Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl) and Semrush: side-by-side
A side-by-side comparison of Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl) and Semrush — features, pricing, strengths, and where each tool falls short.
Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl) and Semrush occupy meaningfully different territory in the SEO tooling market, even though both surface technical issues on websites. Lumar is a dedicated site crawling and technical SEO intelligence platform built for teams managing large, complex web properties — think enterprise engineering and SEO working together to catch issues before and after deployment. Semrush is a broad full-stack marketing suite that includes a site audit tool alongside keyword research, backlink analysis, competitor intelligence, and content tools under one subscription.
The realistic buyer choosing between them is usually an enterprise or mid-market SEO team deciding whether a specialist crawling platform justifies a separate budget alongside — or instead of — an all-in-one suite. Lumar's modular Analyze, Monitor, Protect, and Impact applications go meaningfully deeper into crawl architecture, CI/CD pipeline testing, and multi-domain alerting than Semrush's Site Audit tool does. Semrush counters with capabilities Lumar simply does not offer: a proprietary keyword research database, a native backlink index, position tracking across 500–5,000 keywords depending on plan, and competitor domain analytics.
Pricing structure alone highlights the gap in intended audience. Semrush publishes four self-serve tiers starting at $117.33 per month billed annually, making the cost calculable before any sales conversation. Lumar lists no prices publicly — all procurement runs through a sales contact form, a model that suits enterprise buying cycles but makes the tool essentially inaccessible to smaller teams or individuals who want to evaluate costs independently. These are tools solving different problems at different organizational scales, and that framing should drive the comparison more than any feature-by-feature checklist.
What each tool is
Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl)
Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl) is an enterprise-oriented, cloud-based website intelligence platform centered on its site crawler. It provides four core application modules — Analyze (deep audits), Monitor (change tracking and alerting), Protect (automated QA testing integrated into CI/CD pipelines), and Impact (stakeholder reporting and benchmarking). The platform covers technical SEO, generative engine optimization (GEO/AEO), web accessibility, site speed, and custom analytics. It is sold as a configurable platform where teams select the modules they need, and pricing is not published publicly — prospects must contact sales to obtain a quote. The platform holds SOC 2 Type 2 certification and is positioned primarily at enterprise and mid-market teams managing large or complex websites.
Semrush
Semrush is one of the largest SEO and digital marketing platforms, offering domain analytics, position tracking, site audit, keyword research, backlink analysis, and a growing set of AI visibility and content tools. It is widely adopted by agencies and enterprise marketing teams.
At a glance
Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl)
Site Crawler / Technical SEO
A cloud-based website optimization platform built around deep site crawling for technical SEO, GEO/AEO, accessibility, and site speed at enterprise scale.
Not publicly documented
- •Pricing is not listed on the Lumar website; prospects are directed to fill out a contact form to receive a quote.
- •Modular packaging: teams select from Analyze, Monitor, Protect, and Impact modules.
- •No self-serve signup or publicly listed entry price was found in the source material.
- •G2 badges and enterprise testimonials (Cox Automotive, Fandom, Compare the Market) indicate a primary focus on enterprise and mid-market buyers.
Semrush
Full-stack SEO Suite
A full-stack SEO and marketing suite with broad coverage of search, ads, content, and AI visibility.
SEO (formerly Pro)
- •SEO plan $117.33/mo billed annually ($139/mo monthly) — 5 websites, 500 keywords tracked daily, basic keyword research & competitor analysis
- •Starter SEO + AI Search $165.17/mo billed annually ($199/mo) — 5 websites, 500 keywords, 50 AI prompts tracked daily, 1 domain AI brand performance
- •Pro+ SEO + AI Search $248.17/mo billed annually ($299/mo) — 15 websites, 1,500 keywords, historical data, content optimization, 100 AI prompts/day
- •Advanced SEO + AI Search $455.67/mo billed annually ($549/mo) — 40 websites, 5,000 keywords, API access, SEO share of voice, 200 AI prompts/day
- •Enterprise available with custom pricing, unlimited projects, and dedicated support
Feature comparison
Side-by-side feature breakdown across pricing, data, workflows, and collaboration.
