Need free SEMrush alternatives to boost your SEO efforts?
SEMrush is undoubtedly one of the most talked-about tools in digital marketing.
With its comprehensive suite of features, SEMrush helps marketers monitor SEO performance, uncover competitors’ strategies, and more.
But its price tag can be daunting, especially for small businesses and budding SEO professionals.
Thankfully, you don’t need to stretch your budget to get similar insights.
There are plenty of free SEMrush alternatives that offer fantastic capabilities.
Whether you’re focusing on keyword research, backlink analysis, or competitive research, this guide breaks down SEO tools to help you achieve your marketing
goals, without spending a dime.
What Makes These Free SEMrush Alternatives Worth Your Time?
While SEMrush has many features, not everyone needs such an all-in-one paid tool, at least not initially.
The tools listed here are:
- Free to use, no credit card required.
- Offer similar features as SEMrush.
- Ideal for small businesses and individuals on a tight budget.
Moreover, using multiple SEO tools instead of one can help you get more diverse perspectives.
You may discover insights or strategies that SEMrush might not have shown.
10 Free SEMrush Alternatives
Here are the best free alternative to Semrush:
- Google Keyword Planner
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
- SEO PowerSuite
- Moz Link Explorer
- AnswerThePublic
- Serpstat Lite
- ScreamingFrog
- BuzzSumo
- SpyFu
- Google Trends
- Ubersuggest
- Serpstat
- SEOquake
- Majestic
- SimilarWeb
- SE Ranking
1. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is a free tool designed to help advertisers discover accurate keyword data, including search volume and competition level.
While it’s targeted at Google Ads users, many SEO experts use it for keyword research.
Pros of Google Keyword Planner:
- Completely free with a Google Ads account
- Provides search volume, competition scores, and CPC estimates
- Directly integrates with Google Ads campaigns
Cons of Google Keyword Planner:
- Data is broad and lacks exact match information
- Limited features compared to SEMrush
- Requires an active Google Ads account to unlock all details
Best For: Beginners managing their own websites or small businesses who want essential keyword data.
2. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools is a free suite of SEO utilities (limited) focused on website analysis and data monitoring.
It provides insights into backlinks, organic search traffic, and technical SEO.
Pros of Ahrefs Webmaster Tools:
- High-quality backlink data.
- Free monitoring of organic keywords and site health reports.
- A trusted brand in the SEO industry.
Cons of Ahrefs Webmaster Tools:
- Limited to your website analysis.
- Smaller feature set compared to SEMrush.
- Backlink analysis is capped in the free version.
Best For: Website owners focusing on technical SEO and backlink strategies.
3. SEO PowerSuite Free Version
SEO PowerSuite is a downloadable software package offering free site audits, keyword research, and backlink tracking for small websites on a limited budget.
Pros of SEO PowerSuite:
- A comprehensive toolkit for on-page and off-page SEO.
- Works offline and stores data locally.
- Suitable for agencies managing multiple clients.
Cons of SEO PowerSuite:
- Outdated interface compared to competitors.
- Some features are locked in the free version.
- Must be installed locally on your computer.
Best For: Professionals comfortable with software downloads who want all-in-one functionality.
4. Moz Link Explorer (Free Version)
Moz Link Explorer is a powerful free alternative to SEMrush designed for comprehensive backlink analysis, offering insights into a website’s link profile.
It focuses on link metrics, tracking competitor backlinks, and your domain authority.
Moreover, its extensive data set combined with user-friendly features makes it suitable for both beginners and seasoned SEO professionals alike.
Pros of Moz Link Explorer:
- Accurate backlink data with domain authority scores.
- Free access to top link metrics.
- User-friendly interface.
Cons of Moz Link Explorer:
- Limited queries per month in the free version.
- No advanced keyword tracking features.
- Lacks in-depth competitor analysis like SEMrush.
Best For: SEO professionals prioritizing backlinks and off-page strategies.
You can also read: 14 SEO Automation Tools to Boost Your Efficiency in 2025.
5. AnswerThePublic
AnswerThePublic is a freemium keyword research tool that helps content creators and marketers discover what questions and phrases people are searching for online.
In other words, it generates long-tail keyword ideas based on common search queries, making it an excellent resource for content creation and blog planning.
By using autocomplete data from search engines like Google and Bing, it generates a list of related queries based on a seed keyword, presenting this information in visually appealing formats such as question clouds and data wheels.
Pros of AnswerThePublic:
- Easy-to-use visual data presentation.
