Ahrefs vs Semrush are two of the most popular all-in-one SEO platforms, widely used by beginner SEOs, agencies, marketers, and enterprises. Both tools offer powerful features for keyword research, backlink analysis, technical SEO audits, and more.
In general, Semrush is designed as a broader marketing suite (covering SEO, PPC, content, social, etc.), whereas Ahrefs focuses deeply on SEO analytics and link data.
This Ahrefs vs Semrush comparison will be neutral and data-driven: we’ll outline the key differences in their features, show a side-by-side comparison table, and list the pros and cons of each.
What is Ahrefs?
Ahrefs is a suite of online SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tools used to analyze websites, research keywords, and track rankings. It helps businesses improve their online visibility by providing insights into backlinks, organic traffic, and competitor strategies.
Ahrefs is often called the “backlink analysis powerhouse.” It maintains one of the largest live backlink databases in the industry, with about 35.0 trillion external backlinks and 28.9 trillion internal links indexed. This vast link index powers its Site Explorer and Domain Rating (DR) metric.
Ahrefs lets you explore all backlinks pointing to your site or any competitor, complete with anchor text and surrounding page context. It also includes helpful link-building tools. For example, the Broken Link Building report identifies pages linking to 404 errors on your site so you can reclaim that link equity.
Ahrefs’ Content Explorer is another unique feature: it works like a BuzzSumo-style search to find the most-linked and shared content on any topic, helping users uncover high-quality link prospects.
Overall, if backlink research and recovering authority from lost links are top priorities, Ahrefs’ deep index and specialized tools give it a clear advantage.
Pros
- Extremely large backlink index (≈35T) and deep link analysis tools
- User-friendly interface (many users call it “clean” and intuitive)
- Powerful keyword explorer with a unique traffic potential metric.
- Useful content research (Content Explorer) and link-building features (Broken Link report)
- Supports rank tracking globally on desktop/mobile.
Cons
- Pricing uses a credit system that some find confusing, and entry-tier credits (750/month) can run out.
- No free trial or free version (only limited Webmaster Tools).
- Fewer integrated marketing tools (no built-in PPC or social features).
- Only one user per account (additional seats cost extra).
What is SEMRush?
Semrush is a comprehensive digital marketing toolkit, primarily known for its SEO (Search Engine Optimization) capabilities, but also encompassing tools for PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising, social media, content marketing, and market research. It provides a suite of tools and features to help businesses improve their online visibility, analyze their competitors, and optimize their marketing strategies.
Semrush also offers robust backlink analysis, but with some differences. Its database (about 43 trillion URLs) is slightly larger, and it updates daily via its own web crawlers.
Semrush’s Backlink Analytics report shows referring domains, new/lost links, anchor text distribution, and even toxicity scores to flag potentially harmful links. Semrush also has a Link Building Tool that actively suggests outreach opportunities based on competitor links.
Pros
- Very broad SEO toolkit (keyword research, site audit, backlink analysis) plus PPC competitor data, social media tools, and local listing management.
- Massive keyword and backlink databases (22.3B keywords, 43T backlinks).
- Robust site audit and on-page SEO checker, with user guidance (e.g., identifying crawl errors, cannibalization).
- Search intent and content tools (Topic Research, SEO Writing Assistant) help beginners.
- Free 7-day trial and 24/7 support (chat/email/phone).
- Greater usage limits for reports (e.g., 3,000 domain analyses/day on Pro).
Cons
- Interface and reports can be overwhelming for beginners.
- Traffic and keyword volume are estimates (clickstream-based) and not always exact.
- Each account is single-user (adding users costs ~$45+/mo).
- Higher price at enterprise levels (Broad plans up to $499/mo) and add-ons.
What is Different between Ahrefs vs SEMRush?
Ahrefs vs Semrush are both powerful SEO tools, but they differ in their primary focus and feature set. Ahrefs is known for its strong backlink analysis and competitor research, while SEMrush offers a broader suite of tools for various digital marketing activities like SEO, PPC, and content marketing.
| Feature | Ahrefs | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword database size | 28.7 billion keywords | 22.3 billion keywords |
| Backlink index size | ~35 trillion external links | ~43 trillion links |
| Rank tracking updates | Weekly (daily updates via paid add-on) | Daily (built in) |
| Base plan (monthly) | €119 (~$129) for Lite | $139.95 for Pro |
Ahrefs vs SEMRush: Keyword Research
Ahrefs vs Semrush both offer powerful keyword research tools, but with different emphases.
Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer boasts an enormous database (28.7B keywords globally). and provides standard metrics like search volume, difficulty, and CPC. It has a very useful “traffic potential” feature: for each keyword, Ahrefs estimates how much organic traffic you could get if you rank #1, accounting for features like ads and snippets that steal clicks.
This helps users gauge the true value of ranking for a term. Ahrefs’ interface is clean and simple, which many beginners find easy to navigate. However, it generally shows less keyword data on one screen compared to Semrush.
