Google Search Console vs. Semrush

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Google Search Console
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
Google Search Console is a search engine optimization software solution offered by Google.N/A
Semrush
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
Semrush is a relatively popular search engine optimization tool set from the company of the same name based in Pennsylvania and founded in 2008. Largely the platforms relies on competitive intelligence, and features SEO staples like backlink checking, keyword analysis to refine SEO and PPC campaigning and locate low-cost / high-yield keywords, analysis of competitors who co-occupy desired ad and listing spaces, domain vs. domain analysis, as well as site audit and domain tracking. Semrush can…
$139.95
per month
Pricing
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Pro
$139.95
per month
Guru
$249.95
per month
Business
$499.95
per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptional
Additional Details17% discount for annual pricing.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
Considered Both Products
Google Search Console
Chose Google Search Console
I think these tools are a lot better than GSC, to be honest, because they bring everything together in one place and offer better keyword analysis capabilities. However, I would select GSC over these tools because it is Google's proprietary data, and ultimately, I am optimizing …
Chose Google Search Console
It's a product from the same team as the no. 1 search engine. It's free, so there's no burden, and you can use it for as long as you want and for as big a company as possible. Others are very expensive, and data can be inaccurate sometimes. Google Analytics serves a different …
Chose Google Search Console
GSC does not give you as much information as a paid tool, but it does give you direct clicks to keywords which these other tools have no way of knowing.
Chose Google Search Console
Semrush, Ahrefs, Botify and Sistrix
Chose Google Search Console
Google Search Console needs to be used alongside other tools like that ones I mentioned. By itself, it's only able to provide basic information for baseline issues. Thankfully, it does integrate well with a lot of other services and can be useful when linked up to those tools. …
Chose Google Search Console
The best part about Google Search Console is it is FREE to use. However, the performance report shared by Google Search Console may not be as detailed as the one shared by Ubersuggest. Ubersuggest also has tons of other additional features and they have a free version too. I …
Chose Google Search Console
Bing helps us to submit websites to our bing search engine, manage sitemaps crawl status help to disallow URLs. However it is only for the Bing search engine, obviously, we need to use the Google search console for Google indexing.
Chose Google Search Console
The search console provides more detailed data on actual real-world performance. The search console also helps with submitting new websites for indexing whereas other tools only analyze existing SERP results. The search console also gives additional data of keywords that a page …
Chose Google Search Console
All of these other tools have positives and negatives. We use Google Search Console along with SEMRush in the past and are using it with Ahrefs right now. Search Console is like the foundation of monitoring our search presence and these other tools are what lets us do the heavy …
Chose Google Search Console
Semrush costs money to obtain the full range of data that Google Search Engine doesn't supply. Start with GSC and then move to Semrush, is my opinion.
Chose Google Search Console
Google uniquely provides specific data that is important for optimizing SEO and performance for websites. While it doesn't provide as comprehensive an analysis as other tools like Ahrefs and Moz, it provides Google performance-specific data that can't be found elsewhere. When …
Chose Google Search Console
I don't know other such tools.
Chose Google Search Console
The data is more accurate in Google Search Console and you can communicate back with Google using this tool.
Chose Google Search Console
If you need advanced SEO information, then of course you need to use expensive tools. Google console will give basic information, but most importantly, it will give promptly and free of charge. So do not ignore the possibilities of this great free tool, because all webmasters …
Chose Google Search Console
There is a lot to learn on how to do SEO properly. As a freelance photographer, I don't have enough time to do this properly. I usually use the options and tips that my web host (Squarespace) provides. It is much easier and simpler to use, but I am sure the results will not be …
Chose Google Search Console
We use both SEMrush and Google Search Console. Google Search Console and SEMrush share some similar features, but they're two very different software suites. SEMRush is a more robust platform for SEO and SEM. It offers a lot more features than Google Search Console, …
Chose Google Search Console
Although Statcounter is more like Google Analytics than Search Console, it still has a lot of overlap. Statcounter is relatively small, so it does not provide anywhere near the functions of SC. But, it's good to have a secondary source of traffic and other related data, one …
Chose Google Search Console
We are using Ahrefs and SEMRush along with the search console. Ahrefs helps in creating our backlink strategy while SEMRush for content gaps and opportunities. Search console is more preferred as it is completely free and data comes straight from Google. But you cannot see …
Chose Google Search Console
We also use SEMrush for our sites to get a better overall picture of our backlinks, keywords, rankings, etc for all our search engine optimization needs, but at a cost of $99/month, it can be quite expensive and does what Google Search Console does for free, albeit in a more …
Chose Google Search Console
Google Search Console offers more information than Google Analytics alone (though they can be integrated together). Google Search Console is also a free tool, so that can be an attractive facet when compared to Moz or other SEO programs (though the information provided is …
Chose Google Search Console
Google Search Console is obviously not as robust as a paid service like SEMRush, but it provides quick, easy, at-a-glance insights to make our jobs easier.
