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Software · head to head

Airbase vs SEMrush

Airbase logo

Airbase

Software

The first all-in-one spend management platform

From
$29/month
Rated
-
SEMrush logo

SEMrush

Software

Do SEO, content marketing, competitor research, PPC and social media marketing from just one platfor

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only SEMrush has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Airbase airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.; SEMrush free tier limited to 10 reports per day across all tools
  • They diverge on capability: Airbase covers Corporate cards, SEMrush covers Keyword research.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airbase and SEMrush actually diverge.

Attributes where Airbase and SEMrush differ
AttributeAirbaseSEMrush
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile app
Founded20172008

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Airbase

  • Corporate cards
  • Bill payments
  • Expense management
  • Procurement
  • Approvals
  • NetSuite
  • Sage Intacct
  • QuickBooks

Only in SEMrush

  • Keyword research
  • Site audit
  • Competitor analysis
  • Backlink analytics
  • Rank tracking
  • Content marketing
  • PPC research
  • Social media tools

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Airbase

  • Spend managementnot SEMrush
  • Expense reportingnot SEMrush
  • Vendor paymentsnot SEMrush

SEMrush

  • SEO keyword research and competitor analysisnot Airbase
  • Website performance tracking and auditingnot Airbase
  • Content marketing optimizationnot Airbase
  • PPC advertising researchnot Airbase

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Airbase

  • Airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.

SEMrush

  • Free tier limited to 10 reports per day across all tools
  • Keyword tracking capped at 500 per month on entry tiers (SEO and Starter plans)
  • Additional users cost £45/month per user above base subscription
  • Most advanced features require Advanced plan (£455.67/month), making entry cost significant for small teams

Pricing, plan by plan

Airbase

$29/month
  • StandardFree
    • Corporate cards
    • Expense reports
    • Bill pay
  • Premium$10/month
    • Advanced approvals
    • NetSuite sync
    • Procurement
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom workflows
    • API access
    • Dedicated support

SEMrush

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SEMrush review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Airbase if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want bill payments.

Choose SEMrush if

  • You need keyword research.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app.
  • You also want site audit.

Questions people ask

Is Airbase or SEMrush better?
Neither clearly leads. Airbase starts at $29/month and SEMrush at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airbase or SEMrush?
SEMrush has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Airbase and Free for SEMrush.
Does Airbase or SEMrush run on more platforms?
Airbase runs on Web, Ios, Android. SEMrush runs on Web, Mobile app.
Can I use SEMrush for free?
Yes. SEMrush has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Airbase starts at $29/month.
What is Airbase best used for?
Airbase is most often used for spend management, expense reporting, vendor payments. Of those, spend management and expense reporting are not what SEMrush is typically brought in for.
What can Airbase do that SEMrush cannot?
Airbase covers Corporate cards, Bill payments, Expense management, Procurement. SEMrush covers Keyword research, Site audit, Competitor analysis, Backlink analytics.

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