Screaming Frog vs Semrush: Which Tool Is Better?

Let’s dive into the battle of SEO tools: “Screaming Frog vs Semrush.”

Semrush is huge in the SEO world.

They’ve got over 10 million users!

They offer a massive keyword database with 25.3 billion keywords and 808 million domain profiles. That’s a lot of options, right?

Plus, they have a backlink database with over 43 trillion links.

Crazy, huh?

Now, Screaming Frog, based in the UK, is known for its SEO Spider Tool. It’s a favorite for many SEOs for technical audits.

You can crawl 500 URLs for free or get more features with a paid license.

This tool helps find broken links, audit redirects, and even check out your page titles and meta data. It’s like having a Googlebot-like robot checking your website to make sure everything’s running smoothly.

But, which one’s better? That’s what we’ll discuss here.

In this article:

Let’s dive into the details and see which tool wins. We’ll start by comparing various key aspects of Semrush vs Screaming Frog.

Screaming Frog vs Semrush: Differences

Criteria	Semrush	Screaming Frog
Launch Year	2008	2010
Primary Function	All-in-one SEO software	SEO agency and tool creator
Specialized In	SEO, PPC, SMM, Keyword Research, Competitive Research, PR, Content and Digital Marketing, etc.	SEO services, including SEO Spider Tool and Log File Analyzer Tool
User Base	Used by small, medium, and large customers worldwide	Over 1000 companies worldwide
SEO Services	Keyword Research, On-Page SEO, Rank Tracking, Link Building	SEO Consultancy, Keyword and Market Research, Technical SEO Audit, Onsite SEO
Additional Services	Content, market research, advertising, social media	Search engine marketing, pay-per-click management, social media marketing, content marketing, etc.
Pricing Plans	Pro: $119.95/month, Guru: $229.95/month, Business: $449.95/month	Contact for quote; SEO Spider Tool: $259/year, Log File Analyzer: $139/year
Unique Features	– 6 tools for keyword research – 3 tools for on-page SEO – Comprehensive backlink database	– Detailed SEO campaign data – User-friendly interface – Advanced features in SEO Spider Tool
Global Recognition	Highly rated worldwide	Award-winning platform
Special Offers	Up to 17% savings on annual payment	Free version of Spider Crawling tool with limited features
Installation Requirement	Web-based	Desktop application
SEO Tool Capabilities	– Extensive keyword research and management tools – Site audit tool – Position tracking	– In-depth technical SEO audit – SEO Spider tool for onsite analysis – Log File Analyzer
Additional Tools/Features	– Tools for content, market research, advertising, social media – Competitive analysis tools	– Tools for digital PR, copywriting, Google Analytics consultancy
Web Crawling Features	Basic crawling features	Advanced crawling features, including finding orphan pages and auditing redirects
Marketing/Analysis Tools	Comprehensive suite for various SEO and marketing needs	Focused mainly on SEO with additional services in marketing
Target Audience	Marketers, SEO agencies, businesses of all sizes	SEO specialists, larger websites for in-depth technical audits
Reputation	Powerful platform, highly rated	Evolved, award-winning platform
	Try Semrush ⟶	Try Screaming Frog ⟶

Semrush vs Screaming Frog

Screaming Frog vs Semrush: Overview

We’ll start by knowing about this tools from the basics.

What Is Screaming Frog?

Screaming Frog is a UK-based SEO agency known for its excellent SEO services and tools, especially the SEO Spider Tool and the Log File Analyzer Tool. These tools are great for checking your website’s health, like finding broken links or making sure your content is top-notch.

Since starting in 2010, Screaming Frog has grown a lot. Now, it’s used by over 1000 companies globally, which shows how much businesses trust it.

Here are some of its top features:

SEO Consultancy: Screaming Frog gives expert advice to boost your SEO.
Keyword and Market Research: It helps find the best keywords for your site.
Technical SEO Audit: This tool checks your site for any technical issues.
Onsite SEO: The SEO Spider Tool helps fix common SEO problems.

Screaming Frog doesn’t only help with your website’s SEO but also offers a variety of other services. It includes things like search engine marketing, managing your pay-per-click campaigns, and even helping with your social media.

What’s cool is their technical SEO and content marketing services. They can even help with Google Analytics, making sure you understand your website’s data well.

Pros of Screaming Frog

Excellent for in-depth technical audits, identifying issues like broken links, duplicate content, and more.
Provides thorough, data-rich insights into website structure and SEO elements.
Allows for a high degree of customization in crawling and reporting.
Capable of handling large websites with its robust crawling capabilities.
Regularly updated with new features and improvements.

