9 Best Surfer SEO Alternatives to Boost Your Content Rankings in 2025

If you’re looking for Surfer SEO alternatives, you’re not alone.

Surfer SEO offers many features, such as a built-in outline builder, real-time metrics for content structure, word count, NLP-ready keywords, SERP analysis, etc.

Also, it is excellent for content optimization and creation, but it has many limitations, such as high pricing, limited credits for content analysis, a smaller keyword database, etc.

Whether you’re searching for a cheaper alternative or a tool with better SEO features for content marketing, there are many alternatives to choose from.

In this guide, I’ll show you the best alternatives to Surfer SEO to help you find the perfect fit for your needs.

Best Alternatives to Surfer SEO (Free & Paid)

Tool Name	Key Features	Pricing
Semrush Writing Assistant	AI-powered content optimization & content briefs	Starts at $249.95/mo
AnswerThePublic	Visual keyword research &  content idea generation	Starts at $50 (lifetime access)
RankMath Content AI	AI-powered SEO suggestions & keyword optimization	Starts at $4.99/mo
ChatGPT	AI Chatbot & automatic content creation	Offers a free plan
Frase	SERP research & generate AI content	Starts at $38/mo
MarketMuse	AI-driven content planning& in-depth competitor analysis	Offers a free plan
Clearscope	AI-driven content optimization & real-time content reports	Starts at $189/mo
Conductor	Content creation, optimization & website monitoring	It depends on the user’s needs
Google Search Console	Performance tracking, page indexing & crawl issue fixes	Free

Disclosure: We get a commission when you buy a product via our affiliate link at no additional cost.

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1. Semrush Writing Assistant

Semrush Writing Assistant is a part of Semrush’s content marketing tools, which can be used for content optimization. It can improve content’s readability, SEO, and writing tone. 

It also offers real-time suggestions for creating SEO-friendly content. It can be easily integrated with Google Docs, WordPress, or MS Word to generate SEO recommendations.

Why Is Semrush Writing Assistant a Better Alternative to Surfer SEO?

All-in-one tool for SEO-friendly content

With Semrush writing assistant, I can do so many things, including;

• Check the originality of any article
• Rephrasing text
• Improve the readability of content
• Improve writing tone and more

I can fix my content’s issues for better optimization and improved rankings.

As shown above, it shows me what issues my content has and offers suggestions for improving it.

Writing tone is something really important for me and the tool offers me various tones to match my writing style, whether formal, casual, or persuasive.

Offers a Smart Writer

The best part is that Semrush writing assistant offers me a “Smart Writer” feature which helps me do several things including;

• Rephrase the existing text (I can use especially for my content’s introduction)
• Compose (it will automatically generate content for me)
• Ask AI (which will provide an answer I can use as a part of the content)

Here’s an entire text of introduction created by the Smart Writer;

The tip is NOT to rely upon the AI content generated by the tool but to use it as a starting point for ideas and refining the overall content.

If you want more information, read my unbiased review of Semrush.

Pros	Cons
It offers all the tools and features I need to create engaging and optimized content.	It is expensive, as you need access to Guru or Business plans from Semrush, starting at $249.95/mo.
It seamlessly integrates with Google Docs and WordPress.	Sometimes, the tool prioritizes keywords, which can hurt the overall content flow.
It can be used to rephrase and improve the existing text.
Using its Smart Writer, we can generate AI content.

Pricing: Semrush Writing Assistant is a part of Semrush and is available in paid plans. It’s ONLY included with the Guru ($249.95/month) and Business ($499.95/month) plans. It is not available for Pro plan users. 

Try Semrush Writing Assistant Now

Verdict: Semrush Writing Assistant is a powerful tool for creating SEO-friendly content. It offers many features, including real-time SEO recommendations, readability analysis, AI writing, etc. However, it is expensive (starting at $249.95/mo), so it can be a drawback for smaller businesses and content creators.

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2. AnswerThePublic

AnswerThePublic is a search listening tool that helps you identify questions people ask on Google. It relies on Google’s autocomplete data to generate keyword ideas for what users are searching for.

Why Choose AnswerThePublic?

Best for question-based queries

Question-based keywords are growing in popularity as the demand for voice searches is increasing. If I want to identify frequently asked questions on ANY topic, I can use AnswerThePublic. 

It gives me question search data into categories such as “who,” “what,” “why,” “when,” and “how” questions, and more.

Here’s what it looks like;

Quickly identify comparisons and prepositions

Besides finding question keywords, I can also easily identify comparisons and prepositions for almost all the topics.

This helps me quickly discover how my target audience thinks, what products they compare, and how they search on Google.

