# Semrush alternatives, by what you need

You do not need a suite if you have one job this quarter. Choose a lighter tool for the task and move on. Here is what to use instead of Semrush, job by job, with quick workflows you can run today.

Updated 2026-09-13 · Source: https://porteur.ai/alternatives/semrush-alternatives

## Start with the job, not the suite

Semrush covers many jobs: keyword research, rank tracking, site audit, backlinks, competitor analysis, content, ads. Most founders use one or two. Buy the job, not the bundle.

Decide by your next deliverable. For example: fill a content plan for ten articles, check if a redesign broke SEO, or find three link prospects. Then pick the leanest tool that gets that done.

## Keyword research when you ship content

Use Ahrefs or SE Ranking for broad keyword and competitor ideas. Add Ubersuggest if you are new and want a simple start. Use AnswerThePublic and AlsoAsked to mine questions. Always sanity check with your own Google Search Console queries.

1. **Collect seed topics from your site and rivals** List your core pages like /pricing and /guides/getting-started. In Ahrefs Keywords Explorer or SE Ranking, enter “invoice automation”, “billing software”, and your rival domains.
2. **Map intent and difficulty** Split by search intent. “What is invoice automation” is informational. “invoice automation software” is commercial. Use a tool’s difficulty metric as a rough filter, then judge the results yourself.
3. **Validate with Search Console** Open Performance in Google Search Console. Filter by Page for your /guides/ topic. Export queries with impressions but low clicks. These become your near-term targets.
4. **Draft titles that fit the query** Write a working title under about 60 characters. Example before: “Billing Tips”. After: “Invoice automation software: how it works and when to use it”.

> A good keyword list for a small site fits on one page. Ten targets you can write this month beat a 500-row dump.

If you only need questions, AnswerThePublic shows autocomplete as questions and prepositions, and AlsoAsked maps People also ask. They are fast ways to shape H2s for a guide page.

## Rank tracking when you report progress

If you must track specific keywords daily or weekly, use SE Ranking. It focuses on rank tracking with supporting research, and suits a compact list. For rough direction without a tracker, Google Search Console already shows average positions over the last 28 days by query and page.

1. **Pick a short list** Track ten to twenty terms that match pipeline. Example: “invoice automation software”, “Xero invoice reminders”, your brand, and two feature terms.
2. **Set a baseline and annotate** Record positions before a release. When /pricing changes, add an annotation in your sheet. Compare the next two 28-day windows in Search Console.
3. **Use page-level tracking** /guides/invoice-automation may rank for dozens of variants. In Search Console, filter by that page and watch position trend and clicks over time.

> Do not chase tiny swings day to day. Look at trend lines and compare 28-day periods.

## Site audits when you suspect issues

If you want a crawl you can interpret, use Screaming Frog SEO Spider. It is a desktop crawler for Windows, macOS and Linux. The free version crawls up to 500 URLs. The licence unlocks unlimited crawls, custom extraction, scheduling and API connections. You get tables you read yourself.

If you prefer guided hints and visuals, use Sitebulb. It is a desktop crawler with a cloud version, with explained audit hints and crawl maps. For performance, run Lighthouse in Chrome DevTools or PageSpeed Insights. For lab detail and waterfalls, use GTmetrix or WebPageTest. For indexing and enhancements, use Google Search Console.

1. **Crawl your site** In Screaming Frog, enter your homepage. Export titles over 60 characters and missing meta descriptions. Fix the worst pages first, like /pricing and /.
2. **Check Core Web Vitals** Open PageSpeed Insights for / and /pricing. Aim for LCP about 2.5 seconds, CLS about 0.1, INP about 200 ms. Fix images and layout shifts.
3. **Verify indexing** In Google Search Console, check Pages and Sitemaps. Ensure /guides/ pages are indexed. Fix “Alternate page with proper canonical tag” issues if you see them.

A fixed page looks like: a title under about 60 characters, a crisp meta description, compressed hero image, stable layout, and internal links from /guides/ to /pricing.

## Backlink checks when you need proof and prospects

Use Ahrefs for backlink research. It is known for its backlink index and Site Explorer, and shows link growth and referring domains. Its Domain Rating, from 0 to 100, is link based and useful as a rough benchmark, not a target. Ahrefs Content Explorer helps find pages that mention your topic.

Use SE Ranking’s backlink features for lighter checks. In Google Search Console, the Links report shows the domains that already point to you. This is free and reliable for your own site once verified.

