SEMrush Academy Review 2026: Can You Really Learn SEO and Marketing for Free?

If you want to learn SEO without paying for another course, Semrush Academy is one of the strongest free options in 2026. It gives you structured lessons across SEO, content marketing, PPC, social media, and Semrush tools, with certificates you can earn by passing exams. 

For busy parents and new bloggers, the big win is pacing. You can learn in short sessions and pick only what you need, like an SEO crash course, keyword research, technical SEO basics, or content-led SEO. 

The trade-off is support. This is self-paced training, not coaching. If you need someone to look at your site and tell you what to fix next, you will need a community-based program alongside it.

What Is Semrush Academy?

Semrush Academy is a free online learning platform created by Semrush, a major digital marketing and SEO company. The Academy provides free courses and certifications covering a range of digital marketing topics such as SEO, content marketing, PPC, social media marketing, and analytics. Every course and certificate is available without cost, and learners can take lessons at their own pace. 

You can choose from dozens of courses, including SEO fundamentals, crash courses designed to improve Google rankings, technical SEO, international SEO, and more. Many courses are designed by industry professionals and recognised experts, and most include certificates you can earn by completing the material and passing assessments. 

Semrush Academy aims to help bloggers, small business owners, and marketers build practical SEO and digital marketing skills without a financial barrier. It also provides tutorials on using Semrush’s tools to apply what you learn directly to real-world campaigns.

Who Is Behind Semrush Academy?

Semrush Academy is operated by Semrush Holdings, Inc., a well-established American company known for its suite of SEO and digital marketing tools used by professionals worldwide. Semrush’s software helps users with keyword research, site audits, competitive analysis, backlink tracking, and online visibility monitoring. 

Semrush itself was founded in 2008 and has grown into one of the major platforms for search engine optimisation and broader digital marketing insights. It has a global presence, with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, and thousands of users and customers across industries. 

The Academy draws on instructors with real industry experience, and some courses are co-created with recognised SEO specialists like Brian Dean, whose crash course offers tested SEO strategies. 

Because the training comes from Semrush – a company that builds and maintains SEO tools used by professionals – the lessons often align with current search engine practices and data-backed approaches.

Is Semrush Academy a Scam?

No. Semrush Academy is a legitimate, free learning platform offered by Semrush, a well-known SEO and digital marketing company used by professionals worldwide. Semrush itself is a public tool used for keyword research, competitive analysis, site audits, and visibility tracking, and it has operated since 2008. 

Semrush Academy courses are designed and taught by industry experts, and the certificates earned upon completion are recognised across the digital marketing community. Numerous learners report that the courses provide practical, well-organised lessons that help them improve SEO, content marketing, and analytics skills. 

Since the training is free and there is no catch or payment required to access the full curriculum or certificates, there is no financial risk in joining Semrush Academy. It’s a trusted, high-quality learning resource, not a scam.

How Semrush Academy Works

Semrush Academy works as a self-paced online learning platform that requires only a free account to access. It offers dozens of courses in areas like:

• SEO fundamentals and advanced topics
• Content marketing strategy
• PPC and paid advertising fundamentals
• Social media marketing and analytics
• Technical SEO and AI search optimisation
• Tool-specific training for Semrush features like keyword research and site audit tools 

Here’s how it works:

• Browse Courses: Visit the Semrush Academy page and choose from a wide range of free courses tailored to different skill levels and topics. 
• Self-Paced Learning: Each course has lessons you can take at your own pace. There are videos, readings, and examples designed to be easy to follow for beginners as well as more advanced marketers. 
• Quizzes and Exams: Many courses include quizzes or a final exam that you must pass to earn a certificate of completion. These certificates are recognised by marketers and can be shared on LinkedIn or included in professional profiles. 
• Certificate Access: Once you pass the course exam, you get a digital certificate that you can download and share. There is no cost for this certification. 
• Practical Application: Semrush Academy often links learning to real tools within the Semrush platform, helping you apply what you learn directly in keyword research, competitive analysis, or site performance monitoring. 

The platform does not require payment or subscription just to learn. However, if you choose to use the paid Semrush tools, those have separate costs. The Academy itself remains free to use, making it a useful resource for beginners and intermediate learners alike.

How Much Semrush Academy Costs + Refund Policy

Semrush Academy is completely free to join and use. All courses, lessons, quizzes, and certificates are available without paying a fee or purchasing a tool subscription. You simply create a free Semrush account and start learning at your own pace with no hidden charges. 

You do not need a paid Semrush subscription to access the Academy content or earn certificates, though you can opt for tool trials if you want to practise what you learn using live software. 

Semrush tool subscriptions (separate from the Academy) have their own pricing plans, usually starting with paid tiers if you need advanced features. Those subscriptions are not part of the Academy, and any cancellation or refund follows Semrush’s standard payment policies. 

Semrush’s official refund policy states that if you subscribe to a paid plan and then cancel, the cancellation will take effect at the end of your committed billing term, or within a few days for unpaid or trial plans. It’s important to cancel before the paid term begins if you want to avoid being charged at the end of a free trial. 

Because the Academy itself is free, there is no refund policy specifically for the courses — refunds only apply if you accidentally pay for a Semrush subscription and follow the cancellation process in their terms.

Support and Community

Semrush Academy does not provide formal coaching, live support, or a dedicated community as part of the free training platform. Instead, support comes in the form of self-paced resources and publicly available help documentation.