You can read my review on AnswerThePublic to find more details.

Pros	Cons
It is a perfect tool for visual keyword research.	Lack of essential keyword metrics like search volume and competition
It has a simple interface with a zero learning curve for beginners.	It is not a comprehensive toolkit for SEO or content marketing.
Export your keyword data using CSV format.
Offers lifetime plans, which are extremely cheap.

Pricing: Answer The Public is available in three pricing plans;

1. Individual plan costs $5 per month ($50 for a lifetime) with 1 user and 100 daily searches.
2. Pro plan costs $49 per month ($490 for a lifetime) with 3 users and unlimited searches.
3. Expert plan costs $99 per month ($990 for a lifetime) with unlimited users and unlimited searches.

Try Answer The Public Pro Today!

Verdict: AnswerThePublic is primarily helpful for keyword research and an excellent tool for finding question keywords. However, it’s not a powerful toolkit that can be used for comprehensive SEO analysis or in-depth content research.

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3. RankMath Content AI

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly alternative to Surfer SEO, consider RankMath’s Content AI. It offers plenty of features, including long-form content creation, integrations with most tools, AI-powered ALT text for images, etc.

Why Is RankMath’s Content AI a Better Alternative to Surfer?

40+ Templates for Content Creation

RankMath’s Content AI offers me over 40 AI-powered templates that I can use to optimize content effortlessly. 

It gives me access to all the essential templates, from blog post outlines to product descriptions to fixing grammar.

With AI-driven templates, I can create high-ranking, user-friendly content that my audience wants.

Access to Blog Post Wizard

With Blog Post Wizard, I can create long-form content in minutes. 

This feature from RankMath helps me generate detailed, well-structured, and SEO-friendly articles that rank higher in Google. 

I simply need to enter the topic, choose main points, pick the audience and focus keyword. That’s it, the tool will generate content for me.

Here’s an output;

For more information, watch the following video tutorial on using it like a pro;

For more information, you can read my in-depth Rank Math review.

Pros	Cons
Easy integration with WordPress editor, Divi, Elementor, etc.	Its AI writing tool doesn’t generate original and unique content.
Using its “Blog Post Wizard,” I can create longer articles with one click.	Sometimes, it can lead to over-optimization of keywords.
Save time by quickly generating SEO titles and descriptions in bulk.
The ability to create content in 30 languages.

Pricing: RankMath Pro is available in three pricing packages;

1. Starter plan costs $4.99 per month, which offers 5000 monthly credits for Content AI and it can be used on unlimited sites.
2. Creator plan costs $8.99 per month, which offers 12,000 monthly credits for Content AI and it can be used on unlimited sites.
3. Expert plan costs $14.99 per month, which offers 30,000 monthly credits for Content AI and it can be used on unlimited sites.

Try RankMath Content AI Today

Verdict: I find Rank Math’s Content AI useful for SEO-friendly content creation, but it’s not perfect. It’s NOT as powerful as Surfer SEO, but the overall content suggestions help with better optimization.  

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4. ChatGPT

ChatGPT quickly became popular after its release in 2022. It is a generative AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, which can be used for content creation, brainstorming, and answering questions.

Why Is It A Better Alternative?

Extremely affordable

Although ChatGPT is NOT a dedicated content marketing platform (unlike Surfer) but it is an extremely affordable and powerful tool for content creation.

It also offers a free plan, which is excellent for beginners and its paid plan starts only at $20/mo.

Really fast

ChatGPT is known for providing really quick responses to users’ queries. It generates ideas, drafts, and edits content quickly.

Using ChatGPT, I can generate content ideas, write articles, and rephrase my sentences. 

Here’s an example;

Just make sure to double-check the information, as ChatGPT can generate outdated or inaccurate content.

Read More: How to Build A Website With ChatGPT in 4 Easy Steps

Pros	Cons
It can help with many things, including content creation, proofreading, rephrasing, etc.	It can produce inaccurate or duplicate information.
It can generate really faster responses to user prompts.	It can NOT analyze search trends or keyword intent like dedicated SEO tools.
Helps with keyword suggestions, outlines, and brainstorming.
It can be used to create personalized content depending on the prompts.

Pricing: ChatGPT is available in three plans;

1. Free plan costs $0, which is great for beginners but gives limited access to GPT-4o mini.
2. Plus plan costs $20 per month but it offers extended limits. Also, it gives access to deep research and multiple reasoning models.

Try ChatGPT for FREE

Verdict: ChatGPT is an excellent choice for beginners who want to get content ideas, write briefs and save more time on content creation. However, use it wisely (primarily for inspiration) instead of copy-pasting the content generated by ChatGPT, as it mainly won’t rank!

