Semrush vs Surfer: Which Tool Should You Choose for Content Optimization?

Semrush is a giant, and they were around long before Surfer existed.

For years, they were focused on beating Ahrefs and Moz in the keyword and backlink arms race. And for what it’s worth–they’ve done a solid job

But a lot of things have changed since we entered the game in 2017. 

Google shifted. Ranking wasn’t just about backlinks and keywords anymore. It became about the quality of your content. Structure. Coverage. Usefulness.

That’s when content optimization went from niche to must-have.

We saw a gap. And we built Surfer to fill it.

Not to go head-to-head with Semrush. But to do something they didn’t–and still don’t do all that well: help marketers create content that ranks.

Semrush does a lot. From site audits to backlink reports. But somewhere deep in that toolbox, there’s their add-on called “Content Toolkit.”

That’s where this comparison really kicks off.

What you’ll find in this article:

• A clear breakdown of how Surfer and Semrush differ in focus–and why that matters for content teams.
• Why Surfer is the better choice for content optimization, AI visibility, and on-page performance.
• Where Semrush shines, especially as a full-suite marketing platform with tools beyond content.
• How Surfer guides you through execution, while Semrush offers broader (but less focused) functionality.
• Why Surfer is purpose-built for marketers who want content that ranks–and how to know if it’s the right fit for you.

A Question I Get All the Time

In my Ahrefs vs Surfer article, I mentioned this recurring question:

“Okay, great–but how is Surfer different from Semrush or Ahrefs?”

And it’s fair to ask. All three tools show up when you Google "SEO software." But they’re built with very different goals.

Let me explain it like this:

Semrush is like a giant marketing toolbox. It gives you a lot of tools for different jobs–keyword research, ad planning, social monitoring, backlink tracking, etc. But you’re the one figuring out how to use them and where to start.

Surfer, on the other hand, is more like a smart assistant built specifically for content optimization. It doesn’t just give you tools. It guides you through the process of writing and improving content at scale–start to finish–with suggestions rooted in real search engine data.

We didn’t build Surfer to be a “me too” competitor to Semrush. We built it because we saw content optimization being ignored by the big players.

And while Semrush has since added some content features, they’re still secondary–tacked on as extras in a much bigger system.

We’re hearing the same thing from our customers:

“SEMrush has these features, but for them it’s not their core, while for Surfer it is.”

With Surfer, content is the main event. If your goal is to write better content that ranks higher on Google–and even shows up in AI-generated answers–then Surfer is made for you.

What Surfer Does Better

1. Scientifically Proven Content Score

Most content tools tell you how many times to use a keyword or what heading to add.

That’s not optimization. That’s old-school.

And honestly? It’s not how Google–or LLMs–work anymore.

Surfer goes several steps further.

At the core of our system is the Content Score–a metric built using real-time SERP data. We analyze over 500 ranking signals across top-performing pages to show you what high-quality content actually looks like.

It’s not just about keyword stuffing. It’s about structure. Relevance. Intent.

We also detect content gaps–those subtopics your competitors covered but you didn’t. Why does that matter? Because content that feels incomplete doesn’t rank. And it won’t get pulled into AI Overviews, Perplexity, or ChatGPT results either.

Once you know what’s missing, you don’t need to rewrite from scratch. Surfer can fill those gaps for you.

Better yet, Surfer can do it in your voice. Upload a writing sample, and we’ll match your tone, structure, and style. Whether your brand is witty, technical, punchy, or plain-spoken–Surfer adapts.

This is what modern optimization looks like:

• Data-backed
• Context-aware
• LLM-friendly
• Human-sounding
• Brand-safe

And yeah, it actually works. In our study of 1,000,000 SERPs, we found a 0.28 correlation between higher Content Scores and higher Google rankings.

That’s a strong signal in the messy world of SEO. If we consider on-page factors representing ⅓ of Google’s algorithm, then Surfer’s Content Score gets you 90% of all potential gains when it comes to on-page optimization. 

If you’re creating content in 2025 or beyond, this is your edge.

We’ll show you what “good” looks like–and help you get there.

Semrush’s score, on the other hand, doesn’t shine with any data about their correlation. I can only assume it’s crazy low–because we took very different approaches.

