What is the difference between Ahrefs and SEMrush?

Ahrefs is best for SEO professionals wanting comprehensive backlink and keyword data, while SEMrush is best for Digital marketing teams wanting SEO, PPC, and content tools. Ahrefs starts at $99/mo and SEMrush starts at $129.95/mo.

Is Ahrefs or SEMrush cheaper?

Ahrefs starts at $99/mo. SEMrush starts at $129.95/mo with a free tier.

Is there a free alternative to Ahrefs?

Yes, SEMrush offers a free tier (Free with limited searches).

Ahrefs vs SEMrush

Ahrefs is All-in-one SEO toolset with site audit, keyword research, backlink analysis, and rank tracking, while SEMrush is all-in-one digital marketing platform with SEO, advertising, content, and competitive research. Ahrefs comes in cheaper, but price alone does not tell the full story. Ahrefs is built for seo professionals wanting comprehensive backlink and keyword data, whereas SEMrush targets digital marketing teams wanting seo, ppc, and content tools.

At a glance

	Ahrefs	SEMrush
Best for	SEO professionals wanting comprehensive backlink and keyword data	Digital marketing teams wanting SEO, PPC, and content tools
Starting price	$99/mo	$129.95/mo
Free tier	—	✓
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	—	✓
Open source	—	—
Backlink Analysis	✓	—
Competitor Analysis	—	✓
Content Marketing	—	✓
Keyword Research	✓	✓
PPC	—	✓
Rank Tracking	✓	—
Site Audit	✓	—

Ahrefs

Strengths

Includes Backlink Analysis as a core feature, purpose-built for seo workflows
Includes Keyword Research as a core feature, purpose-built for seo workflows
Pricing starts at $99/mo, which includes the full seo feature set
Established product with 15+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

Starts at $99/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in seo
Per-user pricing at $99/mo makes it hard to justify for large teams

Try Ahrefs → Full review

SEMrush

Strengths

Includes Keyword Research as a core feature, purpose-built for seo workflows
Includes Competitor Analysis as a core feature, purpose-built for seo workflows
Free with limited searches — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Established product with 18+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

Free plan has meaningful restrictions: free with limited searches
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in seo
Mobile experience lags behind the desktop version in features and polish

Try SEMrush → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Ahrefs starts at $99/mo. SEMrush starts at $129.95/mo. Ahrefs is the more affordable option.

Feature gaps: Ahrefs offers Backlink Analysis, Rank Tracking and Site Audit that SEMrush lacks. SEMrush brings Competitor Analysis, Content Marketing and PPC that Ahrefs does not have. Both share Keyword Research.

Team fit: Both tools target mid-size teams teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.

Where each tool shines: Ahrefs's biggest strengths are: includes backlink analysis as a core feature, purpose-built for seo workflows. includes keyword research as a core feature, purpose-built for seo workflows. SEMrush's biggest strengths are: includes keyword research as a core feature, purpose-built for seo workflows. includes competitor analysis as a core feature, purpose-built for seo workflows.

Watch out for: With Ahrefs, users commonly note that starts at $99/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users. With SEMrush, the main complaint is that free plan has meaningful restrictions: free with limited searches.

Choose Ahrefs if...

You need a tool built for seo professionals wanting comprehensive backlink and keyword data
You want to save on per-user costs — Ahrefs is $30.95/user/mo cheaper
You specifically need Backlink Analysis and Rank Tracking
You care about includes keyword research as a core feature, purpose-built for seo workflows

Choose SEMrush if...

You need a tool built for digital marketing teams wanting seo, ppc, and content tools
You specifically need Competitor Analysis and Content Marketing
You care about includes competitor analysis as a core feature, purpose-built for seo workflows
The free tier works for you: free with limited searches