What Semrush actually costs in 2026
Semrush runs three core plans on its "SEO Classic" track, plus a newer AI-focused "Semrush One" bundle. For most solo founders and small teams, the comparison that matters is Pro vs Guru.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per mo) | Projects | Tracked keywords |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pro | $139.95 | $117.33 | 5 | 500 |
| Guru | $249.95 | $208.33 | 15 | 1,500 |
| Business | $499.95 | $416.66 | 40+ | 5,000 |
Annual billing saves roughly 16–17% across every tier. The AI Visibility Toolkit — tracking how your brand shows up in AI answer engines — is a separate $99/month add-on on any classic plan, or bundled into the newer Semrush One track.
What you get on the Pro plan
Pro covers the fundamentals: keyword research, site audits, competitor analysis, and rank tracking for up to 500 keywords across 5 projects. That ceiling is the plan's real limitation — if you manage client sites or track more than a handful of keyword groups, you'll hit it fast.
Where Guru pulls ahead
The jump to Guru isn't just a bigger number — it unlocks the Content Marketing Toolkit (content briefs, topic gap analysis), historical ranking data, and multi-location tracking. If you publish content regularly as part of your SEO strategy, this is where Semrush starts to justify its price tag.
What held up
- Site audit catches technical issues faster than any tool we've tested at this price point
- Competitor keyword gap analysis is genuinely useful for content planning
- Copilot AI assistant surfaces quick wins without digging through raw data
Where it fell short
- Pro's 500-keyword limit is tight for anyone tracking more than one serious project
- Learning curve is steeper than tools built for solo founders specifically
- The real cost of a Semrush-centered stack often climbs toward $300–400/mo once you add content tools
Who should skip this
If you're running one blog or a single small business site and don't bill clients for SEO work, the Pro plan's depth is more than you'll use. A narrower, cheaper tool will get you 80% of the value most solo founders actually need.
Our verdict
Semrush Pro is Top Picked for freelancers and agencies managing multiple client sites — the site audit and competitor tools alone justify the price. For solo founders with a single site, we'd point you toward a lighter alternative first and revisit Semrush once you're managing more than one project.