Chose Google Search Console
I wouldn't really call Google Search Console a competitor of these major SEO software that has backlink management, competitive research, keyword research, PPC research, and so much more a part of them. It's just a bare-bones SEO tool and sitemap submission specifically for …
Chose Google Search Console
Google Search Console does a lot more than most webmaster tools and is easier to navigate than Bing Webmaster Tools. One other tool that we predominately use is SerpCheetah, which provides real-time organic keyword positioning rank in the SERP and can be broken down by device, …
Semrush
Chose Semrush
all the tools are very good in each of their domain, but the tool Semrush is cheaper when you compare it with Ahref's but it comes in to the category of costly when you compare it with other tools like rank pro. The tool is good but also needs a good learning curve to …
Chose Semrush
Keywords Everywhere is my budget option, that I have used in place of Semrush, due to pricing...
Chose Semrush
Semrush provides a great amount of data to help with market and channel research while keeping current with changes in the search environment and how that impacts the competitive space for digital marketers. Other tools appear every week as things progress so quickly in search …
Chose Semrush
Semrush has better brand recognition and value compared to its competitors. It has a futuristic vision and has been growing consistently organically and inorganically. It has helped achieve ROI and better inbound strategy YoY and thus we chose to go with Semrush. Also, our …
Chose Semrush
Semrush is a good middle ground and it’s not a tool you are going to be disappointed with. I think it’s good at all aspects of SEO so if you don’t have a specific strategy in place it’s going to be your best option.
Chose Semrush
Ahrefs, Yoast Wordpress SEO Plugins and Moz Pro
Chose Semrush
For me, Semrush has a good UX and is a trustworthy source of organic traffic data. When compared to other tools, they sometimes could be pretty much off when I observe data in Google Search Console and Google Analytics. That's why I think Semrush does a pretty good job for any …
Chose Semrush
We use Yoast SEO from within WordPress sites to help with the effectiveness of individual pages and posts. It has great value due to being built-in to the website. Semrush provides us with a much more detailed analysis though to look at the overall health of the sites and has …
Chose Semrush
Honestly, Semrush is the only product like it that I've used extensively. Although I have used Moz free version before and didn't love it.
Chose Semrush
Semrush overall UI is much better than ahrefs and also more easier to use. Although both the tools have similar features, the reporting asp[etc if semrush is a lot better. Even the pricing of ahrefs is a bit more expensive then semrush in my opinion.
Chose Semrush
Though Google Analytics and Semrush are similar products, when comparing them, the question is not whether you should use one or the other. Rather, understanding what each tool does. Semrush is best for keyword research for content marketing and paid search campaigns, doing …
Chose Semrush
I have only really used Semrush and love it. I do not plan on looking at their competitors in the future because of my comfortability with Semrush.
Chose Semrush
Semrush is a little pricey; it works very well and is very useful.
Chose Semrush
Moz is not as in-depth and not the best for overall strategy. It has some great features but is not a complete system. Semrush has everything you need and is of great value.
Chose Semrush
I find the Semrush certification very useful for teaching.
Chose Semrush
Semrush is hands down much better than Moz. It has much more data and is also much easier to navigate. Ahrefs and Semrush are a bit more evenly matched. Semrush definitely has the edge when it comes to keyword intelligence, but I love Ahrefs for the backlinking data, as well as …
Chose Semrush
We also use Ahrefs, but since upgrading our Semrush account, we have less and less need for it.
Chose Semrush
Semrush is amazing. Not only is it easy to use, it's better than Moz or Ahrefs combined. The Keyword Research tool and planner is incredible. it makes it easy to pull what keywords we want to rank for and add them to our keyword list. It's helped with productivity and workflow. …
Features
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
SEO
Comparison of SEO features of Product A and Product B
Google Search Console
4.8
Ratings
46% below category average
Semrush
8.0
Ratings
4% above category average
Keyword analysis7.60 Ratings8.60 Ratings
Backlink management6.00 Ratings8.30 Ratings
SERP ranking tracking6.50 Ratings8.30 Ratings
Page grader3.30 Ratings7.80 Ratings
Competitive analysis1.30 Ratings8.50 Ratings
Site audit / diagnostics7.80 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Site recommendations5.00 Ratings7.70 Ratings
Task management1.00 Ratings6.50 Ratings
SEO Channels
Comparison of SEO Channels features of Product A and Product B
Google Search Console
7.2
Ratings
5% below category average
Semrush
8.2
Ratings
8% above category average
Local SEO6.00 Ratings8.10 Ratings
Social SEO8.00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Mobile SEO7.40 Ratings8.50 Ratings
Global SEO7.60 Ratings8.10 Ratings
SEO Platform & Account Management
Comparison of SEO Platform & Account Management features of Product A and Product B
Google Search Console
8.0
Ratings
5% below category average
Semrush
8.4
Ratings
0% below category average
Multi-domain support7.90 Ratings8.10 Ratings
Integration with web analytics tools8.10 Ratings8.70 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
Small Businesses
Nozzle
Nozzle
Score 10.0 out of 10
Nozzle
Nozzle
Score 10.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Advanced Web Ranking
Advanced Web Ranking
Score 8.2 out of 10
Advanced Web Ranking
Advanced Web Ranking
Score 8.2 out of 10
Enterprises
Dupli Checker (DupliChecker.com)
Dupli Checker (DupliChecker.com)
Score 8.5 out of 10
Dupli Checker (DupliChecker.com)
Dupli Checker (DupliChecker.com)
Score 8.5 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
Likelihood to Recommend
9.2
(0 ratings)
8.2
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.9
(0 ratings)
8.1
(0 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
6.1
(0 ratings)
9.9
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
Likelihood to Recommend
If you just want to understand how much traffic you're getting from Google organic search results, and study the queries and landing pages that make up this traffic, this is a great tool. If you also want to figure out where you may be missing opportunities or making it hard for people to find your site, this can help with that. However, GSC is not going to give you step by step instructions for how to fix SEO issues, and won't help prioritize anything either. It's essentially like a car dashboard, but doesn't do any driving or tell you how to drive.
