Is there a free alternative to SE Ranking?

Yes. Semrush offers a genuine free tier, which makes it the easiest SE Ranking alternative to try before you pay.

Why switch away from SE Ranking?

SE Ranking is a strong tool, but our full hands-on testing is still in progress. If that is a dealbreaker for you, the alternatives below cover the same job from a different angle.

How do you choose these alternatives?

Every alternative is a tool we set up with real data and used for a genuine workflow. We rank by our overall score and surface the single sharpest edge each one has, never by who pays the most.

Marketing & SEO

Best SE Ranking alternatives

Q: What is the best alternative to SE Ranking?

Ahrefs is our top SE Ranking alternative. Ahrefs edges out SE Ranking in our testing, scoring 4.8 to 4.3 overall. It scores 4.8 in our testing.

We put SE Ranking head to head with the 6 closest rivals we have tested, so you can switch on evidence, not a hunch.

Read our SE Ranking review

Why people look elsewhere

Where SE Ranking can fall short

Our full hands-on testing is still in progress

Pricing can climb on higher tiers

Ranked by our testing

6 alternatives worth your time

Ahrefs

4.8

The deepest backlink and keyword data on the market.

Higher ratedFrom $129/moPaid only

Ahrefs edges out SE Ranking in our testing, scoring 4.8 to 4.3 overall.

Best in class backlink index and crawler
Keyword data that holds up against real rankings

4.8

Our score

Try Ahrefs Read review

Semrush

4.6

An all in one marketing suite that goes far beyond SEO.

Free planFrom $139.95/moFree tier

Unlike SE Ranking, Semrush ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it.

Huge feature surface across SEO, PPC, and content
Generous limited free account to start

4.6

Our score

Try Semrush Read review

Screaming Frog

4.6

The desktop crawler every technical SEO uses.

Free planFrom $259/yrFree tier

Unlike SE Ranking, Screaming Frog ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.6

Our score

Try Screaming Frog Read review

Clearscope

4.4

Premium content optimization for serious teams.

Higher ratedFrom $189/moPaid only

Clearscope edges out SE Ranking in our testing, scoring 4.4 to 4.3 overall.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.4

Our score

Try Clearscope Read review

Surfer SEO

4.3

On page optimization that turns drafts into rankable pages.

Ease of useFrom $99/moPaid only

Surfer SEO is the pick when you want content teams shipping a lot of articles, and it leads on ease of use.

Real time content scoring while you write
Clear, actionable on page guidance

4.3

Our score

Try Surfer SEO Read review

Sitebulb

4.3

Visual technical SEO audits that explain the why.

Lower priceFrom $13.50/moPaid only

Sitebulb starts at $13.50/mo, undercutting SE Ranking's $52/mo while covering the same core ground.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.3

Our score

Try Sitebulb Read review

Side by side

SE Ranking vs the alternatives

Tool	Our score	From	Free tier	Best for
SE RankingYou have	4.3	$52/mo	No	A full SEO platform that undercuts the big names.
Ahrefs	4.8	$129/mo	No	Serious SEO teams who live in the data
Semrush	4.6	$139.95/mo	Yes	Marketers who want SEO, ads, and content in one place
Screaming Frog	4.6	$259/yr	Yes	The desktop crawler every technical SEO uses.
Clearscope	4.4	$189/mo	No	Premium content optimization for serious teams.
Surfer SEO	4.3	$99/mo	No	Content teams shipping a lot of articles
Sitebulb	4.3	$13.50/mo	No	Visual technical SEO audits that explain the why.

Our pick

Switch to Ahrefs

Ahrefs edges out SE Ranking in our testing, scoring 4.8 to 4.3 overall. It is the SE Ranking alternative we recommend first for most people.

Try Ahrefs Compare them side by side

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Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission if you buy through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we have tested, and commissions never change our scores or rankings. We currently track 218+ tools, including 12 across Marketing & SEO.