Free Semrush alternatives
Semrush does a huge amount – keywords, audits, rank tracking, local listings, competitor research and more – with monthly prices to match. For a small business, free tools cover the parts you'll actually use.
Last updated · By the XKey team
Keyword research
Start with Google Search Console: the Performance report lists every search your site already appears for, with impressions, clicks and position. Look for searches where you're in positions 8–20 – they're the quickest wins. Add Google Keyword Planner for volume ranges, and the keyword generator to turn one service into dozens of local long-tail phrases. Check how hard page one looks with the keyword difficulty checker.
Site audit
The free SEO check runs about 50 checks on any page, including AI search readiness, and the website audit crawls up to 250 pages. For bigger sites, the website crawler handles up to 10,000 pages with a spreadsheet export.
Position tracking
Search Console shows your average position for every search, free, from Google's own data. To see the live results as a customer in a particular town would, use the local search checker. Paid trackers automate checking hundreds of phrases daily – for a handful of important searches, a weekly look at Search Console is enough.
Local SEO
Semrush's Listing Management pushes your details to directories. Doing it yourself is free: claim your Google Business Profile, Bing Places and Apple Business Connect, then work through the main UK directories. Make it easy for customers to review you by sending them a direct link to your review form.
Competitor research
Compare your page with up to two competitors' side by side in the competitor comparison, check their link strength with the domain authority checker, see what they're built with in the technology checker.
What the free route can't do
- Estimate a competitor's traffic or list every keyword they rank for.
- Track hundreds of keywords automatically every day.
- Pull it all into one dashboard with client reporting.
If you manage SEO for lots of clients, a paid suite saves time. If you're improving one business website, the free tools here and an hour a week will take you a long way.
Frequently asked questions
Does Semrush have a free plan?
Semrush offers a limited free account with a small number of searches a day. It's enough to try it, not to work with every day.
What's the best free alternative to Semrush for keywords?
Google Search Console for keywords you already rank for, and Google Keyword Planner for new ideas and volumes. Both are free from Google.
Can I track my Google rankings for free?
Yes – Search Console shows your average position for every search. For a live look at the results in a specific town, use a local search checker.
Related guides
Free Ahrefs alternatives
Honest free Ahrefs alternatives for small businesses: free backlink checkers, authority scores, site audits and keyword tools, and what you give up.
DA vs DR vs other scores
Moz Domain Authority vs Ahrefs Domain Rating vs Semrush Authority Score vs XKey authority: how each is calculated, why they differ and which to trust.
Keyword research for beginners
Keyword research for beginners: find the phrases your customers search for, judge which you can rank for, and turn them into pages that win visitors.
How to rank higher on Google
How to rank higher on Google when you're stuck on page two or lower: find the pages closest to page one, then fix what holds each one back.
Run a free SEO check now
About 50 checks covering Google, AI search, speed, security and local SEO. No sign-up.
Want the fixes done for you? XKey is made by IceWork, a web studio in Blackpool. IceWork builds fast, search-ready websites – a 3-page site including domain and a year's hosting is £350 all in.