Top 13 Options to Look at in 2025

13 Best Surfer SEO Alternatives Worth Your Attention

After carefully researching and comparing the available tools, we’ve hand-picked the top Surfer SEO alternatives that deserve your time. Here’s our top list for a quick look:

1. SE Ranking
2. MarketMuse
3. Clearscope
4. Frase
5. ChatGPT
6. Content Harmony
7. Scalenut
8. WriterZen
9. Copywritely
10. Topic
11. LSIGraph
12. Jasper AI
13. Semrush Writing Assistant

Every Surfer SEO competitor on this list has demonstrated a good combination of features, usability, pricing, value, and other benefits to make them worth your consideration. Now, let’s look at every option in detail to help you find the best match.

1. SE Ranking

Key Features

SE Ranking is a top-rated SEO platform that offers a 360-degree set of tools meant to handle different optimization tasks. The platform features tools like Rank Tracker, Competitor Analysis Tool, Backlink Checker, Website Audit, and many others. 

If you’re looking for the best Surfer SEO competitor, in particular, SE Ranking has a solution for you–Content Marketing Tool. The tool allows you to manage the complete content creation lifecycle, including:

• Research
• Brief development
• Writing and optimization
• Monitoring and control

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• A single platform for the entire content creation lifecycle.
• Intuitive interface.
• A comprehensive content score with practical suggestions for improvement.
• Customizable content parameters.
• Advanced AI writer powered by big data, OpenAI’s GPT-4, unique in-build AI algorithms.
• An opportunity to forecast traffic and track performance metrics to make your content thrive.
• An opportunity to use other SE Ranking tools for maximized SEO outcomes.

– Cons:

• The subscription price isn’t cheap but there is a 14-day free trial for new users and discounts for annual subscriptions.

Pricing

SE Ranking offers two pricing options that include a content toolkit–Pro for $119.00/mo or Business for $259.00/mo. Annual subscriptions come at a reduced cost. Additionally, there are add-on packages that you can purchase if you need additional words, gigabytes, or checks per month.

Best For

SE Ranking is the overall best Surfer SEO alternative suitable for small to medium-sized businesses and agencies.

2. MarketMuse

Key Features

MarketMuse is another worthy alternative to Surfer SEO. The platform offers you a broad set of compelling content features. With its competitor tool, MarketMuse lets you draw valuable insights from the tactics that help your competitors thrive. In terms of your own content, the tool enables you to evaluate the quality of existing content and plan your new articles more profoundly by identifying the best H2s, defining the optimal number of images, detecting the best keywords, etc.

The core features of MarketMuse include:

• Competitive content analysis
• Content analysis with suggestions for improvements
• Effective keyword research and planning
• Brief generation
• Integration with ChatGPT

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• A thorough analysis of your competitors’ content strategies.
• An opportunity to plan keywords by topic clusters and predict how hard it would be to rank for them.
• Actual integration with ChatGPT instead of sole AI writing capabilities.
• Compatibility with Google Docs and WordPress for seamless content creation.
• The possibility to use the tool with a free plan but with limited applications.

– Cons:

• The tool is less intuitive, making the learning curve more prolonged.
• Although there is a restricted free version, paid versions of MarketMuse are somewhat pricey.

Pricing

The free version of MarketMuse allows a single user and up to 10 queries/month. Alternatively, there are three paid plans:

• Optimize – $99 /month or $999/year;
• Research – $249/month or $2,499/year;
• Strategy – $499/month or $5,499/year.

Best For

MarketMuse might be the top Surfer SEO competitor for users who have low content volumes and thus, are seeking a free solution.

3. Clearscope

Key Features

Clearscope takes a deserved place on our list as the third best Surfer SEO competitor. It’s an AI-powered platform designed to make the flow of writing well-optimized content smooth and intuitive. The platform offers a full range of features you need to make your content thrive–from building briefs to monitoring your content’s performance in the long run.

The core features of Clearscope include:

• Keyword research and exploration of high-impact topics
• Brief generation and content writing powered by data-driven content scores and insights
• AI-powered analysis that helps define how well your copy resonates with the audience and how well it can rank
• Analytics dashboard that helps track your key metrics and ensure the best outcomes

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• Simple and intuitive user interface.
• Multi-language support.
• An unlimited number of users for every pricing plan.
• Simple and comprehensible keyword research feature.
• Seamless integration with WordPress and Google Docs.

– Cons:

• The cost is somewhat higher than the market’s average and there is no free trial.
• The website seems to lack baseline information, leaving users forced to try the tool to figure out all the specs.

