Semrush: What It Does, Pricing and Who Should Skip It
Semrush covers keyword research, competitor analysis, site audits, rank tracking, backlinks and content tools, plus tracking of how brands appear in AI answers. It also offers an API and MCP server.
At a glance
| Fact | Semrush |
|---|---|
| Category | AI SEO tools |
| Lowest listed price | SEO/AI search plans: $117.33, $165.17 and $248.17 per month billed annually (monthly prices higher) |
| Free tier or trial | Free account with limits; 7-day free trial on paid plans. |
| Pricing checked | 2026-10-18 |
| Owner | Independent company, not owned by this site’s owner |
| Our relationship | Program exists; we haven’t been approved, so this is a plain link |
Who it’s for
Marketing teams and agencies who want one broad SEO data platform.
Who should skip it
Anyone testing it casually: many recent reviewers say trials converted to charges and refunds were refused.
Pricing (checked 2026-10-18)
- SEO/AI search plans: $117.33, $165.17 and $248.17 per month billed annually (monthly prices higher)
- Free: $0 (limited)
- Additional users from $45/month
Free tier or trial
Free account with limits; 7-day free trial on paid plans.
Notable complaints
Trustpilot: 1.6/5 from 1,422 reviews (checked 2026-10-18). Ratings depend heavily on how actively a company asks for reviews, so we don’t rank by them.
- Several recent reviewers say a trial converted to a paid plan and refunds were refused. Source
- A reviewer said they were charged on day one of a free trial. Source
- A reviewer was charged after cancelling one day late. Source
Alternatives in SEO
- Alli AI: not stated: plan prices didn’t render in the page text we read on 2026-10-18
- Frase: Starter: $39/month billed yearly ($49 monthly)
- Mangools: not stated: plan prices didn’t render in the pricing page text we read on 2026-10-18 (affiliate page example lists Basic at $49/month)
- NEURONwriter: Bronze: $19/month yearly ($23 monthly)
Sources
- Semrush official site (checked 2026-10-18)
- Semrush pricing page (checked 2026-10-18)
- Semrush reviews on Trustpilot (checked 2026-10-18)