Is Semrush Free? Free Plan, Trial and Limits in 2026

What is the Semrush free plan?

The Semrush free plan is a permanent account that costs $0 and needs no credit card. According to Semrush's pricing page, it includes 1 demo project and 10 reports a day across its main tools. Its help pages add a limited set of AI Visibility features.

It suits occasional lookups, such as checking one competitor or one keyword before you write a page. It does not suit ongoing tracking or client work.

What are the limits of a free Semrush account?

The limits are tight enough that you will feel them within an hour of real work. A December 2025 Semrush blog post lists the per-tool limits below. These may have shifted since, because the current pricing page does not repeat them.

For a small site, 100 audit pages and 10 tracked keywords can be useful. For anything larger, they are a preview.

How does the Semrush free trial work?

The Semrush free trial gives new users 7 days of paid features, and it turns into a paid subscription unless you cancel. Semrush's trial page lists the 7-day offer, and a September 2026 post confirms it for Semrush One.

Some details are worth knowing first:

• One go per toolkit. Each toolkit trial can be activated once per account.
• No exports. Exports are disabled during trials.
• Automatic billing. The refund policy says your first payment is charged when the trial ends unless you cancel.
• Promo length varies. Some partner pages advertise 14 days, and affiliates often promote these. The standard offer is 7 days.

Plan the trial before you start it. Pick a real task, such as a full audit plus a competitor review, and finish it inside the window.

How do you cancel Semrush before you are charged?

You cancel by submitting Semrush's cancellation request from your account, and you should do it at least 3 business days before the trial ends. The refund policy says unpaid trials and free accounts are cancelled within 3 business days of your request.

Four steps keep this simple:

1. Set a reminder for day 3. That leaves a margin for the processing time.
2. Log in and open the cancellation form. Semrush says an incomplete form can get a request denied.
3. Keep the confirmation. Save the email in case of a billing dispute.
4. Check your statement. Confirm that no charge appears after the trial date.

If you miss it on an annual order, the policy gives 7 calendar days from an initial order for a refund.

What free Semrush tools can you use without an account?

You can use 19 free tools without signing up, according to the Semrush free tools page. These include:

• Backlink Checker
• Keyword Tool
• Website Traffic Checker
• SERP Checker
• Website Authority Checker
• AI Search Visibility Checker
• Plagiarism Checker

Semrush Academy also offers free marketing courses. These are a good way to learn SEO whether or not you ever pay for the product.

How much does Semrush cost after the free version?

Semrush pricing starts at $139 a month for the SEO plan, and annual billing saves up to 17%. These are the current self-serve plans from the pricing page.

Extra users start at $45 a month. If you run several sites, that line and the website limit often matter more than the headline price.

Is the Semrush free plan enough?

The free plan is enough if you check a few keywords or competitors a week on one site. It is not enough for tracking rankings over time, auditing a large site or running client work.

Pair the free account with Google Search Console, which shows your real queries and clicks for free. That combination gets a small site surprisingly far.

What are the best free alternatives to Semrush?

The best free alternatives are a set of focused tools, because no single free product covers everything. Google Search Console covers your real search data, Ahrefs Free covers sites you have verified, and Google Keyword Planner covers keyword ideas.

Seowly's free SEO tools add quick Open Graph and llms.txt checks. For paid options, our guide to Semrush alternatives compares seven tools with checked prices, and we cover the Ahrefs side in the best Ahrefs alternatives.

What mistakes should you avoid with Semrush for free?

The most expensive mistake is starting a trial without a cancellation plan. These are the others to watch for:

• Confusing the free account with the trial. One never bills you, and the other does.
• Starting the trial too early. Prepare your domains and keyword list first, because 7 days goes fast.
• Relying on exports. They are off during trials, so screenshot or copy what you need.
• Trusting third-party trial lengths. Affiliate pages promote longer offers, so check the actual sign-up page.
• Using a virtual card. Semrush's billing FAQ says these are not accepted.
• Opening several accounts for more reports. Build a real workflow on one account, or pay for a tool you will actually use.

What won't Semrush do, free or paid?

Semrush shows you the backlink opportunities, but it does not earn the links. On any plan, you still find the right contact, write the pitch, send it and follow up.

That is where Seowly fits in. It is an autonomous link building agent that runs outreach from your own inbox, and it works alongside a tool like Semrush. It costs $39 a month for up to 5 brands, and its free opportunity report needs no card. See what sustained outreach built in our Love Tales case study, and set a target with our guide on how many backlinks you need to rank.

The bottom line on whether Semrush is free

Semrush is free for light use, with 1 project and 10 reports a day and no card. Use the 7-day trial for one planned project, and cancel at least 3 business days early if you do not plan to stay. For weekly work, compare the $139 plan with a focused tool before you commit. Limits change, so confirm them on Semrush's pages.