That Marketing Buddy

SE Ranking vs Semrush: which fits a small business?

Joonas Rotko
Joonas Rotko

SEO & GEO professional · Traditional SEO suites · Verified

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Semrush logo

Semrush

Hands-on

From SEO, billed annually

$117.33/mo

$139.95/mo billed monthly

Semrush homepage
SE Ranking logo

SE Ranking

Hands-on

From Core, billed annually

$103.20/mo

$129/mo billed monthly

SE Ranking homepage

Quick answer

For a small business or a solo consultant, SE Ranking is the better buy. Core is $129/mo and Semrush SEO $139.95/mo, both billed monthly. Both track Google AI Overviews, but only SE Ranking adds ChatGPT-style prompt tracking at that price. Prices verified 29 Sep 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

    Both track Google AI Overviews, but Core costs 8% less and adds 100 AI prompts a day that Semrush SEO lacks.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    Skip it if you want a free plan to poke around first. Semrush has one, SE Ranking does not.

    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 fit either plan, but Core gives you 10 projects and 2,000 keywords for 8% less than Semrush SEO.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    Skip it if your clients already get Semrush reports and expect them to keep coming.

    See SE Ranking plans

  3. Small agency, about 10 clients

    SE Ranking logo

    SE Ranking

    My pick

    $204.20/mo billed annually

    The Agency Pack white-labels every client for one fee, so ten clients cost $204.20/month billed annually against $608.17/month billed annually on Semrush.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    This only matters if you pay monthly: SE Ranking has no monthly white label, so Semrush is the only monthly fit.

    Skip it if you will not sign up for a year. Then Semrush is your only monthly option.

    See SE Ranking plans

Neither fits? See the alternatives, or take the tool finder.

How are Semrush and SE Ranking really different?

  • AI search at the entry price

    Only SE Ranking checks ChatGPT and Gemini answers without an upgrade.

    Semrush

    Google AI Overviews only

    SE Ranking

    Google AI Overviews plus 100 AI prompts a day

  • Room on the entry plan

    A consultant outgrows Semrush's entry plan first.

    Semrush

    5 sites, 500 keywords

    SE Ranking

    10 sites, 2,000 keywords

  • White label for agencies

    Semrush costs more with every client; SE Ranking needs a yearly contract.

    Semrush

    $20/month per client report

    SE Ranking

    One Agency Pack, $69/month billed annually

  • Trial and refunds

    SE Ranking gives more time to test before you pay.

    Semrush

    7-day trial with a card; annual plans refundable

    SE Ranking

    14-day trial, no card; no refunds

What will Semrush 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

Semrush

$139.95
$117.33

SEO

Above 5 sites: Pro+ (+$130.84/mo, billed annually).

SE Ranking

My pick
$129
$103.20

Core

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

See SE Ranking plans
Usage, limits and billing

Semrush

  • Uses 1 of 5 sites, 100 of 500 tracked keywords.
  • AI visibility covered by Google AI Overview tracking.
  • On monthly billing: $1,679.40 a year.
  • On annual billing: $1,407.96 a year.
  • Above 500 tracked keywords: Pro+, $130.84/mo more.

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

Semrush

$139.95
$117.33

SEO

Above 5 sites: Pro+ (+$130.84/mo, billed annually).

SE Ranking

My pick
$129
$103.20

Core

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

See SE Ranking plans
Usage, limits and billing

Semrush

  • Uses 3 of 5 sites, 300 of 500 tracked keywords.
  • On monthly billing: $1,679.40 a year.
  • On annual billing: $1,407.96 a year.
  • Above 500 tracked keywords: Pro+, $130.84/mo more.

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

Semrush

$659
$608.17

Pro+ with 10 x Pro Report and 2 extra users

Above 15 sites: nothing published fits.

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

Semrush

  • Uses 10 of 15 sites, 1,000 of 1,500 tracked keywords, 100 of 100 AI prompts, 10 of 10 white-label reports.
  • On monthly billing: $7,908 a year.
  • On annual billing: $7,298.04 a year.
  • Above 1,500 tracked keywords: nothing published fits.
  • Above 100 AI prompts: Pro+ with AI Visibility Toolkit (Base) and 10 x Pro Report, $99/mo more.

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.
  • Solo marketer or consultant, 3 client sites: Three client sites at about 100 keywords each, with client reports. One person does the work.
  • 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.SE Ranking, monthly billing: Not sold on monthly billing (Agency Pack is annual-only).

Semrush 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.