2. Free AI Images? Yep, Included.

Let’s be honest: most stock photos are boring.

You’ve seen the same ones–people shaking hands, smiling at whiteboards, typing on laptops. They don’t really add anything to your article. And using them over and over makes your brand feel... generic.

That’s why Surfer includes AI-generated images that actually match your topic.

• Writing an article about small-space gardening? We’ll create visuals of compact balconies with plants. 
• Publishing a piece about cybersecurity? You’ll get images that feel modern and relevant–not cheesy padlocks or green matrix code.

You can even prompt custom visuals on the fly. It’s fast, free, and baked right into the content editor.

Semrush offers this as well, but only through their AI chat. It’s a decent option, but the images often feel generic and low-quality–like they were generated using a basic model. In contrast, Surfer delivers a more seamless experience with higher-quality visuals and a smoother, more intuitive workflow.

3. Safe AI Writing (That Actually Performs)

If you’ve ever used an AI writing tool, you’ve probably seen this:

• Repetitive phrases
• Vague generalizations
• That slightly robotic tone that doesn’t quite feel human

Surfer’s AI is built differently. It’s trained to pull live data from Google’s top results, so the content it creates reflects real-world rankings.

That means:

• Better structure
• More accurate information
• Higher relevance to the search query

Also, our AI-written content is far less likely to be flagged by AI detectors.

Now, to clarify–being flagged as “AI-generated” isn’t inherently bad. But in most cases, it’s a signal that the content lacks originality or reads like a machine wrote it.

And that’s a problem–especially when your content needs to build trust with readers or stand a chance of getting featured in tools like AI Overviews or Gemini.

With Surfer, the content feels natural, on-brand, and performs in search. That’s the difference.

We’ve tested this ourselves. Content written by Surfer passed most AI detection tests with ease. 

Semrush’s AI? Not so much: the first article I generated scored a 94% AI flag in our own checker.

And we’re not the only ones noticing this gap. As one of our customers said:

“We get a lot of suggestions that aren't relevant with SEMrush... their AI editing tool... not particularly helpful.”

4. Auto-Optimize Old Content

Every company has blog posts or landing pages that used to perform well but don’t anymore.

Most teams leave them alone… or start rewriting from scratch. 

Surfer gives you a better option: Auto-Optimize.

It analyzes what’s changed in your niche, compares it to your older content, and rewrites the underperforming parts. No need to redo the whole thing. You just improve the parts that matter.

And yes–it keeps your voice and structure intact.

This is the easiest way to revive old content without hiring more writers or wasting time guessing what’s wrong.

5. Internal Linking with Real Context

Internal links help with rankings and keep people clicking through your site. We all know that this is suuuuuper important, right? But let’s be real–managing them manually sucks. 

We hated this part at Surfer, too, so we came up with a solution that is now avainable in all Content Editors. 

Surfer’s Auto Internal Links finds opportunities based on meaning (not just keywords) and uses your real Google Search Console data to choose what pages should link together.

It inserts those links automatically, in places that make sense.

No audits needed. No broken spreadsheets. Just better internal linking, done for you.

6. Surfy Knows What You’re Working On

Surfy isn’t just a chat bot–it’s your ranking assistant.

It knows your goals, your tone, your keywords, and your competition. You can ask:

• “What am I missing?”
• “Why isn’t this ranking?”
• “Can you improve this paragraph?”

…and get clear, actionable suggestions based on live search results.

It’s like having an SEO strategist you can chat with inside your content workflow.

7. Fix Content Gaps (Before Google Notices)

You might write a great article–but if it’s missing key subtopics, you won’t outrank your competitors.

Surfer’s Coverage Booster compares your draft with the top-ranking pages and flags anything important that you skipped.

Then, we help you fill those gaps–either with suggestions or AI-generated content.

That’s how you stay competitive, complete, and up to date.

8. Topical Maps That Guide Strategy

SEO success isn’t just about one blog post–it’s about building authority over time.

Surfer’s Topical Maps show you what to write, how it connects, and what to prioritize next. It’s a visual, strategic tool that connects directly to your Google Search Console so you avoid duplicating content and maximize impact.