1. **Benchmark your domain** In Ahrefs Site Explorer, enter yourproduct.com. Note referring domains and DR. Check the anchor text mix. Compare to two rivals.
2. **Find a link gap** List domains that link to rivals but not you. Sort by relevance. Shortlist five that mention your exact topic.
3. **Pitch with a fit** Email the author of a relevant guide. Offer your /guides/invoice-automation explainer where it adds value. Avoid generic link swaps.

> Ahrefs Webmaster Tools is free for verified sites. Use it to audit and monitor your own domain without paying for a full suite.

## Competitor research when you enter a space

Use SpyFu for search and paid keyword history of domains. It is built for competitor research. You get a sense of what a rival has targeted over time. For a broader SEO picture, use Ahrefs Site Explorer to see top pages and keywords that drive traffic to a domain.

1. **Pick two real rivals** Not marketplaces. If you sell invoice automation for accountants, pick two SaaS peers with similar features and pricing pages.
2. **Export their top terms** In SpyFu, pull their best performers and paid history. In Ahrefs, export Top pages and Top keywords for each rival.
3. **Find gaps you can win** Cross off head terms. Keep long queries with clear intent, like “invoice reminders for Xero”. Build one page per gap. Link them from /guides/ and your /features/ page.

A fixed set looks like three pages that answer three rival-supported queries, internal links from /guides/ to /features/, and early impressions in Search Console within 28 days.

## Reporting when stakeholders want clarity

Use Google Search Console for pre click. It shows search queries, pages, impressions, clicks and positions. Use Google Analytics 4 for post click. It shows sessions, pages, events and conversions. The two never reconcile exactly. Report each for what it is built to show.

1. **Make one page per objective** Build a simple doc with three charts: GSC clicks for /guides/, GA4 conversions from organic, and a table of top landing pages by clicks.
2. **Explain the cause** Annotate launches and fixes. Example: “Reduced LCP on /pricing to about 2.5 seconds on 12 Sept. Clicks up over the next 28 days.”
3. **Set the next job** Close with one job: “Ship /guides/invoice-automation questions, link from /features/.” Keep tools and metrics in the appendix.

If you want one outside view on your site and market from a URL, Porteur gives a growth report bought once with a free check first.

## A free-only stack that still works

- Google Search Console for queries, pages, indexing, sitemaps and Core Web Vitals.
- PageSpeed Insights for field data from Chrome UX Report and a Lighthouse run.
- Lighthouse in Chrome DevTools for lab checks during development.
- WebPageTest or GTmetrix for waterfalls and filmstrips when a page feels slow.
- Ubersuggest’s free tier to poke at keywords and site audit basics.
- AnswerThePublic and AlsoAsked to gather questions and PAA angles.

You can research ten queries, fix slow images, and publish two useful guides with this stack. Add a paid tool only when you hit its ceiling on one job.

## Quick chooser: which alternative fits your job

| Job | Pick this first | Why | Also consider |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Keyword research | Ahrefs | Deep keyword and content tools with strong backlink context | SE Ranking, Ubersuggest, AnswerThePublic, AlsoAsked, Google Search Console |
| Rank tracking | SE Ranking | Focused tracker with supporting research | Google Search Console for page level trends |
| Site audit | Screaming Frog or Sitebulb | Full crawls you can act on, with or without guided hints | Google Search Console, Lighthouse, PageSpeed Insights |
| Backlink checks | Ahrefs | Known for backlink index and Site Explorer | SE Ranking, Google Search Console Links |
| Competitor research | SpyFu | Search and paid keyword history by domain | Ahrefs Site Explorer |
| Reporting | Google Search Console + GA4 | Pre click and post click together, clear roles | A simple spreadsheet for annotations |

> If you must do many jobs across SEO and ads at once, Semrush still makes sense as a broad suite with SEO, advertising and content modules.

## The tools compared

### Ahrefs

SEO research across backlinks, keywords, content and competitors. (ahrefs.com)

Good at: Backlink index and Site Explorer; Keywords Explorer for keyword research; Site Audit crawling; Rank tracking; Content Explorer discovery.

Choose it when You need strong backlink and keyword context to plan content or validate link prospects.

Not for: Ads research or content marketing workflows outside SEO.

### SE Ranking

Rank tracking with supporting site audit, keyword and competitor research and backlink checks. (seranking.com)

Good at: Tracking a focused keyword list; Lightweight research on rivals and keywords; Site audit for common issues.

Choose it when You want a focused tracker and enough research features without a full suite.

Not for: Deep backlink research or large multi-channel campaigns.

