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SEO · head to head

Rank Math vs SEMrush

Rank Math logo

Rank Math

SEO

WordPress SEO plugin with a free tier that undercuts Yoast on schema and feature count

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: Rank Math all paid tiers are annual-only with no monthly option, so evaluating Pro or Business month to month before committing is not possible.; SEMrush free tier limited to 10 reports per day across all tools
  • They diverge on capability: Rank Math covers Free schema generator, SEMrush covers Keyword research.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rank Math and SEMrush actually diverge.

Attributes where Rank Math and SEMrush differ
AttributeRank MathSEMrush
Pricing modelFreemium, paid tiers billed annually onlysubscription
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 Rank Math

  • Free schema generator
  • Rank tracker
  • AI Link Genius
  • Content AI trial
  • Multi-site management
  • 404 monitor and redirections

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.

Rank Math

  • A WordPress site owner who wants more schema types and keyword optimisation than Yoast's free tier provides, at no costnot SEMrush
  • An agency managing dozens of client WordPress sites that wants a per-site-count licence rather than per-site billingnot SEMrush
  • A team that wants rank tracking built into the WordPress dashboard rather than as a separate subscriptionnot SEMrush
  • A site migrating away from a paid competitor and wanting a free tier competitive enough to not need Pro immediatelynot SEMrush

SEMrush

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

Where each one falls short

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

Rank Math

  • All paid tiers are annual-only with no monthly option, so evaluating Pro or Business month to month before committing is not possible.
  • The advertised price is a first-year introductory rate; renewal pricing is roughly 10 to 18 percent higher across every tier, which is easy to miss when comparing sticker prices to Yoast.
  • Switching an established WordPress site to or from Rank Math risks losing accumulated redirect rules and schema configuration if the migration is not done carefully, which discourages later switching regardless of price changes.
  • It is WordPress-only, so any team running a non-WordPress CMS gets nothing from this product at all.
  • The generous free tier depends on upselling Pro and Content AI trials inside the plugin dashboard, which some users find intrusive compared to Yoast's comparatively quieter free experience.

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

Rank Math

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited personal websites
    • 18 schema types and unlimited keyword optimisation
    • Google Search Console integration
  • Pro$7.99/month
    • Billed annually, renews at 8.99 euros a month
    • 500 tracked keywords, 840+ schema types
    • AI Link Genius and broken link checker
  • Business$24.99/month
    • Billed annually, renews at 27.99 euros a month
    • 100 client websites, 10,000 tracked keywords
    • Daily Google data fetching, unlimited data retention
  • Agency$54.99/month
    • Billed annually, renews at 64.99 euros a month
    • 500 client websites, 50,000 tracked keywords
    • All Business features, no data preservation limits

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 Rank Math if

  • You need free schema generator.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want rank tracker.
Rank Math 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 Rank Math or SEMrush better?
Neither clearly leads. Rank Math 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, Rank Math or SEMrush?
Rank Math starts at Free and SEMrush at Free.
Does Rank Math or SEMrush run on more platforms?
Rank Math runs on Web. SEMrush runs on Web, Mobile app.
Can I use Rank Math for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Rank Math best used for?
Rank Math is most often used for a wordpress site owner who wants more schema types and keyword optimisation than yoast's free tier provides, at no cost, an agency managing dozens of client wordpress sites that wants a per-site-count licence rather than per-site billing, a team that wants rank tracking built into the wordpress dashboard rather than as a separate subscription, a site migrating away from a paid competitor and wanting a free tier competitive enough to not need pro immediately. Of those, a wordpress site owner who wants more schema types and keyword optimisation than yoast's free tier provides, at no cost and an agency managing dozens of client wordpress sites that wants a per-site-count licence rather than per-site billing are not what SEMrush is typically brought in for.
What can Rank Math do that SEMrush cannot?
Rank Math covers Free schema generator, Rank tracker, AI Link Genius, Content AI trial. SEMrush covers Keyword research, Site audit, Competitor analysis, Backlink analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rank Math: Is Rank Math really free?

Yes, for unlimited personal websites, with 18 schema types and unlimited keyword optimisation at no cost; client sites and rank tracking require a paid tier.

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
Rank Math: Can I pay monthly instead of annually?

No. All paid plans are billed annually only; there is no monthly billing option.

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
Rank Math: Does the advertised price stay the same at renewal?

No. Every paid tier renews at a higher rate than the first-year introductory price, by roughly 10 to 18 percent depending on the plan.

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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