Ahrefs
Surfer SEO
Rank MathThe Blueprint,
not the Draft.
Most tools help you write faster. Frase ensures you write completely.
ChatGPT generates. Surfer optimizes. Ahrefs selects. This one is different.
It defines what "complete" looks like before you start. Not faster. Not optimized. Complete.
This is not writing. This is pre-writing strategy. The difference is subtle but critical: writing tools improve execution. This tool improves what you execute against.
It doesn't help you write more. It prevents you from missing what matters.
The shift from blank page
to structured coverage.
Your first session feels like assembling a brief — not writing.
You open Frase, enter a keyword, and watch it pull headings from top-ranking pages, recurring questions from "People Also Ask," and overlapping topic patterns across the entire SERP.
What becomes clear immediately: most content fails not because it's badly written, but because it's incomplete. You see topics you would have missed. Questions you didn't know users were asking. Structure patterns you never considered.
The experience is systematic and clarifying. This is not a creative tool. It is a coverage intelligence environment.
Most tools ask: "What do you want to write?" This one asks: "What does the SERP expect you to cover?"
It shows you what the SERP expects before you try to compete.
Frase in Action:
Walkthroughs and Real Workflows
Reading about a coverage-intelligence workflow only goes so far. These walkthroughs show the brief-building process end to end — from a bare keyword to a structured outline.
An overview of the ground-up 2026 rebuild — the Agentic Content Intelligence Platform positioning, and how research, strategy, writing, optimization, and publishing now sit inside one workflow.
A walkthrough of the brief-building workflow — entering a keyword, reviewing the SERP pull, and turning it into a shareable outline. Source unverified; preview before publishing.
A closer look at the SERP research layer — headings, PAA questions, and topic coverage scoring against the top-ranking pages. Source unverified; preview before publishing.
A demo of the AI Visibility dashboard — checking citation status and applying the answer-format recommendations to an existing page. Source unverified; preview before publishing.
Not AI writing.
Coverage intelligence.
Calling this an "AI writer" is a misclassification. That's like calling a blueprint an "architect." Technically connected. Completely misses the point.
Note: While it has AI writing features, do not treat them as your primary engine. Use them only to draft initial structure or expand on points. Your unique insight remains the primary asset.
It is a Content Coverage Engine. It answers one question: What must be covered for this page to compete?
It analyzes top-ranking pages, extracts their structure, captures their subtopics, identifies recurring questions, and maps the full coverage landscape. And it enforces honesty about whether your outline is complete before you start writing.
Example: You think you know what to cover. You run it through the system. The analysis shows three subtopics you missed, two question clusters you didn't consider, and a structural pattern that dominates the SERP. Your outline expands immediately — not because you had bad intuition, but because the SERP already defined what complete looks like.
Core Truth: It optimizes for coverage completeness + structural alignment + research efficiency. Not creativity. Not narrative. Not writing speed. The difference between good content and content that actually competes is often just completeness. That's the gap it closes.
Frase Features:
What You Actually Get
It is built around five core capabilities, each attacking a different layer of the content completeness problem.
Its SERP analysis pulls the full structure of the top 20 ranking pages for any keyword. For each competitor you see:
- All headings (H1–H4) in sequence
- Word count and content depth
- Domain authority and backlink count
- Recurring topics across competitors
- Questions from People Also Ask
- Topic coverage score vs your draft
It auto-generates a structured brief from the SERP analysis. Each brief includes:
- Recommended outline built from competitor H2s
- Questions to answer sourced from PAA and forums
- Target word count based on top competitors
- Topics to cover with frequency data
- Shareable link for writer handoff
- Custom notes and brand guidelines field
It maps the full topic cluster around your target keyword, showing:
- Related subtopics by search volume
- Content gaps vs your existing pages
- Internal linking opportunities
- Pillar and cluster page structure suggestions
- Priority score per subtopic
Its AI writing tool drafts content within the brief framework. Use it for:
- Drafting section introductions from your outline
- Expanding bullet points into paragraphs
- Generating FAQ answer drafts
- Rewriting sections for clarity
- Not for: final content — always add your unique insight on top
Its newest capability — optimizing content to be cited by AI search engines. It provides:
- AI Visibility dashboard tracking citations in ChatGPT and Perplexity
- Content structure recommendations for AI citation
- Answer-format detection (what AI engines prefer)
- Competitor AI citation comparison
- Entity coverage scoring for LLM visibility
As you write, it scores your content in real time against competitors. The score tracks:
- Topic coverage percentage vs top 10
- Missing topics flagged in real time
- Word count vs competitor average
- Questions answered vs total identified
- Overall completeness score out of 100
6 Frase Features
that deliver real value
Extract ranking structures before writing — not after you've already drafted. See what the SERP rewards before you commit to a structure.