Pricing

Clearscope offers users to choose from three pricing plans–Essentials for $189/month, Business for $399/month, or Enterprise, which comes with a custom quote. All three plans give you an unlimited number of users but different limits for content inventory pages, keyword discoveries, and content reports. There is no free trial but you can request a personalized demo after which you can pick a suitable plan.

Best For

The simplicity, versatility, and unlimited number of users make Clearscope a good option for medium businesses that know what they are looking for in a content optimization platform.

4. Frase

Key Features

Frase is a content creation and optimization platform designed to help creators handle SEO. It can assist you at all stages of the content creation process- from research to optimization.

The core features offered by Frase are divided into four categories:

• Research: Competitor analysis; visualization of the key metrics, such as word count, heading count, and others; instant brief generation.
• Outline: Creation of well-researched outlines in seconds; outline customization with the intuitive Outline Builder; AI-powered generation of heading and sub-heading ideas.
• Write: Instant conversion of an outline into a draft; customizable outputs (e.g. intros, FAQs, etc.); seamless collaboration with other users.
• Optimize: Detection of promising keywords to include in your content; comparison of keywords to top competitors; visualization of topics used by competitors.

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• An all-rounded content creation tool with diverse features.
• An opportunity to generate briefs and instantly convert them into drafts with AI.
• Efficient teamwork tools for collaborating with coworkers and freelancers.
• Free trial and cheap rates for subscription.
• User-friendly interface.
• Unlimited AI words in all pricing plans.

– Cons:

• Somewhat weak keyword research capability.
• The tool allows only a maximum of 3 users per account without extra charges.

Pricing

Frase offers all new users a free trial with limited SEO documents and AI words. After the trial, users can choose one of the two available plans–Basic for $45/mo or Team for $115/mo. The Basic plan only has 1 user seat, whereas the Team allows you to have three users for free or buy a maximum of two additional seats for an extra $25/mo.

Best For

Frase is a solid Surfer SEO competitor for solopreneurs and content creators who need a tool to fuel creativity, simplify content creation, and improve their SEO.

5. ChatGPT

Key Features

The next suggestion somewhat stands out from the pack of the best Surfer SEO alternatives. We bet that many of you have heard about and even tried using ChatGPT–OpenAI’s generative artificial intelligence chatbot. Although ChatGPT is not specifically an SEO tool, it deserves a place on our list as a powerful tool for content creation.

So what can it do for you? Basically, the opportunities are limitless. As an AI-powered chatbot, it’s designed to understand user prompts and perform tasks based on them. It can do pretty much anything you ask it to, including:

• Ideas brainstorming
• Keyword suggestion
• Research
• Brief generation
• Content writing
• General content and SEO guidance

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• Powerful generative chatbot operating based on the latest GPT technology.
• A tool that can be used absolutely free of charge.
• A variety of potential applications.
• Quick generation of briefs and content based on customizable prompts.
• Cost-effective subscription plans.

– Cons:

• No SEO functionality or access to analytics.
• A lack of direct analysis of SERPs, keywords, competitors, etc.

Pricing

A unique thing about ChatGPT is that it can be used absolutely for free. The free version gives you access to GPT-4o mini, which is powerful enough to perform a variety of tasks. If you want more advanced access to the latest chatbot versions, there are also paid plans meant for:

• Personal use: Plus for $20/mo or Pro for $200/mo;
• Business use: $25/mo.

Best For

ChatGPT can be a good alternative for creators, bloggers, freelancers, and startups/small businesses that need more inspiration and tips rather than specific SEO functionality.

6. Content Harmony

Key Features

Content Harmony is a marketing platform that claims to optimize content workflows for maximum productivity. The platform is powered by AI, which helps streamline different stages of content planning and creation.

The key features of Content Harmony include:

• Detailed keyword report and SERP analysis
• Instant brief building
• Brief sharing
• Copy grading with actionable suggestions for improvement

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• Intuitive user interface.
• In-depth SERP and keyword analysis.
• Convenient, volume-based pricing.
• All paid plans come with unlimited user seats and projects.

– Cons:

• Although there is a trial period, it doesn’t come free of charge and costs $10.
• The starting price for enterprise plans is very high.

Pricing

Unlike other tools on our list, Content Harmony does not offer fixed pricing plans. The cost of use can be adjusted based on the specific volume of articles you’re dealing with monthly–the rates range from $50 to $1,000+ for custom enterprise plans. The good news is that all plans include unlimited users and projects, rollover credits, and free team training.

