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AI ToolsOf The Trade

2026 Review

Semrush

All-in-one SEO and marketing suite with AI visibility tracking across ChatGPT, Gemini, and AI Overviews.

MarketingFreemiumCost tier 3 of 3 — paid plans from $139/monthAPIMainstream popularity (curated reach tier)Editorial score: 4.5 out of 574% positive — based on reviews across G2, Trustpilot, Reddit

Facts checked Aug 2, 2026

About Semrush

Semrush is the broadest SEO and marketing platform in this directory: keyword research, rank tracking, site audits, backlink analysis, and competitor intelligence in one subscription. Its AI Visibility Toolkit now tracks how often your brand appears in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, and Google AI Overviews, with sentiment and share-of-voice scoring. A limited free plan covers one project; paid plans start at $139/month ($117/month billed annually) with a 7-day free trial (card required). Adobe completed its $1.9B acquisition of Semrush in April 2026.

At a glance

Founded
2008
Headquarters
Boston, US
Users
10M+ marketing professionals (company claim)
Platforms
Web, Browser extension

Integrates with

Google AnalyticsGoogle Search ConsoleGoogle AdsWordPressZapier

Main competitors

AhrefsMozSE Ranking

Best for

Keyword researchRank trackingAI search visibilitySite auditsCompetitor analysis

Pros

  • Widest tool coverage of any SEO platform — one subscription replaces several point tools
  • AI visibility tracking is built into mainline plans, not a separate product
  • Free plan lets you audit and track one project before paying
  • Deep competitor intelligence: traffic estimates, ad copy, keyword gaps

Cons

  • Expensive — $139/mo entry, and AI prompt tracking starts at the $199/mo Starter plan
  • Interface density is overwhelming for beginners; most users touch a fraction of the tools
  • Trustpilot score of 2.8 reflects recurring billing and cancellation complaints
  • Extra users cost extra on every plan

Our verdict

Best for: Teams that want SEO, content, competitor research, and AI search visibility consolidated into one platform.

Skip if: You only need backlink analysis or occasional keyword checks — cheaper point tools cover that.

Our review

Editorial score: 4.5 out of 5

Semrush earns its position as the default recommendation for teams that want one SEO subscription instead of five. The keyword and competitive databases are deep, the site audit is genuinely actionable, and the AI Visibility Toolkit is the most complete answer yet to the question every marketing team now asks: do ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews mention us? Tracking prompts with sentiment and share-of-voice across five AI platforms inside the same dashboard as classic rank tracking is something Ahrefs still makes you buy separately.

The costs are real, though. $139/month buys the core toolkit but not AI prompt tracking — that starts at $199/month — and every seat beyond the first is extra. The interface has accumulated two decades of features, and new users routinely bounce off it. The 2.8 Trustpilot score (against 4.5 on G2) tells a consistent story: the product is strong, the billing experience less so.

The Adobe acquisition, completed April 2026, cuts both ways: enterprise buyers get roadmap security and likely Creative Cloud-adjacent integrations, while smaller customers should watch for pricing and packaging changes. If you mainly want content-plus-visibility rather than a full suite, Writesonic covers that loop for less.

Verdict: the best all-in-one SEO suite available, priced accordingly. Buy it to consolidate; skip it if you only need one job done.

What reviewers elsewhere say

74% positive Practitioners praise the breadth and data quality; complaints center on price, interface density, and billing practices on Trustpilot.

G2 4.5 out of 5 (3,434 reviews)Trustpilot 2.8 out of 5 (939 reviews)Capterra 4.6 out of 5 (2,292 reviews)

Sentiment estimated from reviews on G2, Trustpilot, Reddit, as of Aug 2026. Third-party scores are point-in-time snapshots. We don't host user reviews.

Key features

  • Keyword research and rank tracking backed by one of the largest keyword databases
  • AI Visibility Toolkit tracking brand mentions in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, and AI Overviews (Starter and up)
  • Site audit with AI-readiness checks across 25+ on-page factors
  • Backlink analytics and competitor traffic intelligence
  • ContentShake AI and SEO Writing Assistant for content creation and scoring
  • Copilot assistant that surfaces priority SEO tasks across your projects

How to use Semrush

  1. Create a free account and set up your first project with your domain.
  2. Run a site audit and connect Google Analytics and Search Console.
  3. Research keywords and set up position tracking for your target terms.
  4. Enable AI visibility tracking (Starter and up) to monitor prompts across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.
  5. Work through Copilot's prioritized recommendations and re-crawl to measure progress.

Pricing

Deal: 7-day free trial, and annual billing drops the SEO plan from $139 to $117/mo

SEO$139/mo

$117/mo billed annually. 5 websites, 500 tracked keywords, core SEO toolkit.

Starter$199/mo

$165/mo billed annually. Adds AI visibility: 50 tracked prompts daily across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini.

Pro+$299/mo

$248/mo billed annually. 15 websites, 1,500 keywords, 100 tracked prompts daily.

Advanced$549/mo

$456/mo billed annually. 40 websites, 5,000 keywords, 200 tracked prompts daily.

Pricing verified August 2026 · prices as listed by the vendor; check the official site for current offers.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Semrush?

Semrush is an all-in-one SEO and marketing platform covering keyword research, rank tracking, site audits, backlinks, competitor intelligence, and AI search visibility tracking. It was acquired by Adobe in April 2026.

How much does Semrush cost?

The SEO plan is $139/month ($117/month billed annually). Starter at $199/month adds AI visibility tracking; Pro+ is $299/month and Advanced $549/month. A limited free plan and a 7-day free trial (card required) are available.

Does Semrush have an API?

Yes — Semrush offers an API for keyword, domain, backlink, and rank data, aimed at higher tiers and agencies building reporting into their own tools.

Can Semrush track my brand in ChatGPT and AI Overviews?

Yes. The AI Visibility Toolkit (Starter plan and up) tracks prompts across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, and Google AI Overviews, scoring mentions, sentiment, and share of voice against competitors.

Semrush or Ahrefs?

Ahrefs has the edge on backlink data depth; Semrush wins on breadth — PPC, content, social, and built-in AI visibility tracking. Teams consolidating tools usually land on Semrush; link-building specialists on Ahrefs.

Tags

seomarketingai-searchkeyword-researchapi

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