This is how you build long-term growth from content–not just traffic spikes.

And yes, Topical Maps are included even in our most affordable plan.

9. Audits + Weekly Suggestions = Compounding Growth

Publishing is easy. Keeping your content fresh and competitive? That’s where most teams struggle.

Surfer’s Content Audit tracks rankings, traffic, and Content Scores over time.

Then, once a week, you’ll get an email that essentially says:

• “Update this article because it misses important information”
• “Add an internal link here”
• “Write new article because your competitors did, and they get plenty of traffic”

And you can take action on those insights instantly using the tools I already mentioned–Auto-Optimize, Auto Internal Links, Surfy, and more.

You don’t have to be an expert that works 24/7. We help you maintain and grow without needing to monitor everything yourself.

What Semrush Does Better

I’m not here to pretend Surfer is perfect for everyone.

Semrush is a powerful platform with a long-standing reputation in the SEO space. If you're looking for an all-in-one marketing suite–or you’re managing multiple channels across a larger team–there are definitely areas where they shine.

That said, to keep things fair and relevant, I’m focusing this comparison on their Content Toolkit–because it’s priced similarly to Surfer’s basic plan and is the part of Semrush that’s closest to what we do.

So with that in mind, here’s where I think Semrush does a better job:

1. Readability & Tone Suggestions

Let’s give credit where it’s due. Semrush nails it when it comes to readability and tone.

The Writing Assistant flags complicated sentences, overly formal or informal tone, and even awkward structures that might confuse your audience. If your brand has a style guide or you care about how polished your writing looks–this helps a lot.

At Surfer, we’ve prioritized performance–but I do admire what Semrush is doing here. And who knows? You might see us bring more of this into our future updates.

2. AI Chat (for general-purpose writing)

Semrush also includes a built-in AI chat. It’s not specialized for SEO, but it’s good for brainstorming ideas, rewriting sentences, or expanding on a topic. 

If you’re stuck with a headline or intro, Semrush’s AI chat feels like a handy writing buddy. Surfer has Surfy, which is great for SEO-specific help (more on that above), but we won’t pretend our AI is better at general chitchat. Is Semrush chat better than ChatGPT, though? Of course not! 

3. Content Brief Creation

This one surprised me–but Semrush’s process for generating content briefs is actually really intuitive.

You select your target keyword, click a few options, and boom: you’ve got a nicely structured brief with suggested headings.

Yes, Surfer does briefs too. But I’ll admit–Semrush makes the setup smoother, especially for people who don’t want to get into the weeds. If you're delegating to freelancers or junior writers, their brief experience is user-friendly and fast.

4. All-in-One Platform (with deep keyword & backlink data)

Semrush is a full-service SEO platform. If you want:

1. Backlink tracking
2. PPC research
3. Competitor audits
4. Keyword tools
5. Social monitoring

…it’s all there.

Just remember: most of those features aren’t part of the $60 Content Toolkit. You’ll need their full suite–starting at $139/month–to access them.

Still, if you’re managing SEO, ads, content, and analytics across a large org or agency?

Semrush gives you that one-dashboard experience.

Feature Comparison: Surfer vs Semrush

Final Thoughts: Which Tool Is Right for You?

Let’s keep it simple.

Semrush is a heavyweight. It’s a powerful, all-in-one platform built for marketers juggling everything–keywords, backlinks, ads, audits, you name it.

But if you’re here because content is your growth engine? If your team’s success depends on content that ranks, converts, and compounds over time?

Then we built Surfer for you.

We don’t try to do everything. We focus on one thing–and we do it better: helping you create content that works.

From strategy (Topical Maps) to execution (AI Writer, Content Editor) to maintenance (Auto-Optimize, Internal Links, Coverage Booster), Surfer gives you the entire system.

No guesswork. No fluff. Just smart tools that talk to each other and help you grow.

You don’t need 100 tools.
You just need the right one.

So here’s the call:

If content is just one small piece of your puzzle, Semrush might be enough.

But if content is your growth engine–and you want to do it better, faster, and at scale–Surfer is built for you.

Let’s finish with a quote from our customer: 

“Surfer gives us everything we need in one tool. It's simple, focused, and helps us move faster.”