The 8 best Surfer SEO alternatives in 2024

Surfer SEO has become one of the most popular SEO tools, but it's not the right solution for everyone. Thankfully, there are many good alternatives to Surfer SEO.

Surfer SEO's recent price changes and costly AI add-ons, such as article generation at $19 each, have made many users seek better solutions. Additionally, its accumulation of technical features over the last few years has made Surfer SEO complex to use and difficult to fully leverage.

Offering a free trial, the paid plans for Surfer SEO begin at $89 per month. For those requiring AI features—a necessity for anyone serious about SEO—the cost starts at $219 per month.

In this blog post, I'll highlight why you might need an alternative and list some of the best competitors to Surfer SEO to consider.

What are the best Surfer SEO alternatives?

The Surfer SEO alternatives you should consider are:

• SEO.AI
• SEMrush
• Ahrefs
• Jasper AI
• Marketmuse
• Ubersuggest
• Frase.io
• SE ranking

Why you might need an alternative to Surfer SEO

While Surfer SEO excels in analyzing vast amounts of data, it falls short in simplifying the implementation of its complex features and recommendations. Moreover, it employs old methodologies like TF-IDF, which were popular years ago but don't align with today's SEO strategies that focus more on creating helpful content that satisfied search intent.

For instance, in this article about SEO for family law firms, SurferSEO suggests inserting an excessive number of keywords and adding 36 headings, which is a keyword stuffing tactic that could potentially limit or harm your SEO in one of Google's algorithm updates:

The fact that AI features are add-ons on top of the existing tools makes it expensive for many small businesses and SEO freelancers.

What makes the best Surfer SEO alternative?

Based on my 20 years of experience in SEO, I find that the best SEO tools focuses on creating valuable content that ranks. So a good alternative to Surfer SEO should offer help in both creating new content and optimizing existing. It should not use old school keyword stuffing reccomendations, but instead align with Google's E-E-A-T principles and good communications that helps the user. It should deliver it's SEO reccomendations on robust data and give you useful competitor benchmarks that makes optimization quick to implement. The tool is easy to adopt and use; if it is, that's a plus, because it will allow you to focus even more on adding value instead of spending time navigating complex software.

For me, it's also important that the tool has demonstrated over the past year that it has adapted to changes in SEO and has embraced the new possibilities with AI, not just slapped AI features on, but actually rethought and integrated them into their existing set of features.

How I selected the best Surfer SEO alternatives

My list of the best Surfer SEO alternatives is gathered from the staff members of my Danish SEO agency, my own favorite tools, and also tools that have been mentioned again and again in the SEO community on X (Twitter).

Then I tested and compared selected features from each tool's ability to help you:

• A) Generate quality AI article drafts
• B) Optimize content with AI features
• C) Conduct keyword research and plan SEO content
• D) Compare pricing relative to Surfer SEO

The 8 best Surfer SEO alternatives

Here are the Surfer SEO competitors worth exploring:

1. SEO.AI for content driven SEO

SEO.AI has a free trial and premium plans starts at only $49 per month.

If creating and optimizing content is core to your SEO strategy, SEO.AI is the best alternative to Surfer SEO. In fact, we have built SEO.AI to democratize what used to be a discipline for nerds and make SEO accessible to anyone doing SEO, from small businesses to professional SEOs, marketing teams, and agencies.

Why use SEO.AI over Surfer SEO?

SEO.AI offers superior AI-generated content at a more affordable price, with a user-friendly editor enriched by advanced SEO scoring and built-in optimization tools. Unlike Surfer SEO's complex interface, SEO.AI provides a streamlined experience with ChatGPT integration, making it the smarter choice for both new and experienced users.

What’s the difference between SEO.AI and Surfer SEO?

Distinguishing SEO.AI from Surfer SEO reveals key differences in value and usability.

SEO.AI excels with affordable, high-quality AI content and a streamlined editor:

SEO.AI creates better AI drafts and at a lower cost

Like Surfer, SEO.AI features the ability to create full AI-generated content drafts. The quality surpasses that of Surfer SEO, and you can generate each draft at a fraction of the cost. For example, 10 AI drafts are included in SEO.AI's basic plan for just $49, whereas 10 AI articles would cost a minimum of $219 per month with Surfer SEO.

SEO.AI helps you optimize content with its powerful AI SEO Editor

SEO.AI's editor outperforms Surfer SEO's in almost every aspect. It's much easier and faster to use, with a more advanced SEO score based on competitor benchmarking, insights, and semantically rich keyword distribution, title competitiveness, and built-in AI optimization features.

Additionally, SEO.AI includes a ChatGPT-powered chat and an AI inline feature within the editor, making writing enjoyable again. In comparison, Surfer SEO has added feature after feature since its launch in 2017, making it particularly complex and challenging for new users to learn and utilize its features.

SEO.AI helps you plan your SEO content strategy

Keyword research should not be a complex and time-consuming task with so many keywords that it becomes difficult to plan what new content you need to create and what existing content you need to optimize.

