Google Keyword Planner vs Semrush
Which one do AI engines recommend, and how do they differ on price, fit and features?
The short answer
Semrush is the stronger AI pick in SEO Tools: it has a visibility score of 64.3 versus 2.2 for Google Keyword Planner, and ranks ahead in 100% of the answers that name both.
Choose Google Keyword Planner if…
- You need ISO/IEC 27001:2022 covering Google Ads coverage
- You prefer a larger, established vendor (5,000+ employees)
- free keyword research tool
- keyword ideas and search-volume data
Choose Semrush if…
- You want the brand AI engines rank higher (64.3 vs 2.2)
- AI answers describe it more positively (49% vs 0% positive)
- Widely recommended as a top-tier all-in-one platform for broad suites
- Strong keyword research, competitor analysis, and site auditing
AI visibility side by side
Latest weekly run · Nov 2
| Metric | Google Keyword Planner | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 2.2% | 64.3% |
| Change vs last week | New | New |
| Rank in SEO Tools | #26 | #1 |
| Share of voice | 0.5% | 12.3% |
| Mentions this run | 3 | 63 |
| Positive in AI answers | 0% | 49% |
The stronger value in each row is marked with a ✓.
Visibility score trend
Weekly runs over the last 60 days
Google Keyword Planner 0pp · Semrush 0pp over 0 weekly runs.
Engine by engine
Semrush leads on 3 of 3 engines
Head to head in AI answers
2 engine answers name both brands
| Prompt | Engine | Google Keyword Planner | Semrush |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is there a free SEO tool for small teams? | ChatGPT | #6 | #3 |
| Who makes the most used SEO tool? | Perplexity | #3 | #1 |
Features, pricing & fit
| Dimension | Google Keyword Planner | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | — | Flat tiers |
| Entry price | — | Free; paid from $139 / mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Deployment | Web tool accessed inside the Google Ads interface, with no separate installation. | — |
| Compliance | ISO/IEC 27001:2022 covering Google Ads | — |
| Support | — | Help Center and Basic Onboarding, Enterprise SLA and 24/7 support, Dedicated account manager |
| Founded | — | 2008 |
| Headquarters | 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, California | Boston, MA |
| Employees | 5,000+ | 1,001–5,000 |
| Funding | — | IPO |
| Best for | Advertisers and marketers who run Google Ads and want free keyword research and volume data. | Freelancers and small businesses through to agencies and enterprises managing multiple brands, regions and teams. |
Plans side by side
Google Keyword Planner
Pricing not available.
Semrush
Pros and cons
Themes from the AI answers that mention each brand
Google Keyword Planner
- free keyword research tool
- keyword ideas and search-volume data
- requires a Google Ads account
Semrush
- Widely recommended as a top-tier all-in-one platform for broad suites
- Strong keyword research, competitor analysis, and site auditing
- Strongest overall all-in-one SEO choice for most businesses
- Good value with discounts on annual billing and free trial
- Useful AI search visibility and rank tracking
- Pricing is high, with enterprise-style suites costing around $100 or more per month
- Less comprehensive than Ahrefs for backlinks in some comparisons
Data collected ·ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode·coverage 100%·next run
Cite as: SlateIndex, “Google Keyword Planner vs Semrush”, https://slateindex.ai/compare/google-keyword-planner-vs-semrush, data of Nov 2, 2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0.