| Feature | Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl) | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Data & coverage | ||
| Native Google Search Console integration | Yes | GSC import (Position Tracking) |
| Keyword research database | No | Proprietary, very large |
| Backlink index | No | Yes |
| SERP feature tracking | Not publicly documented | — |
| Workflows built for you | ||
| Quick wins (pages 1 click from page 1) | No | Manual via Position Tracking |
| Content decay detection | No | No |
| Weak & dead URL identification | Yes | No |
| AI content briefs | No | Add-on (SEO Writing Assistant) |
| Content groups & cohort analysis | — | No |
| Collaboration & sharing | ||
| Magic-link read-only sharing | Not publicly documented | No |
| Multi-property dashboards | Yes | — |
| Seats included on entry plan | Not publicly documented | 1 user (additional $45/mo) |
| Pricing & value | ||
| Entry plan price | Not publicly documented | $117.33/mo billed annually ($139/mo month-to-month) |
| Free tier | No | Free account with strict limits |
| BYOK option | — | No |
| Crawling | ||
| JavaScript rendering | Yes | — |
| Crawl limit on entry plan | Not publicly documented | — |
| Scheduled / cloud crawling | Yes | — |
| Log file analysis | Not publicly documented | — |
| Runs locally (desktop) or in the cloud | Cloud only | — |
The differences that actually matter
Crawling depth vs. marketing breadth
Lumar is built around its crawler first. The platform's four modules — Analyze, Monitor, Protect, and Impact — all center on what the crawler surfaces, including JavaScript rendering for SPAs and progressive web apps, multi-domain segmentation, and CI/CD pipeline hooks. Semrush includes a site audit tool as one component among 20-plus tools, which means it serves teams that need good-enough technical auditing without a dedicated specialist platform. If technical SEO depth is the primary requirement, Lumar's architecture is purpose-built in a way Semrush's audit tool is not.
Keyword research and backlink data: only one tool has them
Semrush maintains a proprietary keyword research database and a native backlink index — both foundational to organic strategy work including gap analysis, content planning, and link prospecting. Lumar has neither. Lumar integrates with Majestic for backlink data but does not maintain its own index, and no keyword research database is documented anywhere in its product. Teams that need keyword research, ranking data, and technical auditing in one place will find Semrush covers all three; teams treating technical SEO as a distinct function from content strategy may not need Lumar to do both.
CI/CD integration and pre-deployment testing
Lumar Protect is a differentiating capability that has no direct equivalent in Semrush. It lets engineering and SEO teams run automated QA checks against a staging or development environment inside CI/CD pipelines, blocking deploys when crawlable issues are detected. Semrush's Site Audit runs against live URLs on a scheduled basis — it finds problems after they're already in production. For organizations where SEO regressions introduced by development cycles are a recurring pain point, Lumar Protect addresses a workflow Semrush does not.
Pricing transparency and accessibility
Semrush publishes four annual billing tiers: $117.33/mo (SEO), $165.17/mo (Starter SEO + AI Search), $248.17/mo (Pro+), and $455.67/mo (Advanced), with enterprise custom pricing above that. A free account with strict limits also exists. Lumar lists zero prices publicly — the website directs all inquiries to a contact form. This is not a minor UX difference; it means Lumar cannot be evaluated, trialed, or purchased without engaging a sales process. For any buyer without an enterprise procurement budget and cycle, Semrush is the only realistic option between these two.
AI and emerging search coverage
Both platforms are expanding into AI search visibility, but from different angles. Lumar's expansion into GEO/AEO focuses on how crawlable and structured a site is for AI-powered search engines — a technical-crawl framing. Semrush's AI Search plans (starting at $165.17/mo billed annually) track AI prompt visibility and domain brand performance in generative search results, adding up to 200 AI prompts per day on higher tiers. These are complementary rather than competing approaches, reflecting each platform's core strength: Lumar on technical site structure, Semrush on search performance measurement.
Where each tool wins and falls short
Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl)
Strengths
- Deep, flexible site crawler capable of handling very large-scale websites with JavaScript rendering
- Automated QA testing via Lumar Protect with CI/CD pipeline integration — prevents issues from reaching the live site
- Multi-domain monitoring with customizable alerts, segmentation, and dashboards in a single view
- Expanding coverage beyond technical SEO into GEO/AEO (AI search visibility), web accessibility, and site speed
Weaknesses
- Pricing is entirely sales-gated — no public pricing tiers, free trial, or self-serve entry point documented on the site
- No native keyword research database or proprietary backlink index; relies on integrations (e.g., Majestic) for backlink data
- No documented quick-wins workflow, content decay detection, or AI content briefs grounded in GSC performance data
- Heavy enterprise positioning means smaller teams may find the platform over-engineered and difficult to procure without a lengthy sales process
Semrush
Strengths
- Vast tool coverage — SEO, PPC, content, social, AI visibility
- Mature competitor analysis (Traffic Analytics, Domain Overview)
- Strong brand and integrations ecosystem
Weaknesses
- Expensive — Pro $139.95/mo, Business $499.95/mo
- Steep learning curve; many features go unused
- Data is third-party estimated, not your real GSC truth
- Most useful workflows gated behind higher tiers (Guru, Business)
Who each tool fits
Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl)
Best for
- •Enterprise or mid-market teams managing large-scale or complex websites that require deep technical audits
- •Teams that need automated QA testing integrated into CI/CD pipelines to catch issues before deployment
- •Organizations monitoring multiple domains or geographies who need customizable alerting and multi-property dashboards
- •SEO teams that want to combine crawl data with Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Majestic data in one platform
Not ideal for
- •Small businesses or individuals — pricing is enterprise-oriented and not publicly available for self-serve sign-up
- •Teams looking for a keyword research database or backlink index as a primary feature, as these are not core Lumar capabilities
- •Users who want an out-of-the-box quick wins or content decay workflow driven by their own GSC performance data
- •Buyers who need transparent, self-serve pricing before engaging with a sales team
Semrush
Best for
- •Large agencies and enterprise teams needing breadth across SEO/PPC/social
- •Power users comfortable with a complex 20+ tool platform
- •Teams using Semrush as their central marketing data platform
Not ideal for
- •Founders and small teams who want a focused GSC workflow
- •Buyers priced out of $117+/mo entry pricing
- •Anyone who only opens 2-3 tools regularly
Which should you choose?