SEO.AI offers a simple-to-use keyword research tool that helps you plan content quickly. For example, our AI Research tool delivers a quick brainstorm, making it easy to find valuable content opportunities and add them to your "Planned Content" tab. Features like simple keyword tagging and team member options help you create straightforward lists of what to focus on.

Surfer SEO has cool features like their topic cluster tool and content planner, but in contrast to SEO.AI, it can become difficult for the average user to navigate all its features, use them properly, and also act on the insights. If you are into details and a professional SEO, Surfer SEO might give you what you need, but if you are into...

SEO.AI offers attractive pricing options

Surfer SEO, with its thousands of users and established brand in the SEO community, regularly increases its prices as a smart business strategy to maximize profits. However, for many existing Surfer SEO users, especially for the small business and agencies, the higher pricing is the main reason they consider alternatives. I know this because every week we welcome new users to SEO.AI who have switched from Surfer SEO, attracted by our competitive pricing. When people realize that we offer better rates, are easier to use, and even deliver higher quality in AI content creation and optimization, the switch becomes an easy decision.

As an example, the SEO.AI Premium plan offers 50 AI articles for $199, while Surfer SEO charges $979 for the same quantity.

2. SEMrush for in-depth keyword research

SEMrush has a free trial, and its premium plans start at $129.95 per month.

For SEO marketers who prioritize in-depth keyword research and competitive analysis, SEMrush stands out as a formidable Surfer SEO alternative. SEMrush has established itself as a powerhouse in the SEO industry, offering a robust set of tools that cater to the needs of seasoned SEO professionals and large-scale marketing teams.

Why choose SEMrush over Surfer SEO?

SEMrush goes beyond the basics with its extensive keyword database and competitive intelligence capabilities. It provides users with a wealth of data on keyword trends, search volumes, and CPC, which is crucial for crafting a data-driven SEO strategy. Additionally, SEMrush's backlink analytics and site audit features offer a 360-degree view of your SEO performance.

How does SEMrush differ from Surfer SEO?

With its depth and breadth of keyword data and SEO insights, SEMrush distinguishes itself.

SEMrush's key features:

• Robust Keyword Analytics: SEMrush offers in-depth insights into keyword difficulty, search volume, and competitive density, surpassing Surfer SEO's capabilities.
• Detailed Market Overview: Gain competitive intelligence with SEMrush's Market Explorer and Traffic Analytics to spot trends and understand competitor strategies.
• Efficient Client Management: Streamline agency operations with SEMrush's tools for tracking timelines, budgets, and communicating client progress and ROI.

3. Ahrefs for competitor research

Ahrefs premium plans starting at $99 per month.

Ahrefs serves as a robust alternative to Surfer SEO for those focusing on competitor analysis within their SEO strategy. I have used Ahrefs for over ten years, and today it's almost a habit because it quickly provides me with an overview of a given domain and inspires me to create SEO strategies for ourselves or our clients at my SEO agency.

Why use Ahrefs over Surfer SEO?

Ahrefs excels in competitor research, offering detailed insights into backlink profiles, keyword rankings, and content performance. Its comprehensive datasets are valuable for analyzing competitors' keyword and backlink strategies.

What’s the difference between Ahrefs and Surfer SEO?

The distinction between Ahrefs and Surfer SEO lies in their specialized functionalities.

Ahrefs' key features include:

• Backlink Analysis: Ahrefs provides insights into competitors' link-building strategies and identifies high-quality link opportunities.
• Rank Tracking and Keyword Research: Ahrefs surpasses Surfer SEO with advanced ranking tracking and comprehensive keyword research tools.
• Competitor Content Performance: Ahrefs analyzes competitors' top-performing content to guide effective content strategy.

4. Jasper AI for marketing teams

Jasper offers a free trial, and their premium plans start at $49 per month.

Launched in 2021, Jasper AI has quickly become a key player in AI content generation, with 791,530 organic monthly visitors according to SEMrush estimates. It's an excellent Surfer SEO alternative for marketing teams needing to produce content for various purposes at scale.

Why choose Jasper AI over Surfer SEO?

Jasper helps you focus on creating content in your brand voice for many types of content in a user-friendly editor. Jasper has basic SEO templates and assists with some basic SEO tasks. It also offers an integration with Surfer SEO if you need scoring against your ranking competitors.

How does Jasper AI differ from Surfer SEO?

Jasper AI received a $125 million Series A funding round, which is evident in its polished design. They offer a great user experience that simplifies content generation with AI.

Jaspers' key features include:

• Content Consistency: Jasper AI ensures all content adheres to your brand's messaging and strategic goals, maintaining consistency across platforms.
• Team Efficiency: Jasper AI enhances project management and communication, streamlining workflows and simplifying content adaptation and review processes.
• Content Creation Enhancement: Jasper AI aids in developing content that meets brand standards and marketing objectives, facilitating the transformation of ideas into comprehensive campaigns with supporting visuals.

Here you can see a list of good Jasper AI alternatives.

