Semrush Academy review
Free SEO, content, PPC and AI-search training from Semrush practitioners.
The quick verdict
Semrush Academy is a free marketing education library focused on SEO, content marketing, competitive research, analytics, paid advertising, social media and AI search. It is best for people who want practical channel training tied to real Semrush workflows. Best for marketers learning seo, content and ai-search workflows for free.
What stood out
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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
Typically Free
Affiliate link. AcademyGems may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you, and it never sways the verdict.
What it is
Semrush Academy is Semrush's free online training hub for SEO, content marketing, analytics, ecommerce, paid advertising, PR, social media, AI and competitive research. It is more channel-specific than HubSpot Academy and more tool-led than CXL.
What is inside
The catalogue mixes courses, webinars and certifications. Current topics include agency onboarding, AI search strategy, Semrush MCP workflows, topical authority, entity SEO, AI visibility, local SEO and paid advertising. Semrush also highlights practitioner instructors, including Brian Dean, Chima Mmeje, Andy Crestodina, Jeff Sauer and internal Semrush experts.
How it compares
- Semrush Academy vs Ahrefs Academy: both are free, tool-led SEO academies; Semrush is broader (content, PPC, AI search, competitive research), while Ahrefs stays tighter on keyword research, technical SEO and links.
- Semrush Academy vs Moz Academy: Moz charges for most of its structured paths; Semrush's core training is free, so it is the lower-risk starting point before considering a paid Moz bundle.
- Semrush Academy vs CXL: CXL is paid, operator-led and broader across growth disciplines; Semrush Academy is free but narrower, tied to SEO and Semrush's own tools.
Who it is for
SEO learners, content marketers and small teams who want practical, current marketing training without paying for a course subscription. It is especially useful if you use Semrush or want to learn how SEO and competitive research workflows look in a real tool.
Who should skip it
If you want tool-agnostic growth strategy, Semrush Academy is narrower than CXL or Demand Curve. If you are a complete marketing beginner, HubSpot Academy may be the gentler first step because it covers more of the inbound and CRM basics.
First-look verdict
One of the best free ways to learn practical SEO and content marketing, especially now that AI search is part of the curriculum. Use it for channel depth, then graduate to a paid program only when you need coaching, feedback or broader strategy.
How to read this review
Best fit
Semrush Academy is strongest for marketers learning seo, content and ai-search workflows for free. Its best signals are free courses, webinars and certifications across seo and marketing and strong seo and content depth, including ai-search topics. Use that as the real buying test, not the broad promise on the sales page.
Skip or wait if
Be cautious if naturally leans toward semrush tooling and workflows or less broad than hubspot academy for crm and sales basics. For a first-look listing, treat the sources and the live provider page as the final source of truth before paying.
Evidence notes
AcademyGems does not invent ratings. Because no reliable public star rating is available, this entry leads with the visible scale metric: Free courses · certificates. Price and access can change quickly, so confirm the live page before buying or subscribing.
Sources
First look: this entry is researched from the sources above and not yet a completed hands-on review. Figures were accurate as of July 2026; prices and member counts change, so confirm on the provider's page before you buy.
Compare Semrush Academy against similar picks
HubSpot Academy
HubSpot Academy is a free online training library for inbound marketing, content, SEO, email, sales and HubSpot CRM. It is strongest as a beginner-friendly way to learn lead generation fundamentals and earn certificates without paying for a subscription.
Demand Curve Growth Program
Demand Curve's Growth Program is a paid startup growth course and coaching platform used by 4,500+ startups, with 55+ playbooks, 400+ growth tactics and ad examples, templates, critiques and an AI growth co-pilot.
CXL
A B2B marketing and growth training platform: 100+ certifiable courses and 10+ structured “minidegrees” across SEO, paid advertising, conversion optimization, analytics and growth strategy, taught by working practitioners rather than career course-sellers. Built for marketers who already know the basics.
Ahrefs Academy
Ahrefs Academy is a free SEO training library covering keyword research, on-page and technical SEO, link building and content, taught around real Ahrefs workflows. It is the closest free rival to Semrush Academy for practical search training.
Semrush Academy: common questions
- Is Semrush Academy free?
- Yes. Semrush Academy courses, webinars and certifications are free to start.
- What does Semrush Academy teach?
- SEO, Semrush tools, content marketing, analytics, ecommerce, sales, paid advertising, social media, AI, local SEO and competitive research.
- Do I need to use Semrush?
- No, but the training is naturally most useful if you use Semrush or want to learn SEO workflows through Semrush tools.
- Who teaches Semrush Academy courses?
- A mix of recognisable outside practitioners (including Brian Dean, Chima Mmeje and Andy Crestodina) and internal Semrush experts.
- Is Semrush Academy better than Ahrefs Academy?
- Both are strong free SEO academies. Semrush covers more ground (content, PPC, AI search); Ahrefs stays tighter on keyword research and link building. If you already use one tool, start with its academy.
Typically Free
Affiliate link. AcademyGems may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you, and it never sways the verdict.