5 Free And Cheap Surfer SEO Alternatives

Surfer SEO is a great tool for improving your website’s search engine ranking. However, recent price changes have seen it become more expensive.

It’s now out of reach of many bloggers and this is a problem because your competitors are using it and SEO is essential for anyone that wants to be successful online.

All is not lost though as there are a number of cheap Surfer SEO alternatives that are much cheaper. These alternatives offer similar features as Surfer SEO, so they can help you improve your website’s search engine ranking without breaking the bank.

Surfer SEO used to be miles ahead of the competition, but no longer. Check out the best alternatives below.

CJ’s Choice – My Surfer SEO Alternative

NeuronWriter is my chosen Surfer SEO alternative content optimization tool for all content marketing. I started using Surfer SEO early in my blogging journey but found it expensive, especially given the low volumes of content analysis included in even their lowest plan

NeuronWriter offers (currently) a lifetime deal starting at $89 which is fantastic value.

I’ve used the tool to rank articles on page one of Google, even ranking above companies for their main keyword.

The tool has helped me quickly create content with new AI templates that produce SEO Optimized content in a matter of a few clicks.

The other key point that makes this tool a no-brainer is the way it has improved over the last 6 months which includes:

• Improved UI
• New AI Templates
• Addition of Chrome Extension
• Auto optimize / insert feature
• Improved AI Optimized Content Creator

What To Look For in a Content Optimization Tool

When choosing a tool, it is important to consider your specific needs and budget. Here are factors to consider when choosing a Surfer SEO alternative:

• Features: What features are important to you? Do you need a tool with keyword research, content analysis, writing suggestions, and an AI writer? Do you need to create a content calendar for your content team?
• Pricing: How much are you willing to spend? There are a variety of free and cheap tools available, as well as more tools like Surfer SEO.
• Ease of use: How easy is the tool to use? Do you want a tool that is simple and straightforward, or one with more advanced features?
• Accuracy: How accurate is the tool’s content score? Do you want a tool that will help you improve your website’s ranking or one that is more of a general-purpose tool?

Why Do You Need An Alternative To SurferSEO?

Price. Simple as that. Surfer has never been cheap. And recent updates have seen the tool become even more expensive.

If your blog is making you thousands a month, and you dont mind over paying, then Surfer is still a great option.

But, their new pricing is shown below and this doesn’t even include AI Writen articles.

$89 per month for 15 article edits a month is very expensive.

Best Surfer SEO Alternatives

NeuronWriter

NeuronWriter launched in 2022 and has become THE Surfer SEO alternative for many (including me). With an ever-improving feature set its easy to see why.

Key Features

• Advanced content editor: NeuronWriter has a powerful content editor that allows you to write and edit content with ease.
• AI-Powered Text paraphraser/expander: NeuronWriter’s text paraphraser/expander can help you add content and to improve the quality of your it. 
• AI content templates: NeuronWriter’s AI content templates can help you to create content quickly and easily. 
• Content Optimization & SEO scoring: NeuronWriter provides you with a content optimization feature that is easy to use and I have found that it helps ranks articles high on Google.
• Internal link suggestions: NeuronWriter provides you with internal link suggestions for your article based on the best content on your site to link to.
• Content ideas & planning: NeuronWriter provides you with content ideas and planning tools to help build your content strategy and simplify your content research.
• Content management & team collaboration tools: NeuronWriter provides you with content management and team collaboration tools so you can work with writers and customers more easily.
• Plagiarism checker: NeuronWriter has a built-in plagiarism checker.
• Google SERP analysis & competitor research: NeuronWriter provides you with Google SERP analysis and competitor research tools so you can create content briefs based on what is ranking.
• WordPress & GSC integration: NeuronWriter integrates with WordPress and Google Search Console to make workflow easier.

NeuronWriter Pricing

For this alternative to Surfer SEO, the monthly price plans start at $19 per month. Significantly cheaper than most tools out there.

For that price, you get 25 content analyses. If you got up to $59 per month, you get a massive 75 content analyses and all other functionality NeuronWriter offers.

At the time of writing NeuronWriter is available on AppSumo for $89.

You can stack up to 7 codes (I have). I strongly recommend buying at least three as this gets you all the functionality they offer.

CJ’s Take: NeuronWriter

This is the tool I use every day and I used it to write this article.

The value for money, the functionality, the improvements over the last 6 months, and the transparency of their owners make this my Surfer SEO alternative. 

The CEO and CTO are active in the Facebook group and are very transparent. They listen to users’ feedback and engage in discussions. This gives me extreme confidence that the tool is in safe hands and around for the long term.

