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Keysearch vs SE Ranking: budget keyword tool or full SEO suite?

Traditional SEO suites · Verified · By Joonas Rotko

Keysearch logo

Keysearch

Hands-on

From Starter, billed annually

$20/mo

$24/mo billed monthly

SE Ranking logo

SE Ranking

Hands-on

From Core, billed annually

$103.20/mo

$129/mo billed monthly

Quick answer

If keyword research and rank tracking for one small site is the whole job, Keysearch Pro ($48/month billed monthly) tracks 200 keywords for far less than SE Ranking Core ($129/month billed monthly). For anything more, I'd pick SE Ranking: Core tracks Google AI Overviews and 100 AI prompts, covers 10 projects and 2,000 keywords, and Keysearch doesn't publish AI search tracking, a project count or white label. Prices verified 1 Oct 2026.

Across the three setups below: SE Ranking in 3 of 3 scenarios.

Which one fits you?

  1. Small business owner, one website

    SE Ranking logo

    SE Ranking

    My pick

    $103.20/mo billed annually

    This brief asks for AI search visibility as well as rank tracking, and SE Ranking Core covers both at $129/month billed monthly or $103.20/month billed annually: Google AI Overview tracking on each keyword plus 100 AI prompts. Keysearch Pro tracks 200 keywords, which is plenty for one site, but Keysearch doesn't publish AI Overview or AI prompt tracking on either plan, so the cost table shows no fit for it.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    SE Ranking wins on the brief as written: it's the only one of the two that publishes AI search tracking. Drop that requirement and Keysearch Pro is the cheaper fit.

    Skip it if AI search can wait and you only want keyword research and rank tracking. Keysearch Pro does that for much less, and it's the plan I'd look at first on a tight budget.

    See SE Ranking plans

  2. Solo marketer or consultant, 3 client sites

    SE Ranking logo

    SE Ranking

    My pick

    $103.20/mo billed annually

    Three client sites with reports fit SE Ranking Core at $129/month billed monthly or $103.20/month billed annually: 10 projects, 2,000 tracked keywords and 10 reports. Keysearch's top plan tracks 200 keywords, short of three sites at about a hundred keywords each, and it doesn't publish a project count.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    SE Ranking wins by default: no Keysearch plan reaches this brief's keyword count.

    Skip it if your clients are tiny and the whole keyword list fits inside 200 keywords. Keysearch Pro lists team sharing and report generation and costs far less.

    See SE Ranking plans

  3. Small agency, about 10 clients

    SE Ranking logo

    SE Ranking

    My pick

    $204.20/mo billed annually

    Ten clients with white-label reports and AI prompts fit SE Ranking Core plus the Agency Pack and two extra seats, at $204.20/month billed annually. That works on annual billing only, because the Agency Pack is sold yearly. Keysearch tops out at 200 tracked keywords, far below this brief, and doesn't publish AI prompt tracking, white label or a seat count.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    SE Ranking wins by default: Keysearch has no plan that reaches this brief's keyword count.

    Skip it if you won't sign a yearly contract. SE Ranking's white label is annual only, and Keysearch has no plan that reaches agency scale, so look at the alternatives below.

    See SE Ranking plans

Neither fits? See the alternatives, or take the 2-minute recommendation.

How are Keysearch and SE Ranking really different?

  • Entry price

    Keysearch
    Flat per plan: Pro at $48/month billed monthly, with a cheaper Starter below it and no add-ons
    SE Ranking
    Core $129/month billed monthly, with add-ons and extra seats sold on top

    Keysearch is the low-cost option for keyword research and rank tracking. SE Ranking costs more to start but includes far more room and AI search tracking.

  • AI search tracking

    Keysearch
    Not published. Its AI credits (15,000 a month on Pro) power an AI content assistant, not AI search tracking
    SE Ranking
    Google AI Overview tracking on each keyword plus 100 prompts across AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity on Core

    If seeing how you show up in AI search is part of the job, SE Ranking includes it from its first plan and Keysearch doesn't publish it on either.

  • Room to grow

    Keysearch
    Pro: 200 tracked keywords and 5,000 audited pages a month; no project count published
    SE Ranking
    Core: 10 projects, 2,000 tracked keywords and 250,000 crawled pages a month

    One small site fits either. Several sites, a longer keyword list or a large site audit outgrow Keysearch quickly.

