Surfer vs Frase: which should you use?
Surfer and Frase are both SEO content tools that study the pages already ranking for your keyword and guide you as you write. Surfer is known for its real-time content score while you write. Frase covers more of the workflow, from research and briefs to publishing.
Prices checked Oct 15, 2026 on each tool's official pricing page. Prices change often.
Quick verdict
Pick Surfer if you mainly want to optimise articles against a score while you write. Pick Frase if you want research, briefs, drafting and publishing in one place, with a free trial to start.
| Feature | Surfer | Frase |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Optimising blog posts for a keyword | SEO content briefs |
| Standout feature | Real-time Content Score with term and structure suggestions | Research-to-publish workflow with direct publishing to WordPress and Webflow |
| Free option | No free plan | 7-day free trial, no credit card |
| Paid plans | Discovery $49/mo billed yearly | Starter $39/mo billed yearly ($49 monthly) |
| Pricing type | Paid | Free trial |
| Worth knowing | It is a paid tool for people who publish regularly; it guides your content but cannot guarantee rankings. | There is a 7-day free trial rather than a free plan, and SEO results take weeks to show. |
Choose Surfer if…
- You want a clear score to optimise each article against
- You already have a writing process and want to sharpen it
- You also want AI search visibility tracking
Surfer analyses the pages that already rank for your keyword and, as you write, gives a content score with suggested terms, headings and length. It helps writers and site owners optimise articles for Google and for being cited by AI search tools.
Choose Frase if…
- You want briefs built for you from the ranking pages
- You publish straight to WordPress or Webflow
- You want a free trial before paying
Frase researches a topic, builds a brief from the pages that rank, helps you draft and optimise the article, and can publish to WordPress, Webflow and other platforms. It also audits existing pages for SEO and AI visibility and suggests revisions when a page slips.
Questions
Is Frase cheaper than Surfer?
Frase Starter is $39 a month billed yearly, and Surfer's cheapest plan, Discovery, is $49 a month billed yearly. Frase also has a 7-day free trial.
Can I use Surfer and Frase together?
You can, but most people pick one. They overlap heavily on briefs and on-page optimisation.