Best Ahrefs Alternatives for Keyword Research, Backlinks, and Site Audits

Tired of Ahrefs’ credit-based pricing eating up your marketing budget? You’re not alone. While Ahrefs remains powerful—with 28.7 billion keywords across 217 locations—its pricing and occasional inaccurate data pushed me to explore top Ahrefs alternatives, including free Ahrefs alternatives and cheaper Ahrefs tools.

I tested over 15 Ahrefs similar websites, both free and paid, looking for accurate, reliable, and cost-effective options. Tools like Moz Pro impressed with 40.7 trillion backlinks, surpassing Ahrefs, while Semrush now offers 27.2 billion keywords across 142 locations, making it one of the best Ahrefs similar tools today.

For budget-friendly options, platforms like SE Ranking start at $52/month, perfect for bloggers, small businesses, and SEO beginners. Free tools are also available for keyword tracking and backlink analysis without a large subscription.

Whether you’re searching for Ahrefs similar free tools, Ahrefs similar sites, or a better-than-Ahrefs solution, this guide highlights trusted alternatives to help improve organic growth, deliver accurate SEO data, and provide better value.

Top 10 Ahrefs Alternatives to Boost Your SEO on Any Budget

Compare the top 10 Ahrefs alternatives, from free to premium, to find the best SEO tools for your budget and goals.

Tool	Best For / Description	Key Features	Starting Price
1. Semrush	Comprehensive all-in-one SEO and marketing platform with over 55 tools.	Keyword research, backlink analysis, site audits, content marketing, AI-powered SEO & writing assistants.	$139.95 / month
2. Writesonic	AI-powered content creation and SEO optimization tool.	Blog and ad generation, SEO-optimized and localized content with GEO tracking, AI SEO tools.	$39/month (Updated Nov 2025)
3. SE Ranking	Affordable all-in-one SEO tool for agencies and small businesses.	Rank tracking, on-page SEO recommendations, backlink monitoring, AI content creation.	$52 / month
4. Ubersuggest	Beginner-friendly SEO tool ideal for small sites and hobbyists.	Keyword research, site audits, backlink analysis, rank tracking.	$12 / month
5. Search Atlas	AI-driven SEO platform built for agencies and professionals.	Integrations with Google Search Console, Google Business Profile, and Google Ads; local SEO insights, backlink analysis, AI writing assistant.	$29 / month (Community) / $99 (Full)
6. Moz Pro	Popular SEO suite trusted for accurate data and usability.	Link Explorer, site audits, on-page optimization, site crawl diagnostics.	$99 / month
7. Majestic	Specialized backlink analysis tool with proprietary metrics.	Trust Flow and Citation Flow, historical link data, link context analysis, deep link evaluation.	$49.99 / month
8. Mangools	Beginner-friendly SEO suite with five integrated tools.	Keyword Finder, SERPChecker, LinkMiner, SiteProfiler, SERPWatcher (rank tracking).	€29.90 / month
9. SpyFu	Competitor-focused SEO and PPC intelligence platform.	Competitor keyword research, PPC data, keyword overlap, domain tracking.	$39 / month
10. SEO PowerSuite	Desktop-based SEO software for unlimited tracking and reports.	Rank tracking, backlink analysis, site auditing, customizable white-label reports.	$29.10 / month

Let me share in detail now.

1. SemRush

After years of DIY SEO and working with lots of different SEO tools, I could say I mainly use Semrush. I’ve been familiar with Semrush since 2015 and used it occasionally, but it really became my go-to over the past few years.

Semrush– An all-in-one online marketing tool with over 55 tools for SEO, PPC, social media, content marketing, and competitor analysis, to name a few.

What makes me choose Semrush over Ahrefs is the Keyword Magic Tool. As an SEO specialist and a content writer, I frequently conduct keyword research for both my site and my clients. And for that, I need robust tools.

Keyword Magic Tool lets you pull up thousands of keyword ideas from just one seed keyword. It’s super efficient. Plus, their filters can help you quickly narrow the keyword list down. I can find keywords that are realistic to target and have business value.

