Want to grow the traffic of your website through organic SEO but don’t know which tool to choose between SimilarWeb and Semrush? You’re in the right place since we have done a detailed SimilarWeb vs Semrush comparison for you.
If you want to drive the maximum results from your marketing, it’s important to have your efforts guided by reliable intelligence and data about the market. And reliable data can be acquired only from reliable digital marketing tools.
But which one is the best among them? As a marketer/entrepreneur, which one should YOU choose to power your digital marketing needs?
That’s the question we’re going to answer for you in this article.
We shall compare both these platforms side-by-side to figure out which one among them packs the most punch for the price that you pay. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!
SimilarWeb vs Semrush: An Overview (2023)
Before we dive into a full comparison of these platforms, let’s take a quick look at the similarities and differences between them.
Here is a quick comparison between SimilarWeb and Semrush:
| Comparison Criteria | SimilarWeb | Semrush |
| Keyword Database | There is no specific number of keywords SimilarWeb has in its database. However, it uses public datasets to provide updated keywords. | Semrush has over 25 billion keywords in its database. |
| On-Page SEO Checker | There is no dedicated on-page SEO checker tool available on SimilarWeb. | Semrush offers tools like site audit, listing management, SEO content template, and many more. |
| Content Marketing | SimilarWeb does not have any tool for content marketing. | Semrush has a dedicated AI tool for content marketing, and it is called ImpactHero. |
| Website Audit | SimilarWeb offers plenty of tools that can give you in-depth information on any website, but no dedicated website audit tool exists. | You can audit any website using Semrush’s site audit tool. |
| Free Trial | SimilarWeb offers a 7-day free trial. | We have partnered with Semrush to offer our readers an exclusive 14-day free trial on Semrush. |
| Pricing | Starts at $149/month | Starts at $129.95/month |
After having this quick overview now, we shall dive into an in-depth comparison of these platforms. Let’s begin!
Bonus: Know more about Semrush through our detailed Semrush Review (2023).
#1. Keyword Research
| Features | SimilarWeb | Semrush |
| Keyword search | Yes | Yes |
| Keyword lists | Yes | Yes |
| Keyword comparison | Yes | Yes |
| Keyword sorting | Yes | Yes |
| Database size | Unknown | 40 trillion inbound links |
| Keyword Gap | Yes | Yes |
Keyword Overview Page of Semrush
While both SimilarWeb and Semrush are pretty much identical in terms of keyword research with similar features, there are crucial differences between both that can lead to very different results.
The accuracy of keyword research depends on the quality and scale of search data that are used in the research, and that’s where Semrush seems to have some edge on SimilarWeb. There are more than 40 trillion inbound links in its database to help you conduct your keyword research, while the size of SimilarWeb’s keyword database is unknown.
We tested Semrush’s accuracy to understand how reliable it is. You can check out our tests here.
Keyword Overview Page of SimilarWeb
However, at the same time, it’s also worth noting that while SimilarWeb doesn’t disclose the size of its database, it has been in business for much longer. It was founded in 2007, while Semrush was founded in 2012. Therefore, it’s quite possible that the database of SimilarWeb may be larger than that of Semrush.
Plus, SimilarWeb claims to rely on fresh weekly data and real-time trends for providing you insights about your keywords, so it can’t be put behind Semrush in terms of quality so easily.
Other than that, both platforms offer almost similar keyword research capabilities. There’s no clear winner in this first criterion of our comparison.
Winner: None
#2. Off-Page SEO (Link Building) Features
| Features | SimilarWeb | Semrush |
| Rank monitoring | No | Yes |
| Backlink analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Backlink profile auditing | No | Yes |
| Bulk analysis | No | Yes |
| Backlink Gap Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Automated link building | No | Yes |
Off-page SEO mainly refers to link building, and both SimilarWeb, as well as Semrush, provide you a number of useful features to build your backlinks in a smarter way.
Link-Building Features of Semrush
Both of them provide backlink analytics so you can keep track of your inbound links and discover new link-building opportunities at the same time. Semrush’s link building is more like a DIY tool where it gives you insights, and you take actions based on it.
Both platforms also allow you to analyze your competitors’ backlinks and their top referral sources to identify the best possible link-building opportunities. SimilarWeb also allows you to discover industry-wise referral opportunities that you may not necessarily discover sometimes from Semrush.
Finally, the backlink gap analysis feature included in both platforms allows you to discover more link-building prospects by identifying high-authority websites linking to your competitors but not linking back to you. That way you can reach out to them for building backlinks that drive the most impact for your SEO.