  • Client reports and white label

    Keysearch
    Pro lists team collaboration and report generation; white label and seat count not published
    SE Ranking
    10 reports on Core; white label through the Agency Pack at $69/month billed annually, yearly only

    SE Ranking has a priced route to white-label client reports. Keysearch is the one to ask the vendor about before you rely on it for clients.

What will Keysearch or SE Ranking cost for your setup?

The cheapest plan that covers each setup, add-ons included. Prices exclude VAT.

Small business owner, one website

1 site · 100 tracked keywords · AI search visibility: Google AI Overview tracking or AI prompt tracking (10 prompts) · 1 user

ToolMonthlyYearly, per month

Keysearch

Fit unconfirmed
Fit unconfirmed

Pro is priced, but sites limit isn't published

SE Ranking

My pick
$129
$103.20

Core

Above 10 sites: Growth (+$120/mo, billed annually).

See SE Ranking plans
Usage, limits and billing

Keysearch

The plan's price is published, but a limit this setup needs isn't, so the fit can't be confirmed.

SE Ranking

  • Uses 1 of 10 sites, 100 of 2,000 tracked keywords.
  • AI visibility covered by Google AI Overview tracking and AI prompt tracking (10 prompts).
  • On monthly billing: $1,548 a year.
  • On annual billing: $1,238.40 a year.
  • Above 2,000 tracked keywords: Growth, $120/mo more.

Solo marketer or consultant, 3 client sites

3 sites · 300 tracked keywords · client reports · 1 user

ToolMonthlyYearly, per month

Keysearch

No plan fits
No plan fits

No plan covers it: tracked keywords: 300 needed, plan allows 80, no add-on sells more

SE Ranking

My pick
$129
$103.20

Core

Above 10 sites: Growth (+$120/mo, billed annually).

See SE Ranking plans
Usage, limits and billing

Keysearch

No published plan fits this setup.

SE Ranking

  • Uses 3 of 10 sites, 300 of 2,000 tracked keywords.
  • On monthly billing: $1,548 a year.
  • On annual billing: $1,238.40 a year.
  • Above 2,000 tracked keywords: Growth, $120/mo more.

Small agency, about 10 clients

10 sites · 1,000 tracked keywords · 100 AI prompts · 10 white-label reports · client reports · 3 users

ToolMonthlyYearly, per month

Keysearch

No plan fits
No plan fits

No plan covers it: tracked keywords: 1,000 needed, plan allows 80, no add-on sells more

SE Ranking

My pick
Annual only
$204.20

Core with Agency Pack and 2 extra manager seats

Above 10 sites: Growth with Agency Pack (+$88/mo, billed annually).

See SE Ranking plans
Usage, limits and billing

Keysearch

No published plan fits this setup.

SE Ranking

  • Uses 10 of 10 sites, 1,000 of 2,000 tracked keywords, 100 of 100 AI prompts, 10 of unlimited white-label reports.
  • On annual billing: $2,450.40 a year.
  • Above 2,000 tracked keywords: Growth with Agency Pack, $88/mo more.
  • Above 100 AI prompts: Core with AI Search and Agency Pack, $71.20/mo more.
  • Agency Pack requires annual billing.
How I calculated this

For each tool I price every current plan plus the add-ons a setup needs, from the vendor's published prices only, and take the cheapest. Monthly and annual billing are priced separately. When a limit or price isn't published, the tool shows as not fitting instead of a guess.

  • Small business owner, one website: One site and about 100 keywords, enough for your core service and location terms. For AI search, either Google AI Overview tracking or 10 tracked AI prompts counts. One login.Keysearch, monthly billing: Pro is priced, but sites limit isn't published. Sites limit isn't published. Google AI Overview tracking limit isn't published.Keysearch, annual billing: Pro is priced, but sites limit isn't published. Sites limit isn't published. Google AI Overview tracking limit isn't published.
  • Solo marketer or consultant, 3 client sites: Three client sites at about 100 keywords each, with client reports. One person does the work.Keysearch, monthly billing: No plan covers it: tracked keywords: 300 needed, plan allows 80, no add-on sells more. Tracked keywords: 300 needed, plan allows 80, no add-on sells more. Sites limit isn't published. Client reports limit isn't published.Keysearch, annual billing: No plan covers it: tracked keywords: 300 needed, plan allows 80, no add-on sells more. Tracked keywords: 300 needed, plan allows 80, no add-on sells more. Sites limit isn't published. Client reports limit isn't published.
  • Small agency, about 10 clients: Ten clients at about 100 keywords and 10 AI prompts each, with a white-label report for every client. Google AI Overview tracking alone doesn't count here, since clients ask about ChatGPT too. Three people log in.Keysearch, monthly billing: No plan covers it: tracked keywords: 1,000 needed, plan allows 80, no add-on sells more. Tracked keywords: 1,000 needed, plan allows 80, no add-on sells more. Sites limit isn't published. AI prompts limit isn't published. White-label reports limit isn't published. Client reports limit isn't published. Users limit isn't published.Keysearch, annual billing: No plan covers it: tracked keywords: 1,000 needed, plan allows 80, no add-on sells more. Tracked keywords: 1,000 needed, plan allows 80, no add-on sells more. Sites limit isn't published. AI prompts limit isn't published. White-label reports limit isn't published. Client reports limit isn't published. Users limit isn't published.SE Ranking, monthly billing: Not sold on monthly billing (Agency Pack is annual-only).

