Content optimization tools help you develop content ideas and provide keyword suggestions for creation.
When used properly, content optimization software helps you to write content to rank higher in search engines. Plus, they can help you to make changes to existing content, such as assisting you in inserting relevant keywords.
While there are several free tools to help content writers and content editors with these tasks, paid tools often provide the most substantial features.
That brings us to the topic of this article. Both Frase and Surfer SEO are fantastic tools for optimizing on-page content. Here we compare each content optimization tool to see which works best for your content creation strategy.
Surfer SEO vs. Frase – The Key Differences
Before we compare the key features of these content creation tools, it helps to see where they differ. After all, the software differences may help you better determine which content editing tool is right for you.
Difference No. 1 – Content Optimization vs. Ideation
Surfer SEO stands out because it helps you to create SEO-optimized content. For example, let’s assume you’re writing a blog post. The tool’s search engine results page (SERP) analyzer uses AI and natural language processing (NLP) techniques to suggest an array of long-tail keywords related to your target keyword.
While Frase offers some optimization options, it’s primarily used for content ideation and artificial intelligence (AI) writing. This makes it a superb content creation tool for those who create high volumes of content and don’t need the additional tools Surfer offers.
Difference No. 2 – The Cost
Surfer’s content editor has many tools to help you create high-quality content. These tools include competitor analysis and support when creating a content brief. However, the presence of extra tools also makes Surfer SEO more expensive than Frase.
Each software offers tiered pricing plans, which each include a basic plan.
The Frase AI writer costs less per month and allows you to write more articles (30 compared to Surfer SEO’s 12). But the extra money you pay for Surfer goes toward advanced keyword research, the creation of content outlines, and deep SERP analysis.
Both content planning tools have higher tiers, though only Frase offers unlimited access to AI content at its highest level. Surfer limits you to 840 articles per year at its top tier.
Difference No. 3 – AI Writing
Both tools use AI in different ways. Surfer uses the technology to create content briefs based on what it learns from crawling search engine algorithms. The tool also has an AI-driven content planner, which creates briefs that cover the specific keywords that are most likely to help your content rank highly in search engines.
While all these tools are helpful, Frase’s content editor takes things further. After scouring your competitor’s articles, Frase starts producing content directed at your target audience. It saves time for content marketers by using AI for automatic content writing.
This AI-written content could be better.
You’ll likely have to adapt the content within the content editor, especially if you want to hit a specific keyword density for your article.
Surfer SEO vs. Frase – Comparing the Main Features
We’ve established that both SEO tools help you with content creation. Surfer SEO focuses more on finding keywords and providing a detailed SEO overview to help you when writing and editing content. Frase creates automated SEO content, allowing you to generate dozens of articles in minutes.
Both tools help write content that attracts organic traffic by boosting your search results. But here’s how the software’s comparable features stack up.
Feature No. 1 – The Content Editors
The Surfer content editor is its strongest feature. Beyond offering an outline builder, the editor suggests keywords for your articles. It even goes so far as to suggest ideal keyword densities based on competitors’ articles.
The editor also gives you a content score based on four categories used within all of its content briefs:
- Article structure
- Headings
- Keyword usage
- NLP usage
It even tracks your word count to ensure you’re staying within the ranges of what your competitors create.
The Frase content editor offers many of these features too. You’ll see information about related keywords to your topic, a content score, and data pulled from other websites in your niche.
The critical difference lies in Frase’s AI writing assistant. You can copy and paste headings into Frase’s content editor before requesting that it auto-generate AI content based on competitors’ content. The AI writer pulls something together, which you can tweak and edit until you’re happy with it.
On the most general level, Surfer’s editor offers more data, while Frase’s AI tools make it the more feature-rich of the two.
Feature No. 2 – The User Interface
For those who are getting started in the world of AI writing software, user-friendliness is key. You want to create a quick content strategy rather than getting bogged down in data.
The battle between Surfer SEO vs. Frase is almost equal in this area. Both have intuitive user interfaces that make it easy to see what you’re doing at all times. You shouldn’t run into any navigational issues when using either software.
Surfer is more data-heavy than Frase, which some may find overwhelming. However, Surfer does a better job of displaying its keyword research in real-time.
Feature No. 3 – Third-Party Integrations
Frase is a self-contained content editor that offers little in the way of third-party integrations or SEO add-on capabilities.
In contrast, Surfer SEO welcomes integration with other apps. It integrates directly into Google Docs, allowing you to use the tool as you type without relying on Surfer’s cloud-based content editor.
Furthermore, you can integrate Surfer with the Jasper AI copywriting tool. Doing so brings an AI writer into the Surfer package. When combined with the tool’s detailed SERP analyzer, you may get more accurate AI-written content from the combination of Surfer and Jasper than you’d get from Fraser alone.
Surfer SEO vs. Frase – The Pros and Cons
Both Surfer SEO and Frase can be valuable additions to your content strategy. Each has benefits and drawbacks though.
Surfer SEO Pros
- The strong SERP analyzer is great for competitor research
- Even the basic plan offers access to in-depth keyword recommendations
- It’s easy to create a content brief in the space of a few clicks
Surfer SEO Cons
- It doesn’t come with an AI writing tool as standard
- Its huge array of suggestions can feel overwhelming to new users
- None of Surfer’s plans give you unlimited document credits
Frase Pros
- Frase uses AI to write content for you
- Having less data makes Frase more welcoming to new content marketers and bloggers
Frase Cons
- Frase doesn’t factor keyword density into its suggestions
- The AI writer may require some editing to ensure the accuracy of the content it produces
Is Surfer SEO or Frase the Best Choice for You
Both Surfer SEO and Frase represent two of the best DIY SEO tools for bloggers. However, your choice comes down to what you want out of your tool.
If you’re looking for software that uses AI to write articles for you, Frase is the best choice. What it lacks in keyword research, it makes up for in speedy article production.
SurferSEO creates more detailed briefs and outlines, particularly with regard to keyword usage and density. But it will only write articles for you if you pair it with the Jasper writing tool. Still, its ability to integrate with other software may mean that Surfer SEO is the more attractive choice.
This article helps you to choose the AI writing software that’s right for you. But if you need some more information, read our full review of Surfer SEO and our Frase review for deep dives into both tools.
