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Semrush vs Similarweb

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors.

The short answer

Status
Similarweb failed our last uptime check (Oct 15, 2026); Semrush was up on Sep 6, 2026
Free plan
Semrush has one; Similarweb prices on request
Public API
Both have one
Higher Trust score
Semrush — 96 vs 74 for Similarweb
Best fit
Semrush: In-house SEO and content teams that need keyword, competitor and backlink research in one tool · Similarweb: Competitive and market research at company scale

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

Side by side

FactSemrushSimilarweb
CategorySEO ToolsWeb Analytics
Pricing modelFreemiumContact
Starts at$139/mo—
Public APIYesYes
Trust score96 / 10074 / 100
PlatformsWeb, API, Chrome extensionWeb, API
CompanySemrush Inc.Similarweb
Launched2008—
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Oct 15, 2026

What our research says

Semrush

Semrush is still the broadest single subscription for anyone who needs competitor traffic estimates, keyword gaps, rank tracking and a site crawler in one login, and its 2026 plans fold AI-answer tracking into the same projects. It is priced for marketing teams and agencies: at $139 a month before extra users and add-ons, a solo site owner pays for a great deal they will never open, and the Adobe acquisition makes the roadmap and pricing a question for a much larger company.

Pros

  • Keyword, traffic-estimate and backlink databases are Semrush's own, with historical data back to 2012 on higher tiers
  • AI-visibility tracking (ChatGPT, AI Overviews, AI Mode) is in the same project as keyword rankings from the $199 Starter plan
  • An API, a Chrome extension and an official Claude connector let the data leave the dashboard
  • A $0 plan and a seven-day trial on paid tiers mean the interface can be judged before paying
  • Terms name a single Delaware entity at a Boston address and were updated in August 2026 after the Adobe deal

Cons

  • Every plan is single-user; each extra seat starts at $45 per month on top
  • Keyword and prompt caps (500 keywords on the $139 and $199 plans) run out quickly across several sites
  • Traffic figures are estimates from clickstream models, and the gap from real analytics can be wide on small sites
  • Now part of Adobe, so pricing, packaging and data-sharing terms may change with the parent's enterprise strategy

Similarweb

Similarweb is the incumbent in traffic estimation, and the AI-visibility tracking is a real extension rather than a badge: it measures how often the major chatbots surface your brand, which is becoming its own channel. The pricing is the friction — nothing is self-serve, so you talk to sales before you know the number.

Pros

  • Coverage across websites, apps and retail SKUs
  • AI Search Intelligence tracks citations across six chatbots
  • Documented data API alongside the dashboards
  • Named company with a real headquarters

Cons

  • No published pricing at any tier
  • Traffic figures are modelled estimates, not measured truth
  • Founding year is not stated on the site

Which one fits

Choose Semrush if you need

  • In-house SEO and content teams that need keyword, competitor and backlink research in one tool
  • Agencies that report on rankings, site health and now AI-search visibility for many client domains
  • Marketers who want brand-mention tracking across ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews next to organic data

Choose Similarweb if you need

  • Competitive and market research at company scale
  • Teams tracking brand visibility inside AI chatbots
  • Analysts who need data via API rather than dashboards

Semrush vs Similarweb: the questions people ask

Is Semrush cheaper than Similarweb?

Semrush starts at $139/mo; Similarweb prices on request, so a quote is the only way to compare.

Does Semrush or Similarweb have a free tier?

Semrush has a free tier; Similarweb prices on request.

Which has a public API, Semrush or Similarweb?

Both ship a public API, so either can be built on; the fact table above shows the platforms each one runs on.

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