Frase vs Surfer SEO
Surfer optimizes pages. Frase grows your content program.
Last updated: February 2026
Trusted by companies including ActiveCampaign, Asurion, Career Karma, Coursera, Deltek, Digitas, Extra Space, FindLaw, GitLab, Hennessey, Kraken, Merkle, Microsoft, Oracle, PTC, Talkspace, Thermo Fisher, Thomson Reuters, Toptal, Under Armour.
At a Glance
The Frase Agent: Your Content Team's Force Multiplier
Surfer SEO offers Surfy, a capable AI chat assistant that helps with individual tasks — writing content, answering optimization questions, suggesting improvements. But you still navigate between tools and coordinate your workflow manually.
The Frase Agent doesn't just chat — it executes. Describe what you need in natural language, and the Agent runs complete multi-step workflows autonomously: researching competitors, auditing your entire site, optimizing content, and generating actionable recommendations — all without manual tool-switching.
With the Frase Agent
“Audit my top 50 pages, find the ones losing traffic, and create optimized briefs for each”
→ Agent audits your domain, identifies content decay, analyzes competitor gaps, and generates ready-to-execute briefs — from one instruction
With Surfer's Chat Assistant
Surfy helps you write and optimize individual articles through conversation — but multi-step workflows like site auditing, prioritization, and batch briefing still require manual coordination across tools
→ Helpful for single tasks, but you're still the project manager
80+ Specialized Skills, One Natural Language Interface
From SERP analysis to full site audits to GEO optimization — the Frase Agent brings 80+ specialized capabilities together through natural conversation. No separate dashboards. No manual coordination. Just describe what you need.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Frase Recommended | Surfer SEO |
|---|---|---|
| SEO Research & Analysis | ||
| SERP analysis | ||
| Keyword research | ||
| Content briefs | ||
| Competitor analysis | ||
| Google Search Console integration | ||
| Content Creation | ||
| AI content writing | ||
| Content editor | ||
| AI chat assistant | In-editor AI assistance | Surfy AI assistant |
| AI image generation | Built-in, unlimited | |
| Multilingual content creation | 100+ languages | Limited language support |
| Unlimited AI words | No word limits | Credit-based |
| Complete workflow (research → write → optimize) | End-to-end platform | Limited Optimization-focused |
| Content Optimization | ||
| SEO optimization | ||
| GEO optimization (AI search) | ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, etc. | GEO integrated into content generation |
| Real-time content scoring | ||
| Content audit | Per-page + site-wide | Per-page only |
| Site-wide content auditing | Audit entire domains for SEO gaps and content decay | |
| Proactive Monitoring | ||
| Content Opportunities monitoring | Proactive GSC alerts | |
| Visibility alerts | Track ranking changes | |
| Automated content recommendations | AI-powered suggestions | |
| AI Search Tracking | ||
| ChatGPT citation tracking | 5 platforms | Included from Standard ($99/mo) |
| AI Search Tracking pricing | From $49/mo Included in every plan | From $99/mo Requires Standard plan |
| Tracked queries | 50-350 prompts Based on tier | 25-100 prompts Based on tier |
| Daily refresh | ||
| Brand & Team Features | ||
| Brand voice control | Voice training + governance workflows | Custom Voice, Global Brand Voice |
| Content governance | Approval workflows | |
| Team workflows | Full collaboration suite | Limited Basic features |
| Multi-user collaboration | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Google Docs | ||
| WordPress | ||
| Chrome Extension | Optimize anywhere | |
| API access | ||
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price (monthly) | $49 $39/mo billed annually | $49 Discovery plan (limited) |
| Features at $49/mo | Full platform included SEO + GEO + AI Agent + site auditing + monitoring | Basic plan Limited documents, no AI Tracker |
| Get Started Free | 2 content docs + 1 Rank-Ready included | 7 days trial |
| Value for teams | Complete platform at every tier | Tier-gated features |
Which Should You Choose?
