SE Ranking vs Semrush (with AI) Pricing (2026)
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SE Ranking vs Semrush (with AI)

AI SEO Tools pricing comparison · 2026

SE Ranking pricing ranges from $129–$279/month, while Semrush (with AI) ranges from $0–$549/month. SE Ranking is typically 18% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.

AI SEO Tools

SE Ranking

$129–$279
/month
3 plans
Full pricing breakdown →
VS
AI SEO Tools

Semrush (with AI)

$0–$549
/month
8 plans · Free tier
Full pricing breakdown →

SE Ranking and Semrush (with AI) both operate in the ai seo tools category. This page compares their list pricing.

Plan-by-Plan Pricing

Plan SE Ranking Semrush (with AI)
Core $129 /month Free /month
Growth $279 /month $139.95 /month
Enterprise Custom $249.95 /month
Business (Classic SEO) — $499.95 /month
Semrush One - Starter — $199 /month
Semrush One - Pro+ — $299 /month
Semrush One - Advanced — $549 /month
Enterprise — Custom

Cost at Scale

Total cost of ownership — licenses, implementation, and hidden costs included.

SE Ranking

6 scenarios
$624
Freelance SEO Consultant — Essential Plan
$1740
Small Agency — Pro Plan with Agency Pack
$1728
Growing Agency — Pro Plan with Content Marketing Add-on
See all 6 scenarios →

Semrush (with AI)

3 scenarios
$0/month (free tier with basic features)
Solo / Getting Started
$299/month
Growing Business
Custom pricing — typically negotiated annually, contact sales for quote
Enterprise (100+ users)

Market Intelligence

SE Ranking

Median annual cost
$500
Based on
158 deals

Semrush (with AI)

Median annual cost
$1,199
Based on
33 deals

What Users Say

SE Ranking

Trustpilot
1.79/5 (24)
Top complaints
  • Inaccurate keyword ranking data that does not match real Google search results
  • Poor and unresponsive customer support — days to respond, no meaningful weekend coverage for US users
  • Forced migrations from legacy plans with 50–70%+ price increases and no opt-out

Semrush (with AI)

Trustpilot
2.3/5 (23)
Top complaints
  • Extremely difficult cancellation process requiring customer service
  • Unexpected charges and auto-renewals
  • No refund policy even for unused service

Hidden Costs

Beyond the sticker price — what catches buyers off guard.

SE Ranking 4 hidden costs

critical
Forced Legacy Plan Migrations with Major Price Increases 50-500% of current license costs
medium
Add-On Feature Charges Beyond Base Plan 10-25% of license costs
high
Non-Refundable Subscriptions and Prepaid Balances 10-100% of remaining license costs
high
Permanent Data Deletion After 60-Day Account Lapse 5-20% of license costs
See all SE Ranking hidden costs →

Semrush (with AI) 4 hidden costs

critical
API Access Fees $1,100/month
medium
Additional User Seats 100% upgrade cost per additional user
medium
Feature Paywalls Within Paid Tiers Variable upgrade costs
high
Unexpected Charges from Widgets or Add-ons $200+
See all Semrush (with AI) hidden costs →

Contract Terms

Term SE Ranking Semrush (with AI)
Auto-renewal Yes Yes
Cancellation Not publicly disclosed; mid-term cancellations are non-refundable per multiple user reports Must cancel before trial ends or before renewal date; extremely difficult cancellation process requiring customer service interaction
Minimum commitment Monthly or annual; annual billed upfront Monthly or annual commitment depending on plan selected
Price escalation Documented history of forced legacy plan migrations with 50–70%+ price increases; no published escalation schedule but multiple users report sudden migration notices with no pricing flexibility —
Can downgrade No No
See SE Ranking Plans
Try Semrush (with AI) Free

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