Best SEO Software for Agencies in 2026

This guide is for SEO agencies and freelancers who manage search for several clients at once. A solo site owner can pick an SEO tool on data quality alone. An agency has a different problem: the tool has to hold every client as a separate project, track enough keywords for all of them, let several staff log in, and produce reports that carry the agency's brand, not the vendor's.

Those agency needs are where the bills grow. Most SEO suites include one user, then charge for every extra login. Project and keyword limits decide which plan you are forced onto. White-label reporting is often a separate add-on. And many agencies end up paying for two tools: an SEO suite for research and rank tracking, plus a reporting platform for client dashboards.

We compared six tools that agencies use in different roles:

• All-in-one SEO suites: SE Ranking, Semrush and Ahrefs. These do keyword research, rank tracking, site audits and backlink analysis.
• Agency reporting platforms: AgencyAnalytics and Whatagraph. These pull data from SEO suites, Google Search Console, analytics and ad platforms into branded client reports.
• Local SEO: BrightLocal, for agencies whose clients are local businesses with a Google Business Profile.

Recent changes affect older comparisons. Semrush is now an Adobe company (the deal closed on 28 April 2026) and its plans were renamed: the old Pro, Guru and Business tiers are gone, replaced by SEO, Starter, Pro+, Advanced and Enterprise. SE Ranking also renamed its plans: Essential, Pro and Business became Core, Growth and Enterprise, with local SEO and content tools now built in. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools is now called Ahrefs Free.

What Matters When Choosing SEO Software for an Agency

Before the tool-by-tool detail, these are the six points that decide the monthly bill and the day-to-day fit for an agency:

1. Projects (websites). Each client site usually needs its own project. A plan with 5 projects is not an agency plan, whatever its name.
2. Tracked keywords. Agencies track rankings for every client, so the daily keyword limit runs out fast. Check whether rankings update daily or weekly.
3. Users and their cost. Count how many staff need to log in. Extra seats range from $16 per month (SE Ranking) to $100 per month (Ahrefs Enterprise, Semrush Advanced).
4. White label. Can reports, and ideally the client-facing login, carry your logo and domain? Is it included or an add-on?
5. Client access. Some tools give clients their own read-only seats or a branded portal. That saves you from exporting PDFs every month.
6. Integrations between tools. If you use a separate reporting platform, check that it connects to your SEO suite. AgencyAnalytics has integrations for Semrush, Ahrefs, SE Ranking, Moz, BrightLocal and Google Search Console. Whatagraph has integrations for Semrush, Ahrefs, SE Ranking and Google Search Console.

Comparison Table

On G2, SE Ranking rates 4.7/5 (1,615 reviews), Semrush 4.4/5 (4,275), Ahrefs 4.5/5 (720), AgencyAnalytics 4.7/5 (463), Whatagraph 4.5/5 (284) and BrightLocal 4.6/5 (230).

SE Ranking

What it is

SE Ranking is an all-in-one SEO platform: rank tracking, keyword and competitor research, backlink research, website audits, on-page checks, content writing and, since its latest plan change, local SEO tools built into every plan. It also sells an AI Search add-on that tracks visibility in AI Overviews, AI Mode, Perplexity and ChatGPT.

Pricing explained

SE Ranking now has three plans. Annual billing saves 20%.

• Core: $129/month or $103.20/month billed annually. 10 projects, 1 manager seat, 2,000 keywords tracked daily, 100 AI prompts daily, 250,000 audit pages per month, 10 Report Builder reports, 6 months of historical data.
• Growth: $279/month or $223.20/month billed annually. 30 projects, 3 manager seats, 5,000 keywords tracked daily, 250 AI prompts daily, 2 million audit pages per month (1 million max per project), 30 Report Builder reports, all-time historical data.
• Enterprise: custom pricing.

Add-ons that matter to agencies:

• Agency Pack: +$69/month, annual billing only, on the 30-project tier (50 and 100 project tiers also exist). It includes white label for the platform and reporting, client seats, unlimited scheduled reports, a listing in SE Ranking's Agency Catalog and a Lead Generator widget. One detail to confirm before you buy: the pricing page lists 30 client seats for the 30-project tier, while the Agency Pack page says it starts with 10 client seats.
• Extra manager seats: from $16/month.
• Extra keywords: from $22.40 (Core) or from $32 (Growth).
• Extra local locations: from $18.40. Both plans include 3 locations, 1,500 local and map rank tracker keywords, and listing management in 100+ directories.
• AI Search add-on: $89/month, or $71.20/month billed annually, for 200 prompts.

