Starting a new site is exciting, but paying over ₹10,000 a month for Semrush can feel impossible. The good news? You don’t need the full suite on day one. By stacking a few budget-friendly SEO and content tools, new publishers in India can cover the essentials—keyword research, audits, backlinks, and AI writing—at half the cost.
India Snapshot: Budget-Friendly Alternatives
| Tool | Price (USD/mo) |
Approx INR |
Key Features |
Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE Ranking | $39+ | ~₹3,200 | Keyword tracking, audits, reports | Solo bloggers |
| Ubersuggest | $29+ | ~₹2,400 | Keyword + site audits | Beginners |
| Mangools | $49+ | ~₹4,000 | KWFinder, SERP analysis, backlinks | Bloggers |
| Serpstat | $55+ | ~₹4,500 | All-in-one SEO basics | Startups |
| Ahrefs Lite | $99+ | ~₹8,200 | Backlink index, keyword data | Link builders |
| Writesonic | ₹1,600+ | INR billing | AI blog drafts + content hubs | Content creators |
| Scalenut | $39+ | ~₹3,200 | SEO briefs + AI writing | Agencies |
Try Writesonic Free Trial with 10,000 free words included.
Why New Publishers Need a Budget Stack
- Semrush covers all SEO needs, but most new sites don’t need everything on day one.
- By combining 2–3 smaller tools, you can cover essentials:
- Keyword Research → SE Ranking or Ubersuggest
- Backlinks → Ahrefs Lite or Mangools LinkMiner
- Content AI → Writesonic or Scalenut
This stack can cost ₹3k–₹6k/month, instead of ₹10k+.
Recommended Stacks for New Publishers
Stack 1: Ultra Budget (~₹3,000/month)
- Ubersuggest for keywords
- Writesonic for AI blog drafts
Stack 2: Balanced (~₹6,000/month)
- SE Ranking for tracking & audits
- Mangools for keyword & SERP analysis
- Writesonic for content
Stack 3: Growth (~₹8,000/month)
- Ahrefs Lite for backlinks
- Scalenut for SEO content clusters
- SE Ranking for rank tracking
Pros & Cons of Using Stacks
Pros
- Much cheaper than Semrush.
- Flexibility—pick only what you need.
- Some tools (Writesonic) allow INR billing.
Cons
- Multiple dashboards vs one.
- Data may be less comprehensive.
- Steeper learning curve with many tools.
New publishers don’t need to pay Semrush-level prices in 2025. By combining SE Ranking, Ubersuggest, Mangools, Ahrefs Lite, Writesonic, or Scalenut, you can cover most SEO needs at half the cost. Once traffic and revenue grow, upgrading to Semrush makes sense.
Start Writesonic Free Trial and build your budget SEO stack today.