Eliminate content blind spots by systematically identifying every subtopic from top pages. Know what you would have missed before you start.
Capture real user intent signals from "People Also Ask" and related search data. Write what users are actually asking — not what you assume they want.
Standardize content structure so every piece follows the same complete framework. Remove the "what should I cover?" guesswork from every brief.
Audit the full SERP in minutes instead of hours of manual competitive analysis. Turn hours of manual research into minutes of automated analysis.
Remove ambiguity for writers by giving them a data-backed blueprint, not vague instructions. Every writer starts with the same complete framework.
When optimization leads
to sameness — and how to avoid it.
Being honest about how this tool works helps you get the most from it — and avoid the failure modes that catch most new users off guard.
It shows what already exists. That's the point. But if followed blindly, you reproduce the average — not outperform it. Knowing what everyone else covers doesn't guarantee you cover it better.
You can create fully optimized, structurally correct content that is completely forgettable. It gives you the structure. It doesn't give you the voice, the insight, or the differentiation.
It builds the blueprint. It does not provide original insight, authority, or differentiation. Without those, structure alone won't outrank established competitors.
It shows you what the SERP expects. It does not tell you what to add that competitors missed. That requires strategic judgment. Structure minus differentiation equals parity. Parity does not win.
A complete brief does not guarantee great content. It removes the "what" problem. You still own the "how" — the examples, the authority, the unique perspective, the voice.
It will not make you funnier, clearer, or more authoritative. It tells you what to cover. It does not help you say it well. The craft of writing still belongs to you.
- Want fully automated writing (use ChatGPT or Jasper instead)
- Rely purely on intuition and resist structured workflows
- Are not ready to change your content process based on SERP data
- Want creativity tools, not strategy tools
- Believe your intuition already covers everything — this tool will prove otherwise
Frase Pros and Cons:
An Honest Assessment
- SERP analysis is fast, accurate, and genuinely saves hours of manual research
- Content briefs are the clearest and most actionable of any tool in the category
- Question intelligence from PAA is consistently useful and often surprising
- Real-time content score while writing keeps coverage on track
- Brief sharing makes writer handoff seamless — no more vague instructions
- GEO optimization is ahead of most competitors for AI search visibility
- UI is clean and relatively low learning curve for new content teams
- Team collaboration features work well for scaling operations
- AI writing quality is generic — useful for structure, not for final copy
- Cost escalates quickly for teams needing multiple seats or high document volume
- Customer support response times can be slow during peak periods
- No built-in keyword research — needs Ahrefs or SEMrush alongside it
- Refund window is only 5 days — limited time to fully evaluate
- SERP data can lag for very new or rapidly changing topics
- Topic cluster mapping is less developed than dedicated tools like MarketMuse
- Following briefs too rigidly can produce structurally sound but generic content
What you're
actually getting
SERP-driven coverage analysis. Built for strategists, not solo writers. Complete briefs before writing starts.
Compresses hours of SERP research into minutes. Top 20 results analyzed automatically. PAA questions extracted in real time.
Available but not the core value. Use for drafting structure, not final copy. Output quality is generic without your input.
Easy adoption for content teams. Interface is intuitive. The mindset shift — strategy before writing — is the real adjustment.
Data-backed, not template-based. Reflects actual SERP structure. Shareable with writers via link.
Live data from current search results — not stale indices. Top 20 results analysed per query in real time.
Brief sharing and collaboration built in. Every writer starts from the same framework. Document management across projects.
Pre-writing strategy and structure. Use before any content is written. Not a replacement for Surfer SEO on-page optimization.
G2 Community Reviews
From 309 verified users
Frase holds a 4.8/5 rating on G2 based on 309 verified user reviews. Here's what users consistently praise — and where they see room for improvement.
- Powerful content creation tools — effective writing backed by data and strategy. (2 mentions)
- Easy setup — refreshingly simple to start creating effective content quickly. (2 mentions)
- Enhanced SEO optimization — effective content creation backed by data and strategy. (2 mentions)
- Strategy development capabilities — content creation enhanced with data-driven insights. (2 mentions)
- Efficient scraping of top listings — saves users significant time and effort. (2 mentions)
- Subscription issues — frustration that lifetime promises are being undermined by paywall changes. (2 mentions)
- Editing difficulties — needing to clear formatting and restructure articles for proper hierarchy. (1 mention)
- Expensive subscription model — breaks trust, especially for those promised ongoing updates. (1 mention)
- High costs — seen as betraying the trust of lifetime customers by imposing new fees. (1 mention)
- Legacy-plan frustration — a sense of incompetence and untrustworthiness around the shift to a subscription model for legacy customers. (1 mention)
This summary reflects 309 verified G2 reviews as of this writing. Visit G2 for the most current user feedback and individual review comments.
