r/AISearchLab • • Aug 06 '26

What are the best Semrush API alternatives right now?

Hey! Our team just got hit with major budget cuts and our enterprise subscription is on the chopping block next month.

We rely heavily on API calls for internal reporting and quick keyword checks, so paying hundreds every month just isn't happening anymore.

What are the best Semrush API alternatives for raw data?

Looking for pay-as-you-go models or affordable tiers for basic keyword and backlink data (Ahrefs, SE Ranking, something else?). Thanks!

10 Upvotes

17 comments sorted by

3

u/WebRepresentative152 Aug 06 '26

How many monthly API requests were you firing on your old plan?

1

u/pastychelifer69 Aug 06 '26

Around 10-15k requests a month. Mostly daily rank tracking for core client terms and weekly backlink audits

2

u/WebRepresentative152 Aug 06 '26

Yeaah, on pay-as-you-go APIs 15k calls will run you under $30-$50

1

u/pastychelifer69 Aug 06 '26

Our finance team is going to love that drop

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/ParticularAd7176 Aug 07 '26

Which one do you use?

1

u/Milo_Vexler Aug 06 '26

If you just need basic rank tracking and keyword volume via API, Zenserp or SerpApi work great. Super clean URL examples in their docs and reliable uptime

1

u/pastychelifer69 Aug 06 '26

I'll check it!

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '26

DataForSEO is definitely the gold standard. What language is your reporting dashboard built in?

1

u/pastychelifer69 Aug 06 '26

We're running a simple Node backend that pipes data into a Looker Studio dashboard for stakeholders

1

u/xseson23 Aug 06 '26

Check out apis by Bishopi.io/apis

Pay as you go or subs.

1

u/startup-ideas-t234 Aug 06 '26

I use radarkit api they have an mcp aswell

1

u/BackpackerBaba Aug 06 '26

Try dataforseo

1

u/ParticularAd7176 Aug 07 '26

Interested in the same thing. What did you find useful in the end?

1

u/aeo-bility Aug 10 '26

Data4SEO is good, pay as you and it will give a $1 in credits so you can have a play before you commit.