Category by category
| Category | Surfer SEO | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Features | – | Stronger |
| Backlinks | – | Stronger |
| Keywords | – | Stronger |
| Pricing | Even | Even |
| Ease of use | Stronger | – |
| Support | Even | Even |
| Starting price | from $49/mo billed yearly | from $139/mo |
Category calls are editorial judgements, not lab test results. Swipe sideways if the table is cut off.
- Features
- Semrush covers keyword research, backlinks, PPC, and audit alongside content. Surfer does content optimisation only — you still need other tools
- Backlinks
- Semrush has comprehensive backlink analysis. Surfer has zero backlink capability — it's purely content-focused
- Keywords
- Semrush has the industry's largest keyword database. Surfer's keyword research is minimal — it's designed for optimising content, not finding keywords
- Pricing
- Compare the source-linked plan prices and included limits below. Currency and billing basis must match before treating one option as cheaper.
- Ease of use
- Surfer's Content Editor workflow is more focused and purposeful. Semrush's SEO Writing Assistant is buried in a broader platform
- Support
- Check the vendor help centre and support terms for the plan you are considering; no comparative response-time test is claimed.
Every paid plan on one price scale
Surfer SEO
- Discovery$49/mo, yearly
- Standard$99/mo, yearly
- Pro$182/mo, yearly
- Peace of Mind$299/mo, yearly
Semrush
- SEO$139/mo
- Starter$199/mo
- Pro+$299/mo
- Advanced$549/mo
- Partly checkedSurfer SEO: prices read from surferseo.com on . USD annual-billing figures as displayed. Annual totals calculated; monthly rates were not captured. Separate AI Search Analytics plan excluded from this content-plan comparison.
- Partly checkedSemrush: prices read from semrush.com on . SEO + AI Search portfolio; add-ons and extra seats cost more. Annual totals calculated from the displayed monthly-equivalent rates.
Which should you pick?
Pick Surfer SEO if
Content optimisation is your primary need and you want the most detailed, SERP-backed scoring for every piece you publish
Surfer SEO plans and catchesPick Semrush if
You need keyword research, backlinks, and content tools all in one platform and don't need Surfer-level content depth
Semrush plans and catchesOur take
This comparison only makes sense if you're deciding whether to use Surfer standalone or rely on Semrush's SEO Writing Assistant for content work. The honest answer: Semrush's writing assistant is decent, but Surfer's Content Editor is significantly more detailed. The NLP term analysis, heading recommendations, and image suggestions in Surfer go deeper than Semrush offers. If content quality is your primary concern, Surfer wins. If you want everything in one tab, Semrush is sufficient.