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Head to head · Seo keywords · October 2026 research run

SE Ranking API + MCP vs Semrush API + MCP

Semrush API + MCP scores 53.1 (D) on agent readiness against SE Ranking API + MCP's 50.9 (D), and leads in 3 of 7 scored categories. SE Ranking API + MCP leads on reliability, payments & pricing and maintenance & community. Both do seo keywords.

SE Ranking API + MCPSE Ranking (SER Acquisition Inc.) · HTTP API D50.9/100#681 of 841 Semrush API + MCPSemrush Inc. (an Adobe company) · HTTP API D53.1/100#641 of 841

Which one, for what

SE Ranking API + MCP D

Good for An agent that needs keyword, backlink, domain and AI search visibility data at a published price per call, or that manages rank tracking projects for an SE Ranking customer.

Ahead on

  • Reliability, 51 against 34
  • Payments & pricing, 40 against 17
  • Maintenance & community, 79 against 57

Watch for

No scoped or read-only keys. The MCP docs say a key has the same access as the account, including Project API deletes

Semrush API + MCP D

Good for Teams already paying for Semrush who want an agent to pull keyword, backlink, ranking and traffic estimates in one place, mainly through the MCP server.

Ahead on

  • Schema & documentation, 70 against 58
  • Agent ergonomics, 77 against 58
  • Security & auth, 54 against 21

Watch for

Domain, URL, Trends, Position Tracking and Site Audit reports are version 3 only, where the one key is a URL parameter and can't be revoked

Score by category

CategoryWeight this runSE Ranking API + MCPSemrush API + MCPEdge
Reliability16%205134SE Ranking API + MCP +17
Performance10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Schema & documentation13%16.25870Semrush API + MCP +12
Agent ergonomics13%16.25877Semrush API + MCP +19
Security & auth14%17.52154Semrush API + MCP +33
Payments & pricing10%12.54017SE Ranking API + MCP +23
Task success10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Maintenance & community7%8.87957SE Ranking API + MCP +22
Transparency & trust7%8.87167SE Ranking API + MCP +4
Negative events≤1500
Total50.9 · D53.1 · D

Facts side by side

FactSE Ranking API + MCPSemrush API + MCP
KindHTTP APIHTTP API
VendorSE Ranking (SER Acquisition Inc.)Semrush Inc. (an Adobe company)
Hosted endpointhttps://api.seranking.comhttps://api.semrush.com
TransportsHTTP, Streamable HTTPHTTP, Streamable HTTP
AuthOAuth or keyOAuth or key
PricingPay per usePaid
Price for seo keywords$0.002 per recordnot published
x402nono
LicenceProprietary service under the SE Ranking API Terms of Service. The OpenAPI file and the Claude skills on GitHub are MITProprietary service under the Semrush terms of service
Tools exposednone14
Read-only variant documentedyesyes
llms.txtnoyes
MCP registrycom.seranking/mcpnot listed
Last release2026-09-282026-09-04
Terms last updatedno date given2026-08-25
Privacy policy last updated2026-06-252025-10-13
Customer content may train modelsnot found in the textnot found in the text
Terms restrict automated accessyesyes
Terms restrict benchmarkingyesyes
Terms or service can change without noticeyesnot found in the text
Arbitration or class-action waivernot found in the textyes
Popularity0 starsnone

Verdicts

SE Ranking API + MCP

Every Data API endpoint has a published credit cost, credits sell from $50 for 250,000 with no expiry, and a 14-day trial needs no card. Keys carry full account access with no scopes or read-only mode, the key may travel in the URL, and no security page, SLA or llms.txt was found.

Semrush API + MCP

The hosted MCP server exposes 14 tools that load a report's parameters on demand, and version 4 API keys can be read-only, time-limited and revoked. Most reports still sit in version 3, whose single key travels in the URL and can't be revoked. No status page, OpenAPI file or API unit price was found.

Before you call either

SE Ranking API + MCP

  1. Send the key as Authorization: Token <key>, not Bearer and not ?apikey=, so it stays out of URLs and logs
  2. Call GET /v1/account/subscription (0 credits) and read units_left before a large pull. A short balance returns Insufficient funds
  3. Set limit and cols on per-record endpoints. Backlink summaries cost 100 credits a target and keyword rows 10 credits each
  4. Stay under 10 requests a second on the Data API and 5 on the Project API per key. Repeated overruns block the Project API for 10 minutes
  5. Ask the owner before any Project API or PROJECT_* create, update or delete call. The key has no read-only mode and nothing confirms a delete

Semrush API + MCP

  1. Use the MCP server at https://mcp.semrush.com/v2/mcp where the host supports it. Call a discovery tool, then get_report_schema, then execute_report
  2. Set limit or display_limit on every per-line report. A backlinks row costs 40 to 45 units and a historical keyword row 50
  3. Check the unit balance before large pulls. A per-line report returns only the lines the balance covers, with no error
  4. Send the version 4 key as Authorization: Apikey <key>, never as ?key=. Version 3 accepts only the query parameter, so keep those URLs out of logs
  5. Stay under 10 requests a second and 10 concurrent requests per account, and retry only when error.retryable is true

Questions

Which is better for AI agents, SE Ranking API + MCP or Semrush API + MCP?

Semrush API + MCP scores 53.1 (D) on agent readiness against SE Ranking API + MCP's 50.9 (D), and leads in 3 of 7 scored categories. SE Ranking API + MCP leads on reliability, payments & pricing and maintenance & community.

Do SE Ranking API + MCP and Semrush API + MCP need an API key?

Both take an API key or an OAuth sign-in.

Can an agent call SE Ranking API + MCP and Semrush API + MCP without installing anything?

Yes. SE Ranking API + MCP has a hosted endpoint at https://api.seranking.com and Semrush API + MCP at https://api.semrush.com.

Other comparisons with SE Ranking API + MCP or Semrush API + MCP

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