Overview
Frase has become a favorite among content marketers for its combination of AI writing assistance and SEO content optimization. It helps users research topics, generate content briefs, and optimize articles to rank higher in search engines — all in a single workflow. Its affordable pricing and intuitive interface have made it accessible to freelancers and small teams alike.
That said, Frase isn't the only SEO content tool available, and some alternatives offer deeper SERP analysis, more advanced NLP scoring, or better scaling capabilities. Whether you need enterprise-grade content intelligence, more affordable options, or specialized features like keyword clustering, this guide covers the top 8 Frase alternatives in 2026.
Top 8 Frase Alternatives
1. Surfer SEO
Surfer SEO is one of the most popular content optimization platforms, offering data-driven recommendations based on real-time SERP analysis. Its Content Editor scores your content against top-ranking pages and provides actionable suggestions for improvement.
Key Features: Real-time content scoring, SERP analyzer, keyword clustering, content audit tool, Jasper and Google Docs integrations, multi-language support, internal linking suggestions.
Pricing: Starting at $89/month for the Essential plan.
Best For: SEO professionals and agencies who want data-driven content optimization with robust integrations and keyword research capabilities.
2. Clearscope
Clearscope is a premium content optimization platform trusted by major brands and agencies for its accuracy and simplicity. It uses IBM Watson NLP to analyze top-performing content and provide precise term recommendations.
Key Features: AI-powered content grading (A++ system), keyword discovery, competitor content analysis, Google Docs and WordPress plugins, readability scoring, shareable reports.
Pricing: Starting at $170/month for the Essentials plan.
Best For: Enterprise content teams and agencies that prioritize accuracy and are willing to invest in a premium tool for consistent ranking improvements.
3. MarketMuse
MarketMuse is an AI-powered content intelligence platform that goes beyond optimization to provide comprehensive content strategy and planning capabilities. It identifies content gaps across your entire site and prioritizes topics by opportunity.
Key Features: Content inventory and audit, topic authority scoring, competitive content analysis, automated content briefs, content clusters and planning, personalized difficulty scores.
Pricing: Starting at $149/month for the Standard plan.
Best For: Content strategists and large publishers who need site-wide content intelligence and topic authority analysis beyond single-page optimization.
4. Scalenut
Scalenut combines AI writing with SEO optimization in an affordable, all-in-one platform. Its Cruise Mode can generate full SEO-optimized articles from a single keyword, making it one of the fastest content production tools available.
Key Features: Cruise Mode for automated article generation, SERP-based content briefs, NLP term optimization, keyword planner, content optimizer, AI writing assistant.
Pricing: Starting at $39/month for the Essential plan.
Best For: Freelance writers and small teams who want AI-assisted content creation and SEO optimization in a single affordable tool.
5. NeuronWriter
NeuronWriter is a budget-friendly SEO content editor that punches well above its price point. It provides NLP-based content optimization, competitor analysis, and content planning features at a fraction of the cost of premium tools.
Key Features: NLP content optimization, competitor SERP analysis, content planner and calendar, internal linking suggestions, Google Search Console integration, team collaboration.
Pricing: Starting at $19/month.
Best For: Budget-conscious bloggers and small content teams who need solid SEO optimization without the premium price tag.
6. Dashword
Dashword is a streamlined content optimization tool designed for teams that want actionable SEO recommendations without overwhelming complexity. Its clean interface focuses on what matters — helping you create content that ranks.
Key Features: Automated content briefs, real-time content scoring, keyword suggestions, competitor analysis, team workflows, bulk content optimization reports.
Pricing: Starting at $99/month for the Startup plan.
Best For: Growing content teams that value simplicity and want efficient, team-friendly content optimization workflows.
7. WriterZen
WriterZen is a comprehensive SEO content platform that covers the full workflow from keyword research through content creation and optimization. Its topic discovery and keyword clustering capabilities are particularly strong.
Key Features: Topic discovery engine, keyword explorer with clustering, content creator with AI, plagiarism checker, team collaboration, keyword golden ratio analysis.
Pricing: Competitive pricing with various plan tiers; lifetime deals occasionally available.
Best For: SEO-focused content teams who want a complete keyword research to content optimization pipeline in a single platform.
8. SEOwind
SEOwind takes a research-first approach to AI content creation, analyzing top-ranking pages in depth before generating content outlines and drafts. Its emphasis on data-backed content creation produces more authoritative output.
Key Features: AI-driven content research, SERP analysis and data collection, comprehensive outline generation, AI draft creation based on research, statistics and data integration, content brief collaboration.
Pricing: Various plan tiers available for different team sizes.
Best For: Content teams who believe in research-driven writing and want AI to assist with thorough analysis before content creation begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Frase alternative offers the best value for money?
NeuronWriter at $19/month offers exceptional value with NLP optimization, competitor analysis, and content planning features. Scalenut at $39/month is also strong value if you need integrated AI writing capabilities.Is Surfer SEO better than Frase for content optimization?
Surfer SEO offers more granular SERP analysis and a wider range of integrations, making it better for dedicated SEO workflows. However, Frase excels at combining research, writing, and optimization in one seamless experience. The best choice depends on your workflow preference.Which tool is best for content strategy, not just optimization?
MarketMuse is the strongest for content strategy, offering site-wide content audits, topic authority scoring, and gap analysis. It helps you decide what to write, not just how to optimize what you've already written.Can these tools write full articles or just optimize them?
Scalenut, WriterZen, and SEOwind all offer AI writing capabilities alongside optimization. Surfer SEO integrates with Jasper for AI writing. Clearscope and Dashword focus primarily on optimization, expecting you to write or use a separate AI writer.Do I need both an AI writer and an SEO optimization tool?
Not necessarily. Tools like Scalenut and Frase combine both. However, many professional content teams prefer using a dedicated AI writer paired with a specialized optimizer like Surfer SEO or Clearscope for the best results in each area.Conclusion
Frase provides an excellent blend of research, writing, and optimization at an accessible price point. However, the alternatives above cater to different priorities. Surfer SEO and Clearscope lead in pure optimization accuracy, MarketMuse excels at strategic content planning, and NeuronWriter delivers impressive capabilities at a budget-friendly price. Scalenut stands out for all-in-one AI content production.
Assess whether you need deep optimization data, content strategy intelligence, AI writing assistance, or budget efficiency — then choose the tool that aligns with your primary workflow. Most offer trials or demos, so test before you commit.