However, there are some unique features too that give Semrush a clear edge over SimilarWeb in this department. It allows you to automate your link-building outreach, thus eliminating the need of doing this process manually. It also allows you to track your rankings and also the rankings of your competitors for any of your desired keywords. Finally, it also provides a detailed audit of your backlink profile and bulk analysis of the link profile of your competitors to help you gain the best possible understanding of your link-building requirements. None of this can be done with SimilarWeb.
Winner: Semrush
#3. On-Page/Technical SEO features
| Features | SimilarWeb | Semrush |
| Site audit | Yes | Yes |
| On-page SEO checker | No | Yes |
| Log File Analyzer | No | Yes |
| Markup Report | No | Yes |
| SEO Content Template | No | Yes |
| User experience ideas | Yes | Yes |
| Semantic ideas | No | Yes |
| UX ideas | No | Yes |
On-page SEO, also known as on-site SEO or technical SEO, is an area where Semrush has a clear edge over SimilarWeb, mainly because it’s a tool designed primarily for the needs of SEO. Its robust site audit functionality scans your website for all the on-page SEO issues it may have and then suggests you the changes that you can make to fix them. And while SimilarWeb too does the same, it lacks other on-site SEO features that make Semrush a better option.
For instance, Semrush comes with an on-page SEO checker that can be used to scan any of your landing pages for the presence of keywords in critical areas (i.e. meta tags, title tags, etc). Based on the findings of a scan, the tool can generate numerous ideas for improving the on-page SEO of the page that was scanned. These ideas may range from hardcore technical SEO suggestions to user experience-related suggestions or semantic keyword ideas. SimilarWeb doesn’t offer this functionality.
Semrush also includes a number of other advanced on-page SEO features, like Log File analyzer, Markup report generator, etc. that are not included in SimilarWeb.
Winner: Semrush
#4. Local SEO Features
| Features | SimilarWeb | Semrush |
| Listing management | No | Yes |
| Local rankings | No | Yes |
| Review management | No | Yes |
Listing Management Feature of Semrush
Again, this is an area in which Semrush has a clear advantage over SImilarWeb. If your website thrives on local customers, local SEO is what you need to be done. Fortunately, Semrush provides you with robust tools for this purpose too. Its Listing Management feature can be used to manage the Google My Business listing of your business, while the Local Rankings feature provides you with ideas and suggestions specifically curated for boosting the local SEO of your website and specific web pages.
Winner: Semrush
#5. Social Media Marketing Features
| Features | SimilarWeb | Semrush |
| Posting | No | Yes |
| Ad campaign creation and management | Yes | Yes |
| Performance analysis | No | Yes |
| Social media management | No | Yes |
| Competitor social tracking | Yes | Yes |
Semrush is not for SEO or SEM only – it includes terrific social media marketing features too. Not only it allows you to manage your social media handles but also you can use it for creating posts or managing your ad campaigns. You can also analyze the performance of your posts as well as your competitors on social media to learn what’s working and what’s not.
Semrush Social Media Tracker
SimilarWeb, on the other hand, offers limited functionality in this regard. It can be used for analyzing the social media accounts of your competitors or their ad campaigns, but not for social media management or posting. Performance analysis of your own social media posts can also not be done with it.
Winner: Semrush
#6. Advertising Features
| Features | SimilarWeb | Semrush |
| PPC keyword research | Yes | Yes |
| Keyword Manager | No | Yes |
| Keyword gap finder | Yes | Yes |
| Semantically-linked keyword discovery | Yes | Yes |
| Competitor campaign analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Display ad campaign management | Yes | No |
Semrush Advertising Research Page
Both Semrush and SimilarWeb provide you with a detailed analysis of your competitor’s advertising campaigns so you can get an idea of how much ad budget you need for a campaign. Both of them also allow you to discover keyword gaps and semantically-linked keywords. However, there are some areas where both of them have a unique advantage over the other.
Semrush is way better than SimilarWeb when it comes to managing your PPC keywords. Its Keyword Manager allows you to add the desired keywords to various keyword baskets for easier sorting and campaign creation. This functionality is not available in SimilarWeb.
SimilarWeb ad Manager
SimilarWeb, on the other hand, also helps you in creating your display ad campaigns by suggesting ad creatives that are working for your competitors, the channels that they are using to display them, and the estimated costs of running such campaigns. This makes SimilarWeb an all-rounder when it comes to online advertising campaign management and monitoring.
Winner: None
#7. Content Marketing Features
| Features | SimilarWeb | Semrush |
| Content ideas | Yes | Yes |
| Topic research | No | Yes |
| Market research | No | Yes |
| SEO-based writing suggestions | No | Yes |
| Content audit and analytics | No | Yes |
| Content marketplace | No | Yes |
| Post tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Competitor content and channel analysis | Yes | Yes |
Semrush Topic Research Page
Content marketing is also a crucial part of the digital marketing landscape, and both these platforms offer some features to help you with this thing too. You can identify the top converting marketing channels (i.e. direct, email, social media, etc.) of your competitors using both SimilarWeb and Semrush. You can also get content ideas based on what works and doesn’t work for your industry in both these tools, and you are also allowed to track how your posts and content are performing.
