SEMrush is an excellent platform that provides a range of different SEO tools for keyword research, domain overview, backlink analysis, and more. We discussed SEMrush in our post called Digital marketing tools for small businesses. You can give that a read to learn more about the various functions that it offers.

SEMrush also has an online educational resource that you can use for free. It is called SEMrush academy. We recently wrote an article on that as well.

However, you might be wondering: how exactly can I sign up to this platform and start using it for free? If that question is in your mind, then this post is where you’ll find the answer.

Is SEMrush free or “freemium”?

Before we get started with the steps on how to sign up and use SEMrush, it is important to understand one thing.

SEMrush is not a completely free tool. It is a “freemium” tool, which means that it provides a free version as well as a paid version. In the free version, there are different types of limitations that you have to deal with. In SEMrush’s case, the main limitation that you have to face as a free user is the limited number of queries and fewer available tools.

So, while you can sign up and use the platform for free, it doesn’t mean that you will have unlimited access to it. Rather, it means that you can use a limited version of it for basic SEO-related tasks.

However, SEMrush academy is completely free to use. It does not require any payments.

Paid plan details for SEMrush

Although this guide is on how you can use the platform for free, I think that it is important for you to understand the paid plans as well. That way, if you ever want to upgrade to the paid version, you’ll know the exact features and benefits you’ll get.

These are the plans that you can buy if you want to become a paid user.

Now, let’s move on to look at the steps to sign up and use SEMrush for free.

How to sign up and utilize SEMrush as a free user?

1. First of all, go to the homepage of SEMrush by clicking on this URL: https://www.semrush.com/
2. Click on the button that says “Sign Up.”
3. Once you are taken to the sign up screen, enter your email and password. Or, click on “Continue with Google” to use your Google account instead.
4. After you have entered your email and password, you will be asked to verify your email address.
5. Once the email address is verified, you will be asked a series of questions, such as the tasks that you plan on using SEMrush for, the experience you have with SEO, and so forth.
6. After that, you will be prompted to select your preferred pricing plan. Here, you have to click on “Skip trial.” If you click on “Get Free Trial,” you will be able to use your selected plan for a 14-day period but you will have to provide your credit card details. (You can do that if you want, but that is not what this post is about.)
7. When you click on “Skip Trial,” you will be taken to the free version of the tool. Here, you can use the limited features with the limited queries.

And that is it. This is the simple process of signing up and using SEMrush as a free member.

Here are some screenshots to help you during the process.

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How to sign up and use SEMrush academy?

SEMrush academy, as mentioned earlier, is a completely free resource for digital marketers. Here is how you can use it:

1. First of all, navigate to the SEMrush academy page by clicking on this URL: https://www.semrush.com/academy/
2. If you are already signed in to your SEMrush account, you will also be automatically logged in to the SEMrush academy account. They both use the same profile.
3. If you are not logged in, click on the button that says “Try SEMrush for Free” on the top right corner.
4. A log in form will pop up. Enter your credentials there and sign in.

Is the free version of SEMrush worth using?

Yes, the free version of SEMrush is worth using if you are a beginner in SEO and if you don’t have a lot of websites and projects to track. If you own a business, then you should definitely get a paid plan because then you will have access to the features you need.

Wrapping up

One of the things that I love about SEMrush as a content marketing expert and SEO specialist is that it is very easy to access. Even if you’re signing up, the process is quick and easy, and there are no long-winded verification procedures that you have to go through.

In the post above, we’ve looked at the exact steps that you need to follow to use SEMrush for free. Check out the other posts on our website as well for more digital marketing tips and hacks.