You can access:

• Semrush Help Center and Knowledge Base for general guidance on tools and platforms.
• Course FAQs and instructional content that explain how to enrol, navigate lessons, and earn certificates. 
• External forums, SEO communities, and user groups where learners discuss Semrush Academy topics, share insights, and help each other (not official Semrush support).
• Semrush’s blog and YouTube channel, which provide additional tutorials, case studies, and updates even outside the Academy.

Because the Academy is free and self-directed, structured community support is minimal unless you join third-party groups on social platforms. You won’t find 1:1 mentoring, private coaching rooms, or weekly live Q&A sessions as part of the course itself. This works well if you are comfortable learning independently and supplementing with external SEO communities, but it may feel isolating if you prefer guided support.

Who Semrush Academy Is For

Semrush Academy is a great fit for:

• Beginners who want a free way to learn SEO and digital marketing basics. The lessons cover fundamental concepts without cost.
• Bloggers and content creators who want to understand search visibility and how to use SEO tools effectively.
• Small business owners and marketers who need practical lessons on SEO, content strategy, and analytics without paying for a course.
• Learners who prefer self-paced education. You can take the courses on your own schedule.
• People who want certificates they can add to resumes or LinkedIn profiles to demonstrate SEO knowledge.

Semrush Academy works especially well if you plan to use the Semrush toolset at some point, as the lessons show you how the tools operate in real-world scenarios.

Who Semrush Academy Is Not For

Semrush Academy is not ideal for:

• People who want structured coaching, live mentoring, or a private community included with the training.
• Bloggers or marketers who want a complete all-in-one blogging system that covers traffic, monetisation, and long-term blogging strategy.
• Learners who prefer guided accountability or robust feedback on their work.
• Anyone looking for a plug-and-play SEO solution – SEO still takes work and practice.
• People who want advanced SEO strategies that go beyond foundational concepts and into detailed implementation and competitive link acquisition; those may require paid programs or tool subscriptions.

SEMrush Academy Pros and Cons

Pros

• 100% free access to SEO and digital marketing courses with certificates.
• Lessons created by a reputable SEO software company used by professionals worldwide.
• Covers a wide range of topics including SEO, content strategy, PPC, analytics, and social media.
• Self-paced format lets you learn on your own schedule without pressure.
• Certificates can be added to resumes or LinkedIn profiles to showcase skills.

Cons

• No built-in coaching or one-to-one mentoring support.
• Self-paced learning can feel isolating without an active community group.
• Not specifically tailored to blogging revenue strategy – it focuses on marketing skills that support visibility.
• Some courses may be tool-specific (focusing on Semrush software), so deeper strategy teaching may be limited.
• Free certificates increase knowledge, but don’t guarantee mastery without practice and real-world application.

What Others Are Saying

Public feedback on SEMrush Academy is generally positive, especially for a free training platform. Many learners praise SEMrush Academy for offering real, actionable lessons on SEO and digital marketing without a cost barrier. Users often highlight that the quality of instruction reflects industry standards because it comes from the same company that builds professional SEO tools.

Bloggers and marketers new to search engine optimisation report that the certificate courses helped them understand technical concepts like keyword research, competitor analysis, and basic analytics. People familiar with the Semrush toolset also appreciate that the lessons explain how to use those tools in real-world scenarios, which helps reinforce learning with hands-on examples.

Some feedback notes that because the training is self-paced and free, you won’t get the guided feedback or community accountability that comes with paid programs. A few users explain that they had to supplement SEMrush Academy with additional courses or join SEO communities to get answers to deeper questions or strategy help.

Overall, reviewers tend to agree that SEMrush Academy is a high-value starting point, especially for beginners and those looking to build foundational SEO and digital marketing skills. The training may not replace a full, paid SEO course for advanced strategy, but it offers a strong baseline that many learners find useful before investing further.

What Are the Alternatives?

SEMrush Academy is a solid free way to learn SEO and marketing basics, but it’s not the only option. Some alternatives offer broader blogging help, deeper SEO strategy, community support, or coaching. This comparison highlights key choices based on cost, focus, and support.

Quick Takeaways

• Free foundational training: SEMrush Academy, Ahrefs Academy, and Grow with Google all give you solid, no-cost SEO and marketing basics.
• Structured, supportive systems: Wealthy Affiliate adds SEO training inside a full blogging system with community and classes.
• Advanced strategy: SEO That Works is designed for experienced learners ready to invest deeply in SEO and content-driven growth.

Final Verdict on SEMrush Academy

SEMrush Academy is a strong free learning resource for SEO and digital marketing fundamentals. The content is accurate, current, and created by a company that builds tools used by professionals every day. If your goal is to understand how SEO works, learn key terms, and earn certificates without spending money, it delivers real value.

That said, SEMrush Academy is education only. It does not give you a complete blogging roadmap, monetisation strategy, or hands-on support. You learn concepts, but you are responsible for turning them into traffic and income on your own.

For beginners and busy parents, it works best as a starting point, not a full solution. You will likely need a broader system if your goal is to build a blog that earns consistently over time.

Let’s Chat

Have you tried SEMrush Academy, Ahrefs Academy, or Google’s SEO training?

Did free SEO courses help you take action, or did you feel stuck without a full plan?

Drop a comment below and tell me where you are in your blogging journey.