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5. Frase

Frase is one of the best alternatives to Surfer SEO and is considerably cheaper. It offers all the tools you need for content research, outline, writing, and optimization in one place.

Why Is Frase A Better Alternative to Surfer?

Powerful content optimization tool

Frase offers excellent content optimization features, which scan my entire content for relevance, readability, and SEO performance.

It uses AI-driven analysis to improve my keyword usage and gives me a topic score based on the SERP analysis.

Here’s what it looks like;

AI-driven SEO content

Frase analyzes search queries for my target keywords and generates AI-driven SEO content that ranks.

I can simply hover over a subheading and give input to create AI-generated content instantly.

Here’s what it looks like;

Overall, it’s a perfect tool for content creators and website owners who want to generate data-driven content really quickly.

Pros	Cons
Offers excellent suggestions and generates helpful content outlines based on search analysis	It may generate repetitive content as it uses AI for content creation.
Excellent for content optimization.	There’s a potential risk of over-optimization of keywords.
Offers key SERP metrics like word count, domain rating, and heading count.	Limited SEO documents per month.
The ability to generate content briefs, FAQ’s, headings, and more.

Pricing: Frase has the following three pricing plans;

1. The free plan is great for starters, giving access to 1 user with 2,500 AI words.
2. The basic plan is great for content creators. It costs $45 per month and gives access to 1 user with unlimited AI words and 30 SEO documents per month.
3. The team plan is great for agencies. It costs $115 per month and gives access to 3 users with unlimited AI words and SEO documents per month.

Try Frase for Content Marketing

Verdict: Frase has all the tools you need for better content creation and optimization, from content outlines to SERP analysis to creating AI-driven content. However, with tools like Frase, you must be careful about AI-generated content, which often requires manual tweaking.

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6. MarketMuse

MarketMuse is an AI content planning and optimization platform that helps with topical authority, identify topics and discover content gaps.

Why Choose MarketMuse Over Surfer SEO?

Powerful tool for content briefs

Most AI tools generate content briefs randomly based on the topic. Here’s where MarketMuse excels as it generates well-structured, in-depth briefs with relevant subtopics and keywords.

Here’s an example;

The best part? It creates outlines based on content type, including;

• Articles
• News
• Comparison posts
• FAQ posts
• How-to articles
• Product Reviews
• Listicles
• Guides, etc

Excellent for content optimization

Once my website is added to the platform, it identifies all the pages that have zero to low authority based on;

• Organic traffic
• Their current rankings
• Potential traffic 
• Overall value of the pages, etc.

Once I’ve a list of all the low-ranking pages, I can use its keyword research tool to identify highly relevant keywords including question-based keywords to improve their rankings.

Pros	Cons
Excellent tool for identifying topic clusters.	The pricing is expensive.
Helps with generating AI-powered content briefs.	It offers a limited number of content briefs with most plans.
Helps with content audits, competitive research, topic research, etc.
Helps with better keyword research and offers automatic interlinking suggestions.

Pricing: MarketMuse has the following four pricing plans;

1. Free plan gives access to 1 user with 10 queries per month.
2. Optimize plan gives access to 1 user, 100 tracked topics, 5 content briefs and 1 strategy Docs per month. It costs $99 per month or $999 per year.
3. Research plan gives access to 3 users, 1000 tracked topics, 10 content briefs and 3 strategy Docs per month. It costs $249 per month or $2499 per year.
4. Strategy plan gives access to 5 users, 10K tracked topics, 20 content briefs and 5 strategy Docs per month. It costs $499 per month or $5499 per year.

Try MarketMuse for Better Content

Verdict: If I want an all-in-one toolkit for content marketing, MarketMuse is a great choice. It analyzes top-ranking content, identifies gaps, and provides AI-driven suggestions. However, it has a steep learning curve and it is quite expensive, which can be an issue for most beginners and small businesses.

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7. Clearscope

Clearscope is an AI-powered platform that helps with topic research, AI-driven content guidance and optimization for better SEO results.

Why is Clearscope a Better Surfer SEO Alternative?

SEO-optimized content briefs

With Clearscope, I can quickly create properly optimized content briefs and content outlines.

I simply need to enter a topic and it will create an AI generated outline for me by analyzing the TOP search results. 

Here’s what it looks like;

Now, I can tweak the above outline or simply start writing with AI-assisted suggestions to create better content for SEO and readability.

Instant feedback for better content creation

One big reason to choose Clearscope over its competitors is that it provides live feedback on topic coverage and content score as I write.

Here’s an example;

As shown above, it offers related keyword terms I should use, content grade and overall readability score to craft better content.