The platform’s link database contains an impressive 43 trillion links compared to Ahrefs’ 35 trillion, giving you access to substantially more backlink building opportunities. Even though Ahrefs technically has a larger keyword database (29 billion vs Semrush’s 27 billion), my testing consistently showed Semrush surfacing more keyword suggestions across every sample domain.

Here’s something that really stands out: while Ahrefs’ entry-level plan restricts you to just 500 reports per month, Semrush allows up to 3,000 domain reports per day. That’s a huge difference if you’re running an agency or handling multiple projects.

On top of the core SEO Toolkit, Semrush also gives you access to several add-on toolkits, depending on what you need. These include:

• Keyword research with search intent analysis
• Backlink analytics and auditing
• Competitor analysis with daily traffic data
• Technical SEO and site audits
• Content optimization tools
• Rank tracking across Google, Baidu, Bing, and even ChatGPT
• Local SEO features

Semrush has also introduced a unique feature — a personal AI assistant. It gives you keyword suggestions based on your website’s domain authority, so you’re not just guessing what you can rank for. The Semrush Copilot AI summarizes important insights at the top of your dashboard, while the SEO Writing Assistant helps optimize content in real-time.

Right now, I’m using Semrush’s free plan. It lets you track up to 8 keywords. I use it to keep an eye on my top keywords and compare results with Ahrefs and Ubersuggest (I’ve got a lifetime deal on that one).

Price-wise, Semrush offers three main plans: Pro ($139.95/month), Guru ($249.95/month), and Business ($499.95/month). Annual subscriptions provide savings of up to 17%.

For budget-conscious users, Semrush offers something Ahrefs doesn’t—a completely free plan that allows analysis of up to 10 domains daily. This makes it an excellent starting point if you’re not ready to commit financially.

If you’ve been thinking about trying Semrush Pro, here’s a little perk—my partner link gives you a 14-day free trial to Semrush Pro instead of the usual 7 days. Just a small way to get more time to explore and see if it’s a good fit!

2. Writesonic

2. Writesonic: An AI-Powered SEO and Content Creation Tool

While searching for tools that combine AI writing with SEO capabilities, I discovered Writesonic. What stood out was their unique approach called Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), a way to track how your brand appears across popular AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity.

Writesonic doesn’t just show where your brand ranks in AI-driven search results, it reveals why your brand appears there, identifies gaps in your presence, and provides clear, actionable steps to improve your AI visibility.

One of Writesonic’s standout features is its  AI SEO Agent. With simple prompts, this tool handles comprehensive SEO research, keyword clustering, and competitor analysis—saving you time and effort.

Writesonic Pricing Plans (Billed Annually)

• Basic: $16/month — Essential tools for beginners
• Lite: $39/month — 15 articles/month + 6 site audits
• Standard: $79/month — 30 articles/month + 15 site audits
• Professional: $199/month — 100 articles/month + advanced features
• Advanced: $399/month — 200 articles/month for heavy users

What I appreciate most is how Writesonic integrates with major SEO platforms like Ahrefs, Semrush, Google Search Console, and Google Analytics. It can pull in keyword data and site audit insights—even if you don’t have your own Ahrefs account.

Why Choose Writesonic?

• Combines traditional SEO and AI-driven SEO in a single platform
• Built-in content creation tools that streamline research and writing
• Real-time SEO Checker that optimizes your content as you create
• Powerful site audit capabilities to identify and fix SEO issues

That said, Writesonic has a bit of a learning curve due to its extensive features. Also, while it offers backlink analysis, it’s not as comprehensive as Ahrefs.

If you’re searching for an Ahrefs alternative that excels in AI-powered content creation while managing basic SEO tasks, Writesonic is definitely worth exploring—especially if you want to simplify your workflow by connecting multiple SEO tools in one place.

3. SE Ranking

I’ve been using SE Ranking for over 6 months now, and it’s honestly become one of my go-to tools for tracking website performance. Founded in 2013, this London-based SEO platform now serves over 1 million professionals across 150+ countries.

SE Ranking is a more affordable Ahrefs alternative, starting at $52/month for the Essential plan. For that price, you get access to a solid database covering 188 countries with 5.3 billion keywords and 2.2 billion domain profiles. They’re constantly updating their database too, which means you get fresh data for your SEO campaigns.

