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Mangools vs Semrush for freelancers and small agencies
Last checked: Oct 19, 2026. AI-assisted research. We have not tested these tools hands-on yet.
Short answer
Mangools Basic costs $37.70 USD a month billed annually ($61 USD monthly) for keyword, SERP, rank and link tools, with 200 keywords tracked weekly (vendor page, Oct 19, 2026). Semrush's SEO plan costs $139 USD a month, or $117.33 USD billed annually, for 5 websites, 500 keywords tracked daily and Site Audit. Pick Mangools for low-cost research; Semrush for daily tracking and audits.
How we chose what to compare
Freelancers and small agencies often start with Mangools for keyword research, then wonder whether to move up to Semrush when clients want more. We compared the two on the work that gets billed: keyword research, SERP analysis, rank tracking, backlink checks, site audits and client reporting.
We read the Mangools plans and pricing page and the Semrush prices page on Oct 19, 2026, rendering both in a headless browser and switching each between monthly and annual billing. We have not tested these tools hands-on yet, so we compare published prices and limits, not data accuracy. No ratings or scores.
Side by side (vendor pages, Oct 19, 2026)
| Mangools Basic | Mangools Agency | Semrush SEO | Semrush Pro+ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $61 USD/month | $141 USD/month | $139 USD/month | $299 USD/month |
| Annual billing | $37.70 USD/month ($452.40 USD/year) | $97.70 USD/month ($1,172.40 USD/year) | $117.33 USD/month | $248.17 USD/month |
| Websites or domains | Unlimited domains in rank tracking | Unlimited domains in rank tracking | 5 websites | 15 websites |
| Tracked keywords | 200, weekly | 1,500, daily | 500, daily | 1,500, daily |
| Keyword research | 100 lookups per 24 hours | 1,200 lookups per 24 hours | 3,000 Analytics searches a day | 5,000 Analytics searches a day |
| SERP analysis | 100 lookups per 24 hours | 1,200 per 24 hours | Inside keyword reports | Inside keyword reports |
| Backlinks | 100,000 rows a month | 1.2 million rows a month | Competitor analysis tools | Competitor analysis tools |
| Site audit | Not listed | Not listed | Site Audit included | AI-ready Site Audit |
| Extra seats | None on Basic | 5 extra seats available | From $45 USD/month | From $45 USD/month |
| Free access | KWFinder lookups without paying | Same | Free plan: 10 Analytics requests a day | Same |
| Link | See Mangools plans | See Mangools plans | See Semrush plans | See Semrush plans |
Between these sits Mangools Premium at $81 USD/month, or $52.70 USD/month billed annually, with 500 lookups a day, 700 keywords tracked weekly and 3 extra seats available. Semrush Starter is $199 USD/month, or $165.17 USD/month billed annually, with the same 5 websites and 500 tracked keywords as the SEO plan, plus fuller keyword and competitor tools, MCP access and AI visibility tracking.
Decision table
| If you | Choose | Why (vendor pages) |
|---|---|---|
| Mostly research keywords and SERPs for a few clients | Mangools Basic | $37.70 USD/month billed annually; 100 keyword and 100 SERP lookups a day |
| Need daily rank tracking under $150 USD a month | Semrush SEO | 500 keywords tracked daily for $139 USD/month |
| Need site audits | Semrush | Site Audit on every paid plan; Mangools lists no audit tool |
| Track many keywords cheaply, weekly is fine | Mangools Premium | 700 keywords weekly for $52.70 USD/month billed annually |
| Send white-label reports | Semrush plus Pro Report | $20 USD a month per report with branding and white-labeling |
| Want to try before paying | Either | Mangools 48-hour refund; Semrush free plan and 7-day trial |
Feature areas
Keyword research
Mangools KWFinder gives free lookups without a paid plan, and paid plans raise the limit to 100, 500 or 1,200 lookups per 24 hours. Basic returns 200 keyword suggestions per lookup, and Premium and Agency list unlimited suggestions. Semrush counts usage as Analytics searches: 3,000 a day on SEO, 5,000 on Pro+ and 10,000 on Advanced, per its pricing FAQ. Agencies running research across many clients should read keyword research for agencies, which sizes these limits against client counts.
SERP analysis
Mangools has a separate SERPChecker with its own daily limit (100 on Basic). Semrush shows SERP data inside its keyword and competitor reports. See SERP checking for freelancers.
Rank tracking
This is where the two differ most. Mangools Basic and Premium update rankings weekly, and only Agency updates daily. Every Semrush paid plan tracks daily, but caps websites: 5 on SEO and Starter, 15 on Pro+. Mangools tracks unlimited domains within its keyword total, which suits freelancers with many small sites.
Backlinks and competitors
Mangools LinkMiner limits backlink rows per month (100,000 on Basic). Semrush lists competitor analysis on the SEO plan and fuller competitor insight tools from Starter. For link-focused work, see backlink research for small agencies.