There is a 14-day free trial with no credit card (up to 10 projects and 750 tracked keywords a day during the trial). Payments are non-refundable except where the service wasn't delivered as promised. Annual plans are billed upfront, and free migration is offered with an annual subscription.

Key strengths for agencies

• The limits fit agency work. Growth's 30 projects and 5,000 daily keywords cover a 20 to 30 client roster without custom pricing.
• Cheap extra seats. From $16/month per manager seat, the lowest price for an extra login among the suites here.
• Full white label. The Agency Pack brands both the reports and the platform itself, and gives clients their own seats.
• Integrations on every plan. Looker Studio, Matomo, GA4 and Google Search Console connections, plus MCP and the Projects API, start on Core.
• Local SEO included. Local rank tracking and listing management for 3 locations are in both plans.

Weaknesses

• The Agency Pack is annual only, so white label means a 12-month commitment.
• Its vendor-stated data set (5.4 billion keywords, 2.7 trillion backlinks) is smaller than Semrush's or Ahrefs'.
• Core keeps only 6 months of history, so agencies that show year-over-year trends need Growth.
• Only one active session per login, so staff can't use one login at the same time.

Who it's for, and who should skip it

SE Ranking suits small and mid-sized agencies that want rank tracking, audits, research and white-label reporting in one bill. Skip it if your service depends on the deepest backlink or keyword data available, or if you need month-to-month billing for white label.

Semrush

What it is

Semrush is the broadest SEO and marketing suite in this list. It is now owned by Adobe; Semrush says there are no changes to existing contracts "at this time". The core plans cover SEO and AI search visibility, and specialist toolkits (Local, Content, AI Visibility, Traffic and Market and others) are sold as separate subscriptions.

Pricing explained

Annual billing saves up to 17%.

• Free: $0, 1 demo project, 10 tracked keywords, 10 reports a day. No card needed.
• SEO: $139/month or $117.33/month billed annually. 5 projects, 500 tracked keywords, Position Tracking and Site Audit.
• Starter (SEO + AI Search): $199/month or $165.17/month billed annually. 5 projects, 500 keywords, 50 AI prompts tracked daily, MCP access.
• Pro+ (SEO + AI Search): $299/month or $248.17/month billed annually. 15 projects, 1,500 keywords, historical data, content optimization, cannibalization analysis, multi-location and device tracking, 100 prompts a day.
• Advanced: custom price. Semrush's help center lists 40 projects and 5,000 keywords, plus SEO Share of Voice, API integration and team features.
• Enterprise: custom, with unlimited projects, SSO and audit logs.

Agency add-ons:

• Extra users: every plan includes one user seat. Extra users cost $45 (Starter), $80 (Pro+) or $100 (Advanced) per month. Semrush does not publish the extra-user price on the new SEO plan. Extra users also don't get AI Visibility or Traffic and Market data unless you buy those per user.
• Pro Report: $20/month for white-label branding, 20+ external integrations and sharing by link. (Base Report, $10/month, adds PDF export, scheduling and GA/GSC integrations.)
• Lead Generation: $90/month for a branded profile on the Semrush Agency Partners platform. The old Agency Growth Kit page no longer exists; white label and the agency listing now appear as these two add-ons.
• Local toolkit: $30 or $60 per location per month billed annually.

There is a 7-day free trial; a card is needed to start it. Refunds apply only to the first purchase of an annual subscription, within 7 days. Monthly plans are not refundable.

Key strengths for agencies

• A very large data set. Semrush states 29.2 billion keywords across 142 geo databases and 43 trillion backlinks.
• Daily rank tracking and the widest tool range: research, audits, content, local, AI visibility and competitive traffic data in one account.
• Cheap white-label reports. The Pro Report add-on is $20/month.
• Integrations both ways. Both AgencyAnalytics and Whatagraph have Semrush integrations if you prefer a separate reporting layer.