Semrush has a slightly smaller keyword database (about 22.3B keywords) but packs more information into its reports. Semrush’s Keyword Overview and Keyword Magic Tool show not only search volume and difficulty, but also keyword search intent, the number of SERP results, CPC and PPC ad data, and related keyword clusters (semantically grouped terms).
These additional columns (ads count, related keywords, etc.) are especially helpful if you run both SEO and paid campaigns. Semrush also provides trend graphs for each keyword and filters (e.g., question, long-tail). In summary, Ahrefs gives you a streamlined, click-potential-oriented view, while Semrush offers a more data-rich, integrated perspective (including PPC metrics) for keyword planning.
Ahrefs vs SEMRush: Technical SEO (Site Audit and On-Page)
Both Ahrefs vs Semrush include Site Audit tools to scan a website for technical SEO issues (broken links, page speed, indexability, etc.) and flag problems.
In our testing, Semrush’s audit tends to find more issues and organizes them by priority. For example, Semrush highlights problems like keyword cannibalization and offers an on-page SEO checker to suggest improvements.
Ahrefs’ Site Audit also provides a health score and identifies issues (e.g. missing metadata, oversized images), but with fewer actionable insights than Semrush. Many users find Semrush’s recommendations (like internal linking suggestions and on-page checker tips) more beginner-friendly.
On-page SEO features differ slightly. Ahrefs offers a Content Report (within Site Audit) showing H1s, meta tags, and internal linking opportunities for analyzed pages. Semrush offers both a Site Audit and a separate On-Page SEO Checker (giving step-by-step recommendations for target keywords).
In practice, Semrush generally wins on technical SEO tools due to its depth and user guidance, but both tools are solid and many professionals use Google Search Console alongside them for extra data.
Ahrefs vs SEMRush: Rank Tracking
Rank tracking lets you monitor your keyword rankings over time. Semrush’s Position Tracking updates daily by default, giving fresh ranking data (and it even reports a “visibility score” across all keywords). Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker updates keywords weekly by default (daily updates are available only via the paid Project Boost add-on).
In short, Semrush provides more real-time rank monitoring (useful for agencies and SEOs who want daily changes), while Ahrefs’ weekly tracking may suffice for many use cases. Both let you track desktop and mobile rankings globally and by device, and both support competitor comparison in their reports.
Ahrefs vs SEMRush: Support
Both Ahrefs vs SEMRush offer robust support and learning resources. Semrush provides 24/7 email and live chat support, plus phone support on higher plans. It also has an extensive knowledge base, webinars, and tutorials.
Ahrefs offers 24/7 email and live chat support, but no phone line. Ahrefs has a helpful blog and academy (with case studies and tutorials). In practice, users report fast responses from both teams.
One thing to note: Semrush’s support extends to paid add-ons like social media and local tools, while Ahrefs’ support covers all its SEO tools in one place.
Ahrefs vs SEMRush: Unique Features
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SEMRush
In addition to standard SEO/PPC tools, Semrush includes an Advertising Research toolkit (for analyzing competitor Google and social ads) and a PPC Competitor Analysis suite. It has a Listing Management feature to sync local business listings (NAP data) across directories, and a dedicated Social Media Toolkit for scheduling and analytics.
Semrush also has content-creation helpers like the SEO Writing Assistant and Topic Research (to brainstorm content ideas based on search data).
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Ahrefs
Ahrefs excels in link-focused tools. Beyond Site Explorer and Content Explorer, it offers Batch Analysis (run reports on many URLs at once) and Link Intersect (find sites that link to competitors but not you). Its Content Explorer (similar to BuzzSumo) is a unique way to find popular content by topic.
Ahrefs recently introduced an AI Content Generator, and it remains the only one in this comparison with a free (though limited) Webmaster Tools account for verified sites.
In short, Semrush pulls ahead on breadth (especially PPC and local SEO tools), while Ahrefs focuses on core SEO analytics (backlinks, keyword data, content analysis).
Ahrefs vs SEMRush: Pricing and Plans
When it comes to pricing, both Ahrefs vs Semrush offer tiered plans to accommodate different user needs. It’s important to consider the value you will receive from each tool in relation to the cost of the subscription.
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Semrush Pricing
Semrush offers straightforward pricing plans ranging from $119 to $449 per month, with additional enterprise plans available based on specific requirements. The $119 “Pro” plan provides access to most of Semrush’s main features, including backlink analysis and keyword research. However, certain features, such as historical data, are only available in higher-tier plans.
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Ahrefs Pricing
Ahrefs recently transitioned to a usage-based pricing model, which may complicate the comparison with Semrush. Legacy users can continue with the previous pricing model, but new customers are subject to the new usage-based pricing. While this change has caused frustration among some users, Ahrefs’ pricing plans range from $99 to $999 per month.
In terms of value, Semrush takes the lead due to its comprehensive SEO software suite and integrated PPC features, all available at a reasonable price point. Semrush’s pricing model is clear and straightforward, ensuring users receive the maximum value for their investment.
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