Best For

Content Harmony can become a top Surfer SEO alternative for small businesses and solopreneurs looking for extra aid in content planning and brief creation. 

7. Scalenut

Key Features

Scalenut is an all-rounded platform for creating well-optimized content. The platform blends AI-powered capabilities and strong SEO features to help creators, businesses, and agencies create copy that scales their traffic and conversions.

The core features of Scalenut include:

• Strategy planning
• SEO topics research and keyword research
• Instant copy generation with AI
• AI-driven optimization
• Traffic analysis

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• Simple and functional interface.
• An AI assistant that easily handles different content formats, including blogs, emails, etc.
• Optimization suggestions are provided based on 200+ ranking factors.
• Support for different industries.
• A unique Cruise Mode feature that can create optimized and humanized content in under 5 minutes.

– Cons:

• Despite intuitiveness, it can take some time to get used to a large variety of features offered by the tool.
• Although the platform promises 100% humanized AI content, it still needs a human touch.

Pricing

Scalenut welcomes all new users with a 7-day free trial. If you choose to stay after the trial, you can opt for one of three pricing plans:

• Essential – $49/mo;
• Growth – $79/mo;
• Pro – $149/mo.

If you choose annual billing, you can also save 50% of the subscription cost.

Best For

Scalenut is one of the most versatile Surfer SEO competitors on our list that can suit creators, businesses, and agencies looking to handle large volumes of content.

8. WriterZen

Key Features

WriterZen is another all-encompassing platform that speeds up the entire copy creation process. The platform offers a set of intuitive tools that can help creators and businesses save time while creating copy that resonates with their audiences.

The core features of WriterZen include:

• Topic Discovery
• Keyword Explorer
• Content Creator
• A.I. Assistant 
• Keyword Planner
• Domain Analysis 
• Team Function
• Plagiarism Checker

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• Intuitive interface.
• A full range of features you need to create and optimize your copy.
• A smart writing assistant powered by GPT3.5.
• Convenient teamwork features.
• An opportunity to pay once and use the tool forever.

– Cons:

• The keyword research feature may lack depth.
• Although the platform is thought to be “pay once, use forever,” it does have some monthly limits, which means that you might need to purchase extra credits to handle your volumes.

Pricing

Unlike other Surfer SEO alternatives on this list, WriterZen offers a “pay once, use forever” pricing policy. That is, you only pay for the tool once and receive unlimited access to its features depending on the plan you purchase.

There are three available options:

• Keyword Research – $75;
• All-in-one Basic – $150;
• All-in-one Advanced – $225.

Best For

WriterZen can be a reliable and cost-effective solution for solopreneurs and small businesses with relatively low content volumes and no need for flexibility.

9. Copywritely

Key Features

Copywritely is not a typical SEO tool. In fact, it focuses more on content-related tools, allowing you to check your copy for quality, readability, and other indicators. Nevertheless, it does offer a few optimization features too.

The core tools available at Copywritely include:

• Duplicate Content Checker
• Grammar Checker
• Readability Checker
• Keyword Density Checker
• Keyword SERP Checker
• Article Rewriter
• Word Counter
• Alphabetizer
• Words to Minutes
• Words to Page

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• Plain and intuitive interface.
• Support for nine languages.
• Many tools are available for free use and the pricing is rather flexible.
• An opportunity to analyze keywords and competitors.
• A convenient automatic task generator for creating briefs.

– Cons:

• A lack of access to real-time SEO metrics.
• A lack of collaboration features.

Pricing

Pretty much all the tools offered by Copywritely can be used for free for very limited word counts (from 500 to 2,500 words). If this is not enough, the platform enables you to purchase additional monthly pages from $29 for 50 pages to $1,250 for 5,000 pages. The plan can be upgraded or downgraded at any time.

Best For

Copywritely might be a good choice for independent creators, freelancers, and marketing specialists who are looking for diverse content evaluation functionality.

10. Topic

Key Features

Unlike other Surfer SEO alternatives shared here, Topic is a tool that focuses primarily on planning your content and creating briefs, rather than on helping you write and optimize your copy. It aids you with keyword research and competitor analysis to help you plan articles that will shine in SERPs.

Here are the key features included in Topic:

• Explore competitor articles and structure
• Detect common questions and terms
• Use the gained insights to build briefs
• Leverage Content Grader to check your final drafts and optimize them before publishing

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• Very user-friendly tool.
• In-depth keyword research.
• Brief suggestions made based on the analysis of the top 30 results for your target keyword.
• Suitable for SEO beginners.

