Head to head · Semrush

Semrush vs DataForSEO in 2026: what each costs, what moves, and who switched

Moving from Semrush to DataForSEO: what DataForSEO's importer carries over, 3 public accounts of the switch and what comparison pages claim, labeled by who wrote them, plus how to leave Semrush. Every item links its source.

By Stackcut · Published · Catalog of 2026-10-14 · Vendor prices checked 2026-09-25

Modeled, not measured. Savings use public prices and planning assumptions: the bill you stop paying, minus the new tool, your upkeep time and your setup time at $50/hour, over the first 12 months. Results marked Tested by Stackcut are Stackcut's own test, not a customer. Every price links the page it came from.

The short answer

  • DataForSEO's official guide covers setting up, but nothing carries over from Semrush automatically; 3 things stay behind. Details
  • 3 public accounts of making this switch: 3 switched. Read them
  • 2 comparison pages checked, each labeled with who wrote it. What they claim
  • Switching help: New accounts get an unlimited-duration free trial: $1 of API credit (about 833 SERPs, or 20,000 backlink/keyword lookups) to test before paying. Not switch-specific. dataforseo.com

What Semrush and DataForSEO cost

List prices from each vendor's pricing page, as stored in the Stackcut catalog. Each price links its source.

PlanBilled monthlyBilled yearly (per month)What you get
Semrush SEO$139/mo$117.33/mo5 websites, 500 tracked keywords; position tracking, site audit
Semrush Starter (SEO + AI Search)$199/mo$165.17/mo5 websites, 500 keywords; plus 50 AI prompts tracked daily
Semrush Pro+$299/mo$248.17/mo15 websites, 1,500 keywords; historical data, multi-location
Semrush Advanced$549/mo$455.67/mo40 websites, 5,000 keywords; API access
  • Semrush free plan: 1 demo project, 10 reports per day across tools semrush.com
  • DataForSEO free plan: Free trial credit dataforseo.com

DataForSEO's plans aren't in the Stackcut catalog yet; check DataForSEO's own site.

What comparison pages say

Each claim as the page makes it, and who it favors. Vendor pages are labeled; weigh them accordingly.

2 pages compared, 1 of them written by one of the two vendors. Claims are the pages' own, paraphrased; prices in them may be older than the catalog prices above.

AboutThe page saysFavorsSource
PriceSemrush's Pro plan runs $139.94/month while DataForSEO is pay-as-you-go, which reviewers say gives precise spend control.DataForSEOG2 independent
ReliabilityDataForSEO keyword data is said to align closely with Google Ads for accurate search-volume metrics.DataForSEOG2 independent
PriceDataForSEO needs only a $50 minimum deposit and no recurring fee, versus Semrush's cited $499.95/month plan for API access.DataForSEODataForSEO vendor page
LimitsDataForSEO credits never expire, while Semrush's usage resets monthly with no rollover.DataForSEODataForSEO vendor page
SupportDataForSEO advertises 24/7 human support versus Semrush's 24/5 weekday support.DataForSEODataForSEO vendor page

Moving from Semrush to DataForSEO

What DataForSEO's importer carries over, what it leaves behind, and any help it offers switchers.

To DataForSEO

Official guide dataforseo.com · Tools: Postman, DataForSEO Postman collection

Doesn't move: keyword & SERP data; Semrush's historical keyword/backlink index; Any existing Semrush reports or dashboards. dataforseo.com

Watch out for:

  • No built-in dashboard - you build your own reporting on top of the API dataforseo.com
  • The official guide doesn't mention Semrush; you design the replacement reports yourself dataforseo.com

Switching help: New accounts get an unlimited-duration free trial: $1 of API credit (about 833 SERPs, or 20,000 backlink/keyword lookups) to test before paying. Not switch-specific. dataforseo.com

From each destination's own migration docs and switching pages, plus community write-ups where no official guide exists, each checked against its page. Confirm terms on the linked page before you rely on an offer.

People who moved from Semrush to DataForSEO

3 public accounts of leaving Semrush: 3 switched. Summaries are ours; each links the original, and each was checked against its page before it appeared here.

Switched to DataForSEO · Aug 2026

A 5-star Trustpilot reviewer switched from Semrush to DataForSEO after Semrush's price kept climbing, calling it a cost-effective alternative with comparable functionality. Trustpilot

Switched to DataForSEO · May 2026

A 5-star Trustpilot reviewer says routing an AI agent through DataForSEO's API is faster and more capable than what they got from Semrush. Trustpilot

Switched to DataForSEO · Mar 2026 · 18+ months of production use across 450+ monthly articles/agency workload

An 18-month production user (450+ articles/month) reports DataForSEO running 70-97% cheaper than Ahrefs/Semrush subscriptions, with strong accuracy but no built-in dashboard and a real learning curve. NextGrowth

How to leave Semrush

Export first, then cancel. Every step links the vendor's own help page, checked on the date shown.

How to leave Semrush

Export first

  • Position Tracking (rankings, pages, competitors, devices, featured snippets): Position Tracking → each tab → Export (XLSX, CSV, Google Sheets, PDF). Historical date-range export not verified; SE Ranking can import Semrush ranking history. semrush.com
  • Keyword lists (Keyword Strategy Builder, formerly Keyword Manager): Keyword Strategy Builder → list → Export (XLSX, CSV). semrush.com
  • Site Audit (crawled pages, issues, compare crawls): Site Audit → Export (PDF, data exports (format not stated)). semrush.com
  • Projects as a whole: No bulk project export found: export each tool separately.

What you lose

  • Semrush's own keyword and backlink index and its history
  • Ads, social, PR and content suites
  • Scheduled PDF reports

Cancel

  1. Export everything you want to keep first (see export).
  2. Logged in, open semrush.com/cancel (also reachable from Subscription Info → Contact us).
  3. Choose "All Semrush subscriptions" to cancel everything; add-ons need a separate Contact Form request, apps are cancelled under My Apps → Settings.
  4. Confirm through the emailed link within 24 hours.
  5. Check Subscription Info shows "Recurring: Inactive".
Takes effect
At the end of the committed term; the account then drops to a free account.
Refunds
7-day money-back guarantee only for initial subscriptions with a term of 12 months or more (and initial add-ons); ask for it in the cancellation form's comment field. No refunds for month-to-month plans.
Notice
None beyond cancelling before the renewal date.
After you cancel
Website Monitoring folders are kept for a 30-day grace period, then deleted.
Sources: semrush.com semrush.com

FAQ

Can I move my Semrush data to DataForSEO?

It doesn't move: keyword & SERP data; Semrush's historical keyword/backlink index; Any existing Semrush reports or dashboards. dataforseo.com

What do I lose when I leave Semrush?

Per Semrush's own pages, leaving or downgrading loses: Semrush's own keyword and backlink index and its history; Ads, social, PR and content suites; Scheduled PDF reports. semrush.com

Does DataForSEO help people switch from Semrush?

New accounts get an unlimited-duration free trial: $1 of API credit (about 833 SERPs, or 20,000 backlink/keyword lookups) to test before paying. Not switch-specific. dataforseo.com

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