Google Search Console vs. Semrush

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Google Search Console
Score 9.0 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…
$129
per month
Pricing
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Pro
$129.95
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
Usually, I use multiple tools and GSC is the first on my list along with Google Analytics since both of these tools are free and are sufficient for monitoring, analyzing and managing digital marketing for a small business. However, there are some limitations to these tools like …
Chose Google Search Console
SEMRush is a supplementary tool we use to provide competitive analysis. While it does, or should, provide the same data that Search Console does, but I only fully trust Search Console when it comes to basic performance in Google for the sites we develop and own. SEMRush, and …
Chose Google Search Console
I would say that the two work together. I think that anyone who has a website should have and be knowledgeable of Google Search Console and Google Analytics. HubSpot, SEMRush, and programs like SEO Spider have similar features but Google's free features are unbeatable. The paid …
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
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
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 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
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
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
The data is more accurate in Google Search Console and you can communicate back with Google using this tool.
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, …
Chose Google Search Console
The paid software mentioned all provide great insights and areas of opportunity. Those insights coupled with Google's free Search Console allow one to make changes directly into the SERPs. The ability to push a page to be crawled ensures that your changes will be seen by google …
Chose Google Search Console
Google is the dominant search engine so its a dead-given that you want to be using their platform for optimizing and managing your website presence on Google. No other platform compares to Google Search Console when it comes to accessing raw data on how google is viewing your …
Chose Google Search Console
Google search console has different features than the other tools and provides help in ways other tools don't such as sitemap optimization and overall impressions of your brand online.
Chose Google Search Console
For me, the biggest asset of Search Console is that it's a free product! You don't need to pay extra to obtain data that other tools will give you. If you want to know which keywords your visitors are using to find you, then look no further.
Google Search Console is also a …
Chose Google Search Console
There are not other products like Google Search Console.
Semrush
Chose Semrush
Google Search Console is free, so that's a point in GSC's favor. BrightLocal is excellent at search ranking reports but not as strong on other fronts. SEMrush is very good at analyzing companies to which you don't have direct access, such as competitors and prospects.
Chose Semrush
SEMRush is a great program for when you want data similar to that of Google Search Console, but when you don't have access to the website's Google account. It allows you to see some of the same or similar data like traffic over time and what queries they've been ranking for. We …
Chose Semrush
For tracking rankings, traffic, and competitor research, SEMrush does a great job compared to the other tools I've used. Moz used to be one of the best tools out there and I think their keyword volume metrics are still the most accurate in the industry, but the Moz Pro package …
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
Frankly, once I started using Semrush and found very quick success, I had no desire or reason to try others. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! I did use some other SEO tools in the past, but it was so long ago I don't even recall the names anymore.
Chose Semrush
Semrush has integrated all in one and easy to navegate around its dashboard
Chose Semrush
Semrush is an all in 1 tool for SEO and SEA, and does specific things really well even better then the competition.
The mean issue i could have with Semrush is the pricing, for $119 a month you get the full tool but with limitations of projects, users etc.
When you wanna add more …
Chose Semrush
Semrush is more intuitive and well-rounded. I didn't use Ahrefs too much, but it felt more complex to use and a bit more fragmented. Moz seemed to diminish in usefulness from when I started using it. Semrush does everything Moz does, but better, more comprehensively, and with …
Chose Semrush
Semrush is more comprehensive than Ahrefs. It has more features.
Chose Semrush
I have used ahrefs and MOZ in the past, but it was handled by other people and I was one of the business leads. ahrefs is very solid in certain areas of links, but SEMrush has a very deep database and that is part of the appeal. They also have a solid connection to Google. …
Chose Semrush
I used Moz for years before switching to SEMrush (I was trained on it at my old job), and SEMrush is better in just about every way except for maybe blog content/resources.

Ahrefs looks like a worthy competitor and we may have gone with them if SEMrush were not more affordable. …
Chose Semrush
Point by point and task for task, Semrush is the better value.
Chose Semrush
Semrush is full of detailed information that I haven't found on Ubersuggest, Keysearch, Google Ads or others.
When looking for keywords that are higher volume and low competition, I just haven't found anything else that does the job like Semrush.
Plus, I can save my lists of …
Chose Semrush
- SERPs is great for keyword research (volume, cost, etc.), but when it came to reporting, I found the tool clunky and hard to use. It was difficult to manage multiple projects and I didn't feel like I was always getting accurate data.
- HubSpot has great analytics tools, but …
Chose Semrush
SEMRush is simpler and easier to use compared to other platforms, yet is just as powerful.
Chose Semrush
The reason why I like SEMRush is that you get some of the best webinars in the business and it's really many software combined in one. They also keep adding beta features so they keep improving the software.
