Although we are comparing the two equally powerful SEO tools, Semrush vs SE Ranking, nevertheless, they target different audiences. SE Ranking provides a better and cheaper platform for small to mid-size businesses that are concerned about rank tracking and auditing a website, and tracking backlinks. With that being said, Semrush is an enterprise-level tool that digital marketing professionals prefer for comprehensive keyword research, competitive analysis, PPC data, and huge databases, among other things. Although Semrush is best in advanced features and integration, a better value and ease of use for users who desire the core SEO functionalities that do not require a substantial learning curve or high prices of Semrush is the SE Ranking.
SE Ranking vs Semrush: Quick Verdict
SE Ranking is a handy tool for freelancers, small businesses, and agencies, and it is budget-friendly. You can use it to track ranks, find out which keywords to target, review your site, and improve local SEO. Although the database is not as comprehensive as SEMrush, Ahrefs provides the most important SEO help at an affordable price. On the other hand, SEMrush is a powerful marketing tool meant for experienced users, big agencies, and companies. In the area of studies, it is strong at competitive analysis, utilizing PPC, content marketing, and backing them with a wide collection of keywords and backlinks. Pick SE Ranking because it has the best features and is easy to use. Turn to SEMrush for strong research tools, wide-ranging data, and a wide range of marketing tools.
SE Ranking Pros and Cons
Pros
Cost-effective pricing – Has flexible plans that are suitable for freelancers and small businesses.
Exact Rank Tracking – Has reliable keyword position tracking on the primary search engines.
All-In-One Toolkit – Rolled in one platform, there are site audits, backlink checking, and Keyword research.
User-Friendly Interface – User-friendly interface design makes it easy for a newbie to learn and use.
White-Label Reporting – Perfect for agencies that need customizable, ready-for-client SEO reports.
Cons
Small Database Size – A smaller amount of keywords and backlink database than Semrush or Ahrefs.
Fewer integrations – Has limited powerful connections to third-party programs (such as those for analytics or marketing purposes).
Basic PPC Tools – Paid ad analysis tools are not as thorough as the competitors.
Slower Data Updates – The Tools (such as the backlink data) might not update as fast.
Pros and Cons of Semrush
Pros
Extensive Keyword Database – Amongst the largest and most accurate keyword databases that you are likely to find.
Deep Competitive Analysis – Strong insights into the traffic of competitors, their backlinks, as well as PPC strategy.
All-in-One Marketing Suite – Includes SEO, PPC, content marketing, social media, and so forth on one platform.
Strong Reporting Tools – Customizable and branded reports that are suitable for agencies and professionals.
Frequent Updates & Data Accuracy – Frequently provided data means that timely and accurate insights are provided.
Cons
High Cost– Compared unfavorably to the competition, particularly for freelancers or small businesses.
High Learning Curve – Complex features can plague beginners or casual users.
Restricted Access at Lower Plans – A lot of advanced tools are locked behind more expensive subscription tiers.
Overwhelming Interface – Dashboard is full of things, feels busy, and confusing.
Resource-Heavy – Longer loading time on less powerful devices or slower internet.
SE Ranking vs Semrush – Comparison of Features
Here is the feature-by-feature matchup of SE Ranking vs Semrush to help you understand which of the tools is suitable for your needs:
Keyword Research: SE Ranking vs Semrush
The SEO function of keyword research is a primary feature of any SEO platform and SE Ranking and Semrush can both provide good capabilities, but with important differences in focus and extent, and ease of use.
One of the most extensive keyword databases belongs to Semrush. It gives in-depth keyword metrics such as Volume, difficulty score, Cost–per–Click (CPC) , SERP features, and competitive density. Its Keyword Magic Tool enables users to discover millions of keyword suggestions that are organized by topic or by intent, meaning it is excellent for the creation of content clusters or planning of paid campaigns. Semrush also has multi-language and regional keyword research, putting it on an enviable pedestal for international SEO.
SE Ranking, though not so large in scope, provides reliable keyword data that serenades small businesses and individual marketers. It gives the keyword volume, difficulty, as well as CPC data, alongside the SERP analysis and grouping options. SE Ranking has a relatively easy-to-use keyword tool with such features as keyword suggestion and tracking integration, which are not as comprehensive and detailed as the comparison of Semrush.
Semrush is targeting savvy users who require a thorough understanding of keywords for wide-scale campaigns, while SE Ranking offers satisfactory tools for not-so-big operations, interested in reliable and cost-effective tools regarding keyword research.
Backlink Audit: SE Ranking vs Semrush
Backlink auditing is an important part of identifying destructive backlinks and having a healthy SEO profile. Both SE Ranking and Semrush have backlink audit tools, and the features are varied in terms of scope and depth.
Semrush offers an advanced backlink audit tool, which is fueled by a large link database. It detects poisonous backlinks with the use of more than 50 markers, provides a toxicity score, and permits users to generate and export disavow files directly to the Google search console. Semrush also works with Google Analytics and Search Console for increased data precision, so it is a full-powered tool to perform in-depth analysis of links and their cleaning.
