What is Semrush and how does it compare to other SEO tools?
Semrush is an all-in-one digital marketing platform specializing in SEO, keyword research, and competitive analysis. While competitors like Ahrefs, Keywords Everywhere and Moz offer similar SEO capabilities, Semrush distinguishes itself by bundling SEO tools with PPC advertising analysis, content marketing features, and social media management in a single platform. The platform maintains the highest organic traffic among SEO tools, attracting over 53 million monthly visits, and serves approximately 116,000 paying subscribers including 35% of Fortune 500 companies.
Why do SEO professionals like Semrush?
SEO professionals value Semrush primarily for its comprehensive competitor intelligence and extensive keyword database. The platform provides detailed insights into competitors' paid and organic strategies, backlink profiles, and top performing content, while offering one of the largest keyword databases available for research. Users particularly appreciate the position tracking tool, which allows them to monitor rankings for important keywords, compare performance against competitors, and see which keywords appear in SERP features. The platform's ability to consolidate multiple marketing functions - from site audits to link building to PPC analysis - into one dashboard saves professionals from juggling multiple tools.
What are the biggest complaints about Semrush from real users?
The most frequent complaints center on pricing complexity, steep learning curves, and data accuracy concerns. Users criticize Semrush's high subscription costs, particularly noting that all plans include only one user account and that key features are locked behind expensive tiers or require additional paid add-ons. Multiple reviewers report frustration with the platform's overwhelming interface that requires extensive training to navigate effectively, with some describing it as needing "a degree in Semrush" to fully utilize its features.
Sources: Capterra, Trust Pilot & G2