Surfer SEO vs Frase: Which Is Right for Your Content Workflow?

If you're researching content optimization tools, you've narrowed it down to two names: Surfer SEO and Frase. Both promise to help you write SEO-optimized content that ranks—but they take fundamentally different approaches.

I've used both tools extensively on dozens of content projects. Here's the reality: neither is universally "better." The right choice depends entirely on your content workflow, team structure, and what part of the content process slows you down.

Let me break down exactly when to choose each tool.

Quick Comparison Table

Surfer SEO: The Content Optimization Specialist

Core Philosophy

Surfer SEO is built around one goal: optimize existing content to match what's already ranking. You write (or draft) an article, load it into Surfer's Content Editor, and it tells you exactly how to improve it—word count, keyword density, heading structure, semantic terms.

What Surfer Does Best

1. Real-Time Content Optimization

Surfer's Content Editor gives you a live score (0-100) as you write, showing how well your content matches top-ranking pages. It tracks:

• Word count vs. top 10 results
• Keyword placement and density
• Heading structure
• Semantic keyword inclusion
• Image optimization

You get instant feedback on every change you make. It's incredibly effective for staying focused on optimization.

2. Deep SERP Analysis

Surfer's SERP Analyzer breaks down the top 50 results for any keyword, showing:

• Average word count and content depth
• Domain authority patterns
• Common heading structures
• Keyword density ranges
• Media usage (images, videos)

This is competitive intelligence at its best. You know exactly what you're competing against before writing a word.

3. Topical Authority Mapping

Surfer's newer feature maps keyword clusters and identifies content gaps in your topical coverage. If you're building a niche site or content hub, this helps you plan content that builds authority over time.

What Surfer Doesn't Do Well

Research and brief creation is clunky. Surfer assumes you already know what you're writing about. There's no guided research process or question extraction. You're expected to arrive with a solid outline.

AI writing costs extra. Surfer AI is a separate $29/month subscription and generates generic content. Most users skip it.

Expensive for beginners. At $89/month minimum, Surfer is a serious investment. If you're publishing fewer than 10 optimized articles per month, the ROI is questionable.

Try Surfer SEO Free (7-Day Trial)

Frase: The Content Brief and Research Specialist

Core Philosophy

Frase is built around a different problem: creating content briefs fast. It's designed for researchers, content strategists, and teams that need to brief external writers. Optimization happens, but research speed is the priority.

What Frase Does Best

1. Lightning-Fast Content Briefs

Frase excels at generating content briefs in minutes. Enter a keyword, and Frase:

• Pulls top-ranking articles
• Extracts common headings and topics
• Identifies questions people ask
• Generates an AI-suggested outline

This is invaluable if you're briefing freelance writers or managing a content team. You can create 10 comprehensive briefs in the time it takes to manually research one.

2. Question Extraction

Frase automatically pulls questions from forums, Google's "People Also Ask," and competitor content. This makes it easy to address searcher intent and create genuinely useful content.

I've found questions through Frase that I would've never thought to include—and they often become the most engaging sections of an article.

3. AI Writing Included (No Extra Cost)

Unlike Surfer, Frase includes AI writing in all paid plans. You can generate full drafts or individual sections directly from your content brief.

Quality? It's decent for first drafts—better than nothing, worse than a skilled human writer. But the value is having it included rather than paying an extra $29/month like Surfer charges.

4. Team-Friendly Pricing and Features

Frase is designed for teams. Briefs are easy to share, collaborate on, and export. If you're managing writers or working with clients, Frase's workflow makes more sense than Surfer's individual focus.

What Frase Doesn't Do Well

Content optimization is simpler—and less precise. Frase has a content scoring system, but it's not as sophisticated as Surfer's real-time editor. You'll get general guidance, but not the granular feedback Surfer provides.

SERP analysis is basic. Frase pulls top results and extracts topics, but you don't get the deep competitive intelligence Surfer offers (domain authority patterns, detailed keyword density ranges, etc.).

Less useful for optimizing existing content. Frase shines when you're starting from scratch. If you already have a draft and just need optimization, Surfer's editor is more powerful.

Try Frase Free (5-Day Trial)

Head-to-Head: Use Case Scenarios

Scenario 1: Solo Content Creator Writing Your Own Articles

Best Choice: Surfer SEO

If you're writing everything yourself, Surfer's real-time optimization gives you the edge. You already know what you're writing about—you just need to optimize it properly.

Frase's brief-creation strength doesn't help you much if you're both the researcher and the writer.

Choose Surfer if:

• You write your own content start to finish
• You want granular optimization feedback
• You're comfortable with research and outlining
• Budget allows for $89/month

Scenario 2: Managing a Team of Freelance Writers

Best Choice: Frase

Frase is built for this workflow. Create comprehensive content briefs in minutes, share them with writers, and give them clear guidance on what to cover.

Your writers don't need to be SEO experts—they follow the brief, and Frase handles the optimization guidance.

Choose Frase if:

• You brief external writers
• You need fast research and outline creation
• You're managing multiple projects simultaneously
• Budget is tight ($15/month starts)

Scenario 3: Optimizing Existing Content That's Underperforming

Best Choice: Surfer SEO

If you have articles that aren't ranking and need to diagnose why, Surfer's SERP Analyzer and Content Editor are unmatched. You'll see exactly where your content falls short compared to top-ranking pages.

