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SEO · head to head

OnCrawl vs SEMrush

OnCrawl logo

OnCrawl

SEO

Technical SEO crawler that joins crawl data with server log files

From
On request
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

  • Only SEMrush has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: OnCrawl no pricing is published anywhere on the site, so early-stage comparison against Botify or Lumar requires getting quotes from all three before any evaluation can start.; SEMrush free tier limited to 10 reports per day across all tools
  • They diverge on capability: OnCrawl covers Log file analysis, SEMrush covers Keyword research.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OnCrawl and SEMrush actually diverge.

Attributes where OnCrawl and SEMrush differ
AttributeOnCrawlSEMrush
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile app
FoundedUnknown2008

Identical on both: 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 OnCrawl

  • Log file analysis
  • Crawl and log cross-analysis
  • Structured data and Core Web Vitals checks
  • Data Explorer
  • Google Search Console integration
  • API access

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.

OnCrawl

  • A large publisher or marketplace diagnosing wasted crawl budget on parameterised or low-value URLsnot SEMrush
  • A technical SEO team that needs server log data joined to crawl data, not just a crawl report on its ownnot SEMrush
  • An enterprise site comparing crawl-plus-log platforms against Botify or Lumar before committing to a multi-year contractnot SEMrush
  • A team wanting custom segmentation of crawl and log data without writing SQL against a raw exportnot SEMrush

SEMrush

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

Where each one falls short

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

OnCrawl

  • No pricing is published anywhere on the site, so early-stage comparison against Botify or Lumar requires getting quotes from all three before any evaluation can start.
  • Log file analysis requires the customer to actually supply raw server logs, which many marketing teams cannot get from their infrastructure team without a separate internal project.
  • It is a smaller company than Botify, so enterprise buyers evaluating vendor stability and roadmap longevity weigh that against the lower likely price.
  • The interface and terminology assume a working knowledge of crawl budget and log analysis concepts, so it is a poor fit for a generalist marketer without technical SEO background.
  • Data retention periods are tied to plan tier, so historical trend analysis beyond the contracted retention window is not available without upgrading before the data would otherwise be purged.

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

OnCrawl

On request
  • OnCrawl$undefined/month
    • Priced by monthly crawl volume, log line volume and data retention
    • Small-site, mid-market and enterprise tiers, all quote-based
    • Free trial available on request

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 OnCrawl if

  • You need log file analysis.
  • You also want crawl and log cross-analysis.
OnCrawl 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 OnCrawl or SEMrush better?
Neither clearly leads. OnCrawl starts at On request and SEMrush at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OnCrawl or SEMrush?
SEMrush has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for OnCrawl and Free for SEMrush.
Does OnCrawl or SEMrush run on more platforms?
OnCrawl runs on Web. 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. OnCrawl starts at On request.
What is OnCrawl best used for?
OnCrawl is most often used for a large publisher or marketplace diagnosing wasted crawl budget on parameterised or low-value urls, a technical seo team that needs server log data joined to crawl data, not just a crawl report on its own, an enterprise site comparing crawl-plus-log platforms against botify or lumar before committing to a multi-year contract, a team wanting custom segmentation of crawl and log data without writing sql against a raw export. Of those, a large publisher or marketplace diagnosing wasted crawl budget on parameterised or low-value urls and a technical seo team that needs server log data joined to crawl data, not just a crawl report on its own are not what SEMrush is typically brought in for.
What can OnCrawl do that SEMrush cannot?
OnCrawl covers Log file analysis, Crawl and log cross-analysis, Structured data and Core Web Vitals checks, Data Explorer. SEMrush covers Keyword research, Site audit, Competitor analysis, Backlink analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OnCrawl: Do I need to provide my own server logs?

Yes, log file analysis is only available if you can export raw access logs from your web server or CDN; without them OnCrawl functions as a crawler only.

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
OnCrawl: How much does OnCrawl cost?

It is not published. Pricing is quoted based on crawl volume, log volume and retention period; get a quote before comparing it to Botify or Lumar.

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
OnCrawl: Is this suitable for a small business site?

Generally not economically; the log analysis capability that justifies the cost only pays off once a site is large enough that Google is not crawling every page anyway.

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
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