What really impressed me about SE Ranking is how user-friendly it feels. The interface scored 4.8/5 on G2 and 9.4/10 on TrustRadius—both higher than Ahrefs’ scores of 4.5 and 9.1 respectively. The user interface reminds me of Semrush. So, if you’ve used Semrush in the past, you’ll quickly get used to the tool.

Here’s what SE Ranking does really well:

• Keyword tracking: Their rank tracker gives you 100% accurate results with cached SERP copies for verification
• On-page SEO: Unlike Ahrefs, SE Ranking has a dedicated checker that analyzes top-performing pages and gives you tailored recommendations
• Backlink analysis: With 3 trillion backlinks in their database, you can build data-driven link strategies pretty quickly
• AI capabilities: They recently added AI-powered tools for content creation and tracking your visibility in AI search results

The pricing structure is pretty straightforward:

• Essential: $52/month annually for 500 keywords
• Pro: $95.20/month annually for 2,000 keywords
• Business: $207.20/month annually for 5,000 keywords

SE Ranking provides a 14-day free trial, which gives you plenty of time to test everything out before committing.

If you’re running an agency, SE Ranking has some features that Ahrefs doesn’t offer—like white labeling, lead generation widgets, and unlimited reporting. Their agency success kit helps streamline everything from lead generation to client retention.

4. Ubersuggest

Ubersuggest started as a simple keyword suggestion tool, but it’s grown into a full SEO platform since Neil Patel acquired it in 2017. I’ve used it on and off for a few years, and it’s honestly one of the most beginner-friendly alternatives to Ahrefs I’ve tested.

What I like most about Ubersuggest is its clean, straightforward interface. It doesn’t overwhelm you with complex data like some other tools do. If you’re a freelancer, small business owner, or just getting started with SEO, you’ll probably appreciate how easy it is to navigate.

Here’s what Ubersuggest offers:

• Keyword Research: Find keyword ideas with difficulty scores, search volumes, and suggestions based on user intent
• Site Audit: Scans your site for SEO issues like broken links and slow loading pages, then groups problems by how critical they are
• Competitor Analysis: Shows you which domains you’re competing against, their top pages, and what’s working for them
• Backlink Analysis: Tracks referring domains, domain authority, total links, and how your backlink profile changes over time
• Rank Tracking: Monitors your keyword rankings on both desktop and mobile, with options to track by specific countries, cities, or regions

Price-wise, Ubersuggest is way more affordable than Ahrefs. The Individual plan starts at just $12 per month and includes 1 user, 1 domain, 150 searches daily, and tracking for 125 keywords. You can also get Business ($20/month) and Enterprise ($40/month) plans with higher limits. What’s unique is that Ubersuggest offers lifetime plans starting at $120, which is pretty rare in the SEO tool space.

That said, Ubersuggest has its limitations compared to Ahrefs. The backlink analysis isn’t nearly as detailed, so it’s better if your main focus is keyword research and basic site optimization rather than heavy link building.

One thing that’s helpful is the three years of backlink history Ubersuggest provides. You can see when you gain or lose links, which is useful for monitoring your progress. For content marketers, it also shows top-performing content based on keyword relevance, complete with traffic estimates, backlinks, and social shares.

Ubersuggest’s biggest advantage over Ahrefs is how user-friendly it is—perfect if you’re new to SEO tools and don’t want to feel overwhelmed.

5. Search Atlas

Looking for a tool that automates most of your SEO tasks? Search Atlas caught my attention with its innovative OTTO SEO feature—the world’s first AI-powered SEO assistant that automates website optimizations. This platform eliminates a lot of the manual work you’d typically do with Ahrefs.

What really impressed me about Search Atlas is how it connects directly to Google Search Console, Google Business Profile, and Google Ads. This eliminates the 22% margin of error found in third-party models like Ahrefs. During my testing, I found its data accuracy surprisingly close to what I actually see in my GSC account.