But, like anything, there are a few downsides.

Cons of Screaming Frog

Screaming Frog can be complex and overwhelming for beginners in SEO.
The free version crawls only up to 500 URLs.
It can be heavy on computer resources.
There is no Cloud-Based Option. It is a desktop application, lacking the convenience of cloud-based access.
Limited SEO Features: Mainly focused on technical SEO, with less emphasis on other SEO aspects like keyword research or content optimization.
No Integrated Reporting: Reports are data-rich but lack the integrated, visual reporting capabilities of some competitors.

It’s mainly focused on technical SEO, with less emphasis on other SEO aspects like keyword research or content optimization. But overall, it’s a great SEO tool, especially if you’re really into the technical bits of SEO.

What Is Semrush?

Semrush is an all-in-one SEO software that really helps people and businesses boost their online presence. It’s like a big toolbox with 50+ SEO tools for almost everything related to online marketing. Starting in 2008 with a small team, Semrush has grown big time. Now, it’s a favorite around the world, used by all sorts of customers, from small businesses to big companies.

Here are some top features and benefits of Semrush:

Keyword Research: Keyword Magic tool for in-depth keyword research.
Competitor Analysis: In-depth insights into competitors’ websites.
Site Audit: Identifies and suggests fixes for SEO issues on websites.
Backlink Analysis: Monitors and evaluates backlink profiles.
Link Building: Helps you find strong links to improve your site.
Position Tracking: Tracks the ranking of keywords over time.
On-Page SEO: Helps your website play nice with Google.
Content Marketing Toolkit: Create and optimize content for better engagement.
Social Media Management: Manage and analyze social media performance.
PPC Keyword Tool: Assists in managing pay-per-click advertising campaigns.
Brand Monitoring: Tracks brand mentions and online reputation.
Traffic Analytics: Provides insights into website traffic and user behavior.

As you can see, Semrush isn’t just about SEO.

It’s also great for other things like content marketing, where it helps you create optimized content that people want to read.

It’s also handy for checking out your competition.

You can see what keywords they’re using and how well they’re doing. This helps you figure out how to be even better.

When we talk about the pros of Semrush, there are quite a few.

Pros of Semrush

Wide range of tools and features for all aspects of SEO.
Intuitive and easy to navigate, even for beginners.
Provides reliable and up-to-date data in most cases.
Continuously updated with the latest features and SEO trends.
Combines SEO, content, social media, and market research tools.
Offers insights for various regions and languages.
Generates clear, detailed reports for analysis and decision-making.
Monitors keyword rankings accurately and efficiently.
Provides strong support and learning resources.

It’s like a Swiss Army knife for SEO – it has a tool for almost everything.

Whether it’s finding the right keywords, checking how well your site is doing, or figuring out what your competition is up to, Semrush has your back. It’s also user-friendly, which means you don’t have to be an expert to use it.

However, there are a couple of cons.

Cons of Semrush

Semrush can be a bit pricey, especially if you’re just starting out.
Because it has so many features, it might feel a bit overwhelming at first.

But, overall, Semrush offers a world-class SEO software and once you get the hang of it, it’s a super helpful tool that can really make a difference in how well your website performs in terms of SEO.

Try Semrush Free for 7 Days

Screaming Frog vs Semrush: Tools Offered

Both are great SEO tools – similar, but different in what they offer.

Screaming Frog crawls through your site to find problems like broken links or duplicate content. This is useful because it helps you fix things that could be making your website less friendly to Google. It is very focused on the technical side of SEO, making sure everything on your site is in tip-top shape.

Semrush, on the other hand, is like a Swiss Army knife for online marketing.

It’s not just about fixing your website technically; it’s also about making your online presence really strong. With Semrush, you get a bunch of tools for keyword research, tracking how well your website ranks on Google, and even spying on your competition to see what they’re up to.

So, here’s what stands out:

Screaming Frog is awesome for digging deep into your website and fixing technical stuff.
Semrush is amazing for a broader approach, helping you with keywords, competition, and overall online strategy.

Who’s the winner? Well, it really depends on what you need.

So, if you’re all about the nitty-gritty details of your website, Screaming Frog is your go-to. But if you’re looking for a tool that helps with a bit of everything in digital marketing, Semrush is the one for you.

So, it’s kind of a tie – both are winners in their own way!

Screaming Frog vs Semrush: Web Crawler

Web crawlers are tools that go through websites, checking everything to make sure it’s working right and finding any problems.

Screaming Frog is known for its super-strong web crawling.

