Semrush (Adobe)

Category: SEO/Content

Now Adobe-owned, but still sold independently.

Semrush is the broadest SEO and competitive research platform, covering keyword research, rank tracking, site audit, backlink analysis, competitor traffic estimates, advertising research, content tooling and local SEO, with a very large keyword and domain database behind it. Adobe acquired it for around 1.9 billion dollars, completing in April 2026, and it now trades as Semrush, an Adobe company. Importantly it is dual-tracked rather than absorbed: self-serve checkout, a free tier and a trial all still work with no Adobe login or sales gate, while Adobe has layered an enterprise product on top. AI visibility is now baked into the paid SEO tiers, with a standalone product alongside. There is a first-party MCP server with an official Claude connector, though it requires a qualifying paid plan and a minimum monthly API unit commitment.

Our verdict

Still the most complete research platform, and the breadth is the argument: keyword research, competitor traffic, ad intelligence and backlinks in one subscription genuinely replaces several tools. AI visibility being included in the paid SEO tiers rather than sold separately is a better deal than most competitors offer, and they published a UK-specific AI visibility index in October 2026, which suggests the local data is being taken seriously. On the acquisition, the honest answer is that nothing has changed for self-serve customers yet: checkout works, the free tier exists, and there is no evidence of a sunset. But it is now part of Adobe, so the long-term direction of the SMB product is a reasonable question to ask. The MCP server requires a minimum monthly API unit commitment on top of a qualifying plan, which effectively puts it on the higher tiers. Pricing is dollars only with no currency selector, so UK buyers carry the exchange rate.

Best for: Marketing teams who want one platform covering SEO, paid search research and competitor intelligence rather than three.

Pros

  • The most complete SEO and competitive research platform available
  • AI visibility included in paid SEO tiers rather than sold separately
  • Published a UK-specific AI visibility index, so local data is being taken seriously
  • First-party MCP server with an official Claude connector
  • Still fully self-serve post-acquisition, with a free tier and card checkout
  • Ad intelligence and competitor traffic alongside the SEO tooling

Cons

  • Now Adobe-owned, so the long-term direction of the self-serve product is a fair question
  • MCP requires a qualifying plan plus a minimum monthly API unit commitment
  • Dollars only with no currency selector, so UK buyers carry the exchange rate
  • UK and EU data residency not confirmable from public pages post-acquisition
  • The modular pricing structure makes it easy to end up paying for tracks you do not use
  • API units can be consumed unexpectedly by agentic workflows

Pricing: From $139/mo, free tier available (Freemium)

Rating: 4.5/5