Weaknesses

• One user per plan. A 3-person team on Pro+ pays $160/month more for two extra seats.
• Pro+ stops at 15 projects and 1,500 keywords. Above that you need Advanced, which has no public price.
• Local, Content, AI Visibility and Traffic and Market data cost extra.
• No refunds on monthly plans.

Who it's for, and who should skip it

Semrush suits agencies whose service depends on research depth (content strategy, competitor analysis, PPC and SEO together) and that are happy with a small number of logins. Skip it if you manage more than 15 client sites and want a published price, or if every account manager needs a login.

Ahrefs

What it is

Ahrefs is an SEO suite best known for backlink data. Ahrefs states a history of 35 trillion external backlinks and 29 billion filtered keywords. Its plans include Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker and Web Analytics, and it sells Brand Radar AI (from $199/month) for AI search visibility.

Pricing explained

Visible prices are monthly. Annual billing saves up to 17%.

• Ahrefs Free: $0 for sites you have verified you own. Site Explorer, Site Audit and Web Analytics with limits.
• Starter: $29/month, monthly only, 200 credits, no extra users.
• Lite: $129/month ($1,290/year). 5 projects, 750 tracked keywords, 1,000 credits per user per month, 6 months of history. Up to 2 extra users at $40/month each.
• Standard: $249/month ($2,490/year). 20 projects, 2,000 tracked keywords, unlimited credits, 2 years of history. Up to 5 extra users at $60/month each.
• Advanced: $449/month ($4,490/year). 50 projects, 5,000 tracked keywords, 5 years of history. Up to 10 extra users at $80/month each.
• Enterprise: $1,499/month, annual commitment. 100 projects, from 10,000 keywords, 3 users included, extra users $100/month.

Projects for sites you have verified you own are unlimited on all paid plans. Rank Tracker updates weekly on every plan.

Agency add-ons: Report Builder is included with 5 reports on Lite and Standard, 15 on Advanced and 25 on Enterprise, with scheduling from Standard. The Report Builder add-on is $99/month for 50 reports. Ahrefs does not say whether reports can be white-labeled. Looker Studio integration and an agency directory listing start on Advanced.

There is no free trial, Ahrefs says it never runs discounts, and refunds are generally not issued.

Key strengths for agencies

• High limits per dollar at the top. Advanced's 50 projects and 5,000 keywords cover a large roster.
• Unlimited verified projects on paid plans, useful when clients grant Search Console access.
• Backlink data for link building and audit work.
• Integrations: Ahrefs connects to both AgencyAnalytics and Whatagraph, and Advanced adds Looker Studio.

Weaknesses

• Rank tracking is weekly on all plans, where SE Ranking and Semrush track daily.
• White-label reporting is not stated, so many agencies add a reporting platform.
• Extra users are capped below Enterprise (2, 5 or 10 depending on plan) and cost $40 to $100 each.
• No trial and almost no refunds.

Who it's for, and who should skip it

Ahrefs suits link-building and technical SEO agencies that care most about backlink data and are willing to pair it with a reporting tool. Skip it if clients expect daily rank updates or branded reports from the same tool.

AgencyAnalytics

What it is

AgencyAnalytics is a client reporting platform built for agencies. It doesn't replace an SEO suite's research tools. It pulls data from 85+ integrations, including Semrush, Ahrefs, SE Ranking, Moz, BrightLocal and Google Search Console, into white-labeled dashboards and scheduled reports, and it has its own rank tracker as an add-on.

Pricing explained

• Core plan: $20 per client per month, billed annually. Every client includes unlimited data sources, reports, dashboards, staff users and client users, white label (logo, colors, custom domain, custom email), a client portal, AI summaries, API and MCP access.
• Volume pricing: for 25+ clients, by quote.
• Rank Tracker add-on: $41.67/month per 500 keywords, billed annually.
• AI Tracker (beta) add-on: $20.83/month per 250 credits, billed annually.

There is a 14-day free trial with no card and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Key strengths for agencies

• Pricing that follows your client count. No seat fees for staff or clients.
• Full white label and a client portal on the base price.
• SEO integrations with all three suites in this guide, so you can keep your research tool and report from one place.
• Billing in six currencies (USD, CAD, AUD, NZD, GBP, EUR).