- Great for finding content ideas and long-tail keywords.
- Free for a limited number of searches per day.
Cons of AnswerThePublic:
- Not suitable for full SEO campaigns.
- Limited insights on search volume or competition.
- Data visualization may overwhelm beginners.
Best For: Bloggers or content marketers looking for topic inspiration.
6. Serpstat Lite
Serpstat Lite is the entry-level plan of the comprehensive SEO platform Serpstat, designed for individuals and small businesses seeking essential SEO tools at an affordable price.
It offers a freemium SEO tool with keyword research, rank tracking, and competitor analysis with 4,000 queries per day and 10,000 results per report.
Pros of Serpstat Lite:
- A comprehensive set of free SEO tools.
- Keyword tracking and competitor performance insights.
- Free users get access to core features.
Cons of Serpstat Lite:
- The free plan is limited in data and queries.
- More reliant on a subscription for advanced data.
- Smaller user base compared to SEMrush.
Best For: Small teams with limited SEO budgets.
7. Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a powerful desktop application designed for website crawling and SEO analysis.
It efficiently simulates how search engines crawl a site, allowing users to identify key SEO elements such as broken links, server errors, redirects, and metadata issues.
Moreover, its free version offers a powerful crawling tool that collects on-page SEO metadata.
Pros of Screaming Frog SEO Spider:
- Excellent for technical SEO audits.
- Finds broken links and duplicate content.
- Can crawl up to 500 URLs for free.
Cons of Screaming Frog SEO Spider:
- Requires software installation.
- The learning curve for beginners.
- Advanced features are paid.
Best For: Technical SEO specialists or developers.
8. BuzzSumo
BuzzSumo is a content research tool that helps users identify trending topics, popular content, and influencers within specific niches.
It allows marketers to analyze what type of content performs best across social media platforms and provides insights into audience engagement.
Pros of BuzzSumo:
- It finds trending topics and generates content ideas based on social shares and engagement metrics.
- Users can easily find and connect with influencers in their industry to amplify content reach.
- Offers detailed insights into content performance, including backlinks and social media shares.
Cons of BuzzSumo:
- The pricing can be high for small businesses, with plans starting at $99/month.
- While great for content analysis, it lacks the depth of keyword research tools like SpyFu.
- The free version has significant limitations on the number of searches and results available.
9. SpyFu
SpyFu is primarily an SEMrush alternative free competitive analysis tool that allows users to uncover their competitors’ SEO and PPC strategies.
It provides insights into profitable keywords, historical data on keyword performance, and detailed reports on competitors’ ad campaigns.
Pros of SpyFu:
- Starting at $39/month, it offers budget-friendly options for small businesses.
- The dashboard is intuitive, making it easy to navigate and access various features.
- Users can perform extensive competitor analysis and identify high-value keywords through its Kombat feature.
- Users can conduct unlimited domain overviews and keyword searches.
Cons of SpyFu:
- It lacks some advanced features found in more robust tools like Semrush.
- The accuracy of data may vary, particularly for less active competitors.
- Users do not receive real-time updates on changes in data.
- Some users report difficulties in reaching customer support for issues.
10. Google Trends
Google Trends is a powerful, free tool that allows users to explore the popularity of search queries over time, providing insights into consumer behavior and market trends.
It visualizes how interest in specific keywords has changed, offering data from as far back as 2004.
Users can analyze search volume patterns geographically, compare multiple keywords, and discover related queries, making it invaluable for content creation, SEO strategies, and market research.
Pros of Google Trends:
- Offers immediate insights into trending topics and search behavior, allowing for timely content creation.
- Access to over two decades of data helps users understand long-term trends and shifts in consumer interests.
- Users can input any search term to see its popularity without restrictions.
- Provides valuable insights without any cost, making it accessible to all users.
Cons of Google Trends:
- Shows relative search interest (on a scale from 0 to 100) rather than actual search volume, making it difficult to gauge the true size of a topic.
- Users must know what terms to search for; the tool does not help in discovering new or emerging trends easily.
- The tool uses a sample of results for queries, which can lead to inconsistencies, especially for niche topics with lower search volumes.
- It may not differentiate between multiple meanings of the same word, leading to potentially misleading results.
Best For: Businesses exploring trending topics or planning seasonal campaigns.
11. Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is a versatile SEMrush free alternative SEO tool designed to assist users in keyword research, competitor analysis, and website audits.
It provides valuable insights into search volume, keyword difficulty, and content ideas, making it particularly useful for small businesses and content creators.