Search Atlas excels in several areas where Ahrefs falls short:

• Content Workflows: The Content Genius tool analyzes top-ranking pages and gives you live guidance for NLP terms, keyword placement, and internal links
• Local SEO: Includes heatmaps, GBP review monitoring, and location-specific ranking tracking
• Backlink Management: Goes beyond just discovery (which is Ahrefs’ main focus) to handle both discovery and acquisition

Pricing: Search Atlas offers several tiers:

• Starter: $99/month (5 projects, 2 user seats)
• Growth: $199/month (3 user seats)
• Pro: $399/month (5 user seats)
• Community Edition: $29/month (limited features but affordable)

Free trial: There’s a 7-day free trial that gives you full feature access to test the platform.

Every plan includes OTTO SEO activations and unrestricted access to audits, content scoring, link building, and local SEO tools.

The main advantages Search Atlas has over Ahrefs include its real-time Google-sourced data, automated execution across technical and content layers, and solid local SEO dashboard. However, be prepared for a slightly steeper learning curve if you’re not familiar with automation tools. Their support and onboarding do help ease this transition though.

For agencies managing multiple client campaigns who want to reduce tool fragmentation, Search Atlas provides a compelling alternative to Ahrefs with its unified, AI-powered approach.

6. Moz Pro

Moz has been around since the early days of SEO, and honestly, most of us in the industry have used their Domain Authority metric at some point. I’ve been familiar with Moz for years, and their approach to SEO analytics has always felt more focused on quality over quantity.

Moz’s database contains over 43 trillion links, which actually surpasses Ahrefs’ index size. That’s pretty impressive for backlink analysis. They analyze more than eight million SERPs daily and have over 1.25 billion keyword suggestions in their database.

Here’s what makes Moz Pro stand out:

• Link Explorer with their Spam Score feature that helps you spot potentially harmful backlinks
• On-page Optimization tools that Ahrefs doesn’t offer—these actually analyze and score your page content
• Site Crawl that finds critical issues and gives you actionable fixes
• Rank Tracking across Google in 170+ countries

Pricing starts at $99/month for the Standard plan, which includes 300 tracked keywords and crawls 400K pages monthly. The Medium plan is $179/month with 1,500 tracked keywords, Large is $299/month for 25 campaigns, and Premium is $599/month for 50 campaigns. You save 20% if you pay annually.

If you need extra team members, each additional seat costs $49/month, which works well for growing agencies.

Unlike Ahrefs, Moz offers some free tools. You get three domain searches daily, which gives you basic metrics like Domain Authority, linking domains, and keyword rankings without paying anything.

The main downside? Moz’s keyword database isn’t as big as Ahrefs. Also, the Standard plan has limited credits, so heavy users might feel restricted.

Major brands like Zillow, Trivago, and 99Designs trust Moz Pro. If you’re more focused on technical SEO and link quality assessment rather than massive keyword volumes, Moz Pro delivers solid value.

7. Majestic

Majestic has been around since 2004, and it’s a bit different from most of the other tools I’ve tested. Instead of trying to be an all-in-one SEO platform like Ahrefs, Majestic focuses specifically on backlink analysis and link building. That’s it. And honestly, they do it really well.

What caught my attention right away is Majestic’s massive database—we’re talking over 21.7 trillion URLs from 4.5 trillion crawled pages. They’ve been collecting backlink data since 2006, so if you need historical link data, this is probably your best bet.

Here’s something cool about Majestic that I haven’t seen elsewhere: they maintain two separate databases. The Fresh Index covers the last 120 days, while the Historic Index goes all the way back to 2006. For serious link builders, this historical perspective gives you insights you just can’t find anywhere else.

Unique features:

• Trust Flow and Citation Flow – Their own metrics for measuring link quality and quantity
• Topical Trust Flow – Categorizes websites into over 800 topics based on their link relationships
• Link Context – Shows exactly where backlinks appear on pages and what’s around them
• Link Graph – Visual mapping of your backlink profile
• Neighborhood Checker – Finds other sites sharing your IP address

Pricing: Starts at $49.99/month for the Lite plan, or $41.67/month if you pay annually. The Pro plan is $94.99/month and gives you access to the Historic Index. They offer a 7-day money-back guarantee.