Semrush and SE Ranking compared on the main buying criteria
Real cost for your setup, both billing basesSEO: $139.95/mo billed monthly, $117.33/mo billed annuallyCore: $129/mo billed monthly, $103.20/mo billed annually
AI search visibility: which engines, how many prompts, which planAI Overviews on every plan; prompts from StarterAI Overviews plus 100 prompts a day on Core
Sites and tracked keywords per plan5 sites, 500 keywords on SEO10 sites, 2,000 keywords on Core
Client reporting and white labelWhite label at $20/month per reportWhite label through the Agency Pack, yearly only
Users and seat priceOne user; extra users cost extraOne seat on Core, three on Growth
All details, including automation and AI workflows
All compared details for Semrush and SE Ranking
Ease of setup for a non-specialistFree plan, then a 7-day trial with a card14-day trial, no card
Google Search Console / GA4Via Base Report add-onGSC Included, GA4 Included
WordPressIncludedIncluded
Google DocsUnverifiedUnverified
Looker StudioSEO and Starter Not available; Pro+ IncludedData Studio listed with GSC and GA4 on every plan
Site audit100,000 pages a month on SEO, 20,000 per site250,000 pages a month on Core, up to 250,000 per project
Backlink dataIncludedIncluded
Historical dataSEO and Starter Not available; Pro+ IncludedCore 6 months; Growth All time
SupportNot stated on the plan cards below Enterprisechat, email; Customer Success on higher tiers
Automation and AI workflows: MCPEvery plan IncludedCore and Growth Included
Automation and AI workflows: APIAdvanced only (Custom)25,000 Research API credits a month on Core, 100,000 on Growth; API add-on $45/month billed annually (not sold on monthly billing) for 3,000,000 credits; standalone API plan from $179/month billed annually
Automation and AI workflows: ZapierUnverifiedIncluded

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

Semrush logo

Semrush

Hands-on

Semrush tracks Google AI Overviews from the SEO plan up, but AI prompt tracking starts at Starter ($199/month billed monthly). It suits teams already reporting from Semrush and agencies that need white label reports through the Pro Report add-on.

Best for: Agencies that want white label reports through the Pro Report add-on.

Strengths

  • A limited free plan to look around first.
  • White label reports through the Pro Report add-on, $20/month per report.
  • MCP access on the SEO, Starter, Pro+ and Advanced plans.

Limits

  • No AI prompt tracking on the SEO plan.
  • The SEO and Starter plans each stop at 5 sites and 500 keywords.
  • Refunds only on annual plans, first 7 days.

Skip it if you want AI prompt tracking on the SEO plan, which has none.

Semrush reviewSemrush pricingSemrush 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 Semrush plans

Neither Semrush nor SE Ranking? Try these

Switching between Semrush and SE Ranking

SE Ranking moves your projects over for free on yearly plans; on monthly you import them yourself. Time the switch with your Semrush renewal, since Semrush only refunds the first 7 days of an annual plan.

What would change my pick?

  • Semrush adding AI prompt tracking to its SEO plan would make the small-business pick a pure price call.
  • SE Ranking selling the Agency Pack monthly would settle the agency pick.
  • Past 10 clients, SE Ranking moves to Growth plus the Agency Pack, still far below Semrush.
  • Prices change: the picks recalculate on their own.

Semrush vs SE Ranking: questions people ask

Is SE Ranking cheaper than Semrush?

Yes. Core is $129/mo and Semrush SEO $139.95/mo, both billed monthly, so Core is 8% less. Paying yearly, it is $103.20/mo against $117.33/mo, both billed annually.

Does Semrush have a cheaper entry-level plan for budget-conscious users?

Only a limited free plan with a demo project and no AI features. The cheapest paid plan is SEO at $139.95/month billed monthly, which still costs more than SE Ranking Core.

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

SE Ranking. It costs less than Semrush SEO and tracks ChatGPT-style prompts on top of Google AI Overviews. Pick Semrush only if you want a free plan to look around first.

Do Semrush and SE Ranking both track AI search visibility?

Both track Google AI Overviews on every plan: whether an Overview shows up and whether it cites you. SE Ranking Core also tracks 100 AI assistant prompts a day; on Semrush that starts at Starter.

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

SE Ranking, if you will commit to a year. Its Agency Pack white-labels every client for one fee, so ten clients cost $204.20/month billed annually against $608.17/month billed annually on Semrush. Paying monthly? Then Semrush is your only option, at $659/month billed monthly.
Joonas Rotko

Joonas Rotko

SEO & GEO professional, founder of That Marketing Buddy

I'm a Finnish SEO and GEO professional with 11+ years in digital marketing, including years as a co-owner of a digital marketing agency. On That Marketing Buddy I test and compare SEO and AI-visibility software for entrepreneurs, marketing professionals and agencies.

About meHow I reviewLinkedIn

How I verified this

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

Sources and changelog

77 facts from 12 source pages, oldest checked 13 Oct 2026.

  • : Rebuilt on verified pricing. Corrected the Semrush entry price basis, SE Ranking AI tracking (included on Core, not an add-on), and the SE Ranking API add-on price (previously shown as $149 a month).
  • : Google AI Overview tracking confirmed on every Semrush plan (Position Tracking) and on SE Ranking Core and Growth. The small-business pick is now compared against Semrush SEO, not Starter.
  • : Semrush white label is priced per report (one Pro Report per client), so the agency scenario now counts ten reports.
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