Frase
Surfer SEO
| Feature | Frase | Surfer SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $14.99/mo | From $89/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | content-writers, seo-freelancers, bloggers, small-teams | content-writers, seo-specialists, agencies, bloggers |
| Founded | 2016 | 2017 |
| Serp Analysis | ✓ | ✗ |
| Content Briefs | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Writer | ✓ | ✗ |
| Content Optimization | ✓ | ✗ |
| Answer Engine | ✓ | ✗ |
| Topic Scoring | ✓ | ✗ |
| Content Editor | ✗ | ✓ |
| Serp Analyzer | ✗ | ✓ |
| Keyword Research | ✗ | ✓ |
| Audit | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Writing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outline Builder | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Frase Pros
- Affordable compared to competitors
- Fast SERP research
- AI writing assistant included
- Good content optimization
✗ Frase Cons
- AI content quality varies
- Limited integrations
- Smaller feature set than enterprise tools
✓ Surfer SEO Pros
- Real-time content scoring while writing
- NLP-based keyword suggestions
- Integrates with Google Docs and WordPress
- SERP Analyzer for competitive insights
✗ Surfer SEO Cons
- Expensive for occasional use
- Score obsession can lead to unnatural writing
- Limited to on-page SEO only
The Verdict
Frase is built for content writers and seo freelancers, with a focus on serp-analysis and content-briefs. Surfer SEO targets content writers and seo specialists and leads with content-editor and serp-analyzer.
On pricing, Frase is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $14.99/mo compared to $89/mo for Surfer SEO. That $74.01/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
Feature-wise, Surfer SEO offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Frase takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for content writers, bloggers — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.