SE Ranking may not be as comprehensive, but it has a good backlink audit tool, which identifies bad links and monitors changes in the status of links. It is beneficial for simple monitoring purposes and is able to create a disavow file, but it cannot provide the same level of advanced toxicity scoring and integration depth as Semrush.
All in all, Semrush is superior for in-depth backlink research while SE Ranking does its basics at the cost of affordability.
Site Audits (Technical SEO): SE Ranking vs Semrush
Site audits play an important role in technical SEO and allow for the identification of problems that affect a website’s performance, crawlability, and ranking. As for audit tools, both SE Ranking and Semrush have strong options: they differ in depth and format.
One of the most complete site audit tools in the market is offered by Semrush. It can crawl for more than 140 technical check marks, such as crawl errors, HTTPS status, site speed, mobile friendliness, and structured data. The platform gives a health score, ranks issues on the severity level, and provides actionable recommendations. Its main strengths are visual reports, crawl comparison over time, and integration with Google Analytics and Search Console, making it a perfect choice for professionals working with large or complex websites.
Although not so sophisticated, SE Ranking offers an amazing audit experience. It is scanning for over 120 technical parameters, such as duplicate content, broken links, meta tags, and core web vitals. The results are specified in a clear, convenient, user-oriented dashboard accompanied by categorization of issues and tips for resolving them. Users can plan audits, track changes over a period of time, and export white-label reports.
On-Page SEO: SE Ranking vs Semrush
On-page SEO is the practice of optimizing individual web pages in order to achieve high search engine rankings and a user experience. SE Ranking and Semrush both have tools for effective on-page optimization, but have differences in terms of depth and flexibility.
Semrush offers a strong On-Page SEO Checker that conducts exploration of pages according to more than 70 ranking factors. It provides practical recommendations on how to optimise the use of keywords, backlinks, user engagement, and technical elements. The tool also finds out your page and compares your content to the top competitors in SERPs and gives semantic keywords, content length, and structure suggestions. Seo Writing Assistant integration is also offered, which increases real-time optimization by grading for readability, the tone of voice, and keywords, perfect for content creators and SEO teams.
On-Page SEO Checker in SE Ranking is more user-friendly but checks pages for SEO compliance with regards to title tags, meta descriptions, keyword density, content uniqueness, and page loading speed. It defines an all-inclusive rating and failure points, with a step-by-step guide, which can be used by non-technical users. Although it is not composed of sophisticated competitive insight and semantic keyword suggestions, it works fine for small teams that require hands-on advice.
Semrush is best suited for proficient users and agencies that are in need of deep investigation; SE Ranking provides a more down-to-earth and budgetary solution for any on-page optimization that can be relied upon.
Local SEO: SE Ranking vs Semrush
Local SEO is important, especially for businesses that are targeting customers in certain geographical locations. SE Ranking and Semrush both provide means for local SEO, but differ in strategy and amount of functionality.
Semrush has a strong Listing Management Tool (Yext-powered in some areas) that helps businesses manage their presence online through various online directories such as Google Business Profile, Yelp, Facebook, and Bing. It also follows the local ranks, watches reviews, and provides a report on citation consistency. Semrush’s local rank tracking can help businesses track keyword performance level down to city or ZIP code level, and this is perfect for multi-location brands or local service providers.
SE Ranking also helps in local SEO with local rank tracking that enables one to track the position according to city, postcode, or a particular map point. It has Google Business Profile audit features, which evaluate the comprehensiveness and success rate of local listings. Though it is not provided with full-scale citation management and review monitoring tools.
To sum up, Semrush will be more helpful for businesses requiring complete online presence management through several directories. Though less local SEO-oriented, SE Ranking, nonetheless, offers outstanding geo-based rank tracking and GBP-analysis for a much lower cost, which makes it a good option for small businesses that are locally-focused.
Content Marketing: SE Ranking vs Semrush
The content marketing tools are critical for sketching, improving, and studying content strategies. Semrush has a full content marketing kit, and Se Ranking can offer more basic support, focused on SEO content.
Semrush does a good job in this aspect as it has such tools as the Topic research tool that helps come up with content ideas based on trending topics and those used by competitors. The SEO Content Template has keyword suggestions, readability scores, and backlink suggestions to optimize the articles. The Content Audit tool is a tool that measures engagement metrics and SEO performance of existing site content, whereas the Writing Assistant integrates with Google Docs and WordPress to prompt during real-time creation of content while aligning to SEO best practices.
In turn, SE Ranking has a Content Marketing Tool, which provides AI-powered content briefs, ideas for keywords, and real-time content assessment. It is user-friendly and convenient for writing SEO-friendly blog posts or landing pages, but it is not advanced enough to have the auditing, ideation, and integrations of Semrush.
All in all, Semrush is perfect for businesses and agencies that have content orientation and research, planning, optimization, and auditing tools. SE Ranking is suitable for users who require only simple content optimization tools, which are integrated into the wider SEO platform, and the price is rather reasonable.
