Semrush vs Google Analytics

by Gralio Mar 11, 2025

Semrush and Google Analytics offer distinct functionalities for online businesses. Semrush provides robust tools for SEO and competitor research, while Google Analytics focuses on website traffic and user behavior analysis. Choose Semrush if you need in-depth SEO and competitor insights. Opt for Google Analytics for detailed website performance and user behavior tracking.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 6742 reviews and 60 websites, saving 1 day, 13 hours, 57 minutes of reading.

Semrush

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Google Analytics

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About

Semrush is an online visibility and marketing platform that helps businesses improve their online presence. It offers a wide range of tools for SEO, content marketing, competitor analysis, social media management, and paid advertising. With a massive database, Semrush provides insights into keywords, backlinks, website traffic, and competitor strategies, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions to enhance their online visibility and achieve marketing goals. Many Fortune 500 companies utilize Semrush's comprehensive suite of digital marketing tools.

Google Analytics is a free tool that gives you insights into your website and app users. Understand what content is popular, track your marketing campaigns, and see how people behave on your site. Use this data to improve your website, create better content, and make smarter marketing decisions.

Summary

Main difference

Semrush is a comprehensive suite of marketing tools ideal for businesses focused on SEO, competitor analysis, and content marketing. Google Analytics, on the other hand, excels at tracking website traffic, user behavior, and conversions, making it better for businesses prioritizing website performance analysis and optimization.

Relative strengths of Semrush (compared to Google Analytics)

Superior SEO tools (keyword research, backlink analysis, competitor analysis)
Content marketing toolkit (topic research, content optimization)
Comprehensive competitor intelligence (traffic analysis, keyword gaps)

Relative weaknesses of Semrush (compared to Google Analytics)

Limited website user behavior analysis (compared to Google Analytics)
Can be expensive, especially with additional features
Steeper learning curve

Who is using Semrush and Google Analytics?

Brendan Hufford

SaaS Marketing - Growth through Content, Community & SEO

Charlie Hills

I use AI to create content that converts

Connor Gillivan

SEO expert; 7x Founder (Exit in 2019)

Anna York

Digital Marketing Consultant at Anna York Consulting

SaaS Marketing - Growth through Content, Community & SEO

Rob Timmerman

Founder of a 20-year-old full-service digital agency

Connor Gillivan

SEO expert; 7x Founder (Exit in 2019)

Who should use Semrush VS. Google Analytics

Semrush is a comprehensive digital marketing platform offering tools for SEO, content marketing, and competitor analysis. Businesses use Semrush to improve their online visibility, research keywords, analyze competitors, and track their website's performance. Users praise Semrush for its insights and actionable recommendations, but some find the pricing a bit steep.

Google Analytics offers comprehensive website and app analytics, providing insights into user behavior, traffic sources, and conversions. Businesses leverage this data to improve their online strategies, create better content, and make more effective marketing decisions. However, users note the transition to GA4 can be challenging. Despite this, the detailed data and seamless integration with other Google products make Google Analytics a powerful tool for optimizing online performance.

Ideal for businesses of all sizes seeking to improve their online presence and achieve marketing goals.
Strong fit for E-commerce, Media & Entertainment, and Marketing & Advertising industries.

Ideal for businesses of all sizes seeking in-depth website and app analytics.
Highly beneficial for e-commerce, retail, marketing, and other industries reliant on online presence.

Semrush and Google Analytics features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Advanced Google Analytics reporting

Partially supported

Semrush integrates with Google Analytics, enhancing reporting but not as a standalone course.

Supported

Google Analytics, especially GA4, supports advanced reporting, custom reports, and API integration.
Keyword Research

Supported

Semrush supports keyword research with tools and a large database.

Partially supported

Google Analytics, via Search Console integration, analyzes existing keywords but not for initial discovery.
Competitor Traffic Analysis

Supported

Semrush supports competitor strategy analysis using traffic data and trend analysis over time.

Not supported

Google Analytics doesn't directly analyze competitor traffic but offers benchmarking against industry averages.
Enterprise SEO Solutions

Supported

Semrush offers an Enterprise SEO platform with advanced features for large organizations.

Partially supported

Google Analytics supports enterprise SEO indirectly by providing data for optimization.
Data-Driven Content Strategy

Supported

Semrush supports data-driven content strategy with keyword research, competitor analysis, and content effectiveness analysis.

Supported

Google Analytics supports data-driven content strategy by providing website performance insights.
SERP Analysis

Supported

Semrush provides tools for SERP analysis, including competitor analysis features such as identifying competing websites, analyzing keyword gaps, and comparing backlink profiles.

Partially supported

Google Analytics doesn't directly support SERP analysis but integrates with Google Search Console for organic search data.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

No data

No data
Customer Service

No data

No data
Ease of Use

No data

No data
Reliability and Performance

No data

No data
Ease of Implementation

No data

No data
Scalability

No data

No data

Semrush and Google Analytics Pricing

No data

See full Pricing page

No data

We couldn't find a pricing page for Google Analytics.

Semrush and Google Analytics review insights

Users love

SEMrush is great in that it provides not only insights and metrics but clear actions to improve a given page or an entire site!
Semrush takes 70% of the time off designing campaigns that rely on keywords, competitor behavior, or site insights.
I love the way how it shows the analytics of authority score as well as the detailed traffic report of the site.
Domain Overview, Technical SEO auditing, Keyword Research

Detailed and comprehensive website traffic data and reports.
Seamless integration with other Google products like Google Ads and Search Console.
User-friendly interface for basic analytics.
Wide range of metrics and customization options for creating reports.

