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Professional SEO platform built around an industry-leading backlink index, with keyword research, rank tracking, site audit and content explorer. Starter plan listed at $29/month.
Editor's take: “The reference backlink index; priced for professionals, not hobbyists” — Sohail Akhtar
Category
Reviewed by Sohail Akhtar
Lead Editor & Founder
What we like
Limitations
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Free | Ahrefs Webmaster Tools – free site audit and backlink data for verified sites |
| Starter | Starter – $29/month (listed on 14 September 2026) – limited lookups |
| Lite | Lite – $129/month (listed on 14 September 2026) – 5 projects, 6 months history, 1 user (+2 at $40/month each) |
| Standard | Standard – $249/month (listed on 14 September 2026) – 20 projects, 2 years history, 2,000 tracked keywords, 1 user (+5 at $60 each) |
| Advanced | Advanced – $449/month (listed on 14 September 2026) – 50 projects, 5 years history, 5,000 tracked keywords, 1 user (+10 at $80 each) |
| Enterprise | Enterprise – $1,499/month, annual commitment (listed on 14 September 2026) |
| Addons | Brand Radar from $199/month; prompt packages $50, $100, $250/month; AI Content Helper from $99/month (listed on 14 September 2026) |
Ahrefs is a paid platform with a free Ahrefs Webmaster Tools tier for sites you own. Its pricing page on 14 September 2026 listed Starter at $29 per month; Lite at $129 per month with 5 projects, 6 months of history and 1 user, with 2 more users at $40 each; Standard at $249 per month with 20 projects, 2 years of history and 2,000 tracked keywords, with 5 more users at $60 each; Advanced at $449 per month with 50 projects, 5 years of history and 5,000 tracked keywords, with 10 more users at $80 each; and Enterprise at $1,499 per month on an annual commitment. Brand Radar AI tracking was listed from $199 per month with prompt packages at $50, $100 and $250, and an AI Content Helper from $99 per month.
Quick Summary
Ahrefs is the SEO platform most practitioners name first when asked for a Semrush alternative, and the reason is its backlink index — widely regarded as the largest and freshest in the industry. Around that index it has built keyword research, rank tracking, site auditing and content analysis into a single subscription aimed squarely at professionals.
Associated Tags
backlink analysis, keyword research tool, site audit, rank tracking, semrush alternative
Who should use Ahrefs?
Discover practical workflows and real-world scenarios where Ahrefs delivers key solutions.
An agency audits a prospect's backlink profile in Site Explorer to find toxic links and gaps against competitors before a pitch
A content team uses Keywords Explorer click estimates to avoid topics where featured snippets swallow the clicks
A site owner on the free Webmaster Tools tier runs monthly technical audits without paying for the full suite
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Budget SEO tool with keyword ideas, competitor overviews, site audit and rank tracking. Plans listed at $29, $49 and $99 per month, with a limited free tier.
Full-suite SEO platform with rank tracking, keyword research, backlinks, site audit and white-label reporting, positioned as a lower-cost Semrush replacement for agencies.
