SE Ranking doesn’t have a “Broad Match, Phrase Match, Exact Match” keyword filter hence extracting these keywords seems a manual task to me. Semrush supports these filters and the work can be done in 1 click.

7.) Semrush is capable of producing all sorts of keywords, but it still doesn’t have the option to extract the “Search engine auto suggestion keyword”.

Well, these keywords are likely to have higher search volume, and targeting them helps in getting traffic in a higher quantity.

Gladly, I can find these kinds of keywords in SE Ranking via their dedicated Auto suggestion keyword finder tool.

8.) I still don’t get the point why SE Ranking is charging for running a query ($0.004) on the Keyword Cluster tool.

Keyword clustering is a good concept to target keywords with the same intent. Manually finding these keywords is a big trouble, Gladly Semrush does it for free.

9.) Semrush has the additional “Keyword Gap” tool which finds the hidden keywords your competitors (up to 5) are ranking and you’ve missed the opportunity.

SE Ranking can do it the same with their competitor analysis module but the limit here is 3 domains at a time.

Rank Tracking: SE Ranking Fair Rank Tracking Limit Gives it a Edge

Winner: SE Ranking

I played a lot with the Rank Tracking module available in SE Ranking & Semrush.

In fact, these tools are tracking my keyword position right now!

This is what their Rank Tracking overview report looks like:

Well, to be honest both SEO tools are powerful when we talk about their rank tracking module.

I mean they both offer a detailed as well as summarized visual rank tracking reports for understanding what’s going on.

I see, The metrics appearing in these two reports are similar:

• Average ranking position by date (All tracked keywords)
• Position distribution (Top 1% – Top 100%)
• Search visibility
• Jumped-Dropped keywords
• Jumped-Dropped Pages
• Competitors tracked keyword report
• More

Both tools offer a daily tracking feature as well. So what’s the main difference?

Key Differences Explained:

1.) The amount of keywords to track you are getting in SE Ranking looks more & fair in terms of the charges.

For example:

• Semrush offers 500 keywords with daily tracking is $129.95/month
• SE Ranking offers 750 keywords with daily tracking in $44/month

The extra keyword numbers benefit with SE Ranking keyword tracking cannot be ignored.

2.) When we talk about historical rankings, Semrush has an edge. It allows you to access up to 3 years of ranking data while SE Ranking has a limit to access up to 1 year of tracking data.

3.) I really like how SE Ranking is giving me the option to compare rank tracking information between two time periods via a “Date” filter.

This is something you cannot do in Semrush & other SEO tools.

Comparison of rank positions always helps me in analyzing whether my website is progressing or not.

4.) Compared to SE Ranking, Semrush UI of the rank tracking tool is far better. When you open up the Semrush tool, you’ll find everything about rank-tracking keywords in just one dashboard.

However, SE Ranking makes it messy to distribute rank tracking related info in plenty of tabs.

Just for your information, SE Ranking also tracked cannibalization issues and put up the information in their “Insights tab”. But Semrush presents this important info in its single dashboard.

Verdict: The Rank Tracking module seems comparable in both tools. However, SE Ranking offers the ability to track more keywords at a lower cost than Semrush, which is a significant advantage for users.

Competitor Research: SE Ranking Produce Only Necessary Information But Semrush Has Much Bigger Historical Database

Winner: Semrush

Well, They both have a competitor analysis module, and you get detailed information about your competitor keywords & traffic.

Both tools produce dozens of metrics with basic minor differences.

Key Differences Explained:

The only primary differences I see between these two are these:

1.) The SE Ranking competitor analysis is more straightforward and easy to understand.

They limit the information and provide only necessary information, but Semrush loves to go much deeper in every aspect of SEO and that’s why their competitor analysis is much more detailed compared to SE Ranking.

2.) The historical data matters in competitive analysis.

And the Semrush database is unbeatable. They have data from 2012 to the present, whereas SE Ranking provides data for competitor analysis from February 2020 onwards.

3.) Despite detailed competitor analysis, Semrush has one huge problem. They charge extra for accessing detailed info.

For example, to see the “Top Pages Traffic” report, you have to buy their Semrush Trends Addon ($289/monthly). But SE Ranking gives you this “Top Pages Traffic report” and other advanced metrics in all the plans without extra charges.

Verdict: SE Ranking competitor analysis module is a must to explore as it is giving enough information without charging extra as Semrush do. But for a high level historical & advanced research on a competitor, Semrush is a go to tool.

Backlink Analysis: Semrush has a Big Links Database But SE Ranking is Equally Powerful

Winner: Semrush

I’m really impressed with the Semrush Link Building toolkit.

Semrush is great at handling backlinks, helping me find the right prospects and managing outreach campaigns.

With four unique Link Building Tools, Semrush lets me manage all parts of link building from one place.

Whereas the SE Ranking link building toolkit contains these main tools:

1.) Backlink Checker: Similar to Semrush Backlink Analytics, used for finding complete link building information of a prospect which contains a list of backlinks, number of referral domains, anchors, links toxicity, etc.

