8 Best Frase Alternatives for 2026

Frase has built a loyal following among SEO content teams. The core workflow -- enter a keyword, get a SERP analysis, auto-generate a content brief, then write -- is genuinely useful, and the pricing is more accessible than MarketMuse or Clearscope.

But Frase has limitations that push teams to look elsewhere. The AI writing quality is functional but not exceptional -- it tends to produce content that reads as AI-generated without significant editing. The optimization features are solid but not as refined as Surfer SEO or Clearscope. And like most tools in this space, there's no publishing integration -- you optimize your content in Frase and then manually paste it into your CMS.

If you're evaluating Frase alternatives, here are the eight best options in 2026.

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1. Averi -- Best for Startups Who Want the Full Workflow

Frase handles the research and brief phase well. Averi handles that -- plus writing, plus optimization, plus publishing. For teams tired of the tool-switching, that matters.

What it is: An AI content engine designed for startups and small marketing teams. Averi integrates content strategy, AI writing, SEO + GEO optimization, and direct publishing into one platform -- so you go from keyword idea to live article without touching three different tools.

Key features:

• Content strategy with Google Search Console integration -- know what to write before you start
• AI writing with brand voice built in
• SEO and GEO (generative engine optimization) optimization as part of the writing process
• Direct publishing to WordPress, Webflow, and Framer
• Human expert network for oversight and review
• Performance tracking across your content library

Pricing: Solo at $99/month with a free 14-day trial. Team and Agency tiers coming soon.

Best for: Startups and small content teams who want to replace their research tool + writing tool + CMS publishing workflow with a single platform.

Limitations: Averi's SERP research interface isn't as granular as Frase's competitor content breakdown. If you want to closely analyze what the top-10 pages are doing at a paragraph level, Frase's research UI is more detailed.

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2. Surfer SEO -- Best for Optimization Depth

Surfer is the most widely used content optimization tool in the market. It goes deeper than Frase on the optimization side -- more granular keyword analysis, more NLP term suggestions, and more reliable content scoring.

What it is: A comprehensive SEO content platform with real-time optimization scoring, a content planner, AI writing features, and deep SERP analysis.

Key features:

• Real-time NLP-based content scoring
• Content planner with keyword clustering
• AI article writing (Surfer AI)
• SERP analyzer and keyword research
• Google Docs and WordPress integrations

Pricing: Essential at $99/month. Scale at $219/month.

Best for: SEO teams that want the most refined content optimization tool available.

Limitations: More expensive than Frase. The AI writing is an add-on, not the core strength. No publishing integration.

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3. Clearscope -- Best for Writer Experience

Clearscope does fewer things than Frase but does them more elegantly. If your priority is the content optimization experience -- particularly for writers who need clear, distraction-free guidance -- Clearscope's interface is hard to beat.

What it is: A focused content optimization tool that grades content on topical coverage and keyword relevance. Integrates cleanly with Google Docs and WordPress.

Key features:

• Clean, writer-friendly content grade display
• Related term recommendations from NLP analysis
• Google Docs and WordPress plugin integration
• Keyword research and content inventory tools

Pricing: Starts at $189/month.

Best for: Writing teams that prioritize the optimization experience over research depth.

Limitations: Very expensive for what it does. No AI writing, no content strategy, no brief generation -- pure optimization.

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4. MarketMuse -- Best for Strategic Content Planning

MarketMuse operates above the page level. Rather than analyzing what's ranking for one keyword, it models your site's topical authority across entire topic areas and tells you what content to create to strengthen it. It's the most strategic tool in the SEO content space.

What it is: An AI content strategy and optimization platform that builds topical models for your domain and recommends content to fill gaps.

Key features:

• Domain-level topical authority analysis
• Content gap identification across topic clusters
• Competitive difficulty scores for content opportunities
• Content briefs with in-depth recommendations
• Page-level optimization scoring

Pricing: Free plan with limited features. Standard from $149/month.

Best for: Established content teams managing large content operations who need strategic direction, not just per-keyword optimization.

Limitations: Complex and expensive. Overkill for teams producing fewer than 10-20 pieces per month.

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5. Dashword -- Best Budget Frase Alternative

Dashword offers a clean content brief and optimization experience at a lower price point than most competitors. It's a no-frills tool that does the fundamentals well.

What it is: A content optimization tool that scores your content against top-ranking pages and provides keyword recommendations. Simpler than Frase, but solid on the basics.

Key features:

• Content scoring based on competitor analysis
• Related keyword and topic suggestions
• Content brief generator
• Google Docs integration

Pricing: Starts at $99/month.

Best for: Teams that want a straightforward content optimizer without the research complexity of Frase.

Limitations: Less SERP research depth than Frase. No AI writing.