Users dislike

The pricing for SEMrush can be steep, especially since the social media calendar posting feature, now costs an additional $29 per month.
SEMrush has a robust monetization system that adds up very quickly.
Price was a little high for the smallest package.
The cost - we used to be able to share accounts, but now have to register separate accounts for all users.

GA4 is very confusing to use and less intuitive compared to the previous version.
Real-time data is often delayed or inaccurate.
The transition from Universal Analytics to GA4 is difficult, with data discrepancies and loss of historical information.
Customer support is limited and unhelpful, often with slow response times.

Semrush and Google Analytics Ratings

G2

4.5/5

(2095)
Capterra

4.7/5

(2131)
Glassdoor

4.0/5

(272)

G2

4.5/5

(2516)
Glassdoor

3.5/5

(2)

Company health

Employee growth

13% increase in the last year

69% increase in the last year

Web traffic

11% decrease in the last quarter

2% decrease in the last quarter

Financing

December 2017 - $40M

July 2018 - $16M

How can Google Analytics' funnel analysis improve our conversion rates?

Google Analytics' funnel analysis can improve conversion rates by visualizing the user journey through defined steps, like checkout or form submission. By pinpointing where users drop off in the funnel, businesses can identify friction points and optimize those specific steps. For example, if a high drop-off rate occurs at the payment stage, it might indicate a confusing payment process that needs simplification. Addressing these bottlenecks through A/B testing or design changes can streamline the user experience and ultimately lead to increased conversions.

Which product better integrates with existing marketing tools we use?

Google Analytics better integrates with existing marketing tools, especially if those tools are within the Google ecosystem. Its seamless integration with Google Ads and Google Search Console allows for a more comprehensive view of marketing performance. While Semrush offers various marketing tools, its integrations are not as tightly coupled with other platforms.

What are the advantages of Semrush?

Semrush offers a comprehensive suite of tools for SEO, content marketing, competitor analysis, and paid advertising, providing a holistic approach to online visibility management. Its extensive database allows for in-depth keyword research, backlink analysis, and competitor strategy insights. Semrush is particularly beneficial for businesses seeking data-driven decision-making in their digital marketing strategies.

What are the disadvantages of Semrush?

Semrush's main disadvantage is its cost, which can be prohibitive, especially for smaller businesses or those with limited budgets. Users frequently cite the pricing as a significant concern, with the various add-ons and tiered packages quickly accumulating costs.

Alternatives to Semrush and Google Analytics

Similarweb

Similarweb is like a giant spyglass for the internet. It helps you understand what people are doing online, so you can make smarter decisions for your own website and marketing. Want to know who your competitors are online? Similarweb shows you. Want to see which websites are sending traffic to your competitors (so you can try to get them to send traffic to you)? Similarweb shows you that too. You can even see what keywords people are using to find your competitors, and which online ads are working best for them. Basically, if you want to know how your website stacks up against the competition and find new opportunities to grow online, Similarweb gives you the information to do it.

Ahrefs

Ahrefs is a suite of online tools designed to improve a website's search engine ranking and visibility. It provides data and insights on competitors, keywords, backlinks, and website content. Businesses use Ahrefs to research competitor strategies, discover relevant keywords, find link-building opportunities, audit their website for SEO issues, and track their ranking progress against competitors. Ahrefs is known for its large database and focus on data accuracy for marketing professionals.

Swetrix

Swetrix is a privacy-focused website analytics tool designed for businesses of all sizes. It provides easy-to-understand data on website traffic, user behavior, and marketing campaign performance without using cookies. Swetrix stands out with its commitment to user privacy, open-source nature, and simple pricing based on website traffic. You can track metrics like website speed, user journeys, and even e-commerce data. Swetrix is a transparent alternative to traditional analytics platforms.

SE Ranking

SE Ranking is an all-in-one SEO software suite designed to help businesses improve their search engine rankings. It offers a wide range of tools, including keyword research, competitor analysis, website audits, backlink monitoring, and rank tracking. SE Ranking is known for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive set of features, making it suitable for both SEO beginners and experienced professionals. It aims to provide actionable insights and data-driven recommendations to optimize website content, improve visibility, and attract more organic traffic.

Matomo (Formerly Piwik)

Matomo is a web analytics platform that helps you understand your website traffic. Unlike some competitors, Matomo emphasizes data privacy and gives you complete control over your data. It offers features like heatmaps, session recordings, and conversion tracking to analyze visitor behavior. Available as a cloud-based service or a self-hosted platform, Matomo caters to various needs and budgets. You can import data from Google Analytics, making it a viable alternative. Matomo is a popular choice globally, trusted by organizations of all sizes, including government agencies and Fortune 500 companies.

Serpstat

Serpstat is an all-in-one SEO toolkit designed to give businesses a competitive edge online. It helps you track your website's performance in search engines, analyze competitors, research valuable keywords, and develop an effective content strategy. Serpstat offers tools to audit your website, identify technical issues, and track your progress over time. Its features include competitor analysis, keyword research, content creation and analysis, and search engine results page (SERP) tracking. Serpstat is used by businesses of all sizes who want to improve their online visibility and attract more customers.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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