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Software · head to head

Pleo vs SEMrush

Pleo logo

Pleo

Software

Smart company cards for forward-thinking teams

From
£9.5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SEMrush logo

SEMrush

Software

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: Pleo card delays and transaction limits impact usability, with limited regional acceptance in some areas; SEMrush free tier limited to 10 reports per day across all tools
  • They diverge on capability: Pleo covers Company cards, SEMrush covers Keyword research.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Pleo and SEMrush actually diverge.

Attributes where Pleo and SEMrush differ
AttributePleoSEMrush
Starting price£9.5/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, Mobile app
Founded20152008

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 Pleo

  • Company cards
  • Receipt capture
  • Expense categorization
  • Spend limits
  • Accounting sync
  • Xero
  • QuickBooks
  • Sage

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.

Pleo

  • Employee expensesnot SEMrush
  • Spending autonomynot SEMrush
  • Expense automationnot SEMrush

SEMrush

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

Where each one falls short

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

Pleo

  • Card delays and transaction limits impact usability, with limited regional acceptance in some areas
  • Receipt capture OCR inaccuracies and upload lag/glitches complicate expense categorization
  • Limited expense categories and tags reduce flexibility for complex accounting structures
  • Transaction approval workflows have minimal customization options
  • Lacks in-built forecasting tools and reporting is basic, providing limited insights into trends

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

Pleo

£9.5/month
  • Starter$9.5/month
    • Company cards
    • Real-time expense tracking
    • Automated reports
  • Essential$39/month
    • Reimbursements
    • Mileage and per diem
    • Vendor cards
  • Advanced$89/month
    • Cashback
    • Budgets
    • Multi-entity management
  • Beyond$179/month
    • Spending insights
    • Sub-wallets
    • Dedicated success manager

SEMrush

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SEMrush review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Pleo if

  • You need company cards.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want receipt capture.
Pleo 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 Pleo or SEMrush better?
Neither clearly leads. Pleo starts at £9.5/month and SEMrush at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Pleo or SEMrush?
SEMrush has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at £9.5/month for Pleo and Free for SEMrush.
Does Pleo or SEMrush run on more platforms?
Pleo runs on iOS, Android, 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. Pleo starts at £9.5/month.
What is Pleo best used for?
Pleo is most often used for employee expenses, spending autonomy, expense automation. Of those, employee expenses and spending autonomy are not what SEMrush is typically brought in for.
What can Pleo do that SEMrush cannot?
Pleo covers Company cards, Receipt capture, Expense categorization, Spend limits. SEMrush covers Keyword research, Site audit, Competitor analysis, Backlink analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Pleo: What are Pleo's pricing tiers?

Pleo offers four pricing tiers: Starter (GBP 9.50/month), Essential (GBP 39.00/month), Advanced (GBP 89.00/month), and Beyond (GBP 179.00/month). Annual billing provides equivalent of two free months.

Source
Pleo: Does Pleo have a free tier?

No, Pleo does not offer a free tier or permanent free plan. All plans require payment with a free trial available for evaluation.

Source
Pleo: What integrations does Pleo support for accounting?

Pleo integrates directly with Xero and QuickBooks, plus Sage 200, Sage 50, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Datev, and Visma e-conomic. Zapier integrations are also available.

Source
Pleo: What platforms can access Pleo?

Pleo is accessible via iOS and Android mobile apps, and through a web interface. Physical and virtual cards are issued for spending.

Source
Pleo: Does Pleo support multiple currencies?

Yes, Pleo supports multi-currency spending and transactions. The platform is particularly strong for European teams with local payment methods.

Source
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