Audits and reporting
Semrush includes Site Audit on all paid plans. Its Base Report add-on is $10 USD a month and the Pro Report add-on, with branding and white-labeling, is $20 USD a month. Mangools lists shareable SERPWatcher reports and SiteProfiler domain checks but no technical audit.
Workflow: moving a freelancer from Mangools to Semrush
- List what you use in Mangools. Count daily lookups and tracked keywords per client from the last month.
- Match the plan. If you track under 500 keywords across 5 sites or fewer, the Semrush SEO plan fits. More sites means Pro+.
- Use the trial window. Semrush lists a 7-day trial; set up two real client projects in that week.
- Rebuild tracking. Export keyword lists from SERPWatcher and import them into Position Tracking.
- Decide on Mangools. Keep it only if you still rely on KWFinder for quick lookups; otherwise cancel before renewal.
If you only ever do steps 1 and 2 because you never need audits or daily tracking, staying on Mangools is the cheaper answer.
Who each vendor says its plans are for
Mangools describes Basic as "for solopreneurs, freelance SEOs and marketers", Premium as "for marketing teams and specialists" and Agency as "for professional SEOs and marketing agencies". Semrush describes its SEO plan as "for freelancers and small businesses", Starter as "for small teams and agencies" and Pro+ as "for growing teams and agencies scaling SEO and AI visibility".
Both now track AI search
Mangools bundles AI Search Watcher PRO with every plan, listing 500 monitored prompts. Semrush lists AI search tracking on the SEO plan, and 50 prompts tracked daily on Starter and 100 on Pro+. We have not tested either.
Pros and cons (from vendor pages)
Mangools pros: lowest entry price here; free KWFinder lookups; unlimited domains in rank tracking; 48-hour refund.
Mangools cons: weekly tracking below Agency; no site audit listed; daily lookup caps; no extra seats on Basic.
Semrush pros: daily tracking on every paid plan; Site Audit included; free plan and 7-day trial; report add-ons with white-labeling.
Semrush cons: higher entry price; website caps (5 on SEO and Starter); extra users from $45 USD/month; white-label reports cost extra per report.
Common mistakes when choosing between them
- Comparing annual against monthly. Mangools' annual discount is large ($37.70 USD vs $61 USD on Basic). Compare the same billing on both.
- Counting keywords but not websites. Semrush SEO caps you at 5 websites even if you track fewer than 500 keywords.
- Paying for daily tracking you do not report on. If clients see a monthly report, weekly updates may be enough.
Cost scenarios (list prices, Oct 19, 2026)
- Freelancer, 3 clients, research first: Mangools Basic at $37.70 USD/month billed annually.
- Freelancer, 5 clients, daily tracking and audits: Semrush SEO at $117.33 USD/month billed annually.
- Small agency, 12 sites, 1,200 keywords: Semrush Pro+ at $248.17 USD/month billed annually for daily tracking and audits, or Mangools Agency at $97.70 USD/month billed annually for daily tracking without audits. For agencies, also compare SE Ranking vs Semrush.
Questions to ask before you buy
- How many sites do you track? Semrush SEO and Starter cap you at 5 websites, and Pro+ at 15. Mangools has no domain cap within its keyword total.
- Do clients want branded reports? Semrush's Pro Report add-on is \$20 USD a month per report with white-labeling. Mangools offers SERPWatcher share links.
- Who else needs a login? Mangools Basic has no extra seats. Semrush extra users start at \$45 USD a month.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Mangools or Semrush? On Oct 19, 2026, Mangools Basic was $37.70 USD/month billed annually or $61 USD monthly. The Semrush SEO plan was $117.33 USD/month billed annually or $139 USD monthly.
Does Mangools have a free plan? Mangools offers free KWFinder lookups with a free account. Paid plans come with a full refund within 48 hours of payment, not for 2 consecutive subscriptions.
Does Semrush have a free plan? Yes. Semrush's free account allows 10 Analytics requests a day, one project and 10 tracked keywords. It also lists a 7-day free trial of paid plans.
Which tracks rankings daily? Every Semrush paid plan tracks daily. Mangools updates daily only on Agency (1,500 keywords); Basic and Premium update weekly.
Does Mangools do site audits? Mangools lists KWFinder, SERPChecker, SERPWatcher, LinkMiner and SiteProfiler, but no technical site audit. Semrush includes Site Audit on paid plans.
Can a small agency use Mangools instead of Semrush? Yes, if the work is mostly research and weekly tracking. If clients expect audits or white-label reports, see our Semrush alternatives guide for options in between.
Sources (checked Oct 19, 2026)
- Mangools plans and pricing: https://mangools.com/plans-and-pricing
- Mangools KWFinder: https://mangools.com/kwfinder
- Semrush prices and FAQ: https://www.semrush.com/prices/