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
SEO
Comparison of SEO features of Product A and Product B
Google Search Console
8.2
49 Ratings
5% above category average
Semrush
8.5
148 Ratings
9% above category average
Keyword analysis8.542 Ratings9.4148 Ratings
Backlink management8.837 Ratings8.3141 Ratings
SERP ranking tracking9.439 Ratings8.3144 Ratings
Page grader8.429 Ratings8.5123 Ratings
Competitive analysis7.616 Ratings9.0143 Ratings
Site audit / diagnostics6.341 Ratings9.0144 Ratings
Site recommendations7.839 Ratings8.2133 Ratings
Task management8.518 Ratings7.188 Ratings
SEO Channels
Comparison of SEO Channels features of Product A and Product B
Google Search Console
8.1
46 Ratings
6% above category average
Semrush
7.7
135 Ratings
1% above category average
Local SEO9.134 Ratings6.0123 Ratings
Social SEO8.019 Ratings7.7101 Ratings
Mobile SEO8.343 Ratings8.5108 Ratings
Global SEO7.038 Ratings8.8109 Ratings
SEO Platform & Account Management
Comparison of SEO Platform & Account Management features of Product A and Product B
Google Search Console
8.6
46 Ratings
2% above category average
Semrush
8.5
120 Ratings
1% above category average
Multi-domain support8.942 Ratings9.0110 Ratings
Integration with web analytics tools8.243 Ratings8.0114 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
Small Businesses
Google PageSpeed Insights
Google PageSpeed Insights
Score 9.9 out of 10
Google PageSpeed Insights
Google PageSpeed Insights
Score 9.9 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Advanced Web Ranking
Advanced Web Ranking
Score 8.3 out of 10
Advanced Web Ranking
Advanced Web Ranking
Score 8.3 out of 10
Enterprises
Dupli Checker (DupliChecker.com)
Dupli Checker (DupliChecker.com)
Score 8.7 out of 10
Dupli Checker (DupliChecker.com)
Dupli Checker (DupliChecker.com)
Score 8.7 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
Likelihood to Recommend
9.0
(49 ratings)
9.4
(148 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(3 ratings)
Usability
10.0
(1 ratings)
6.9
(4 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
6.1
(8 ratings)
9.9
(17 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Google Search ConsoleSemrush
Likelihood to Recommend
Google
Google Search Console is helpful to understand what terms customers search for and click onto your website from. However, it's not helpful if you're looking for deep competitive insight on search terms people are using and how that impacts your website.
Read full review
Semrush
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
Google
  • You can also submit your sitemap directly to Google and get it crawled.
  • You can also index and crawl you updated and new webpages.
  • It also displays errors that are preventing your site pages to get indexed in Google.
  • You get a list of all the keywords for which your site is ranking.
  • You can track its position, CTR and impressions.
Read full review
Semrush
  • 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
Google
  • 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
Semrush
  • 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
Google
No answers on this topic
Semrush
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
Google
Google Search Console is a simple program that allows organizations to get a solid understanding of the way their site functions and how users land on it. It can be used for making critical business decisions regarding marketing budgets and that within itself is why it deserves a 10.
Read full review
Semrush
SEMRush has a slight learning curve, but everything is organized really well. Once you learn where everything is, using the software and running reports is incredibly easy. You can easily add new projects, get help for improving on-page SEO, and there are even video tutorials that walk you through the whole system if you still feel uncomfortable with it.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
Google
No answers on this topic
Semrush
Semrush available when you need it!
Read full review
Performance
Google
No answers on this topic
Semrush
SemRush performs well with few errors!
Read full review
Support Rating
Google
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
Semrush
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
Google
No answers on this topic
Semrush
I did it by myself and do not have a comment!
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
Google
SEMRush is a supplementary tool we use to provide competitive analysis. While it does, or should, provide the same data that Search Console does, but I only fully trust Search Console when it comes to basic performance in Google for the sites we develop and own. SEMRush, and other products like it, does provide much more in-depth insights that can help drive business decisions, including site performance on other search engines, along putting organic and paid search performance in one spot. However, SEMRush costs money while Search Console is free.
Read full review
Semrush
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
Google
No answers on this topic
Semrush
Semrush is flexible and scalable software which can be deployed across multiple departments and sites as needed.
Read full review
Return on Investment
Google
  • Given that this is a free tool, the return on investment has been particularly high - we've identified and addressed a few site issues that could have meant a reduction in search traffic.
  • Our organic search traffic has been on the rise in part due to the insights gained from the search traffic analytics provided within the console.
Read full review
Semrush
  • 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
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