Semrush vs SE Ranking: AI Crawl Health and Local Map Grids
Semrush connects conventional Position Tracking with technical auditing and AI search accessibility reporting. Its Site Audit can identify robots.txt restrictions against specified AI crawlers, though access does not guarantee that an answer engine will mention the site. SE Ranking Local Marketing provides a fundamentally different view: a grid records how a local business appears in Google Maps from multiple geographic points around a neighborhood. That can reveal weak coverage beyond a store’s immediate location. SEO agencies deciding between them should distinguish AI discovery problems from physical-location visibility instead of treating all rank tracking as interchangeable.
Semrush
Best for: SEO teams and agencies that want keyword research, rank tracking, audits and AI answer monitoring in one subscription.
SE Ranking
Best for: Agencies and in-house SEO teams tracking local rankings and AI answer visibility across several sites.
| At a glance | Semrush | SE Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $117.33/mo (annual billing) | $103.20/mo (annual billing) |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Market Signal | 81 / 100 | 70 / 100 |
| Built for | Freelancer, Small Business, Mid-Market, Enterprise | Small Business, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| Platforms | Web, API | Web, API, iOS, Android |
| Founded | 2008 | 2013 |
Choose Semrush if...
you investigate traditional rankings alongside AI search targets and crawler restrictions.
Choose SE Ranking if...
you need Google Maps grids to find geographic gaps around local businesses.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Dimension | Semrush | SE Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| AI crawler restrictions | Stronger here | |
| Map grid positions | Stronger here | |
| General ranking | Comparable | Comparable |
| Technical audits | Comparable | Comparable |
| AI visibility | Comparable | Comparable |
We name a winner for each dimension and never one overall winner. The right pick depends on which of these matters most for your use case.
Plans and Pricing Side by Side
Semrush
From $117.33/mo (annual billing) · Free plan · Free trial
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free |
| SEO | $139 | $117.33 |
| Starter (SEO + AI Search) | $199 | $165.17 |
| Pro+ (SEO + AI Search) | $299 | $248.17 |
| Advanced (SEO + AI Search) | $549 | $455.67 |
Checked October 12, 2026 on Semrush's pricing page.
SE Ranking
From $103.20/mo (annual billing) · Free trial
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Core | $129 | $103.20 |
| Growth | $279 | $223.20 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
Checked October 12, 2026 on SE Ranking's pricing page.
Annual columns show the monthly cost when billed yearly. Vendors change prices often, so confirm on their site before you buy.
Market Signal Compared
| Score (0 to 100) | Semrush | SE Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Market Signal | 81 | 70 |
| Market strength | 90 | 76 |
| Momentum | 49 | 52 |
| Traffic strength | 91 | 78 |
| Search visibility | 92 | 80 |
| Authority | 89 | 71 |
| Brand and market presence | 89 | 68 |
| Data confidence | Medium | Medium |
Market Signal measures each product's online footprint and momentum from Ahrefs and Semrush data, scored against other tools in its category (SEO software (43 tracked)). It shows market presence, which is not the same as product quality. Data through September 2026. How the score works
Integrations and Support
Both connect with: Google Search Console, Data Studio
| Semrush | SE Ranking | |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations only one lists | Google Analytics | Google Analytics 4, Google Ads, Matomo, Zapier, Make, n8n |
| Support | Help center, Live chat | Help center |
| Languages | English, Spanish, French, German | English, Spanish, German |
| Headquarters | Boston, MA | Tallinn, Estonia |
From each vendor's integrations and support pages. Lists show notable integrations, not every connector.
Other Tools to Consider
If neither Semrush nor SE Ranking fits, these are the closest alternatives we list, ordered by Overall Score.
Ahrefs
SEO research suite for backlinks, keywords and competitors, plus Brand Radar AI tracking.
Ranktracker
SEO toolset with a keyword finder, rank tracker and backlink checker.
Moz Pro
Established SEO suite built around Domain Authority.
Mangools
Approachable, budget-friendly SEO toolset built around KWFinder.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Semrush AI Search Health measure?⌄
Its technical audit helps reveal issues such as crawler restrictions that may impede accessibility. A technically accessible page is not guaranteed inclusion in generated answers. A blocked crawler does not necessarily mean every AI product uses that same user agent.
Can SE Ranking show weaker map visibility across town?⌄
Local Marketing grids show rankings at multiple points instead of one generic city location. Businesses can compare proximity-related visibility across neighborhoods. Rank-grid results should be interpreted alongside business location and the selected search radius.
Can Semrush track the same keyword on mobile and desktop?⌄
Eligible multitargeting configurations support separate device and location targets. Each additional keyword-target combination affects the monitoring allowance. The additional tracked targets may exhaust a subscription allowance sooner than expected, especially across many locations.
Written by SEM Solutions Editorial Team
Last updated October 8, 2026
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