Get Semrush Pro Free for 14 Days
Full access to keyword research, site audit, rank tracking, and competitor analysis. No credit card required. Cancel anytime.
Start Free 14-Day Trial →
Affiliate link — I earn a commission if you subscribe after the trial. Doesn't affect my recommendation.
14 days full access
No credit card
Cancel anytime
All Pro features
What the Semrush Free Trial Actually Includes
Before walking you through how to get the trial, let's be clear about what you're actually getting — because Semrush has several "free" options and they're not all equal.
The 14-day Pro trial (available through specific affiliate links including mine) gives you full Pro plan access with no credit card required. This is meaningfully different from the permanent free account, which limits you to 10 results per report.
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Keyword Magic Tool
Full access to 25B+ keyword database. Unlimited searches during trial.
⚙️
Site Audit
Crawl up to 100,000 URLs. Full technical issue detection.
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Position Tracking
Track 500 keywords daily with location targeting including UK cities.
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Backlink Analytics
Full backlink data, toxic score analysis, competitor link profiles.
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Competitor Analysis
Full traffic analytics, competitor keyword research, gap analysis.
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Local SEO
City-level rank tracking for US and UK markets.
⚠️ What the free trial does NOT include
The Pro trial does not include Guru features: content marketing toolkit, historical data (only 6 months), and multi-location tracking. If you specifically need these, you'd need the Guru trial — contact Semrush support directly for that.
How to Start the Trial — Step by Step
1
Click the trial link
Use a link that specifically offers the 14-day free trial — not all Semrush links include it. The button at the top of this page goes directly to the trial offer.
→ My affiliate link gives you the full 14-day trial, confirmed as of March 2026
2
Create your account with email
Enter your email address and create a password. No credit card is entered at this stage. You're creating a Semrush account, not a billing account.
→ Use your real work email — Semrush verifies accounts and trial links work once per email
3
Verify your email
Check your inbox for a verification email from Semrush. Click the link to activate your account. This takes about 30 seconds.
4
You're in — Pro access starts immediately
No credit card step. You land directly in the Pro dashboard. The trial countdown (14 days) starts when you activate your account.
→ Set a calendar reminder on day 13 to decide whether to subscribe or cancel
Your 14-Day Plan — What to Do Each Day
Most people sign up for a trial, poke around for 20 minutes, and cancel without getting value from it. Here's what to actually test to make a proper decision:
Day 1–2
Run a site audit on your main domain High priority
Projects → Create Project → Site Audit. Crawl your full site. Look at the Technical SEO score and work through the Critical issues list. This alone often reveals 10–30 issues you didn't know existed.
Day 3–4
Research 50 keywords for your core topic
Keyword Magic Tool → enter your main topic → filter by Intent: Commercial/Transactional → sort by KD (keyword difficulty) ascending to find easier opportunities. Export the top 50.
Day 5–6
Set up rank tracking for 20 target keywords Essential test
Position Tracking → set up your domain, target location (US city or UK city), device type → add 20 keywords. See your current positions and establish a baseline for the trial period.
Day 7–9
Run competitor gap analysis on 3 competitors
Keyword Gap → enter your domain + 3 competitors → filter by "Missing" to find keywords they rank for that you don't. This typically surfaces 50–200 content opportunities immediately.
Day 10–12
Audit your backlink profile + competitor links
Backlink Analytics → enter your domain → check toxic score. Then enter a competitor → see their top linking domains. The Backlink Gap tool shows you links they have that you don't.
Day 13
Decide: subscribe or cancel?
Review what you found. If the site audit revealed issues you need to fix, the keyword data gave you real opportunities, and the rank tracker gave you clear data — subscribe. If you found it redundant with tools you already have — cancel. No judgment either way.
Is Semrush Worth Buying After the Trial?
After 10 years of using Semrush professionally: yes, for most SEO professionals it's worth it. The keyword database depth, the site audit quality, and the local SEO tracking justify the $139.95/month when you're billing clients for SEO work.
If you're a solo blogger or small business owner doing basic SEO yourself: SE Ranking at $55/month does 80% of the same things and might be the better starting point. I have a full comparison on the Semrush review page.
💡 My honest take
Start the free trial. Complete all 14 days of the plan above. You'll have a concrete sense of whether Semrush moves the needle for your specific situation. It's 14 days of full access at zero cost — there's no reason not to test it properly before deciding.
Start Your Free Trial Now
14 days. Full Pro access. No credit card.
Get Semrush Free for 14 Days →
Affiliate link — commission earned if you subscribe. Doesn't affect this guide.