Weaknesses

• No keyword research, backlink database or site audit of the depth an SEO suite has.
• Rank tracking for 3,000 keywords adds $250.02/month (6 blocks of 500).
• Cost grows with every client until volume pricing starts at 25.

Who it's for, and who should skip it

AgencyAnalytics suits agencies that report on SEO alongside paid ads, analytics and social, and want one branded portal for every client. Skip it if your SEO suite's own white-label reports are enough.

Whatagraph

What it is

Whatagraph is a reporting and data platform for larger agencies. It connects marketing data sources, blends them, and produces white-labeled reports. It has integrations for Semrush, Ahrefs, SE Ranking and Google Search Console. Whatagraph has no integration page for Moz or BrightLocal, so check before relying on those.

Pricing explained

Whatagraph's pricing data is in euros (€999). Depending on location, the page may show a USD price instead (from $1,118/month billed annually when we checked).

• Max: from €999/month, billed annually. From 50 source credits (one credit is one connected data account), unlimited users and reports, white-label reports, IQ Agents, data blends, KPI alerts, a dedicated success manager and an EU data center.
• Prime: custom, billed annually. Adds premium integrations, a custom report domain, a public API, BigQuery and Looker transfers and priority support.

Monthly billing is not mentioned. The pricing page offers a demo rather than a trial. Whatagraph's demo page mentions a free plan with limited credits.

Key strengths for agencies

• Unlimited users and reports on every paid plan.
• Data blends across channels, useful when SEO is one part of a wider marketing report.
• EU data center for agencies with European clients.

Weaknesses

• The €999/month minimum is far above the cost of every other option here for a 20-client agency.
• 50 source credits go quickly: 20 clients with Search Console, analytics and an SEO tool each would need 60 connected accounts.
• A custom report domain needs Prime.
• Whatagraph does not say whether its SEO integrations count as premium integrations.

Who it's for, and who should skip it

Whatagraph suits larger agencies with big multi-channel reporting needs and an annual budget to match. Small SEO agencies should skip it.

BrightLocal

What it is

BrightLocal is a local SEO platform: local rank tracking, geo-grid rankings, citation tracking and building, Google Business Profile audits, and review management. Its plans are now named Track, Manage and Grow.

Pricing explained

BrightLocal prices by number of locations in bands. Annual billing saves 25%.

• Track: from $41/month for 1 location ($31/month billed annually). Local Rank Tracker (up to 100 keywords and four competitors per location), Local Search Grid, Citation Tracker, GBP Audit, Local Search Audit and white label.
• Manage: from $54/month for 1 location. Adds AI Insights, Active Sync and GBP post scheduling.
• Grow: from $65/month for 1 location. Adds review monitoring, review requests and review widgets.
• Example band: 11 to 20 locations cost $104/month on Track, $153 on Manage and $197 on Grow (annual: $78, $115 and $148 per month).
• Citation Builder: pay as you go, from $3.20 per site, or as low as $2 with bulk credits.

There is a 14-day free trial with no card. BrightLocal does not refund the remaining time on a plan.

Key strengths for agencies

• White label on every plan, for tools and reports.
• Agency Lead Generator widget on every plan.
• Location bands make 20 local clients cheaper per location than 20 single-location plans.
• Connects to AgencyAnalytics for citation and reputation metrics.

Weaknesses

• Local only: no backlink research or general keyword database.
• Review tools need the top Grow plan.
• User seats are not stated on the pricing page.

Who it's for, and who should skip it

BrightLocal suits agencies whose clients are dentists, trades, restaurants and other local businesses. Pair it with an SEO suite if you also do national SEO. Skip it if your clients don't rely on Google Maps.

Cost Example: An Agency With 20 Clients

Scenario: an SEO agency with 20 clients (one website each), 3 staff who all need a login, about 3,000 tracked keywords in total, and monthly white-label reports. All figures are published list prices in USD (Whatagraph in EUR), before tax.

Stack 1: SE Ranking Growth + Agency Pack

Core has only 10 projects and 2,000 keywords, so the agency needs Growth (30 projects, 5,000 keywords, 3 manager seats). White label needs the Agency Pack, which is annual only, so the whole setup is billed annually.