2.) Backlink Monitor: Similar to Semrush Backlinks Audit, used for tracking backlinks, providing updates on their status (found/not found), Google indexing status, and other relevant metrics.

3.) Backlink Gap Tool: Both tools have this awesome tool that is used to find hidden opportunities between multiple competitors.

And they both share these same metrics in their link building tools:

Key Differences Explained:

1.) The main difference is the “Links database,” which has given Semrush the edge in the Backlink analysis module.

Semrush has a database of 43 trillion backlinks, whereas SE Ranking has a storage of 2.9 T.

The larger database will always give you more backlink opportunities on an SEO level.

2.) I don’t find a dedicated “link building tool” in SE Ranking that helps you to build campaigns and perform link outreach within an SEO tool. Semrush has full-fledged support for this module.

If you practice link outreach manually, then this won’t be a problem for you.

3.) I am not saying the SE Ranking backlink overview report is poor. It is well organized and offers various helpful metrics.

Still, It lacks a few important metrics: Backlinks types, Link attributes, and Top pages.

4.) Similar to Keyword Research & Competitor Research Modules, SE Ranking failed to offer the export option with a Backlink overview report as well.

I don’t understand the issue with SE Ranking. I’m really frustrated! Semrush consistently offers an export option for any report, whether you need it in PDF or. CSV format.

Verdict: After using them both, I can say that users can do a proper Backlink Analysis with both SEO tools.  However Semrush is more likely to show more backlink opportunities because of its bigger database. SE Ranking database is 2.9 T at this stage, Before any serious call, it is best to try their database for 14 days and see if it is able to find enough link opportunities for you or not.

Site Audit Module: Both Done the Pretty Much Same Job Here

Winner: Tie

Both SEO tools are specialized in conducting On Page SEO & Off Page SEO audit tasks.

They both undertake more than 100 checks in their audit and issue warnings & errors with improvement suggestions.

To be honest, it would be a useless thing to compare one by one audits available in both SEO tools. There are 100+.

This is what Semrush Audit overview report looks like:

This is what SE Ranking Audit overview report looks like:

But there are some key differences:

1.) First, Semrush allows website owners to run audits between mobile & desktop devices. Well, SE Ranking only audits the desktop version of your site.

2.) Website audit works on the number of pages allotted in a plan. SE Ranking has low pricing benefits here. For $44/month, they are giving 100,000 pages for audit whereas Semrush charges $129/month for the same.

3.) Most of the users, including me, found the SE Ranking On Page SEO Audit feature better than Semrush.

It not only audits On Page SEO for your page but also compares it in detail with competitors’ On-Page metrics appearing in a SERP.

By comparing with competitor’s metrics (Word count, KW density, Number of links, etc) you can learn how much you need to optimize your page SEO.

Unfortunately, you can do this type of On Page SEO audit comparison in Semrush.

Verdict: Both tools did a decent job in site auditing. As both produce a detailed site audit report, I took a couple of audits to understand what’s going on. They both have a capability to do 100+ audits checks at a time, hence it is a tie here.

Miscellaneous Features: Semrush Has Much More than You Think

Winner: Semrush

I have compared all the core features so far!

And by now, most users have probably figured out which SEO tool they want to choose.

But the comparison is still pending.

Semrush has over 50+ SEO features in its toolkit, So yes there is no way other SEO tools including SE Ranking beat it in this aspect.

You don’t need to choose Semrush just because it offers extra features. These features are pointless if you don’t actually need them.

SE Ranking provides all the essential core features. If it meets your requirements, it’s a great option that can save you money.

Words on Pricing

Both Semrush and SE Ranking offer annual and monthly plans.

When it comes to affordability and fair plans, SE Ranking is more suitable. By fair plans, I mean that SE Ranking offers more features and resources for less money.

For example, SE Ranking allows tracking 750 keywords in their starting plan, which costs $55/month, whereas Semrush only provides 500 keywords in their starting plan, which costs $129.95/month.

Both SE Ranking and Semrush offer several additional features through add-ons, which can increase your overall cost.

Personally, regarding Semrush, the core features are available in all plans. However, the Pro plan seems lacking because it doesn’t include access to historical data. That’s why we are using the “Guru” plan.

Similarly, historical data is an issue with SE Ranking. Their starting plan (Essential – $44) lacks it. If you need past data, you’ll need at least the Pro plan.

Bonus: In case you want go with Semrush you can try Semrush Coupon Code or any above free trial.

FAQs

Here are some questions that can help you decide the RIGHT tool among SE ranking and Semrush.

Related Posts:

What’s Our Final Verdict on SERanking vs Semrush

So here we are at the end of SE Ranking vs Semrush comparison.

If you’re a small business or website owner with basic SEO needs, SE Ranking’s 35+ tools might be sufficient. Also, it’s extremely affordable.

However, if you want HUGE keyword and backlink data and are looking for an all-in-one SEO tool that helps with ALL the SEO tasks, go for Semrush. There’s no other better alternative.

So, what are your thoughts on Semrush vs SE ranking? Which tool do you prefer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.