Lumar is the clear choice for enterprise and mid-market teams whose primary challenge is understanding and safeguarding the technical health of large-scale or complex websites, particularly where CI/CD integration and multi-domain monitoring matter. Semrush is the better fit for marketing teams and agencies that need a single platform covering keyword research, backlink analysis, site auditing, competitor tracking, and content — at a publicly documented price point. Neither tool fully replaces the other; organizations with serious technical SEO needs and budget often run both.
Choose Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl) if…
- Your team manages a large-scale website where crawl depth, JavaScript rendering accuracy, and catching technical regressions before deployment are primary concerns.
- You need automated QA testing embedded into CI/CD pipelines via Lumar Protect so that broken redirects, missing tags, or crawlability issues never reach the live site.
- You're monitoring multiple domains or geographies in a single dashboard with customizable alerting and need to segment crawl data against GSC, Google Analytics, and Majestic data simultaneously.
- Your organization requires SOC 2 Type 2 certified infrastructure and an enterprise procurement process with dedicated sales support rather than a self-serve subscription.
Choose Semrush if…
- You need keyword research, backlink analysis, and competitor domain intelligence alongside site auditing — capabilities Lumar does not offer natively.
- Your team tracks ranking positions daily (500 keywords on entry, up to 5,000 on higher tiers) and needs SERP visibility data woven into the same platform as your technical audits.
- You want transparent, self-serve pricing — Semrush's plans start at $117.33/month billed annually and are fully detailed without contacting a sales team.
- You're an agency or mid-market marketing team that needs breadth across SEO, PPC research, and content optimization tools under a single budget line rather than a specialist technical auditing platform.
Frequently asked questions
What buyers ask when weighing Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl) and Semrush.
No. Lumar does not include a keyword research database in any of its modules. Its platform is built around site crawling, technical auditing, monitoring, and CI/CD testing. Teams that need keyword research alongside technical SEO auditing would need to use a separate tool such as Semrush, which maintains a proprietary keyword database across all its paid plans.
Semrush Site Audit runs against live URLs on a scheduled basis and is one component of a broader marketing suite. Lumar's crawler is the platform's core foundation — it supports JavaScript rendering, multi-domain segmentation, and through Lumar Protect, integrates into CI/CD pipelines to test staging environments before deployment. For large-scale technical SEO work or catching regressions before they go live, Lumar's crawling architecture goes considerably deeper than Semrush's audit tool.
Semrush's entry plan is $117.33/month billed annually ($139/month month-to-month), with higher tiers up to $455.67/month billed annually before enterprise pricing. Lumar does not publish any prices — all pricing requires submitting a contact form and going through a sales process. Budget comparison between the two tools is not possible without a direct Lumar sales conversation.
Yes. Lumar lists Google Search Console and Google Analytics as integrations alongside Majestic for backlink data. This allows crawl data to be combined with performance and traffic data within the platform. Semrush also imports GSC data, primarily using it within Position Tracking to augment its own ranking data.
Semrush offers a free account with strict usage limits, allowing limited keyword lookups, domain analysis queries, and site audit crawls before hitting a paywall. Lumar has no documented free tier or free trial — the product requires engaging sales to obtain access. Neither tool offers a fully functional free experience, but Semrush's free account does allow limited hands-on evaluation without any sales contact.
For agencies primarily needing keyword research, competitor analysis, backlink data, and site auditing across client accounts, Semrush's multi-project tiers — up to 40 websites on the Advanced plan at $455.67/month billed annually — are purpose-built for that workflow. Lumar's multi-domain monitoring is enterprise-oriented and requires a sales quote. Unless the agency's core value proposition is deep technical SEO infrastructure work, Semrush is the more accessible and comprehensive choice for multi-client agency use.
No. Semrush's Site Audit tool runs against live, publicly accessible URLs and does not integrate into development pipelines or test staging environments. Lumar Protect is specifically designed for this use case — it allows teams to run automated technical SEO and QA checks within CI/CD workflows so issues are caught before code reaches production.
Both, but differently. Semrush's AI Search add-on plans (from $165.17/month billed annually) track how a brand or domain appears in AI-generated search results, with daily AI prompt tracking up to 200 prompts/day on the Advanced plan. Lumar's GEO/AEO module focuses on the technical crawlability and structure of a site as it relates to AI search engines — a site-readiness angle rather than a performance measurement angle.