Rank Tracking: SE Ranking vs Semrush
Rank tracking is one of the key features of SEO, which can track the position of keywords in various search engines and regions. This functionality is offered by both SE Ranking and Semrush, but with some differences in flexibility, data depth, and value.
The strong point of the SE Ranking is the rank tracking. It offers very accurate daily updates on the keywords’ position in the major search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo, for desktop and mobile. Users can access ranking at a national level, a regional level, as well as on a zip code basis, which makes it good for local SEO. It also has a feature that shows competitor tracking, visibility scores, and traffic forecasts, as well as historical metrics. With its flexibility in terms of frequency and cost-effective options for keyword volume, it is a great option for both agencies and businesses that have numerous projects.
Semrush is also able to provide reliable rank tracking through the Position Tracking Tool, and this enables users to track keywords for particular devices and locations. It has such features as SERP feature tracking, visibility trends, and competitor comparisons. Daily tracking is, however, only available for plans of a higher tier, and the keyword limits are often tighter at equal price points.
Semrush has good tracking and additional SERP insights, while SE Ranking leads in terms of accuracy, customization, and affordability – an ideal choice for thorough, budget-oriented rank monitoring.
Ease of Use
Speaking about the ease of use, SE Ranking is highly celebrated for its clear interface and simplified site navigation. It is built with simplicity in mind, and is hence a good choice for beginners, freelancers, and those who run small businesses who need basic SEO tools without having to learn anything complicated. Operations such as tracking keywords, site audits, and backlink monitoring are easy to sign in and configure with useful tool tips and proper reports that do not require much technical knowledge.
Semrush, much more feature-rich, can be intimidating to new users. Its dashboard is packed with data and options that can confuse new users who are not quite experienced with SEO platforms. But for experienced marketers and SEO experts, that simplicity has flexibility and control, which brings deeper insights and broader functionality in search engine optimization, pay-per-click, and content marketing.
On the whole, comparing SE Ranking against Semrush, the second one is better suited for the power users who feel comfortable using more advanced tools and data-driven workflows, while the first one is rather oriented toward simplicity and ease of use, especially in terms of onboarding.
Customer support of Semrush and SE Ranking
SE Ranking provides customers with timely and competent customer support via live chat, email, and a rich knowledge base. Its quick response times and individual support that users frequently appreciate will make it perfect for people who need help with their hands. Semrush also offers multi-channel support – live chat, email, phone, and a huge resource of tutorials and webinars. Although support is professional and knows what they are doing, response times may significantly differ, depending on the plan tier. Generally, SE Ranking will provide faster and more accessible support, whereas Semrush provides wider resources and help aimed at professional and enterprise capabilities.
SE Ranking vs Semrush Pricing
That is the pricing comparison between SE Ranking and Semrush in detail.
SE Ranking Pricing
SE Ranking has three main plans.
Essential – $65/month
5 projects, 500 daily keyword checks
10 websites, 15,000 pages per audit
17,500 backlinks monitored
1 user seat, 5 scheduled reports
Covers core SEO tools, local marketing, and content editing.
Pro – $119/month
30 projects, 2,000 daily keyword checks
3 user seats, 40,000 pages per audit
30,000 backlinks monitored
Integration of Looker Studio, historical information, and API access is added.
Business – $259/month
Unlimited projects, 5,000 daily keyword checks
5 user seats, 80,000 pages per audit
90,000 backlinks monitored
Contains API, white tag reports, and team training.
Add-ons
Local Marketing Pack: $23–$230/month
Content Editor: $23.20–$79.20/month
Agency Pack: $50/month (annual plans only)
Semrush Pricing
Semrush provides four main plans
Pro – $139.95/month
5 projects, 500 daily keyword checks
5,000 pages crawled per month
3 user seats, 10,000 results per report
Advanced core SEO and PPC, and competitive tools
Guru – $249.95/month
15 projects, 1,500 daily keyword checks
30,000 pages crawled per month
5 user seats, 30,000 results per report
Contains a content marketing toolkit and historical data.
Business – $499.95/month
40 projects, 5,000 daily keyword checks
50,000 pages crawled per month
10 user seats, 50,000 results per report
It provides API access, metrics of shares of the Voice, and PLA analytics.
Add-ons
Local SEO Tools: $20–$200/month
Social Media Toolkit: $30–$150/month
Agency Growth Kit: $100/month
Final Verdict: SE Ranking vs Semrush
SE Ranking and Semrush are two powerful SEO platforms, but their customer base are different. SE Ranking has excellence in terms of price, the simplicity of use, and the accuracy of rank tracking, and it fits perfectly for small businesses, freelancers, and agencies in need of a decent SEO kit for a lower price. Semrush, on the other hand, provides a more advanced feature set of tools, oriented towards large teams and experienced marketers for perfect keyword research, competitor analysis, and content marketing. At the end of the day, the decision here depends on what you need. If you prefer simplicity and affordability, you should opt for SE Ranking; if you are interested in depth and advanced marketing functionality, choose Semrush.