5. Marketmuse for content strategy

MarketMuse offers a free trial, and their premium plans start at $149 per month.

Although MarketMuse hasn't evolved significantly in recent years (it was founded in 2013), it's undeniable that the tool offers a range of robust features that are effective for creating a solid content strategy. Tactically, I believe MarketMuse's SEO scoring surpasses Surfer SEO's, even though it also relies on a somewhat outdated TF-IDF-like model.

Why choose Marketmuse over Surfer SEO?

If content strategy is important, MarketMuse is a good alternative to Surfer SEO. Furthermore, MarketMuse has a simpler SEO Editor and a less complex score than Surfer SEO.

How does Marketmuse differ from Surfer SEO?

The scoring models of both tools are recognizable, yet they differ in approach. Surfer SEO may suggest heavy keyword usage, while MarketMuse recommends a maximum of 10 mentions of a keyword, avoiding excessive repetition.

MarketMuse's key features include:

• Content Benchmarking: MarketMuse benchmarks content against competitors, providing a score to gauge search engine performance potential and suggesting SEO improvements.
• Content Drafts: Tools provided by MarketMuse facilitate the creation of content drafts in line with SEO best practices, making the content development process more efficient.
• Topic Research: MarketMuse aids in the discovery and targeting of relevant topics, ensuring content is both optimized for search engines and engaging for the audience.

6. Ubersuggest for all-in-one SEO features

Ubersuggest offers a free trial, and premium plans start at $29 USD.er month.

Ubersuggest, which launched in 2011, was one of the small, smart tools that originally scraped Google Suggest. I often used it as a convenient tool to generate keyword ideas. It was acquired by Neil Patel in February 2017 for $120,000 and has since grown into a popular all-in-one SEO tool.

Why choose Ubersuggest over Surfer SEO?

Ubersuggest provides a comprehensive set of all-in-one SEO features at a more affordable price compared to Surfer SEO.

How does Ubersuggest differ from Surfer SEO?

Ubersuggest sets itself apart with a simpler AI Writer for content generation and offers affordable tools for domain analysis and keyword research, providing basic insights into trends and volumes.

Ubersuggest's key features include:

• AI Writer 2.0: An AI-powered content creation alternative to Surfer SEO.
• Domain Overview: Conduct competitive keyword analysis on any domain.
• Keyword Research: Receive keyword suggestions with analytics on volume and trends.

7. Frase.io for template based SEO

Frase.io has a free trial, and premium plans start at only $15 per month.

Founded in Boston in 2017, Frase.io has established itself as a competent tool in the AI content generation and SEO space.

Despite not having significantly expanded its feature set since its acquisition in 2022 by Copysmith, which also bought Rytr, Frase remains a viable alternative for Surfer SEO users. Frase.io provides AI content templates and an SEO scoring system similar to Surfer SEO's at a lower cost.

Why choose Frase.io over Surfer SEO?

Frase.io emerges as a cost-effective alternative to Surfer SEO, offering a similar suite of features, including robust AI content creation tools and a similar SEO scoring system, all at a more accessible price point.

What’s the difference between Frase.io and Surfer SEO?

Frase.io sets itself apart from Surfer SEO with its AI-generated content briefs, offering customizable SEO article templates and competitive pricing, which is the main reason many Surfer SEO users are seeking alternatives.

Frase.io's key features include:

• AI-Driven Research Panel: Quickly analyze competitors and SERP metrics.
• Instant Content Briefs: Generate optimized outlines in seconds with AI.
• Project Management Tools: Streamline workflows with templates, integrations, and collaboration features.

8. SE ranking for rank tracking

SE Ranking offers a free trial, and premium plans start at $49 per month.

Since its launch in 2013 by founder Valery Kurilov, SE Ranking has quickly risen to prominence, becoming a top choice for rank tracking and competing with industry giants like Ahrefs.

Boasting a substantial user base of over 500,000, SE Ranking has evolved beyond its core feature of rank tracking into an all-in-one SEO tool, now also including an AI writer that may be what you are looking for in an alternative to Surfer SEO.

Why choose SE Ranking over Surfer SEO?

SE Ranking offers a comprehensive suite of SEO tools and, with its AI Writer add-on, you can get 10 AI articles for $78—a stark contrast to Surfer SEO's $219—making it a cost-effective and feature-rich alternative.

How does SE Ranking  differ from Surfer SEO?

SE Ranking differentiates from Surfer SEO by offering a broader set of SEO tools, including a dedicated rank tracker and a cost-effective AI writer as part of its all-in-one platform.

SE Ranking's key features include:

• AI Writer: Alternative to Surfer SEO's content editor for AI-generated articles.
• On-Page SEO Checker: Provides essential analysis similar to Surfer SEO's capabilities.
• Rank Tracker: Essential for monitoring keyword rankings, available in SE Ranking.

Surfer SEO alternatives comparison table

Explore the top Surfer SEO alternatives in the comparison table below, detailing pricing, strengths, and key features:

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