Frase can help, but Surfer's competitive intelligence is more actionable.

Choose Surfer if:

• You're auditing and improving existing content
• You need deep competitive analysis
• You want precise optimization recommendations

Scenario 4: Building a Niche Site from Scratch

Best Choice: Depends on Your Bottleneck

This is the trickiest scenario because both tools offer value.

Choose Frase if:

• Your bottleneck is research and brief creation
• You're publishing high volume (20+ articles/month)
• You're working with writers who need briefs
• Budget is limited early on

Choose Surfer if:

• Your bottleneck is content optimization
• You're writing most content yourself
• You want Topical Authority mapping for long-term strategy
• You can afford the premium price

Honestly? Many serious niche site builders use both—Frase for research and briefs, Surfer for final optimization. Combined cost is $104-$194/month depending on plans.

Scenario 5: SEO Agency Managing Multiple Clients

Best Choice: Both (or Frase if budget-conscious)

Agencies benefit from Frase's team features and brief creation, but clients often expect the depth of analysis Surfer provides.

Most agencies I know:

• Use Frase for internal brief creation and writer management
• Use Surfer for client-facing reports and optimization deliverables
• Bill clients enough to cover both subscriptions

If you can only afford one, Frase's team features and lower cost make it the better starting point.

Pricing Comparison (2026)

Surfer SEO

Add-ons: Surfer AI ($29/month extra for 10 articles)

Frase

AI writing included in all plans (generation limits apply)

Budget winner: Frase starts at $15/month vs Surfer's $89/month. For beginners or bootstrapped creators, that difference matters.

Feature depth winner: Surfer's optimization is more sophisticated, but you pay for it.

Feature-by-Feature Breakdown

Content Editor

Surfer: Real-time scoring, detailed keyword tracking, granular optimization feedback. Best-in-class for optimization precision.

Frase: Simpler editor with basic optimization suggestions. Good enough for most content, less detailed than Surfer.

Winner: Surfer for optimization depth, Frase for simplicity.

SERP Analysis

Surfer: Deep competitive intelligence—domain authority, detailed keyword analysis, 50+ results analyzed.

Frase: Fast topic extraction, question mining, basic competitive analysis.

Winner: Surfer for competitive intelligence, Frase for research speed.

AI Writing

Surfer: Separate $29/month subscription, generates optimized but generic content.

Frase: Included in all paid plans, comparable quality to Surfer AI.

Winner: Frase (included vs. extra cost).

Content Briefs

Surfer: Possible but clunky—not built for briefing workflows.

Frase: Core strength—generates comprehensive briefs in minutes.

Winner: Frase by a mile.

Keyword Research

Surfer: Basic related keywords, not comprehensive.

Frase: Topic clusters and question extraction, better for ideation.

Winner: Frase (both are limited; use Ahrefs or SEMrush for real keyword research).

Team Collaboration

Surfer: Individual-focused, sharing is possible but awkward.

Frase: Built for teams—easy sharing, collaboration, and management.

Winner: Frase.

Which Tool Should You Choose?

Choose Surfer SEO if:

• You write your own content and want best-in-class optimization
• You need deep competitive SERP analysis
• You're optimizing existing content to improve rankings
• Budget allows for $89-$179/month
• You're a solo creator or small agency focused on optimization

Choose Frase if:

• You need to create content briefs fast
• You manage freelance writers or a content team
• Research and question extraction are your bottlenecks
• Budget is tight ($15-$45/month is your range)
• You want AI writing included without extra cost

Use Both if:

• You're running a serious niche site or agency
• Research and optimization are both critical
• You can budget $104+/month for tools
• You want Frase for briefs, Surfer for optimization

Skip Both if:

• You're in non-competitive niches where basic SEO works
• Your budget is under $15/month
• You don't understand keyword research fundamentals yet
• You prioritize brand voice over SEO optimization

My Honest Recommendation

For most solo content creators: Start with Surfer SEO if you can afford it. The optimization feedback is more actionable, and you're doing your own research anyway.

For teams and agencies: Start with Frase. The brief creation workflow is invaluable when managing multiple writers, and the lower price point makes it easier to justify.

For serious professionals: Budget for both. Use Frase for research and brief creation, then optimize final drafts in Surfer. The combined workflow is powerful.

I personally use Frase for initial research and brief creation, then switch to Surfer for final optimization before publishing. It's overkill for casual bloggers, but if content is your business, the combination is hard to beat.

Final Thoughts

Surfer SEO and Frase solve different problems in the content creation process:

• Surfer = Optimization specialist for draft and existing content
• Frase = Research and brief creation specialist for teams

Neither is universally better—the right choice depends on where your content workflow bogs down.

If you're unsure, try both free trials:

1. Use Frase to create a content brief for an article
2. Write the article, then optimize it in Surfer
3. See which part of the process felt most valuable

Whichever tool saved you more time and improved your results—that's your answer.

Try Surfer SEO (7-Day Trial)

Try Frase (5-Day Trial)