01
The price
$99 is the way in, $199 is the tier that works.
Starter covers 10 content briefs and optimizations per month, 1-month rollover, 1 user seat, keyword research tool.
The top tier is quoted by sales, so there is no published ceiling.
Topic.
Content optimization platform that turns research into briefs and outlines.
01
Price, complaint, verdict
Read this if you read nothing else02
The complaint
Brief and optimization quotas (10 to 50 per month) are tight for agencies running multiple clients.
6 recurring complaints show up in public reviews, and 0 of them come up often.
Praise is just as consistent: cuts content research time 45-50% by auto-parsing the top 30 google results for headings, questions, and keyword targets..
03
The verdict
A tracker priced to be tried rather than committed to.
The most frequently raised complaint: brief and optimization quotas (10 to 50 per month) are tight for agencies running multiple clients..
It reports where you stand. Turning that into published pages and earned citations is still work somebody has to do.
Buy: Small budget, in-house teamSkip: Nobody to act on it
02
Pricing matrix
Scroll sideways for all tiers| Included | Starter$99$80/mo billed annually (20% off); $7 intro pack for first 3 briefs | Plus$199$160/mo billed annually | Premium$299$240/mo billed annually | EnterpriseCustomQuote-based; API access on request |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 content briefs and optimizations per month | 25 content briefs and optimizations per month | 50 content briefs and optimizations per month | Higher brief volume |
| 2 | 1-month rollover | 3 user seats | 5 user seats | API access |
| 3 | 1 user seat | 1-month rollover | 1-month rollover | Custom seat counts |
| 4 | Keyword research tool | Keyword research tool | Keyword research tool | · |
03
What reviewers say
Bars show how often it is raisedPraise
6 themesCuts content research time 45-50% by auto-parsing the top 30 Google results for headings, questions, and keyword targets.
Simple Starter at $99/mo and $7 intro pack make it the cheapest serious entry point versus Surfer, Clearscope, and MarketMuse.
Magoosh case study shows 300%+ year-over-year new-user growth on a single optimized post.
Used by BiggerPockets, Magoosh, Quizlet, Amerisleep, Elementor, TrustRadius, and WSI.
Complaints
6 themesBrief and optimization quotas (10 to 50 per month) are tight for agencies running multiple clients.
No native AI article generator at the level of Surfer AI or Frase Pro; Topic positions as briefs, not full drafts.
Pricing changes infrequent and no free trial beyond the $7 intro pack.
Acquired by CafeMedia/Raptive in September 2021; roadmap pace has slowed compared to standalone Surfer or Clearscope.
Ratings: 5/5 on capterra (20 reviews). As recorded 7 June 2026; counts move, so check the source before quoting.
04
What it does
Content Brief Builder
Analyzes top 30 Google results for a keyword and auto-suggests headings, questions, and required terms.
Outline Builder
Drag-and-drop outline workspace with GPT-powered drafts of section titles and intros.
Content Grader
Live scoring of drafts against target keywords and missing subtopics inside Google Docs or the web app.
Keyword Research
Built-in keyword volume and difficulty data tied to brief creation.
Google Docs add-on
Side panel that runs Topic's scoring on a draft without leaving Google Docs.
WordPress plugin
Push optimized briefs and scores into the WordPress editor for the writer.
05
Integrations
Google DocsWordPressTopic API
06
The actual decision
We sell one of these twoPath A
Buy Topic
Right when small budget, in-house team. You get the measurement, and the work of turning it into published pages and earned citations stays with your team.
Path B
Hire someone to run it
Right when nobody to act on it. Disclosure: this is what we sell, which is a reason to read us critically. It is also why every figure here carries the date we checked it, and every judgement carries the quote it came from.
07
Questions people ask
What is Topic?
Content optimization platform that turns research into briefs and outlines.
How much does Topic cost?
Topic starts at $99 per month, across 4 published tiers. Pricing checked 7 June 2026.
Does Topic have a free trial?
No free tier or trial is published for Topic.
What do users complain about in Topic?
The most frequently raised issue is: Brief and optimization quotas (10 to 50 per month) are tight for agencies running multiple clients.
Should I buy Topic or hire a managed service?
A tracker priced to be tried rather than committed to. Buy the tool if small budget, in-house team. A managed service is the better fit when nobody in-house has hours each week to act on what it reports.
Not sure which path you are on?
Thirty minutes. We show you the buyer questions where an engine names a competitor instead of you, and say plainly whether a tool or a managed programme fits your situation.
Book a call →