Surfer SEO

AI-powered SEO content optimisation platform for data-driven content teams

Grammarly

AI writing assistant for grammar, style, clarity, and generative content creation

Surfer SEO

Moderate

14/25

Grammarly

Strong

17/25

Score Breakdown

DimensionSurfer SEOGrammarly

Data Residency

Where is your data stored and processed?

Surfer SEO: Hosted on GCP EU region; processes public web content and user-authored text; no PII in core workflow

Grammarly: Data hosted exclusively in US AWS East; no EU or regional residency option

3/5

Hosted on GCP EU region; processes public web content and user-authored text; no PII in core workflow

2/5

Data hosted exclusively in US AWS East; no EU or regional residency option

Legal Jurisdiction

Which laws govern the company and your data?

Surfer SEO: Polish company incorporated in EU; subject to GDPR as data controller; no CLOUD Act exposure

Grammarly: US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; GDPR compliance via SCCs and DPA

4/5

Polish company incorporated in EU; subject to GDPR as data controller; no CLOUD Act exposure

2/5

US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; GDPR compliance via SCCs and DPA

Data Retention & Training

Is your data used for model training?

Surfer SEO: User content processed for scoring; not retained for model training; account data managed under GDPR

Grammarly: User data not sold; limited processing for product improvement with user controls

4/5

User content processed for scoring; not retained for model training; account data managed under GDPR

4/5

User data not sold; limited processing for product improvement with user controls

Certifications

ISO 27001, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, etc.

Surfer SEO: No publicly disclosed security certifications; GDPR-compliant privacy policy in place

Grammarly: Extensive certification: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001/18/701, ISO 42001

1/5

No publicly disclosed security certifications; GDPR-compliant privacy policy in place

5/5

Extensive certification: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001/18/701, ISO 42001

Regulatory Fit

Suitability for regulated industries and professional services

Surfer SEO: Suitable for standard content and marketing teams; not designed for regulated industry compliance requirements

Grammarly: Strong enterprise compliance posture; US-only hosting limits suitability for EU data residency mandates

2/5

Suitable for standard content and marketing teams; not designed for regulated industry compliance requirements

4/5

Strong enterprise compliance posture; US-only hosting limits suitability for EU data residency mandates

Total Score

14/25

17/25

Best For

Surfer SEO

Best for organisations requiring broad certification coverage (SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27018); privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls; teams on a tight budget; enterprises requiring SSO integration.

Grammarly

Best for teams prioritising European legal jurisdiction; privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls.

Detailed Comparison

Grammarly vs Surfer SEO: Trust & Compliance Comparison

Grammarly (Grammarly, Inc., US) scores 17/25 overall with a Silver (Strong) trust badge. AI writing assistant for grammar, style, clarity, and generative content creation. Surfer SEO (Surfer SEO, PL) scores 14/25 with a Bronze (Moderate) trust badge. AI-powered SEO content optimisation platform for data-driven content teams.

Dimension-by-Dimension Breakdown

#### Data Residency

Surfer SEO leads with 3/5 vs 2/5.

●Grammarly (2/5): Data hosted exclusively in US AWS East; no EU or regional residency option

●Surfer SEO (3/5): Hosted on GCP EU region; processes public web content and user-authored text; no PII in core workflow

#### Legal Jurisdiction

Surfer SEO leads with 4/5 vs 2/5.

●Grammarly (2/5): US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; GDPR compliance via SCCs and DPA

●Surfer SEO (4/5): Polish company incorporated in EU; subject to GDPR as data controller; no CLOUD Act exposure

#### Data Retention & Training

Both score equally at 4/5.

●Grammarly (4/5): User data not sold; limited processing for product improvement with user controls

●Surfer SEO (4/5): User content processed for scoring; not retained for model training; account data managed under GDPR

#### Certifications

Grammarly leads with 5/5 vs 1/5.

●Grammarly (5/5): Extensive certification: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001/18/701, ISO 42001

●Surfer SEO (1/5): No publicly disclosed security certifications; GDPR-compliant privacy policy in place

#### Regulatory Fit

Grammarly leads with 4/5 vs 2/5.

●Grammarly (4/5): Strong enterprise compliance posture; US-only hosting limits suitability for EU data residency mandates

●Surfer SEO (2/5): Suitable for standard content and marketing teams; not designed for regulated industry compliance requirements

Certifications at a Glance

Certification	Grammarly	Surfer SEO
ISO 27001	Yes	No
ISO 27018	Yes	No
ISO 27701	Yes	No
ISO 42001	Yes	No
SOC 2 Type II	Yes	No

Overall Verdict

Grammarly has a clear trust advantage, scoring 17/25 compared to Surfer SEO's 14/25. Grammarly particularly excels in certifications, regulatory fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for EU compliance, Surfer SEO or Grammarly?

Surfer SEO has a TrustKit score of 14/25 while Grammarly scores 17/25. Grammarly currently rates higher across data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention, certifications, and regulatory fit.

How do Surfer SEO and Grammarly compare on data residency?

Surfer SEO scores 3/5 for data residency (Hosted on GCP EU region; processes public web content and user-authored text; no PII in core workflow), while Grammarly scores 2/5 (Data hosted exclusively in US AWS East; no EU or regional residency option).

Are Surfer SEO and Grammarly GDPR compliant?

Both tools are assessed across five compliance dimensions. Surfer SEO has a regulatory fit score of 2/5 and Grammarly scores 4/5. Check the full comparison above for a detailed breakdown.

Explore Each Tool