Ahrefs vs Semrush
Ahrefs and Semrush are both SEO tools tools. Ahrefs is aimed at agencies and small businesses, while Semrush is aimed at agencies and enterprise. Ahrefs costs less, from $29/mo versus $139/mo for Semrush. Both have a free plan.
| Pricing | Freemium · $29 | Freemium · $139 |
| Starting price | $29/mo | $139/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | 7 days |
| Built for | Agencies, Small businesses, Enterprise | Agencies, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Country | SG · 2010 | US · 2008 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Ahrefs if
SEO professionals, agencies and content-driven companies that need reliable backlink and keyword data.
- Backlink data breadth and freshness
- Clean, fast UI with excellent documentation
- Traffic estimates are useful for competitor analysis
Look elsewhere if: Small businesses needing basic rank tracking and audits (Seobility, Mangools, SE Ranking) or teams also running paid ads (Semrush).
Choose Semrush if
Agencies and marketing teams who need SEO plus paid and content tools in one place.
- Broadest marketing toolset in one subscription
- Huge keyword database and competitive intelligence
- Strong PPC research
Look elsewhere if: Backlink-focused SEOs who prefer Ahrefs or small sites needing basic tracking (SE Ranking, Mangools).
Ahrefs vs Semrush pricing
Ahrefs
- Ahrefs Free$0Free tier; limits not listed on pricing page
- Starter$29/moEntry plan; limits not listed on pricing page
- Lite$129/mo750 tracked keywords, 100k crawl credits; save 17% yearly
- Standard$249/mo2,000 keywords, 500k crawl credits, +$60/mo per user
- Advanced$449/mo5,000 keywords, 1.5M crawl credits, 5 years history
Semrush
- Free$0For trying out the platform, no card required
- SEO$139/mo$117.33/mo annually; 5 sites, 500 tracked keywords
- Starter$199/mo$165.17/mo annually; SEO + AI Search, 50 prompts
- Pro+$299/mo$248.17/mo annually; 15 sites, 1,500 keywords
- AdvancedCustom40+ sites, 5,000+ keywords, API access
Ahrefs · Key features
- Site Explorer: backlinks, referring domains, organic keywords, traffic estimates
- Keywords Explorer with difficulty, traffic potential and SERP overview
- Site Audit with JavaScript rendering and scheduled crawls
- Rank Tracker with mobile and local tracking
- Content Explorer for link prospecting and topic research
- Brand Radar and AI Overviews visibility reports
Cons
- Core plans are expensive; credits on Lite and Standard
- No PPC or social features like Semrush
- Historical data gated by plan
Semrush · Key features
- Keyword research with Keyword Magic Tool and intent data
- Site Audit, Position Tracking and On Page SEO Checker
- Backlink Analytics and Link Building tool
- Advertising Research and PPC keyword tools
- Content toolkit: Topic Research, SEO Writing Assistant
- AI visibility toolkit for AI Overviews and chatbots
Cons
- Expensive, with add-ons for local, social and trends
- Interface can feel overwhelming
- Backlink index slightly behind Ahrefs for some
Ahrefs vs Semrush: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Ahrefs or Semrush?
Ahrefs starts at $29/mo and Semrush at $139/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Ahrefs and Semrush have a free plan?
Yes, both Ahrefs and Semrush have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Ahrefs or Semrush?
Ahrefs lists small businesses as a core audience, while Semrush is aimed more at agencies and enterprise.