Semrush API pricing and Semrush API cost compared with a flat row quota
Semrush API pricing has two parts. The API needs a top-tier Semrush subscription, and the data itself is paid for in API units that you buy on top, charged per line of every report you pull. Semrush does not publish the price of a unit pack on its developer pages. SeoData is the alternative for agencies that want backlink, keyword and domain data through an API at a fixed row quota, from 149 USD per month on yearly billing.
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How much does the Semrush API cost
You pay twice. First the plan: Semrush's developer documentation says Standard API access is for SEO Toolkit users on the Business subscription, and third-party price guides in 2026 list the top Advanced tier at 549 USD per month. Second the units: your balance starts at zero after you upgrade, and you buy a unit package on the Subscription info page or through sales. The unit price is not published, so the bill cannot be forecast from the pricing page alone.
Then every request spends units. Semrush's own worked example for the Domain Organic Search Keywords report charges 10 units per line for current data and 50 units per line for historical data. Pulling 500 keywords for 50 domains costs 250 000 units on current data and 1 250 000 more for twelve months of history.
Semrush API vs SeoData API pricing side by side
Figures come from Semrush's developer documentation and public pricing pages, checked in October 2026. Plan names and prices change, so confirm them on semrush.com before you buy.
| Semrush API | SeoData API | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan needed | Top tier (Business in the docs, Advanced in the current lineup) | Agency, 299 USD per month or 149 USD per month yearly |
| Starting balance | Zero units, packs bought separately | 100 000 rows every month, included |
| How usage is counted | Units per line, rate depends on the report and on current or historical data | Rows returned, one record is one row |
| Price of extra usage | Pack price not published, sales quote | Enterprise raises the quota to 1 000 000 rows at 999 USD per month, 499 USD per month yearly |
| Cost known before the call | Estimate from the report rate times lines | Rows times 1, remaining rows shown in every response |
| Empty responses | Consume no units | Consume no rows |
| App for the team | Yes | Yes, 10 seats on Agency |
| White-label client reports | My Reports, branding offered, plan limits not published | Included on Agency |
| Best for | Teams already living in Semrush that need its keyword and traffic reports | Agencies and SaaS teams that want a forecastable API bill with the app and reports |
Where Semrush wins: its keyword database, traffic analytics and Projects API are deep, and if your workflow already runs on Semrush reports there is little reason to move. SeoData is the better fit when the API is a cost line you have to forecast per client.
Why agencies look for a Semrush API alternative
- A bill you can forecast. A row quota is easy to plan. 25 clients, 100 new or lost links each, once a week, is about 10 000 rows a month.
- No unit tables. You do not need to know which report costs 10 units per line and which costs more.
- No empty pack at the start. The quota is included in the plan from day one.
- The app and the reports in the same plan. Your account managers use the SEO software for agencies workspace while developers use the API.
- Client PDFs with your brand. White label SEO reports are part of Agency.
SeoData endpoints for the Semrush calls agencies use most
| Semrush data you pull today | SeoData endpoint | What it returns |
|---|---|---|
| Domain overview, organic traffic | GET /v1/domain/overview | Visibility, estimated organic traffic, top keywords, domain strength |
| Backlinks and referring domains | GET /v1/backlinks and GET /v1/referring-domains | Source and target URLs, anchors, link type, first and last seen, new and lost status |
| Keyword overview | GET /v1/keywords | Volume, difficulty, intent and SERP features |
| Keyword gap | GET /v1/keyword-gap | Terms competitors rank for and you do not |
| Position tracking | GET /v1/positions | Daily positions by market and device |
| Site audit | GET /v1/audit/issues | Issues with severity and affected URLs |
Request and response formats are on the SEO API page. For backlink data specifically, see the backlink API comparison.
What 20 client dashboards cost in rows
An agency refreshes 20 client dashboards weekly. Each client needs 1 overview row, 50 new or lost backlinks and 150 tracked positions. That is about 4 000 rows a week and 17 000 rows a month, under 20 percent of the Agency quota of 100 000 rows. The monthly bill stays 149 USD on yearly billing. The same workload on a unit model depends on the rates of three different reports and on a pack price you must ask sales for. See all plans on SeoData pricing, and the matching Ahrefs API pricing breakdown.
Semrush API pricing questions
How much does the Semrush API cost?
You need a top-tier Semrush plan, listed at 549 USD per month for Advanced in 2026 price guides, plus API unit packs. Semrush does not publish the unit price. Units are charged per line, for example 10 per line of current organic keyword data in its own example.
Is the Semrush API free?
No. Standard API access needs a paid Business-level subscription and a balance of purchased units. Some Semrush APIs, such as Map Rank Tracker and Listing Management, do not use units, and balance-check calls cost zero units.
Which Semrush plan includes API access?
Semrush's developer documentation says Standard API access is available to SEO Toolkit users on the Business subscription. In the current lineup that corresponds to the top Advanced tier. After upgrading, the unit balance is zero until you buy a package.
How are Semrush API units calculated?
Cost depends on the report and the number of lines returned, and historical data costs more than current data. Empty responses use no units. The display limit parameter caps the lines returned and so caps the cost.
What is a cheaper alternative to the Semrush API?
For agencies that want app, reports and API on one forecastable bill, SeoData Agency at 149 USD per month yearly includes 100 000 API rows. For raw volume where you build your own interface, DataForSEO pay-per-request pricing can be cheaper.
Can I keep Semrush and use SeoData only for the API?
Yes. Many teams keep Semrush for research and move the automated pulls that feed client dashboards, because that is where per-line costs grow with the number of clients.
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