Semrush is the industry-standard SEO suite, and it has been for years.
But in 2026, a growing number of marketing teams are asking a different question: how do we show up when someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity instead of Google?
That question is what Profound was built to answer. It is a dedicated Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) platform designed specifically to track and improve brand visibility across AI answer engines.
I spent several weeks testing both platforms side by side. What I found is that they solve fundamentally different problems, and comparing them head-to-head requires understanding what each one is actually built for.
Semrush is your operating system for Google-era search. Profound is your radar for AI-era conversations.
In this comparison, I’ll break down features, pricing, ideal use cases, and limitations so you can decide which one your team actually needs, or whether the answer is both.
Continue reading “Semrush vs Profound: When to Use Each (and When You Need Both)”