- ✓Want one platform that handles your entire content growth workflow — research, create, optimize, audit, and monitor
- ✓Need an AI Agent that executes complete multi-step workflows, not just a chat assistant
- ✓Need site-wide content auditing to surface SEO gaps, content decay, and growth opportunities across your entire domain
- ✓Want proactive Content Opportunities alerts that catch ranking drops before they cost you traffic
- ✓Need content to rank on Google AND get cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini
- ✓Scale content globally with 100+ language support and unlimited AI words
- ✓Need content governance — approval workflows, brand voice enforcement, and team permissions — to maintain quality at scale
- ✓Want built-in AI image generation directly in your editor
Read verified Frase reviews from 500+ users →
- •Primarily need NLP-based optimization scoring for individual articles
- •Only need content optimization, not end-to-end content creation and management
- •Prefer a single-purpose optimization tool over a full content platform
- •Already have separate tools for content creation, site auditing, and monitoring
The Main Differences
Frase: Covers the entire content growth lifecycle — research, create, optimize, audit your domain, and monitor performance. Your team works in one platform, building compounding content assets instead of context-switching between tools.
Surfer SEO: Focused on content optimization and SERP analysis. Strong at what it does, but you'll need separate tools for site-wide auditing and performance monitoring.
Frase: Optimizes your content for both traditional search and AI search engines — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. GEO optimization and AI visibility tracking are built into every plan.
Surfer SEO: Also offers GEO optimization integrated into content generation and AI Tracker (available from the Standard plan at $99/mo or higher). Both platforms address AI search, but Frase includes AI visibility tracking from the entry tier.
Frase: Every Frase plan includes the full platform: SEO research, AI writing, GEO optimization, AI visibility tracking, site-wide auditing, Content Opportunities monitoring, content governance, image generation, and the AI Agent. No features locked behind higher tiers or add-ons.
Surfer SEO: Surfer's Discovery plan ($49/mo) covers basic optimization with limited document credits (reset yearly on annual plans). Full capabilities — including expanded documents, AI Tracker, and advanced features — require Standard ($99/mo) or higher.
Frase: Brand voice training plus content governance layer — approval workflows, content rules, and team permissions that ensure every piece of content stays on-brand before it goes live. Built for teams managing content at scale.
Surfer SEO: Offers brand voice features (Custom Voice, Global Brand Voice), but lacks content governance — no approval workflows, content rules, or structured team permissions for editorial control.
Frase: Industry-leading 100+ language support for creating SEO-optimized content in multiple languages. Ideal for global teams and international content strategies.
Surfer SEO: Limited language support, which may restrict international content capabilities.
Frase: Unlimited AI-generated words with no credits, no caps, no usage limits. Write as much content as your team needs without worrying about running out of credits.
Surfer SEO: Credit-based system with document limits that can restrict content production, especially on annual plans where credits reset yearly.
What Your Investment Gets You
- ✓ AI Agent with 80+ autonomous skills
- ✓ SEO + GEO optimization
- ✓ Unlimited AI writing
- ✓ Site-wide content auditing
- ✓ Content Opportunities monitoring
- ✓ Content governance & approval workflows
- ✓ Image generation
- ✓ 100+ languages
- ✓ AI visibility tracking
120 docs/year, basic optimization
360 docs/year, AI Tracker, Surfy
Unlimited docs, full feature set
Not available at any tier:
- ✗ Site-wide content auditing
- ✗ Content governance & workflows
- ✗ 100+ language support
- ✗ Content Opportunities monitoring
- ✗ Unlimited AI words
Switching from Surfer SEO to Frase?
What to Expect:
- • Import your content and keywords
- • Set up your brand voice profile
- • Configure team workflows
- • Training on Frase's unique features (GEO optimization, Content Opportunities, etc.)
Bonus:
You'll gain site-wide content auditing, Content Opportunities monitoring, content governance workflows, and an AI Agent that executes complete workflows — capabilities that expand what your content team can accomplish.
Ready to make the switch?
Get started free today and see why teams choose Frase over Surfer SEO.