Free trial: 7-day money-back guarantee for new customers

Now, here’s the thing about Majestic—it doesn’t do keyword research, rank tracking, or site audits like Ahrefs does. So if you need a complete SEO toolkit, you’d have to use Majestic alongside other tools. But if your main focus is link building and backlink analysis, Majestic might be exactly what you need.

I’ve noticed that Majestic sometimes shows inflated backlink numbers, but what I really like about it is how it shows you the context around each link. You can see where the link appears on the page and what other links are nearby, which is incredibly useful when you’re evaluating link quality.

8. Mangools

When I was testing budget-friendly alternatives, Mangools caught my eye as a solid option for beginners and smaller businesses. Founded in 2014, this all-in-one SEO suite combines five different tools into a platform that’s actually easy to use—something I can’t always say about other SEO tools.

What impressed me most about Mangools is how clean and intuitive the interface is. The design makes complex SEO data easy to understand, even if you’re new to SEO. You get access to five main tools:

• KWFinder: Find keywords with difficulty scores and search volumes
• SERPChecker: Analyze search results with data for over 50,000 locations
• SERPWatcher: Track your rankings with daily updates and city-level precision
• LinkMiner: Explore backlink opportunities with Link Strength metrics
• SiteProfiler: Get website metrics and competitor insights

The pricing is pretty reasonable compared to Ahrefs. Plans start at €29.90/month (€358.80 annually) for the Basic plan, €44.90/month (€538.80 annually) for Premium, and €89.90/month (€1,078.80 annually) for the Agency plan. They also offer a 48-hour money-back guarantee.

One thing that stands out is how much users seem to love it. Mangools has impressive ratings—4.9/5 on Trustpilot, 4.8/5 on Capterra, and 4.7/5 on G2. Many users mention its seamless interface and say it’s “a great choice especially for beginner bloggers”.

That said, Mangools isn’t built for large teams or enterprise-level campaigns. The database is smaller than Ahrefs (6 billion keywords versus Ahrefs’ 9.5 billion), and it doesn’t have advanced technical SEO features for detailed site audits.

If you’re a solopreneur, small business owner, or just getting started with SEO, Mangools offers reliable data without breaking the bank.

9. SpyFu

I’ll be honest—SpyFu caught my attention because of its focus on competitor research. Founded in 2005, this platform specializes in competitive intelligence for both SEO and PPC campaigns, which is something I find really valuable when planning content strategies.

SpyFu’s database is pretty impressive, with 73 billion results as of February 2025. The platform offers 10x more PPC keywords and 2x more SEO keywords than Ahrefs across industries and website sizes. Their backlink database contains over 1 trillion links.

What I really like about SpyFu is how it excels at competitor research. The platform’s unique “Kombat” feature lets you compare multiple competitors side by side, showing you keyword overlaps and identifying content gaps. I’ve found this incredibly helpful for developing content strategies and planning editorial calendars.

SpyFu keeps things affordable with three pricing tiers:

• Basic: $39/month with 5,000 weekly tracked keywords
• Professional: $79/month with 15,000 weekly tracked keywords
• Team: $299/month with 40,000 weekly tracked keywords

All plans include unlimited search results, data exports, and domain overview PDFs. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

SpyFu is upfront about not being a site audit tool. Instead, it focuses mainly on competitor analysis, keyword research, and PPC intelligence. The interface is pretty intuitive, making it ideal for small to medium-sized businesses with tighter budgets.

If you spend a lot of time researching what your competitors are doing, SpyFu might be worth checking out as a more focused alternative to Ahrefs.

10. SEO PowerSuite

Here’s something different—SEO PowerSuite takes a completely different approach from all the cloud-based tools I’ve been testing. This desktop-based toolkit has four specialized applications that work together to form a complete SEO solution. First launched in 2004, this suite has grown from a simple backlink-building tool to a full SEO platform.