Read full review
This is suited to plan for keywords in a single market, but it struggles when you need to consolidate several markets. It is well-suited to discover new keywords directly related to the ones being used currently to expand the content the company is creating to get better results.
Read full review
Pros
  • Provides details on what other sites contain backlinks to your site, along with the page they direct to within your site
  • Displays impressions and click throughs for Google search queries
  • Individual page performance by location and device category as it pertains to generating clicks leading to your site
  • Basic indexing and readability issues within your site
  • The new interface that just rolled out is much easier on the eyes
Read full review
  • Great visuals for keyword position tracking, love that you can see the page that is ranking
  • Enjoyed the auto-generated reporting feature (specifically in the context of keyword position tracking)
  • Shows many different and useful views for competitive research
  • Great templated keyword research tools for those who are not as hands-on with SEO
  • I LOVE the Keyword Magic Tool for honing in on longtail, high-opportunity keywords
Read full review
Cons
  • It can be a little difficult to navigate
  • More training resources would be an asset. A beginner is given the power to completely destroy a sites search results at the push of a button. Likewise it is a powerful tool to enhance search results also.
  • An option to take care of multiple versions of the same site simultaneously would be helpful. An option to use the same validation script across all versions and administer them simultaneously would be a time save (i.e. non-www, www, http://, and https:// versions of the same site).
Read full review
  • Extra seats can be expensive, as [an] agency with multiple team members this can be frustrating
  • Backlink data is not great, misses out a lot of backlinks (better off using a specialist backlink tool like Link research tools LRT)
  • Tracking multiple keywords, across multiple clients can be costly
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
No answers on this topic
I [previously] used Semrush for many years and I cannot find any other tool being so complete and easy to use.
Read full review
Usability
It's easy to use, but some features are lacking a clear explanation. Somethings don't always match up. For example, the Core Web Vitals often doesn't match what you would see in the Chrome Lighthouse report or the Google Page Speed Insights tool. The tool itself is a little too basic and has to be used alongside other SEO tools and other Google properties such as Analytics
Read full review
The interface is a little less intuitive than it could be. The data is often available but filtering and manipulating the data can be a little difficult at times. Expanded comparisons would be helpful since most of the time seeing more than a few competitors at a time allows for a better sense of how to forecast.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
No answers on this topic
Semrush available when you need it!
Read full review
Performance
No answers on this topic
SemRush performs well with few errors!
Read full review
Support Rating
As with all Google software, your primary source of help is their forums, their knowledge base articles, or whatever tutorials you can find on the web. Often answers on their forums are not straightforward and may not address the actual issue you're experiencing. The KB articles are typically written like instruction manuals - for better or for worse. Tutorials on the web may vary, but the odds are good someone out there had the same questions as you and was kind enough to document their experience.
Read full review
I'm in a FB group for Semrush paid users and it amazing! They are fast to respond, take suggestions and help with questions. I have not felt alone in using this product at all. Highly recommend their support team. When I had an issue I can jump into the group and they will help get me the right person to help or even tag their programmers to look at something that is going on. Love the group!
Read full review
Implementation Rating
No answers on this topic
I did it by myself and do not have a comment!
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
It's a product from the same team as the no. 1 search engine. It's free, so there's no burden, and you can use it for as long as you want and for as big a company as possible. Others are very expensive, and data can be inaccurate sometimes. Google Analytics serves a different usecase altogether.
Read full review
We have used both Ahrefs and Semrush extensively at our agency and Semrush remains the tool of choice. We find that Semrush has the largest selection of tools & features to use, with the highest accuracy, and provides top-tier analysis recommendations. It's really is the ultimate all-in-one tool when comparing other performance measurement tools in the digital marketing space.
Read full review
Scalability
No answers on this topic
Semrush is flexible and scalable software which can be deployed across multiple departments and sites as needed.
Read full review
Return on Investment
  • It has helped a lot in optimizing our webpages for the right keywords.
  • It has an overall positive impact on our business in terms of better rankings and CTR.
  • After the successful submission of our sitemap, we saw a sudden boost in our SERPs.
Read full review
  • Using Semrush on behalf of our clients, we have seen some impressive growth in organic visibility, traffic, conversion and revenue, across multiple industries.
  • The site checks available with Semrush have helped us to pitch and sell our services, securing new clients.
Read full review
ScreenShots