SEO Score API vs SEMrush
Full SEO + paid-search suite for marketing teams · Pricing: $139.95 – $499.95 / mo
SEMrush and SEO Score API both touch SEO, but they are different shapes of product. SEMrush is a Web app + API (custom plans); SEO Score API is a hosted REST API that returns a scored audit as JSON in seconds. This page is an honest side-by-side — including when you should pick SEMrush over us. Still shopping around? See our roundup of SEMrush alternatives organized by use case.
Side-by-side
| Feature | SEMrush | SEO Score API |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $139.95 / mo | $0 free, $5+ / mo paid |
| Site audits | Scheduled crawls + dashboard | On-demand single URL or batch |
| API access | Custom plans only | Yes — primary product |
| Keyword research | Industry-leading | Not included |
| Position tracking | Yes | No |
| Backlink data | Strong, second to Ahrefs | Not included |
| AI readability score | No | Yes (every audit) |
| SXO / AEO / AIO scores | No | Yes (Starter+) |
| CI/CD ready | No | GitHub Action + SDKs |
| Free tier | Limited free account | 20 audits a month, no card |
When each tool wins
Pick SEMrush when…
- You run SEO and paid search from the same team and want a single platform.
- You need keyword research, position tracking, and competitor analysis daily.
- Your stakeholders ask for branded PDF reports straight from a dashboard.
Pick SEO Score API when…
- You only need automated audits and want them as JSON your code can act on.
- You audit dozens or thousands of URLs and don't need PPC, keyword, or rank-tracking features.
- You want a free tier and per-audit pricing instead of a $139+/mo seat.
SEMrush alternatives, by use case
Not sure an audit API is the right swap? Here are the strongest SEMrush alternatives and SEMrush competitors, grouped by what you actually need — so you pick on use case, not marketing budget.
If you want audits via API or in CI
- SEO Score API. $0 free, $5+/mo. JSON in seconds, GitHub Action, Python/Node SDKs. — learn more
- DataForSEO. Pay-as-you-go API across SERP, on-page, backlinks. Powerful but raw.
If you want a full suite (closer SEMrush replacements)
- Ahrefs. $129+/mo. Largest backlink index, strong content tools.
- Moz Pro. $99+/mo. Domain Authority, link tracking, audits.
- Ubersuggest. $29+/mo. Budget pick from Neil Patel's team.
If you want only technical audits
- Screaming Frog. $279/yr desktop crawler.
- Sitebulb. Friendlier desktop crawler with stronger reporting.
Frequently asked
Is SEO Score API a SEMrush replacement?
Only for the site-audit slice of SEMrush. We don't do keyword research, position tracking, paid-search analysis, or backlinks. If those drive your day, stay on SEMrush or move to Ahrefs.
How does pricing compare for audit-only use?
SEMrush starts at $139.95/month for one user. SEO Score API starts at $0 (20 a month) and $5/month for 200 audits. For audit-only workloads you're paying 96%+ less.
Does SEO Score API have an API at every tier?
Yes — every plan including the free tier has full API access. SEMrush gates API behind custom enterprise plans.
Can I run SEO Score API from a GitHub Action?
Yes, we publish an official action. SEMrush doesn't have a comparable CI/CD integration.
Audit your site free — no SEMrush subscription, no credit card.
Score any URL across 80+ checks in one API call. Free tier, key in seconds.