• Growth billed annually: $223.20/month
• Agency Pack (30 projects): $69/month
• Extra seats: none, 3 are included
• Total: $223.20 + $69 = $292.20/month ($3,506.40/year)

Stack 2: Ahrefs Advanced + 2 users + Report Builder add-on

Standard has 20 projects but only 2,000 tracked keywords, so 3,000 keywords means Advanced. Advanced includes 15 reports; 20 clients need the Report Builder add-on (50 reports). White label is not stated.

• Advanced, monthly billing: $449
• 2 extra users at $80: $160
• Report Builder add-on: $99
• Total: $449 + $160 + $99 = $708/month. On annual billing, Advanced is $4,490/year, or $374.17/month, so the total is $374.17 + $160 + $99 = $633.17/month.

Stack 3: AgencyAnalytics with Rank Tracker (reporting and tracking only)

• 20 clients at $20: $400/month (billed annually)
• Rank Tracker, 3,000 keywords = 6 blocks of 500 at $41.67: $250.02/month
• Total: $400 + $250.02 = $650.02/month. Staff and client users are unlimited, but there is no keyword research or backlink database.

Stack 4: SE Ranking Core + AgencyAnalytics? This doesn't work: Core's 10 projects can't hold 20 clients. An SE Ranking Growth account ($223.20) plus AgencyAnalytics ($400) would cost $623.20/month billed annually, more than double Stack 1, so it only makes sense if you want AgencyAnalytics' portal for non-SEO channels too.

Semrush: there is no published Semrush price for this scenario. Pro+ covers 15 projects and 1,500 keywords, which is not enough, and Advanced (40 projects, 5,000 keywords) is quote only. For reference, Pro+ for an agency with up to 15 clients would cost $248.17 (billed annually) + 2 extra users at $80 ($160) + Pro Report ($20) = $428.17/month.

Whatagraph: from €999/month billed annually, before you pay for any SEO data source. That is more than three times Stack 1.

Local clients: if all 20 clients are local businesses, BrightLocal Track for 11 to 20 locations is $104/month ($78/month billed annually), with white label included. Added to Stack 1 billed annually: $292.20 + $78 = $370.20/month.

The result: SE Ranking with the Agency Pack is the only stack here that covers projects, keywords, three staff and white label for under $300/month.

How to Choose

• Count your clients and keywords first. Under 10 clients and 2,000 keywords, SE Ranking Core is enough. Between 10 and 15 clients, Semrush Pro+ and SE Ranking Growth both fit. Past 15 clients, among the SEO suites only SE Ranking Growth and Ahrefs Standard, Advanced or Enterprise have published prices.
• Count your logins. If three or more people need access, SE Ranking (3 seats on Growth, extras from $16) costs far less than Semrush or Ahrefs, where each extra user costs $40 to $100.
• Decide where reports live. If the SEO suite's white-label reports are enough, use SE Ranking's Agency Pack or Semrush's $20 Pro Report. If clients want one portal for SEO, ads and analytics, add AgencyAnalytics; it connects to Semrush, Ahrefs and SE Ranking.
• Check how fresh rankings need to be. Ahrefs updates rankings weekly. SE Ranking and Semrush track daily.
• Match the data to your service. Link-building agencies benefit most from Ahrefs or Semrush backlink data. Local agencies get more from BrightLocal.
• Watch commitment terms. SE Ranking's Agency Pack is annual only. Semrush refunds only first annual purchases. Ahrefs has no trial. SE Ranking, AgencyAnalytics and BrightLocal offer free trials without a card.

Final Recommendations

• Most agencies: SE Ranking Growth with the Agency Pack. It fits 20 to 30 clients, three staff and white-label reports for $292.20/month billed annually.
• Research-heavy agencies with up to 15 clients: Semrush Pro+ with the Pro Report add-on.
• Link-building agencies: Ahrefs Standard or Advanced, paired with AgencyAnalytics if clients need branded reports.
• Multi-channel agencies: your SEO suite plus AgencyAnalytics at $20 per client.
• Large agencies with complex reporting: Whatagraph, from €999/month.
• Local SEO agencies: BrightLocal, alone or alongside SE Ranking.

How We Compared

Prices and plans were checked on each vendor's website on 17 October 2026, and G2 ratings and review counts on g2.com on the same day.