Outbrain
Semrush
| Feature | Outbrain | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Contact sales | Free / from $139.95/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 3.9 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Best For | content-marketers, enterprise-brands, publishers, agencies | digital-marketers, agencies, enterprise, ppc-managers |
| Founded | 2006 | 2008 |
| Native Ads | ✓ | ✗ |
| Smartfeed | ✓ | ✗ |
| Audience Targeting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Conversion Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| A B Testing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Brand Safety | ✓ | ✗ |
| Keyword Research | ✗ | ✓ |
| Site Audit | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rank Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Competitor Analysis | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ppc Tools | ✗ | ✓ |
| Content Marketing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Social Media | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Outbrain Pros
- Premium publisher network
- Good content amplification
- Strong audience targeting
- Better brand safety than competitors
✗ Outbrain Cons
- Higher minimum spend
- Lower volume than Taboola
- Requires quality content to perform
✓ 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
Outbrain is built for content marketers and enterprise brands, with a focus on native-ads and smartfeed. Semrush targets digital marketers and agencies and leads with keyword-research and site-audit.
Outbrain uses custom enterprise pricing, while Semrush starts at $139.95/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Semrush has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Outbrain requires a paid subscription from day one.
Semrush edges out on user ratings (4.6 vs 3.9). 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 Outbrain takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for agencies — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: Semrush has a slight overall edge — but if premium publisher network matters most to you, Outbrain may still be the right call.