Is Semrush Free? (8 Questions Answered)
Is Semrush free?
Do you need to spend money to use the most powerful digital marketing tool on the web—arguably of all time?
This post answers these questions…and more.
Let’s jump right into it!
Is Semrush free?
No, Semrush is a paid, subscription-based visibility management platform, but it offers a free plan for basic objectives. While a free account is very limited in terms of functionality, it’s still effective for basic keyword research, competitor analysis, backlink research, site audits, and rank tracking.
See below for tips on how to use Semrush’s free tools.
What is the cost of Semrush?
You can purchase a Semrush subscription in three different pricing tiers: Pro, Guru, and Business.
Here’s a closer look at these Semrush pricing plans:
| Semrush Pro | Semrush Guru | Semrush Business | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly billing | $119.95 per month | $229.95 per month | $449.95 per month |
| Annual billing | $99.95 per month | $191.62 per month | $374.95 per month |
| Annual Semrush plan savings | $240 | $459.96 | $900 |
Is there a free trial available for Semrush?
Yes, Semrush offers free trials for the Pro and Guru accounts for up to seven days. However, Master Blogging readers can exclusively use Semrush Pro or Guru plan free for 14 days.
What are the limitations of the free version of Semrush?
Below is a quick overview of the limitations of a Semrush free account:
Free subscriptions on Semrush are drastically limited compared to the Pro and Guru versions. However, in my 13+ years of experience in the blogging and content marketing industry, I never found a free SEO checker tool that can match Semrush’s value.
When I used the free version for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of functionality Semrush still offered.
The Semrush site audit tool even works well with a free account. If you have a small or growing website with only 100 pages or less, a free Semrush account should be enough to uncover actionable on-page SEO insights.
Is Semrush worth the cost?
Yes, Semrush is absolutely the most cost-effective SEO platform on the planet.
I know what you’re thinking—Semrush’s subscription plans aren’t cheap. Especially if you plan to use Semrush over the long term.
But as someone with 13 years’ worth of blogging experience, I can say with confidence that Semrush is one of the best purchases I’ve made in my career. It truly is an all-in-one digital marketing platform with all the stuff you’ll ever need to build an authoritative presence online.
It goes above and beyond SEO tasks that its “competitors” also have, be it domain overview reporting, keyword research, or on-page SEO audits.
TL;DR: I’ve had the opportunity to purchase and use multiple SEO tools, and I’m 100% certain that Semrush is the most comprehensive out there. Even the best SEO tools in the market don’t come close to Semrush’s diverse toolset.
Check out the things Semrush does that other SEO and content marketing tools don’t:
What payment options are available for Semrush?
Semrush accepts the following payment methods:
- All major debit/credit cards (Visa, Discover, Mastercard, UnionPay, and American Express)
- Bank wire transfers (only upon request)
- Check/money order (only upon request—US customers only)
Unfortunately, Semrush currently doesn’t accept payments via PayPal, Apple Pay, or other online payment processors. While possible, it’s unlikely that the company will support these payment channels in the future.
Are there any alternatives to Semrush that are free?
Yes, there are a few alternatives that can replace Semrush’s key features.
I have tested both free and paid Semrush alternatives over the years. If you don’t want to spend money for a chance to appear in search engine results, here are the tools you should consider:
How to use Semrush free account?
The question remains: What can free users do with Semrush?
Despite having limited features, you can still do a lot of cool stuff with a free account.
Here’s a quick tour of the tools you can expect with a Semrush free account.
Conducting keyword research
Free users can still uncover plenty of profitable keyword ideas using Keyword Magic Tool. This expands your seed keyword into a maximum of 10 long-tail variations, while also generating important metrics like search volume, keyword difficulty, and Cost-Per-Click (CPC).
Manage an SEO project
With a free account, you’re limited to only one project in the Semrush SEO Toolkit. Managed projects help you track keyword rankings, traffic, backlink opportunities, and on-page SEO issues over time.
Analyze domains (competitors or your own website)
Semrush’s Domain Overview report offers full functionality even to free users, but you can only use it 10 times per day (counter includes keyword research reports). This report lets you obtain top-level SEO data on your website or competitors, such as monthly organic traffic, top keywords, advertising reach, and many more.
Track search engine positions for up to 10 keywords
A free Semrush account will help you stay on top of your rankings for up to 10 target keywords. This is useful for measuring campaign results and tracking competitors—be it for Google or Baidu.
Audit your website for SEO opportunities
A site audit generates a roadmap toward successful SEO. Semrush graciously provides free users the ability to run a site audit with a crawling limit of 100 pages.
Ready to get started with Semrush?
As a blogger myself, I rely a lot on SEO and content marketing tools to hit my business objectives.
I can never imagine growing my website without Semrush by my side.
It has been an absolute pleasure to use. And I’m 100% confident that you’ll find it extremely valuable for your marketing goals as well.
Don’t forget—you can claim extended Semrush free trials through this exclusive Master Blogging offer. Don’t miss out!
Article by
Ankit Singla is a full-time blogger, YouTuber, author, and public speaker. He founded and leads Master Blogging. With over 13 years of blogging expertise, he has assisted numerous aspiring bloggers in achieving their dreams of creating successful blogs.
Ankit Singla is a full-time blogger, YouTuber, author, and public speaker. He founded and leads Master Blogging. With over 13 years of blogging expertise, he has assisted numerous aspiring bloggers in achieving their dreams of creating successful blogs.
