HubSpot Academy vs Semrush Academy: Which Free Academy First?
Two free marketing academies, compared. HubSpot Academy is the broad beginner on-ramp for inbound and CRM; Semrush Academy goes deep on SEO, content and AI search. Here is which to start with.
By The AcademyGems desk
The short answer
Both are free. Choose HubSpot Academy if you are a beginner who wants broad inbound, content, email and CRM fundamentals with recognised certificates. Choose Semrush Academy if you want to go deep on SEO, content and AI search. Many marketers start with HubSpot, then specialise with Semrush.
HubSpot Academy
- Price
- Free
- Best for
- Beginners learning inbound marketing, content and CRM basics.
- Covers
- Marketing strategy, SEO, Content marketing
Pros
- Free online courses and certifications with unlimited access
- Strong beginner path for inbound, content, email and SEO fundamentals
- Useful if you already use, or plan to use, HubSpot CRM
Cons
- Leans toward HubSpot's inbound methodology and software ecosystem
- Less advanced than CXL or Demand Curve for experienced operators
- Not focused on paid acquisition or startup growth experiments
Semrush Academy
- Price
- Free
- Best for
- Marketers learning SEO, content and AI-search workflows for free.
- Covers
- SEO, Paid advertising, Content marketing
Pros
- Free courses, webinars and certifications across SEO and marketing
- Strong SEO and content depth, including AI-search topics
- Taught by practitioners and recognisable experts such as Brian Dean
Cons
- Naturally leans toward Semrush tooling and workflows
- Less broad than HubSpot Academy for CRM and sales basics
- Not a full coaching program for startup growth execution
The short version
Both are free and excellent, but they sit at different stages of your learning. HubSpot Academy is the broad beginner on-ramp; Semrush Academy is the channel specialist for search and content. They are complements more than rivals. More on our marketing and growth hub.
How they differ
- Breadth vs depth: HubSpot covers the whole inbound funnel (content, email, social, SEO basics, CRM). Semrush goes deep on SEO, content, PPC, competitive research and AI search.
- Best stage: HubSpot suits a true beginner who needs the vocabulary and the big picture. Semrush suits someone ready to get good at search specifically.
- Tooling bias: HubSpot leans toward its inbound methodology and CRM; Semrush leans toward its SEO and competitive-research tools.
- Certificates: both are free and recognised. HubSpot's inbound and content certificates are widely known; Semrush's are more channel-specific.
Choose HubSpot Academy if
You are new to marketing and want one place to learn the fundamentals across inbound, content, email and CRM before you specialise. It is the gentler, broader first step.
Choose Semrush Academy if
You already know the basics and want real SEO and content depth, including current AI-search material. It is the better second academy once you know search is your lane.
Where they overlap
Both teach SEO and content fundamentals, and both are free, so the smart path is sequential, not either/or: build the foundation with HubSpot, then go deep on search with Semrush (or Ahrefs Academy).
The verdict
Start with HubSpot Academy for the broad foundation and a recognised certificate, then move to Semrush Academy when you want to specialise in SEO and content. Since both are free, the only real cost is your time, so do them in that order.
Common questions
- Is HubSpot Academy or Semrush Academy better for beginners?
- HubSpot Academy is better for true beginners because it covers the whole inbound funnel and CRM basics in a gentle, broad way. Semrush Academy is better once you want to specialise in SEO and content.
- Are both free?
- Yes. HubSpot Academy and Semrush Academy are both free to learn, with free, recognised certifications. Neither requires a paid product subscription to take the courses.
- Should I do both?
- Yes, in order. Start with HubSpot Academy for the foundation, then use Semrush Academy to go deep on SEO and content. The two complement each other and both are free.