Looker Studio
Semrush
| Feature | Looker Studio | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $9/mo | Free / from $139.95/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Best For | marketers, analysts, google-ads-users, small-businesses | digital-marketers, agencies, enterprise, ppc-managers |
| Founded | 2016 | 2008 |
| Dashboards | ✓ | ✗ |
| Data Connectors | ✓ | ✗ |
| Visualizations | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sharing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Templates | ✓ | ✗ |
| Calculated Fields | ✓ | ✗ |
| Keyword Research | ✗ | ✓ |
| Site Audit | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rank Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Competitor Analysis | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ppc Tools | ✗ | ✓ |
| Content Marketing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Social Media | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Looker Studio Pros
- Free
- Google data integration
- Shareable dashboards
- Many connectors
✗ Looker Studio Cons
- Can be slow
- Limited data blending
- Basic compared to paid tools
✓ Semrush Pros
- Most comprehensive marketing toolkit
- Excellent PPC and advertising tools
- Content marketing platform included
- Social media management built-in
✗ Semrush Cons
- Very expensive for small businesses
- Interface can feel overwhelming
- Some data less accurate for non-US markets
The Verdict
Looker Studio is built for marketers and analysts, with a focus on dashboards and data-connectors. Semrush targets digital marketers and agencies and leads with keyword-research and site-audit.
On pricing, Looker Studio is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $9/mo compared to $139.95/mo for Semrush. That $130.95/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Semrush edges out on user ratings (4.6 vs 4.2). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Semrush offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Looker Studio takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Semrush has a slight overall edge — but if free matters most to you, Looker Studio may still be the right call.