Ahrefs is generally considered to have the largest, most frequently refreshed backlink database of any SEO tool, which is its clearest edge over SEMrush — SEMrush tends to be favored instead for broader all-in-one marketing features.
Ahrefs
From $129/mo
One of the two dominant SEO toolsets, widely regarded as having the strongest backlink index.
Visit AhrefsSummary
Strengths
Ease of Use
80
Value
68
Features
92
Support
78
Pricing
Starter
From $129/mo
- Core features
- Community support
- Limited usage
Pro
From $129/mo
- Everything in Starter
- Priority support
- Higher usage limits
- Advanced features
Enterprise
Custom
- Everything in Pro
- Dedicated account manager
- SSO & advanced security
- Custom contracts
Users Also Love
SE Ranking
Full-featured SEO toolkit (rank tracking, audits, keyword research) priced noticeably below Ahrefs or Semrush.
SEMrush
A broad marketing toolkit spanning SEO, PPC research, and content planning, competing head-to-head with Ahrefs.
Screaming Frog
The industry-standard desktop SEO crawler used by specialists to audit site structure and technical issues.
Sitebulb
Desktop/cloud SEO auditing tool praised for generating especially clear, client-ready audit reports.
SpyFu
SEO/PPC tool focused specifically on researching competitors' keyword rankings and ad spend history.
BrightLocal
Specialized local SEO platform for managing Google Business Profiles, citations, and local rank tracking across locations.
SE Ranking
Full-featured SEO toolkit (rank tracking, audits, keyword research) priced noticeably below Ahrefs or Semrush.
SEMrush
A broad marketing toolkit spanning SEO, PPC research, and content planning, competing head-to-head with Ahrefs.
Screaming Frog
The industry-standard desktop SEO crawler used by specialists to audit site structure and technical issues.