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6. Writesonic -- Best for AI Writing Volume

Writesonic is primarily an AI writing platform, but it's moved into SEO content with article writing features and basic optimization guidance. If you want volume and speed over research depth, it's a strong option.

What it is: An AI writing platform with templates for blog posts, ads, emails, and social content. Includes AI article writing with basic SEO features and Chatsonic for web-connected AI chat.

Key features:

• AI article writer with SEO guidance
• 100+ templates for different content types
• Chatsonic with real-time web browsing
• Brand voice customization
• Bulk content generation

Pricing: Plans from ~$15/month.

Best for: Teams that need high volume AI-generated content at an accessible price point.

Limitations: Less research depth than Frase. The SEO features are basic compared to dedicated optimization tools.

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7. NeuronWriter -- Best Value SEO Writing Tool

NeuronWriter combines NLP-based content optimization with AI writing assistance at a price that undercuts most competitors. It's a strong value pick for budget-conscious teams.

What it is: An SEO writing and optimization tool that uses NLP analysis to recommend semantically relevant terms and provides AI writing assistance.

Key features:

• NLP-based content scoring and term suggestions
• SERP analysis for target keywords
• AI writing assistant in the editor
• Internal linking suggestions
• Content planning and project management

Pricing: Monthly plans from around $23/month. Lifetime deals often available.

Best for: SEO freelancers, small agencies, and budget-conscious teams.

Limitations: Less research depth than Frase. The AI writing quality is adequate but not as capable as dedicated writing tools.

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8. Scalenut -- Best Mid-Range Platform with Strategy + Writing

Scalenut covers similar ground to Frase but with more emphasis on content planning and topic cluster building. It's a good mid-range option for teams that want more strategic context alongside their writing and optimization.

What it is: An AI content platform that combines keyword research, content planning, AI writing, and SEO optimization.

Key features:

• Keyword research and topic cluster planning
• AI-powered article writing with optimization
• SERP research and competitor analysis
• Content audit tools
• Cruise Mode for fast AI article creation

Pricing: Essential at $39/month. Growth at $79/month.

Best for: Growing content teams that want to plan their content program strategically and execute it efficiently.

Limitations: Not as polished as Clearscope or Surfer on pure optimization quality. Still no publishing integration.

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Comparison Table

Tool	Best For	Starting Price	AI Writing	SEO	Publishing
Averi	Full content engine, startups	$99/mo	✅	✅ Built-in	✅ Native
Surfer SEO	Optimization depth	$99/mo	✅	✅	❌
Clearscope	Writer experience	$189/mo	❌	✅	❌
MarketMuse	Strategic planning	Free / $149/mo	Partial	✅	❌
Dashword	Budget optimization	$99/mo	❌	✅	❌
Writesonic	AI writing volume	~$15/mo	✅	Partial	❌
NeuronWriter	Value SEO tool	~$23/mo	✅	✅	❌
Scalenut	Strategy + writing	$39/mo	✅	✅	❌

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How to Choose a Frase Alternative

If you want to keep Frase's research workflow but with better AI writing: Writesonic handles the writing side better. Scalenut balances both fairly well.

If optimization quality is the priority: Surfer SEO is the strongest pure optimization tool. Clearscope is cleaner for writers.

If budget is the primary driver: NeuronWriter is the best value in the space. Scalenut's $39/month plan is compelling for what it includes.

If you want to replace your whole content stack: Averi is the most complete option -- from topic strategy through publishing. The research features aren't as granular as Frase's SERP breakdowns, but for most teams, the workflow efficiency of doing everything in one place outweighs that.

If you're managing a large content library: MarketMuse's domain-level strategy layer is worth the extra cost at scale.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why are people looking for Frase alternatives?

The most common reasons: the AI writing quality requires too much editing, the optimization features have been surpassed by competitors like Surfer SEO, and there's no publishing workflow -- you're still manually exporting and pasting. Some users also find the pricing has crept up over time relative to the value delivered.

What Frase alternative has the best AI writing?

Dedicated AI writing platforms like Writesonic or Jasper produce better first drafts than Frase. Averi produces strong AI writing with brand voice and SEO built in, which reduces editing time significantly.

Is Surfer SEO better than Frase?

For pure content optimization, most users find Surfer's scoring and keyword analysis more refined than Frase's. Frase is stronger on the research and briefing side -- it gives you more detailed competitive breakdowns. Many teams actually use both, which is expensive and exactly the problem Averi is designed to solve.

Does Frase help with content publishing?

No -- Frase is a research and optimization tool. After you've finished your content in Frase, you export it and publish manually. This is a gap across most tools in this space. Averi is one of the few platforms that connects content creation to direct CMS publishing.

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The Full Workflow, Not Just One Step

Frase covers research and optimization. Averi covers strategy, writing, optimization, and publishing -- in one tool, for one price.

Try Averi free at averi.ai.