Dokey

Dokey is a French-owned content optimization tool that has gained a lot of users in recent times. After a successful run on AppSumo the tool continues to grow.

Key Features

• Content optimization for SEO Dokey helps you create SEO-optimized content with a goal to follow, smart keyword integration, intelligent link suggestions, and contextually accurate synonyms.
• Generate engaging content ideas Dokey helps you generate engaging content ideas in the blink of an eye. Just enter a keyword or phrase, and Dokey will generate a list of relevant content ideas.
• Produce SEO-optimized content with our real-time scoring Dokey provides real-time scoring of your content so you can see how well it is optimized for search engines.
• Import and synchronize all of your website pages Dokey makes it easy to import and synchronize all of your website pages. 
• Monitor the SEO performance of each of your content Dokey allows you to monitor the SEO performance of each of your content. 
• Manage your writers or clients with our advanced team management Dokey provides advanced team management features so you can easily collaborate with writers and clients. 
• Plan your content in advance and assign it to your team Dokey allows you to plan your content in advance and assign it to your team. 

Dokey Pricing

Dokey has been available on AppSumo so it’s worth keeping an eye out to see if it returns.

As with many tools, there are three pricing tiers starting at $59 per month  (if you pay monthly). Whilst not cheap you get 10 analyses per month which is 7 more than Surfer.

CJ’s Take: Dokey

The UI of Dokey is extremely good. Some of the other tools in this article could learn a lot from it. 

The outline builder is slick and one of the best I’ve used. Its easy to add headings from ranking articles to your outline and move them up or down. Once you start writing you can move sections around really easily too. This makes constructing articles straightforward without the need to cut and paste.

Dokey has a unique feature that enables you to monitor the performance of a post once it has been published. It shows Google search console data, in a simple easy-to-consume way.

Whilst the tool has lots of clever additional functions I was less convinced by the content-scoring algorithm. 

GetGenie

GetGenie takes a very different approach from the other SEO content optimizers. Predominantly GetGeni is an AI tool that uses what is ranking in SERPs to create content. It is a WordPress plugin that you use directly in WordPress.

Key Features

• Keyword Analysis Enter a keyword and GetGenie will tell you the difficulty and search volume to ensure you choose the right keyword to write about.
• Title & Description Generation: Generate titles and meta descriptions based on your top-ranking competitors.
• AI-powered content generation GetGenie uses artificial intelligence to generate high-quality content in seconds that is entered directly into your WordPress article. You can simply enter a keyword or phrase, and GetGenie will generate a complete blog post, product description, or other type of content for you.
• SEO optimization GetGenie uses a content grader to give you a score for new articles as you write or when you optimize existing content.
• Content scheduling GetGenie allows you to schedule your content to be published at a later date. 
• Many AI Uses – can handle all types of writing needs, including cold email outreach, blog articles, product descriptions, video scripts, and long-form content.

GetGenie Pricing

Unlike many, GetGenie offers a free plan so you can optimize your content writing for free. It’s well worth testing the tool to see if it works for you.

CJ’s Take: GetGenie

GetGenie differs from many tools in the way it approaches the creation and analysis of content. The SEO features are strong and the content scoring and suggested words to include in your content are easy to use.

The AI writing takes place directly in WordPress rather than in a content editor hosted elsewhere. This takes a bit of getting used to but is definitely worth a try.

Contentpace

ContentPace is an AI-powered SEO content optimization tool that can help businesses of all sizes to improve their online presence. With its powerful keyword research tools, in-depth SEO analysis, and intuitive user interface, ContentPace simplifies the content creation process and helps boost organic traffic.

By analyzing the top 50 competitors for a target keyword, ContentPace provides insights into their strengths and weaknesses, allowing users to optimize for Google rank brain and stay ahead of the competition. 

Key Features

• Content optimization for SEO Contentpace helps you create SEO-optimized content with a goal to follow, smart keyword integration, intelligent link suggestions, and contextually accurate synonyms.
• Generate engaging content ideas Contentpace helps you generate engaging content ideas in the blink of an eye. Just enter a keyword or phrase, and Contentpace will generate a list of relevant content ideas.
• Produce SEO optimized content with our real-time scoring Contentpace provides real-time scoring of your content so you can see how well it is optimized for search engines.
• Import and synchronize all of your website pages Contentpace makes it easy to import and synchronize all of your website pages.
• Monitor the SEO performance of each of your content Contentpace allows you to monitor the SEO performance of each of your content.
• Manage your writers or clients with our advanced team management Contentpace provides advanced team management features so you can easily collaborate with writers and clients.
• Plan your content in advance and assign it to your team Contentpace helps with content planning in advance and assigning it to your team.

