Semrush MCP alternative: pay-per-call SEO data - CrakSEO

Semrush MCP is Semrush’s hosted server at https://mcp.semrush.com/v2/mcp. It needs an eligible Semrush subscription and uses the same API units as Semrush’s API. CrakSEO is pay per call with no subscription, and adds URL indexing and a free Search Console server.

Side by side

	Semrush MCP	CrakSEO
Access	Semrush One Starter, One Pro+, SEO Classic Pro or Guru (50,000 API units included), or Business and One Advanced with an API units package	No plan. Prepaid API credits
Usage	Semrush API units per request	Per-call prices from your credits balance
Data	Semrush’s SEO API, Trends API (with a Trends plan) and read-only Projects data	SERP, keyword, backlink, ranking, audit, local and AI visibility data from third-party data suppliers
Sign-in	OAuth, or `Authorization: Apikey`	OAuth, or a bearer API key
URL indexing	Not included	URL Indexing MCP
Search Console and Bing Webmaster	Not included in the MCP	Free Search Console MCP

Semrush facts checked October 24, 2026 on Semrush’s MCP page and developer docs. Check their site for current terms.

Choose Semrush MCP when

You already have an eligible Semrush plan.
You need Semrush-specific data such as Trends traffic estimates or your Semrush projects.

Choose CrakSEO when

You want SEO data in your AI client without a Semrush subscription.
Your usage is occasional or unpredictable.
You also need indexing and your own Search Console and Bing data.

Switch in one step

claude mcp add --transport http crakseo-seo https://crakseo.com/mcp/seo

Other clients: see the quickstarts.