View all reviews on G2 →Frase Pricing
and Plans
It charges per document with seat limits that scale by plan. A 5-day free trial is available. Annual billing saves approximately 17% across all plans. No free tier — but the trial gives you enough to properly evaluate the platform.
1 user seat · 4 articles per month · SERP analysis, content briefs, content scoring · AI writing included · No team collaboration · Best for: solo bloggers validating the workflow
1 user seat · 30 articles per month · All Solo features + topic clusters · GEO optimization access · Most popular plan for content teams · Best for: serious content operations
3 user seats · Unlimited articles · All Basic features + team collaboration · Advanced brief sharing and permissions · Priority customer support · Best for: agencies managing multiple clients
Unlimited user seats · Unlimited articles · Custom onboarding and SLAs · Dedicated account manager · API access and custom integrations · Best for: media companies and large SEO teams
Frase vs Alternatives:
Surfer SEO, MarketMuse, Clearscope
This isn't the only content strategy tool. Here's how it compares on the capabilities that matter for a buying decision.
| Capability | Frase | Surfer SEO | MarketMuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | ✓ Content briefing SERP-driven briefs before writing starts. The strategy layer. | On-page optimization Calibrates existing drafts against live SERP data. The engineering layer. | Topic authority Builds topical authority across an entire content cluster, not just one page. |
| Content briefs | ✓ Best in class Most actionable and detailed briefs. Built specifically for writer handoff. | Good Briefs available but secondary to its optimization features. | ✓ Excellent Deep briefs with topic authority scoring. More strategic depth than this one. |
| On-page optimization | Basic Content score as you write. Not a full SERP engineering tool. | ✓ Best in class NLP terms, entity coverage, and live SERP benchmarking in the editor. | Good Optimization scoring present but less granular than Surfer. |
| GEO / AI visibility | ✓ Leading feature AI Visibility dashboard tracks ChatGPT and Perplexity citations. Ahead of competitors. | Developing AI content features present but no dedicated GEO tracking dashboard. | Minimal Not a current focus. Traditional SEO-first approach. |
| Topic clusters | Good Topic cluster mapping present. Less developed than MarketMuse. | Basic Topical maps available but not a core strength. | ✓ Best in class Topic authority modeling is MarketMuse's core differentiator. |
| Starting price | ~$44/month 5-day trial. Affordable entry but Solo plan is very limited. | ~$89/month 7-day trial. Better value at mid-tier for pure on-page optimization. | ~$149/month No free trial. Significantly more expensive. Best for established content operations. |
| Best for | Strategy-first teams Teams that want complete briefs before any writing begins. | Optimization-first teams Teams that have drafts and need SERP calibration before publishing. | Authority-first teams Teams building long-term topical authority across a full content cluster. |
- Build complete content briefs before any writing begins
- Standardize brief quality across a writing team
- Understand what the SERP expects before you commit to a structure
- Track AI citation visibility in ChatGPT and Perplexity
- Eliminate "blank cursor" syndrome for your writers
- Optimize existing drafts against live SERP benchmarks
- Calibrate NLP terms and entity coverage per page
- Work in the editor as you write rather than before you write
- Score content against the specific SERP you're targeting
- Focus on on-page technical optimization over strategy
Frase GEO Optimization:
Getting Cited by AI Search Engines
GEO — Generative Engine Optimization — is the practice of structuring content so it gets cited by AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews. This is currently one of the few content tools with a dedicated GEO feature set.
- AI Visibility dashboard showing when your content is cited in ChatGPT and Perplexity
- Content structure recommendations optimized for AI answer formats
- Entity and topic coverage scoring for LLM visibility
- Answer-format detection — what structure AI engines prefer for each query type
- Competitor AI citation comparison — who's being cited and why
- Tracking over time to show GEO performance trends
- 1Run a SERP analysis for your target keyword and enable the GEO optimization panel.
- 2Check the AI Visibility score — this shows whether your existing content is being cited by any AI engine.
- 3Review the answer-format recommendations — AI engines prefer direct answers, structured lists, and definition-first responses.
- 4Add a concise answer block near the top of each section — one clear sentence that directly answers the implicit question of that heading.