### SpyFu

Competitor research centred on domains, with search and paid keyword history. (spyfu.com)

Good at: Finding competitors’ target keywords; Showing historical search and paid angles.

Choose it when You want to see what a rival has targeted over time and mine gaps you can enter.

Not for: Crawling your site or detailed technical audits.

### Google Search Console

Free pre click search data and site health from Google, for verified properties. (search.google.com/search-console)

Good at: Queries, pages, impressions, clicks and positions; Indexing, sitemaps and enhancements; Core Web Vitals overview.

Choose it when You want reliable data about how your site appears in Google Search.

Not for: Post click analytics, ads research or competitor databases.

### Porteur

A one off growth report from a URL with a free check first. (porteur.co)

Good at: Reading your site and searches around it from a URL; Showing rivals on your searches; Surfacing three concrete findings in the free check.

Choose it when You want a concise outside view before committing to multiple tools or campaigns.

Not for: Ongoing keyword tracking or large scale crawling and monitoring.

**Verdict.** Choose the smallest tool that completes your next job. Use Ahrefs when backlinks and keyword depth matter, SE Ranking when tracking a compact term list, SpyFu when you need a view of competitor keyword history, and Google Search Console as your free source of truth for your own site. Keep Semrush if you truly run many SEO, ads and content jobs in one place.

## Questions

### Is there anything better than Semrush?

Better depends on the job. For backlink research, many pick Ahrefs. For rank tracking on a short list, SE Ranking is focused. For competitor keyword history, SpyFu specialises in domains’ search and paid history. If you only need pre click data for your own site, Google Search Console is free.

### Can I replace Semrush with free tools?

For a small site, often yes. Use Google Search Console for queries and indexing, Lighthouse or PageSpeed Insights for performance, and WebPageTest or GTmetrix for waterfalls. Add a lightweight keyword tool or crawler only when your roadmap needs it.

### Do I still need a rank tracker if I use Search Console?

Not always. Search Console shows average positions by page and query across the last 28 days. If you report on a fixed list daily or want location splits, a tracker like SE Ranking helps. For most founders, page level trends in Search Console are enough.

### Which is better, Semrush or Ubersuggest?

They are different. Semrush is a broad suite across SEO, advertising and content. Ubersuggest is aimed at beginners for keyword research and site audit basics with a free tier. If you only need simple keyword ideas now, Ubersuggest can be enough.

### What are the five best SEO tools to start with?

Start with Google Search Console and Lighthouse. Add PageSpeed Insights for field data, a crawler like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb, and one research tool like Ahrefs or SE Ranking. That stack covers most founder jobs without a suite.

## Read next

- [SE Ranking vs Semrush](https://porteur.ai/compare/seranking-vs-semrush): Pick SE Ranking for rank tracking and audits at a lower price point, or Semrush for a broader suite. Here is when the smaller tool is enough.
- [SpyFu vs Semrush for competitor research](https://porteur.ai/compare/spyfu-vs-semrush): Choose SpyFu for keyword and ad history, Semrush for the full suite. See what each reveals about rivals, where they excel, and gaps neither covers.
- [Competitor keyword analysis by hand, with free data](https://porteur.ai/guides/competitor-keyword-analysis): Choose the right rivals, read their sitemaps, pull free keyword clues, find the gaps, and turn them into pages you can ship this week.
- [Keyword gap analysis: the searches your rivals hold and you do not](https://porteur.ai/guides/keyword-gap-analysis): See how to find rivals’ search traffic you could win, filter it to your product, group it into pages, and turn gaps into briefs you can ship.
- [How to use Google Search Console in ten minutes a week](https://porteur.ai/guides/how-to-use-google-search-console): A quick weekly routine: set four filters, compare 28 days, check pages then queries, and fix three findings, without getting lost in noise.
- [Ahrefs alternatives for a small product site](https://porteur.ai/alternatives/ahrefs-alternatives): You likely use a fraction of Ahrefs. Here is what to pick instead by need, the trade‑offs, and a lean stack that fits a small product site.
- [The best SEO audit tools, and which one a founder needs](https://porteur.ai/guides/best-seo-audit-tools): Audit tools crawl and flag issues. An audit is judgement. See the tool types, when to use each, and a fast path for a founder on a small site.
- [Competitor research for a founder: one afternoon, no subscription](https://porteur.ai/guides/seo-competitor-research): Find who actually beats you in search, read their sitemaps, titles and links with free tools, and finish with a one-page plan you will act on.

Not sure which tool stack covers your next job, run your URL through the free check and see three findings from your site and searches in about thirty seconds. Free check: https://porteur.ai/