The free SEMrush alternative tool features a user-friendly interface that allows users to easily navigate through various functionalities.
For example, including keyword suggestions categorized by type (related keywords, questions, prepositions), backlink opportunities, and site audits that highlight areas for improvement.
Pros of Ubersuggest:
- Intuitive design makes it easy for beginners to use.
- Offers detailed insights on search volume, competition, and keyword suggestions.
- Cost-effective plans are suitable for small businesses and freelancers.
- Quick assistance via chat or email.
- Fully responsive design ensures usability on mobile devices.
Cons of Ubersuggest:
- Lacks some depth compared to more established tools like Ahrefs or Semrush.
- May not always provide accurate data for paid traffic and keywords.
- Does not offer functionality to identify broken inbound links.
12. Serpstat
Serpstat is an all-in-one SEO platform that provides a wide range of tools for keyword research, site audits, rank tracking, and competitor analysis.
It is designed to cater to the needs of SEO specialists and digital marketers looking for comprehensive data on their websites and those of their competitors.
The platform offers features such as keyword suggestions, backlink analysis, and a powerful site audit tool that identifies SEO issues.
Pros of Serpstat:
- Combines various SEO functionalities in one platform, including keyword research and site audits.
- Easy navigation through different tools and reports.
- Allows users to analyze competitors’ strategies effectively.
- Provides insights tailored for local search optimization.
Cons of Serpstat:
- Higher tiers can be costly for small businesses.
- Some features may require time to fully understand and utilize effectively.
- The free plan has significant limitations compared to paid plans.
13. SEOquake
SEOquake is a browser extension that provides instant SEO metrics for any webpage visited.
It offers a quick overview of essential SEO parameters such as page rank, backlinks, and social media shares directly in the browser.
Moreover, this makes it an excellent tool for quick checks without needing to switch between different platforms.
Pros of SEOquake:
- Provides real-time data without leaving the browser.
- Users can configure which metrics they want to see.
- Available at no cost as a browser extension.
Cons of SEOquake:
- Does not provide comprehensive insights compared to full-fledged SEO tools.
- Only available as a browser extension; no standalone application.
14. Majestic
Majestic is a specialized backlink analysis tool that focuses on providing detailed insights into link profiles.
It features metrics such as Trust Flow and Citation Flow to evaluate the quality of links pointing to a website.
Majestic is particularly useful for link-building strategies and understanding the backlink landscape.
Pros of Majestic:
- Offers detailed metrics on backlinks and link quality.
- Maintains one of the largest databases of backlinks available.
- Easy navigation through reports and metrics.
Cons of Majestic:
- Primarily focused on backlinks; lacks comprehensive keyword research tools.
- Higher-tier plans may be expensive for smaller users.
You can also read: Local SEO for Small Businesses in 2025.
15. SimilarWeb
SimilarWeb is a digital market intelligence tool that provides insights into website traffic sources, audience demographics, and competitor performance.
It enables users to analyze web traffic trends and understand market dynamics across various industries.
Pros of SimilarWeb:
- Offers detailed data on traffic sources and audience behavior.
- Allows users to compare their performance against competitors effectively.
- An intuitive layout makes data easy to access and interpret.
Cons of SimilarWeb:
- Advanced features can be costly, limiting accessibility for smaller businesses.
- The free version offers limited insights compared to paid plans.
16. SE Ranking
SE Ranking is an all-in-one free SEMrush alternative SEO software that provides tools for keyword tracking, website audits, competitor analysis, and reporting.
It’s designed for both beginners and experienced marketers looking for comprehensive SEO solutions at competitive pricing.
Pros of SE Ranking:
- Cost-effective options are suitable for various budgets.
- Includes features like rank tracking, site audits, and backlink monitoring.
- Ideal for agencies looking to provide branded reports to clients.
Cons of SE Ranking:
- The trial version has restrictions on features available for testing.
- Some users may find the interface overwhelming initially due to the number of features.
Conclusion
SEMrush is a powerful tool, but that doesn’t mean it’s your only option.
Each free SEMrush alternative offers a unique set of features and serves specific SEO objectives.
The ideal choice will depend on the needs of your team or business:
- Looking for keyword research: Start with Google Keyword Planner.
- Need to fix technical issues: Try Screaming Frog or Ahrefs Webmaster Tools.
- Focusing on competitor backlinks: Moz Link Explorer is a solid option.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to complement SEMrush with additional tools, these resources are well worth your time.
Explore a few tools and stick with the one that aligns most closely with your SEO goals.