- 5Improve entity coverage — it flags entities in top-cited content. Add the missing ones naturally throughout your copy.
- 6Track citation status via the AI Visibility dashboard after publishing — check weekly and update content where you're close but not yet cited.
Frase Integrations:
WordPress, Webflow, and Beyond
It integrates with the most common CMS and content workflow tools. Here's what's supported and how each integration works.
- WordPress — native plugin for pushing briefs and content directly to your CMS
- Webflow — API-based connection for Webflow CMS collections
- Google Search Console — import existing keyword performance data into the platform
- Google Docs — export briefs and drafts directly to Docs for writer use
- Zapier — connect it to 5,000+ apps via automation workflows
- API access — available on Team and Enterprise plans for custom integrations
- MCP server — Claude and other AI tools can pull its data via MCP on Enterprise
- 1Install the WordPress plugin from the plugin directory — search "Frase".
- 2Add your API key from your account settings into the plugin settings screen.
- 3Open any post or page in WordPress — its panel appears in the right sidebar.
- 4Run a SERP analysis from within WordPress without leaving the editor.
- 5Score your content against competitors in real time as you write in Gutenberg or Classic editor.
- 1Get your Frase API key from account settings — available on Team and Enterprise plans.
- 2Get your Webflow API key from Webflow account settings → Integrations → API.
- 3Use Zapier to create a workflow: document completed → push to Webflow CMS collection.
- 4Map the fields (title, body, meta description) to your Webflow CMS fields.
- 5Test with a draft article before enabling for production to check field mapping is correct.
Frase Customer Support
and Refund Policy
Support quality and refund terms are worth knowing before you buy, especially for a tool you'll integrate into a production content workflow.
- Live chat — available during business hours (US Eastern)
- Email support — responses typically within 24 hours
- Knowledge base — extensive self-serve documentation
- Video tutorials — onboarding library on YouTube
- Community Slack — active user community for peer help
- Dedicated account manager — Enterprise plans only
- 5-day refund window from initial purchase date
- Contact support via email or chat within 5 days
- After 5 days — case-by-case basis, not guaranteed
- Annual plan refunds: pro-rated for unused months only in exceptional cases
- Use the free trial to fully evaluate before purchasing
- Response times praised on basic plan queries
- Billing issues occasionally take longer to resolve
- Knowledge base is thorough for self-service
- Onboarding support is well-regarded across plans
- Team plan priority support noticeably faster
What to expect
session by session
You enter a keyword and get a complete SERP analysis. You see headings, questions, topics. You realize how much you've been missing. The first brief is an eye-opener — not because the tool is complex, but because the data is honest.
You refine the auto-generated outline. You add your unique angles. You start seeing the difference between "complete" and "complete + differentiated." The tool becomes a collaborator, not a dictator.
Your writers never start from scratch. Every brief is complete before anyone writes. You're managing a content pipeline with predictable coverage quality. Writers feel guided, not constrained. Strategists feel empowered, not overwhelmed.
Three profiles who'll
see strategic value
You need every piece to compete on completeness, not just keywords. It gives you the data to set that standard. Your value is in what you choose to cover — and what you choose to omit.
You need structured direction, not vague assignments. It gives you a complete blueprint before you write. No more guessing what to cover. No more writer's block from ambiguity.
You need to standardize production without sacrificing quality. It ensures every writer starts with the same complete framework. Consistency without chaos. Scale without drift.
If your needs point
in a different direction
Being honest about fit is what makes a recommendation worth trusting. Here is when a different tool will serve you better than this one.
Frase Review:
Frequently Asked Questions
The verdict
Frase made a deliberate choice — structure over spontaneity.
Everything reflects that: content blueprinting, topic coverage mapping, SERP deconstruction, research compression. Every feature is in service of one outcome — you know what to cover before you write a single word.
It is not trying to help you write faster. It is not competing on creativity. It is not the right tool for a writer who already has a structure and just needs to execute.
It is trying to answer one question better than any tool in its category — what must be covered for this page to compete?
The answer is: do not optimise for speed. Optimise for completeness. Stop starting from scratch. Start with the blueprint. Intelligence alone is insufficient. Execution without strategy is wasted effort. But a complete blueprint before execution — that is leverage.
Frase is the Strategy Layer. It doesn't create content. It defines the shape of content. It removes incompleteness. You must supply differentiation. Structure is necessary. It is not sufficient. The combination of its blueprint and your unique insight is what actually wins.
Build Your Content Blueprint
Open Frase, enter your target keyword, and generate a complete content brief. You'll see within one brief whether you've been guessing about completeness — or operating with strategic clarity.
Try Frase →