Keysearch vs SE Ranking side by side

I compare SEO suites on: Real cost for your setup, both billing bases; AI search visibility: which engines, how many prompts, which plan; Sites and tracked keywords per plan; Client reporting and white label; Users and seat price; Ease of setup for a non-specialist.

Keysearch and SE Ranking compared on the main buying criteria
Real cost for your setup, both billing basesPro: $48/mo monthly, $40/mo annuallyCore: $129/mo monthly, $103.20/mo annually
AI search visibility: which engines, how many prompts, which planNot published on either plan; AI credits are for the content assistant100 prompts across AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity on Core, 250 on Growth
Sites and tracked keywords per plan80 keywords on Starter, 200 on Pro; no project count published10 projects and 2,000 keywords on Core
Client reporting and white labelReport generation listed on Pro; white label not published10 reports on Core; white label through the Agency Pack, yearly only
Users and seat priceTeam collaboration listed on Pro; seat count and extra seat price not published1 user on Core, 3 on Growth; extra seats from $16/user per month
All details, including automation and AI workflows
All compared details for Keysearch and SE Ranking
Ease of setup for a non-specialistTwo flat plans, no add-ons; monthly plans cancel any timeA 14-day trial, no card needed; more plan options and add-ons to choose from
Plan prices (full detail)Starter: $24/month billed monthly or $20/month billed annually. Pro: $48/month billed monthly or $40/month billed annually. Annual billing is priced at two months free.Core: $129/month billed monthly or $103.20/month billed annually. Growth: $279/month billed monthly or $223.20/month billed annually. Enterprise: custom pricing.
AI search visibility (full detail)Keysearch lists AI credits (5,000 on Starter, 15,000 on Pro) for its AI content assistant. It doesn't publish Google AI Overview tracking or AI prompt tracking.Core tracks 100 prompts and Growth 250, across AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity. Google AI Overview appearances are also flagged on each tracked keyword. The AI Search add-on adds 200 more prompts, from $89/month billed monthly.
Keyword research and rank tracking volume200 keyword searches a day on Starter, 500 on Pro. Keysearch doesn't publish how often rankings are checked.2,000 tracked keywords on Core and 5,000 on Growth, checked daily, with extra keyword packs sold as add-ons.
Site audit and crawl depth2,000 audited pages a month on Starter, 5,000 on Pro.250,000 pages crawled a month on Core and 2,000,000 on Growth.
Integrations and automationKeysearch doesn't publish an API, MCP access or connections to Search Console, Analytics or WordPress.Google Search Console, Google Analytics 4, WordPress, Zapier and Make connections. API and MCP access on Core and Growth.
Trial, refunds and cancellationMonthly plans carry no long-term commitment. Keysearch's terms allow a refund request within 30 days of the first purchase.14-day trial without a card. No money-back guarantee. Support by chat, email; Customer Success on higher tiers.

Who should pick Keysearch, and who should pick SE Ranking?

Keysearch logo

Keysearch

Hands-on

Keysearch is a flat-priced keyword research and rank tracking tool, from $24/month billed monthly for Starter and $48/month billed monthly for Pro. It suits a small site that needs keyword data and a rank tracker at a low price. It does not publish AI prompt tracking, white label reports or a project count.

Best for: Keyword research and rank tracking on a small budget.

Strengths

  • Two plans only, with Pro at $48/month billed monthly.
  • Pro tracks 200 keywords and allows 500 keyword searches a day.
  • Annual billing takes the Starter price to $20/month billed annually.

Limits

  • Keysearch doesn't publish AI prompt tracking, so AI search visibility isn't covered.
  • Starter tracks 80 keywords.
  • Keysearch doesn't publish a seat count, extra seat price or white label option.

