Why look at alternatives? Ahrefs starts at $129/month with no permanent free plan. These alternatives are strong competitors, especially for teams that don’t need Ahrefs’ backlink depth.
We rate Ahrefs 91/100. Read our full Ahrefs review →
Quick Comparison: Best Ahrefs Alternatives
| Alternative | Best For | Free Plan | Paid From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Semrush | Best all-in-one suite | Limited free account | $139.95/mo | 91/100 |
| 2. Moz Pro | Best for beginners | Free tools (limited) | $99/mo | 84/100 |
| 3. Majestic | Best budget backlinks | Limited (own sites only) | $49.99/mo | 79/100 |
| 4. SE Ranking | Best budget all-in-one | 14-day trial | $65/mo | 82/100 |
| 5. Google Search Console | Best free option | Free | $0 | N/A |
Detailed Breakdown: Top Ahrefs Alternatives
#1 Semrush
91/100
Best all-in-one suite
- ✓ Broader toolset (PPC, social, content)
- ✓ Larger keyword database
- ✓ Advertising intelligence
- ✗ More expensive than Ahrefs Lite
- ✗ Slightly weaker backlink data
- ✗ More complex UI
#2 Moz Pro
84/100
Best for beginners
- ✓ Easier to learn
- ✓ Domain Authority widely known
- ✓ Good link explorer
- ✗ Smaller backlink index
- ✗ Slower updates
#3 Majestic
79/100
Best budget backlinks
- ✓ Very affordable
- ✓ Strong Trust Flow metrics
- ✓ Large backlink index
- ✗ Backlinks only — no keyword tools
- ✗ Outdated UI
#4 SE Ranking
82/100
Best budget all-in-one
- ✓ Much cheaper than Ahrefs
- ✓ Accurate rank tracking
- ✓ White-label reports
- ✗ Smaller backlink index
- ✗ Less competitive research
#5 Google Search Console
Best free option
- ✓ 100% free
- ✓ Direct Google data
- ✓ Keyword performance
- ✓ Crawl error reporting
- ✗ Only your own site
- ✗ No competitor analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Semrush or Ahrefs better?
Both are best-in-class. Ahrefs has a stronger backlink index; Semrush has a broader feature set including PPC, social, and content tools. Most enterprise SEO teams use both.
What is the best free Ahrefs alternative?
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free for your own sites) and Google Search Console (free) are the best free options. Neither replaces Ahrefs for competitor research.
Is there a cheaper Ahrefs alternative?
Majestic ($49.99/month) for pure backlinks; SE Ranking ($65/month) for a full SEO suite. Both are 40–60% cheaper but with less data depth.