It can crawl up to 500 URLs for free, but with a license, this number goes way up, making it great for big websites. Screaming Frog is fantastic for finding detailed issues on your site, like broken links, duplicate content, and more.

Semrush, on the other hand, does more than just crawl websites.

Its web crawler is part of a bigger set of tools.

It does pretty much the same thing when you use its website audit tool.

But, it can also help with understanding your competition and finding the right keywords. It’s not just about finding tech problems on your site; it’s about making your entire online presence stronger.

So, if you need a tool that’s super-focused on crawling your website and finding technical issues, Screaming Frog is the champion. But if you want a tool that gives you a broader view, including website crawling but also lots of other cool online marketing stuff, Semrush is the way to go.

Screaming Frog vs Semrush: Reporting

Screaming Frog is really detailed in its reporting.

It’s like getting a report that tells you everything about your website’s health – from small errors to big issues. Frankly, Screaming Frog gives you lots of data, which is super helpful if you’re into the technical side of websites. It’s like having a checklist of what’s good and what needs fixing on your site.

And, yes, it can also be overwhelming for beginners new to SEO.

Semrush, though, offers reports that are not just about your website’s health. It’s about your website health if you are using the site audit too.

But, it doesn’t end there.

In fact, it gives you a bigger picture.

Its report can include things like how your site is doing compared to your competitors, which keywords are working well for you, and even helps in your advertising strategies. These reports are more about helping you understand your whole online presence, not just your website.

So, if you love details and want to know every little thing about your website’s technical side, Screaming Frog is your winner.

But, if you’re looking for reports that help you see the bigger picture of your online marketing, including your website, Semrush is the top choice.

Screaming Frog vs Semrush: Ease of Use

Screaming Frog is super detailed and gives you lots of information about your website, which is great. But, this also means it can be a bit tricky to use, especially if you’re new to SEO tools. It’s like needing to read the instructions a few times before you really get how to play the game.

Semrush, on the other hand, is more like a user-friendly tool.

It has a lot more features and tool, when compared to Screaming Frog, but it’s designed to be easier to use. Even if you’re not an SEO expert, you can find your way around Semrush without too much trouble.

So, in the battle of Screaming Frog vs Semrush for ease of use, Semrush might have the edge. It’s set up in a way that’s simpler for more people to use, even if they’re not tech-savvy. But keep in mind, Screaming Frog has its own strengths, especially if you like digging into technical details.

Screaming Frog vs Semrush: Pricing

Both have their costs, but they offer different things for the price.

Screaming Frog has a free version that lets you crawl up to 500 URLs, which is great if you just want to check out a smaller website.

But, if you have a bigger website or need more features, you’ll need their paid license, which costs around $259 per year. This isn’t too expensive, especially if you’re really into the technical side of SEO.

Semrush, on the other hand, offers more features, but it’s also more expensive. Their pricing starts at $129.95/month for the Pro plan, and there are other costlier Semrush plans with more features – up to $499.95/month.

If you’re running a large business or need a lot of different tools for your online marketing, Semrush might be worth the price.

But it’s definitely a bigger investment compared to Screaming Frog.

So, who wins in Screaming Frog vs Semrush for pricing?

If you’re looking for something more affordable to take care of the technical SEO for a smaller website, Screaming Frog is great. But if you need a bunch of different tools and have the budget for it, Semrush could be the better choice.

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Screaming Frog vs Semrush: Final Verdict

So far, we’ve compared Screaming Frog vs Semrush a lot. Both tools have their strengths, but if I had to pick one, I’d lean towards Semrush.

Here’s why:

Semrush is super versatile, not just fixing your website’s technical bits but also helping you shine in areas like keyword research, competition analysis, content marketing, PPC, and overall online strategy.

What’s really cool about Semrush is how user-friendly it is. Even if you’re just starting out, you’ll find it quite easy to use. Plus, with Semrush, you get a clearer, bigger picture of how your site stacks up against others.

And here’s something exciting – Semrush offers a free trial!

Trying out the “free trial of Semrush” is a smart move. You get to experience firsthand how awesome it is without any commitment.

Now, don’t get me wrong, Screaming Frog is great, especially if you’re into the nitty-gritty of your website’s technical health.

But, if your budget allows, why not use both? Screaming Frog can handle the deep technical dive, and Semrush can manage the rest.

In summary, both Screaming Frog and Semrush are pretty good options for different types of needs. For a broader range of tools, my vote goes to Semrush. It’s a must-have for anyone serious about boosting their online presence. Plus, with the free version, there’s no reason not to give Semrush a try!