SimilarWeb Competitor Marketing Channel Overview Page
However, Semrush offers much more than that. It helps you with topic research and market research, provides SEO-based writing suggestions for your content, and also has a content marketplace from where you can hire writers or copywriters to help you with your content requirements. SimilarWeb doesn’t get you any of that.
Winner: Semrush
#8. Payment Plans
| Plan | SimilarWeb | Semrush |
| Base plan | $149 per month | $129.95 per month |
| Advanced plan | $399 per month | $249.95 per month |
| Ultimate plan | Custom | $499.95 per month |
Finally, let’s talk about the pricing of both these platforms. Looking at the table given above it’s easy to see that SimilarWeb is a costlier choice in comparison to Semrush. However, that’s not the ideal way to look at it. For a full picture, you must look at what’s offered in both these plans. So let’s take a look at Semrush plans and their offerings first:
Semrush Plans
And here’s what you get with SimilarWeb in its plans:
SimilarWeb Plans
As you can see, both these platforms have structured their offering in very different manners. While Semrush has made its suite available in a manner that’s more suitable to digital marketing agencies that cater to multiple clients, SimilarWeb has structured its offering in a way that is more suitable for individual business owners and agencies both.
In addition to that, unlike Semrush which is more focused on search engine and social media marketing the SimilarWeb suite is also a 360° digital marketing solution so it also includes many things that are not included in Semrush (i.e. media buying research tools, ad creative research tools, etc). Therefore, the higher price is rightly justified and there’s no clear winner.
Winner: None
SimilarWeb vs Semrush: Pros & Cons
Here are the pros & cons of SimilarWeb and Semrush.
SimilarWeb Pros
- SimilarWeb extracts data from all the search engines and checks the performance of your website for all of them.
- It has an outgoing traffic analytics tool that gives you an overview of the backlink profile on any website.
- There is a 7-day free trial available for competitive intelligence.
- Digital Marketing intelligence services help you find the right keyword to target and also the best affiliate programs to promote.
- You can create white-label reports using SimilarWeb’s integrated data for your clients.
SimilarWeb Cons
- The pricing structure of SimilarWeb is unclear; you will need to contact sales to get accurate prices.
- SimilarWeb does not offer a dedicated content marketing platform.
Semrush Pros
- Semrush has an in-built website auditing tool that helps you get detailed insights on anyone’s website in just a matter of seconds.
- Apart from SEO tools, Semrush also offers marketing tools that you can use to grow your business.
- With its backlink auditing tool, you can check the backlink profile of your competitors and also find the backlink opportunities for your website.
- Semrush also offers social media toolkit that you can use to get insights into your social media campaigns and how they are performing.
- You can also check your website for local SEO and see how you can improve it to get more traffic on your website in your own region.
Semrush Cons
- No dedicated outbound link analysis tool is available to analyze backlinks one by one.
- Semrush only gathers data from the Google search engine and shows you the data from that only.
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Conclusion: SimilarWeb vs Semrush (2023)
Based on our comparison given above, it’s clear that Semrush is a much better choice than SimilarWeb, mainly because it offers more features at competitive pricing. However, there are some unique features in SimilarWeb that may or may not be deal-breakers for you, depending on your marketing goals. For instance, they allow you to create and manage your display ad campaigns, they offer real-time keyword trend data, and so on.
In the end, it comes down to your marketing goals and strategy. If you need a 360° marketing solution that allows for everything from SEO to PPC ads to display ads then go for SimilarWeb, otherwise, Semrush will be more than enough for all your marketing needs.
FAQs
Yes, both Semrush and SimilarWeb offer a 7-day free trial of their tools. To get Semrush’s free trial, you will need to give your credit card details, whereas you can get SimilarWeb’s free trial without
Semrush’s basic plan costs $119.95/mo, and SimilarWeb’s basic plan costs $167/mo, so it is clear that Semrush is much more affordable compared to SimilarWeb.
There are many features Semrush offers that SimilarWeb doesn’t, and these features are advertising management, rank tracking, alerts & notifications, ROI tracking, applications management, and many more.
Both Semrush and SimilarWeb offer comprehensive and accurate analytics data. But only Semrush offers advanced analytics & SEO tools that can help you rank better on search engines.
Only Semrush offers refunds within seven days of the purchase of its subscription. SimilarWeb does not offer any refunds on its subscription.