Skip it if you need AI search tracking, white label client reports or several client projects in one plan.

Keysearch reviewKeysearch pricingKeysearch alternatives

SE Ranking logo

SE Ranking

Hands-on
  • Best for small business owners
  • Best for consultants managing a few sites
  • Best for small agencies

SE Ranking fits rank tracking, audits and AI search tracking into a $129/mo entry plan, billed monthly. The catch: white label and extra API volume need a yearly contract.

Best for: Small businesses and solo consultants who want AI tracking included.

Strengths

  • AI Overviews plus 100 AI prompts a day on Core.
  • 10 projects and 2,000 keywords on the entry plan.
  • A 14-day trial, no card needed.

Limits

  • White label and extra API volume are yearly only.
  • No refunds once you have paid.
  • Core keeps 6 months of history.

Skip it if you need white label but will not commit to a year.

SE Ranking reviewSE Ranking pricingSE Ranking alternatives

My pick: SE Ranking in 3 of 3 scenarios.

See SE Ranking plansSee Keysearch plans

Neither Keysearch nor SE Ranking? Try these

  • Mangools logo

    Mangools

    From $37.70/mo billed annually

    Pick it if you want a low-priced keyword tool like Keysearch but with AI prompt tracking and white-label ranking reports built in.

    Mangools reviewMangools alternatives

  • Seobility logo

    Seobility

    From €47.92/mo billed annually

    Pick it if site audits are the main job and you want a lower-cost suite that also tracks Google AI Overviews.

    Seobility reviewSeobility alternatives

  • Semrush logo

    Semrush

    From $117.33/mo billed annually

    Pick it if you need white-label client reports on monthly billing, or deeper research data than SE Ranking, and the higher price is fine.

    Semrush reviewSemrush alternatives

Switching between Keysearch and SE Ranking

Neither tool lists a one-click import from the other, so plan to re-enter your tracked keywords. SE Ranking offers free assisted migration on annual plans only. Its 14-day trial needs no card, and Keysearch's monthly plans have no long-term commitment, so you can run both side by side before cancelling one.

What would change my pick?

  • Keysearch publishing AI Overview or AI prompt tracking would make it the better buy for one small site, at a much lower price.
  • Keysearch publishing a project count, white-label reports and a seat count would make it a real option for consultants.
  • SE Ranking selling the Agency Pack on monthly billing would remove the yearly contract from the agency setup.
  • A price change on either side. The picks recalculate on their own.

Keysearch vs SE Ranking: questions people ask

Is Keysearch cheaper than SE Ranking?

Yes, by a wide margin. Keysearch Pro is $48/month billed monthly and Starter $24/month billed monthly, against $129/month billed monthly for SE Ranking Core. The gap comes with less room: Keysearch Pro tracks 200 keywords, SE Ranking Core tracks 2,000 across 10 projects.

Does Keysearch track AI search visibility like SE Ranking?

Keysearch doesn't publish it. Its AI credits power an AI content assistant, not AI search tracking. SE Ranking Core tracks Google AI Overviews on each keyword plus 100 AI prompts across AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity.

Which is better for a small business, Keysearch or SE Ranking?

SE Ranking if AI search visibility is part of the job, since Core includes it at $129/month billed monthly. If you only need keyword research and rank tracking for around a hundred keywords, Keysearch Pro at $48/month billed monthly is the cheaper fit.

Can I manage client sites with Keysearch?

Only small ones. Keysearch doesn't publish a project count or white-label reports, and Pro tracks 200 keywords in total. For three client sites at around a hundred keywords each, SE Ranking Core ($129/month billed monthly) fits with room to spare.

Which is better for a small agency, Keysearch or SE Ranking?

SE Ranking. A ten-client brief with white-label reports and AI prompts comes to $204.20/month billed annually on Core with the Agency Pack and two extra seats, on a yearly contract. Keysearch's keyword limits don't reach that scale.

Can I get a refund from Keysearch or SE Ranking?

Keysearch's terms allow a refund request within 30 days of the first purchase. SE Ranking has no money-back guarantee, so use its 14-day trial first.

How I verified this

Every price and limit here comes from the vendors' own pages, last checked . Keysearch: hands-on. SE Ranking: hands-on.

Sources and changelog

41 facts from 8 source pages, oldest checked 29 Sep 2026.

  • : New page. SE Ranking is the pick in all three setups; Keysearch is the cheaper fit for keyword research and rank tracking alone.
Spot something out of date?Vendors and readers, send me the correct fact.

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