Side-by-side comparison
Semrush vs Surfer SEO
Plans, free tiers and API access for Semrush and Surfer SEO, from each vendor's own pages. Last checked Oct 5, 2026.
The short answer
- Surfer SEO has the lower entry price at $49/mo, against $139/mo for Semrush.
Pricing and features
- SEO$139/mo
- Starter$199/mo
- Pro+$299/mo
- Advanced$549/mo
- Discovery$49/mo
- Standard$99/mo
- Pro$182/mo
- Peace of Mind$299/mo
How to choose
Semrush and Surfer SEO overlap on SEO but are built for different jobs. Semrush is an all-in-one subscription for keyword, backlink and competitor research. Plans are SEO $139, Starter $199, Pro+ $299 and Advanced $549 per month, and the entry plan covers 5 websites and 500 daily tracked keywords. Its free plan is a 7-day trial with 1 demo project. Surfer is for SEO teams and writers optimizing articles. Its plans are billed annually: Discovery $49 for 120 documents, Standard $99, Pro $182 and Peace of Mind $299 per month. Both put API access at the top tier: Semrush on the $549 Advanced plan, Surfer on the $299 Peace of Mind plan.
- Semrush: You need keyword, backlink and competitor research in one place and can pay from $139 per month.
- Surfer SEO: You mainly need to optimize articles, and want a lower entry price of $49 per month billed annually.
- Either: You need API access and can pay for the top plan of either product.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Semrush or Surfer SEO?
Surfer SEO has the lower starting price ($49/mo versus $139/mo). Compare plans before choosing, since limits differ.
Is Semrush free?
Free trial. Free plan listed with a 7-day trial window, 1 demo project and 10 reports per day
Is Surfer SEO free?
Free trial. Start for Free buttons shown; trial terms not specified