Softwr

SEO · head to head

Google Search Console vs SEMrush

Google Search Console logo

Google Search Console

SEO

Google's free tool for monitoring how a site appears in Search

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SEMrush logo

SEMrush

SEO

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Search Console query data below a low, undisclosed volume threshold is anonymised and dropped from reports, so genuine long-tail performance is invisible.; SEMrush free tier limited to 10 reports per day across all tools
  • They diverge on capability: Google Search Console covers Performance reports, SEMrush covers Keyword research.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Search Console and SEMrush actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Search Console and SEMrush differ
AttributeGoogle Search ConsoleSEMrush
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile app
FoundedUnknown2008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (SEO).

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 Google Search Console

  • Performance reports
  • Index coverage
  • URL inspection
  • Core Web Vitals report
  • Sitemap and manual actions
  • Search Console API

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.

Google Search Console

  • Any site owner confirming what Google actually indexed versus what a crawler assumes it indexednot SEMrush
  • A team diagnosing a traffic drop by checking for manual actions or a spike in crawl errors firstnot SEMrush
  • An SEO analyst exporting query-level click data via the API to blend with a paid rank tracker's historynot SEMrush
  • A developer validating that structured data and mobile rendering match what Googlebot seesnot SEMrush

SEMrush

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

Where each one falls short

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

Google Search Console

  • Query data below a low, undisclosed volume threshold is anonymised and dropped from reports, so genuine long-tail performance is invisible.
  • Performance history is capped at 16 months, so year-over-year comparison beyond that window requires a third-party tool that has been logging the data independently for longer.
  • It only reports Google Search; it has no visibility into Bing, other search engines, or the AI answer engines increasingly sending referral traffic.
  • The interface aggregates by property, and comparing multiple properties or clients side by side means exporting and reassembling data yourself.
  • Position and CTR figures are averages across ranking positions and personalisation, so they do not match what any single search or rank tracker snapshot shows for a specific query.

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

Google Search Console

Free
  • Google Search ConsoleFree
    • Unlimited verified properties per account
    • 16 months of performance history
    • Index coverage, sitemaps and Core Web Vitals reporting

SEMrush

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 demo project with basic features
    • No credit card required
    • For trying out the platform
  • SEO Plan$117.33/month
    • Annual billing ($1407.96/year)
    • Monitor 5 websites
    • Track 500 keywords daily
  • Starter Plan$165.17/month
    • Annual billing ($1982.04/year)
    • 5 websites, 500 keywords tracked daily
    • MCP access with 50 AI prompts tracked across search platforms
  • Pro+ Plan$248.17/month
    • Annual billing ($2978.04/year)
    • 15 websites, 1,500 keywords daily
    • 100 AI prompts tracked

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Search Console if

  • You need performance reports.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want index coverage.
Google Search Console review

Choose SEMrush if

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

Questions people ask

Is Google Search Console or SEMrush better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Search Console starts at Free and SEMrush at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Search Console or SEMrush?
Google Search Console starts at Free and SEMrush at Free.
Does Google Search Console or SEMrush run on more platforms?
Google Search Console runs on Web. SEMrush runs on Web, Mobile app.
Can I use Google Search Console for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Search Console best used for?
Google Search Console is most often used for any site owner confirming what google actually indexed versus what a crawler assumes it indexed, a team diagnosing a traffic drop by checking for manual actions or a spike in crawl errors first, an seo analyst exporting query-level click data via the api to blend with a paid rank tracker's history, a developer validating that structured data and mobile rendering match what googlebot sees. Of those, any site owner confirming what google actually indexed versus what a crawler assumes it indexed and a team diagnosing a traffic drop by checking for manual actions or a spike in crawl errors first are not what SEMrush is typically brought in for.
What can Google Search Console do that SEMrush cannot?
Google Search Console covers Performance reports, Index coverage, URL inspection, Core Web Vitals report. SEMrush covers Keyword research, Site audit, Competitor analysis, Backlink analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Search Console: Do I need to pay for Search Console?

No. It has never had a paid tier and Google has given no indication of introducing one.

SEMrush: How much does Semrush cost?

Semrush starts at $117.33/month for the SEO Plan with annual billing and goes up to $455.67/month for the Advanced Plan. A free tier is available with 1 demo project and basic features. Prices increase with monthly billing instead of annual.

Source
Google Search Console: Why does it show different keyword rankings than my rank tracker?

GSC reports averaged position across many searches, devices and locations over the reporting period; a rank tracker takes a single snapshot from a defined location, so the two numbers measure different things.

SEMrush: What does each Semrush plan include?

Plans scale from 5 to 40 websites monitored, 500 to 5,000 keywords tracked daily, and include progressively more features like MCP access and API access at higher tiers. Advanced Plan includes dedicated support.

Source
Google Search Console: Can I use it instead of a rank tracker?

For your own site's actual click and impression data, yes; for daily position tracking, historical trend charts beyond 16 months, or any visibility into competitors, no.

SEMrush: Are there add-on options for Semrush?

Yes, additional users cost $45/month, and reporting features range from $10-$20/month. Enterprise plans with unlimited projects and dedicated support are available with custom pricing.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Google Search Console

More on SEMrush

Keep looking

Other head to heads