– Cons:

• If you’re dealing with large volumes of articles, Topic might be a little pricey.
• It’s more of a planning tool that doesn’t have all the SEO tools you might need.

Pricing

Topic offers a demo for new users. After the demo, it’s possible to purchase one of the following pricing plans:

• Starter – $99/mo, 10 briefs;
• Plus – $199/mo, 25 briefs;
• Premium – $299/mo, 50 briefs.

There is also an opportunity to contact the Topic’s team for a personalized enterprise plan.

Best For

Though it lacks some advanced SEO functionality, Topic might be a good Surfer SEO alternative for creators, freelancers, and marketers who need extra aid with planning their articles.

11. LSIGraph

Key Features

LSIGraph is a solution that helps with content planning and creation. Although it might not be the best-known option, it can offer the tools you need to improve your site’s SEO quickly and with less effort.

The key features offered by LSIGraph include:

• Keyword research and targeting (with SERP analysis and topic clustering)
• Content SEO scoring with optimization tips
• LSIGraph Planner to visualize your target keywords

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• The possibility to research low-hanging keywords and spy on top-ranking pages to detect the most promising queries.
• Convenient topic clustering feature.
• Automatic suggestions of contextual terms and top-competitor sentence examples in the Content Writer.
• An opportunity to create visual maps of your keywords to identify gaps and improve internal linking.

– Cons:

• The website looks very overloaded with information, making it harder to find all the answers you are looking for.
• Lack of advanced SEO features.

Pricing

LSIGraph offers you three plans to choose from depending on how long you want to use the platform:

• 1 Month Plan – $49.99/mo;
• 12 Months Plan – $29.92/mo;
• 36 Months Plan – $49.99/mo (but now there is a discount and it costs $16.64/mo).

The platform also doesn’t offer a free trial. But they promise to give your money back within 30 days after the purchase if you dislike the tool.

Best For

LSIGraph might be a solid Surfer SEO alternative for marketers and small teams who are looking to target the right keywords and LSI keywords for their articles and support internal linking.

12. Jasper AI

Key Features

Jasper AI is another non-standard Surfer SEO alternative. The platform is the ultimate marketing AI that businesses can rely on. The platform equips you with a smart AI assistant trained on real marketing cases and capable of helping you with marketing content.

The core Jasper AI features include:

• Marketing Editor
• Brand Voice
• Style Guide
• Jasper Chat
• AI Image Suite

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• Intuitive use.
• Advanced AI model trained based on marketing cases.
• Strong content generation capabilities.
• An opportunity to create a unique brand voice and stick to it in your copy.

– Cons:

• Limited SEO possibilities.
• SEO integration is only possible with Surfer SEO.

Pricing

Jasper AI offers rather competitive pricing. The platform gives you 7 days to put it to the test for free, after which you can choose a billing plan that suits your needs:

• Creator – $49/mo, 1 user, 1 brand voice;
• Pro – $69/mo, 1 user + up to 5 added, 3 brand voices;
• Business – custom pricing and features.

Best For

Jasper AI was trained specifically on real-life marketing cases, making it a suitable solution for independent marketers and marketing teams, despite its limited SEO features.

13. Semrush Writing Assistant

Key Features

Semrush is a well-known SaaS brand that has been around since 2008, offering various software solutions to marketers, businesses, and agencies. One of its tools, SEO Writing Assistant is designed to help you check your content for plagiarism and core SEO metrics, such as readability and engagement.

The key features available in SEO Writing Assistant include:

• SEO check with suggestions on keywords, tags, images, and links
• Assessment of readability and engagement
• Brand voice score
• Originality report

Pros and Cons

– Pros:

• Intuitive Writing Assistant.
• All-rounded article check and evaluation.
• Real-time suggestions for better optimization.
• An opportunity to use the tool as a part of a large toolkit. 

– Cons:

• Getting used to all the platform’s features can be a little overwhelming.
• The necessity to purchase a full toolkit to expand limits makes the Assistant much more expensive than other alternatives.

Pricing

Semrush allows you to get started with its Writing Assistant for free. A free account enables you to create one template and use the Assistant’s functionality with limitations. Additionally, there are two pricing plans that provide access to extra power and extended limits for Writing Assistant:

• Guru – $249.95/mo;
• Business – $499/95/mo.

These plans also give you access to the platform’s full marketing and SEO toolkit.

Best For

Although Writing Assistant may not be the best Surfer SEO alternative on its own, it might be a good addition to a large SEO toolkit for big agencies and companies with large content workflows.