Google Search Console and SEMrush serve different primary use cases, though there is some overlap:
Google Search Console
- Free
- Exact, real data about YOUR site's search performance
- Indexing and crawl reports
- Core Web Vitals and technical reports
- Keyword data only for your own site
SEMrush
- Paid ($130–$500/month)
- Estimated data for any site, including competitors
- Keyword discovery and difficulty scores
- Backlink analysis with quality metrics
- Rank tracking and SERP monitoring
- Site audit and technical SEO crawler
Which Do You Need?
Most websites should use Search Console (free, essential). SEMrush is valuable if you do competitive keyword research, need rank tracking for many keywords, or want in-depth backlink analysis. Many SEO professionals use both.