Also, its easy-to-use interface makes it easy to identify gaps and improve overall keyword usage for better rankings in Google.

Pros	Cons
It offers excellent content optimization suggestions based on SERP analysis.	Its cost is significantly higher than many alternatives.
Offers a user-friendly interface, which is easy to use.	Primarily focused on content optimization, so it’s NOT an all-in-one content marketing platform.
All the new users get free, live training and onboarding.	It has a smaller database for keyword research.
Unlimited sharing & exporting so you can link or export your work for collaborative access, anytime, anywhere.

Pricing: Clearscope is available in three plans;

1. Essentials plan costs $189 per month and offers 100 content inventory pages, 50 monthly keyword discoveries, and 20 monthly content reports.
2. Business plan costs $399 per month and offers 300 content inventory pages, 50 monthly keyword discoveries, 20 monthly content reports, and a dedicated account manager.
3. Enterprise plan has custom pricing and offers everything in Business plan, enhanced with custom credits, custom agreements, crawler whitelisting, and single sign-on (SSO).

Try Clearscope Today

Verdict: Clearscope is an excellent SEO tool for creating high-quality, optimized content with real-time feedback. It also integrates easily with WordPress and Google Docs. However, its expensive pricing can be an issue for freelancers and small businesses on a tight budget.

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8. Conductor.com

Conductor.com is a website optimization platform that helps with AI-powered content creation, SEO, and website monitoring.

Why Conductor.com is a Better Alternative to Surfer SEO?

Powerful Website Monitoring

Most people prefer Conductor.com because it goes beyond content optimization like Surfer SEO. 

This platform offers me a ton of powerful features, including real-time website monitoring, AI-powered content suggestions, and in-depth SEO analytics. With Conductor, I can optimize not just content but also my entire site for better rankings.

Identify high-converting content topics

With Conductor.com, I get access to excellent keyword research features that can help me find high-converting topics for my site.

I can also quickly turn my keyword research into content briefs.

Pros	Cons
Excellent tool for generating profitable topic ideas.	It is really expensive compared to other tools mentioned here.
The ability to create content briefs and articles quickly with AI.	There’s a huge learning curve due to its extensive features.
Offers powerful site monitoring features.
It offers a 3-week free trial plan for all new users.

Pricing: Conductor.com offers custom pricing plans based on your content’s specific needs and the features you require. Contact their sales team for a personalized quote.

Try Conductor FREE for 3 Weeks

Verdict: For businesses that have enough budget and want proper content guidance to optimize their entire website, find better topics, and track performance, Conductor.com is a powerful choice. However, its expensive pricing is a drawback for individual content creators.

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9. Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) is NOT a direct alternative to tools like Surfer SEO. It is a free tool by Google that provides all the data you need to measure your website performance, indexing issues, and search traffic.

Why Is It A Better Alternative?

Get essential website data

With GSC, I can quickly determine which queries bring users to my site. I can also analyze my site’s traffic, overall impressions, clicks, and keyword positions on Google Search.

I can also submit sitemaps and individual URLs to improve Google’s crawling. I can set up GSC alerts to receive email alerts when Google identifies SEO or technical issues on my site.

All in all, Google Search Console is an essential tool for every website owner who wants to see their site’s performance in Google.

URL Inspection tool

The URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console is my favorite tool for checking how Google Search sees my website pages.

It helps me see if a URL is indexed, identify any indexing issues, and fix errors like crawl issues or sitemap. I can also request indexing for new or updated pages so they’ll be crawled quickly and added to Google’s search results faster.

Here’s what it looks like;

Pros	Cons
It is free to use	It is not an all-in-one tool for content marketing.
Offers all the essential website data, including queries, impressions, etc.	It doesn’t provide real-time keyword rankings or competitor analysis.
It helps me find and fix potential SEO issues.
Offers accurate website indexing data.

Pricing: It is entirely free to use. You only need a free Google account. Then, you should add and verify the sites to monitor Google search results data for your properties.

Try Google Search Console for FREE

Verdict: Google Search Console is a must for every website owner. It is free and helps track website performance, fix SEO issues, and improve rankings.

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FAQs

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Conclusion: My Recommendation 

Each Surfer alternative mentioned on this list has their own unique strengths, from AI-driven content optimization to real-time feedback to AI content generation. If you want affordable tools for content, you can try Rank Math Content AI, Frase and AnswerThePublic.

If you need dedicated tools for content marketing, go with Semrush writing assistant, MarketMuse or Conductor. Whether it’s Frase, Clearscope, or MarketMuse, there’s a tool for every need.

So my suggestion is to take advantage of free trials and find what works well for you!

Did you find these alternatives helpful? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments.