Semrush: the SEO benchmark for freelancers
The most complete SEO suite on the market: keyword research, technical audits, competitive analysis and rank tracking.
Semrush is the most widely used SEO suite in the world, with more than 10 million users. For an SEO freelancer or consultant, it's the benchmark tool for analyzing competitors, finding keywords and running technical site audits.
Who Semrush is for
Semrush is made for SEO consultants and freelancers who manage clients. If you bill for SEO, the subscription quickly pays for itself: the value you generate for your clients far exceeds 129 USD/month. On the other hand, if you only do SEO for your own site, alternatives like Mangools or Ubersuggest are better suited to your budget.
Main features
- Keyword Magic Tool: a database of more than 25 billion keywords with advanced filters (intent, volume, difficulty, CPC)
- Site Audit: technical crawler that detects SEO errors, performance issues and optimization opportunities
- Backlink Analytics: complete analysis of any site's inbound link profile
- Position Tracking: daily rank tracking for your target keywords
- Competitive Research: analysis of your competitors' organic and paid traffic
Semrush pricing in 2026
- Pro: 129 USD/month, 5 projects, 500 tracked keywords. Suits solo freelancers.
- Guru: 249 USD/month, 15 projects, historical data, Content Marketing Platform.
- Business: 499 USD/month, unlimited projects, API, white-label reports.
A 7-day free trial is available. The Pro plan billed annually works out to about 108 USD/month.
Why we recommend Semrush
Semrush is in a class of its own for the depth of its competitor data. Being able to analyze a site's estimated organic traffic, top pages and keywords in a few clicks gives you information your clients don't have, and that backs up your strategic recommendations.
The weak point to know about: Semrush is expensive for a solo freelancer. If you don't have regular SEO clients yet, start with Mangools or a trial period before committing.
Semrush or something else?
If budget is the priority, Mangools offers 80% of the features for 15% of the price. SE Ranking is also an excellent alternative for consultants. For backlink analysis, Ahrefs remains the benchmark.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Complete suite: keywords, backlinks, technical audit, content
- Very precise search volume data
- Clear interface despite the wealth of features
- Reports you can export for clients
Weaknesses
- High price for a solo freelancer (129 USD/month minimum)
- Some advanced features reserved for higher plans
- Learning curve to get the most out of it
Frequently asked questions about Semrush
Yes, the Semrush interface is available in French.
Yes, a free account is available with limited features (10 requests/day). Enough to get a feel for the tool.
Semrush is powerful but expensive for a solo freelancer. If you do SEO for clients, the cost is justified. If not, Mangools or Ubersuggest are better suited to a freelance budget.
Alternatives to Semrush
What we would use instead, in the same category.
Compare all the alternatives to Semrush
See our full comparison of the 4 alternatives to Semrush in 2026: prices, features and strengths, in detail.
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