Contentpace Pricing

ContentPace offers a free plan so you can try boosting your content quality for free. The lowest-paid plan at $27 per month comes with 20 content analyses a month far more than Surfer SEO. The higher the plan, the more content you can create as the included volumes increase.

CJs Take: Contentpace

Whilst the functionality offered by Contentpace is solid, I really couldn’t get to grips with strange work flow. Going from entering a keyword, analyzing competitors, and building the content brief to writing the SEO optimized content all seemed disjointed and clunky. With tools like Surfer and NeuronWriter the steps are obvious and well thought through.

Originality AI Content Optimizer – FREE

Who doesn’t love free, right? If you are looking for a stripped-back optimization tool then this free offering is worth a look.

It offers basic content optimization functionality along with tips on how you can use ChatGPT to improve the optimization based on the output of the Originality AI optimizer. Its worth a look if you are on a tight budget.

Surfer SEO Functionality – What Does It Do?

Surfer SEO is a cloud-based SEO tool that helps you improve your website’s search engine ranking. It does this by providing you with suggestions on how to improve the SEO of an article you are writing or analyzing your website’s existing content.

Surfer SEO also offers a variety of other features, such as:

Content Editor

This is the main function. Put in a keyword and you are taken to an editor that shows on the right, all the words you should use in your article based on what the top-ranking articles are using.

There is a visual graph/tracker that shows how you are progressing and how far you need to go in order to optimize your article to the same level or higher than your competitors. It shows key targets like word count, number of paragraphs, headers, and even how much text to bold.

Audit

The Audit tool enables users to insert a link to existing content published on your site and add the target keyword and Surfer will generate an audit report comparing the live article against those articles that rank for the chosen term.

Not all SEO optimization tools have this but there are many standalone tools that will provide this functionality for a fraction of the monthly cost of Surfer.

Content planner

The content planner enables you to discover a plethora of relevant topic clusters for you to pick from for your next piece (or pieces) of content. 

Other Features

Surfer also includes a free content brief / content outline creator.

What to look for in Surfer SEO alternatives?

When searching for a SurferSEO alternative, it is crucial to identify specific features that cater to your SEO needs. SurferSEO is revered for its ability to analyze and optimize your content in real-time, giving your website a competitive edge in the market.

A desirable SurferSEO alternative should offer similar capabilities to enhance your site’s performance. Look for an alternative that conducts in-depth keyword research, enabling you to target high-traffic keywords that improve your site’s visibility and boost its ranking.

Additionally, a top-notch SurferSEO competitor should provide an intuitive Content Editor that facilitates the process of curating quality content, well-optimized for targeted keywords. A valuable SurferSEO alternative should effectively compare your content with your competitors, offering actionable suggestions to optimize and outrank them in SERP.

Finally, ensure that the alternative delivers comprehensive on-page SEO analysis, continuously updating you on your website’s performance to keep you ahead of the ever-changing SEO landscape.

In summary, an ideal SurferSEO alternative should present an array of essential features that help you conquer competitive keywords, consistently optimize your website, and maintain a strong presence in SERP. 

Why do you need an SEO Content Marketing tool?

If you want your website to appear prominently on search engine results pages (SERP), you need SEO. SEO tools can help you optimize your website to achieve better rankings in these results.

A good SEO tool can help you identify the best keywords to target, track your website’s search engine ranking, and perform a detailed analysis of your website’s performance. 

Without effective SEO, your website may not be visible to your target audience, and you may miss out on valuable traffic and leads.

An SEO tool can help you stay on top of changes in search engine algorithms, ensure that your website’s content is optimized for search engines, and provide valuable insights into the performance of your website. In short, if you want to improve your website’s visibility, growth, and profitability, you need an SEO tool. 

In short, your competition uses SEO tools so you have to too.

CJ’s Verdict: Best Cheap Surfer SEO Alternative

If you have an endless amount of cash, SurferSEO is a great tool and probably still the market leader, but only just.

Other tools have improved massively over the last year and some have functionality that Surfer SEO does not.

If you’re looking for your first content optimization tool, then try out Orginality AI’s free tool to help you optimize content. 

If you’re serious about your site, you need a paid tool and I highly recommend NeuronWriter’s Lifetime Deal. For 2 months worth of Surfer you can get a lifetime of NeuronWriter with its GPT-4 powered AI writer, chrome extension, and effective SEO optimizer. 

FAQ’s