The toolkit includes:

• Rank Tracker: Monitors rankings across 450+ search engines with unlimited keyword tracking
• Website Auditor: Crawls websites to detect over 40 different types of technical issues
• SEO SpyGlass: Analyzes backlinks with access to a database of 6.5 trillion links
• LinkAssistant: Identifies potential link partners using 10 different prospecting methods

Pricing is pretty straightforward: there’s a Free plan with basic features, Professional at $29.10/month ($349/year) for small businesses, and Enterprise at $49.95/month ($599/year) for agencies.

What really sets SEO PowerSuite apart from Ahrefs is data security—all your information stays on your computer. Plus, you get unlimited keyword tracking without the strict limits that cloud alternatives impose.

The downside? The desktop approach makes team collaboration trickier, and you need to download each tool separately. The interface packs a lot of power, but it takes some time to learn if you’re new to SEO tools.

SEO PowerSuite works best for privacy-conscious professionals and smaller agencies who want a cost-effective Ahrefs alternative with lots of customization options.

11. SurferSEO

Unique features: Content optimization with real-time guidance, Auto-Optimize feature, Coverage Booster Pricing: Starts at $59/month for the Basic plan (10 articles/month) Free trial: 7-day free trial available

SurferSEO caught my attention because it focuses exclusively on content optimization—something I found was missing from Ahrefs. This tool helps create content that ranks by analyzing over 500 ranking signals across top-performing pages.

The platform’s main feature is the Content Editor, which provides real-time guidance with its Content Score. This score has a 0.28 correlation with Google rankings. The score updates live based on keyword usage, topical coverage, content structure, and readability.

I’ve been impressed by SurferSEO’s AI capabilities:

• Auto-Optimize instantly improves drafts by filling content gaps
• Coverage Booster ensures you cover all the important subtopics
• Auto Internal Links intelligently inserts relevant connections across your site

For team collaboration, SurferSEO offers inline commenting, notifications, and integrations with Google Docs, WordPress, and Jasper—making content production much smoother.

Pricing starts at $59/month for the Basic plan (10 articles/month), $119/month for Pro (30 articles/month), and $239/month for Business (70 articles/month). You can save up to 20% with annual subscriptions.

SurferSEO users typically see significant growth—the platform claims an average 205% increase in clicks over one year. Since it’s specialized for content optimization, SurferSEO works best alongside other tools that handle backlink analysis and technical SEO—areas where Ahrefs typically excels.

I’d recommend SurferSEO if you’re focused mainly on content creation and optimization, but you’ll need to pair it with other tools for a complete SEO workflow.

12. Exploding Topics Pro

Trend discovery is where Exploding Topics Pro really stands out from other Ahrefs alternatives I’ve tested. This specialized platform helps you spot emerging trends at least 6 months before they go mainstream, giving you a serious head start on content strategy.

Recently acquired by Semrush, Exploding Topics Pro excels at forecasting growth potential over an entire year. While Ahrefs offers basic trend analysis through keyword volume changes, Exploding Topics Pro goes much deeper by distinguishing between seasonal spikes and sustained growth opportunities.

The platform pulls data from multiple sources including Reddit, Google, YouTube, and TikTok, then provides consumer sentiment analysis to help you choose content angles that actually resonate with your audience.

Beyond trend spotting, Exploding Topics offers a free keyword research tool that pulls data from Semrush’s database. This gives you valuable metrics including:

• Search volume
• Keyword difficulty percentages
• Cost-per-click data
• Number of search results
• Search trends

Pricing is structured across three tiers: Entrepreneur ($39/month) with 100 tracked trends, Investor ($99/month) with 500 tracked trends, and Business ($249/month) with 2,000 tracked trends. All plans include access to the trends database, trending products, and meta trends analysis.

Now, Exploding Topics Pro isn’t designed to be a complete replacement for Ahrefs. But for content marketers focused on discovering untapped opportunities, it’s an invaluable addition to your SEO toolkit. I use it to identify content gaps before my competitors even know those topics exist.

Free vs Paid Ahrefs Alternatives: Which One to Choose?

Budget often determines which Ahrefs alternative you’ll end up choosing. After testing both free and paid options, I can tell you there are clear trade-offs between what you pay and what you get.

Free alternatives give you basic functionality, but with some pretty significant limitations. Semrush lets you analyze up to 10 domains daily at no cost, while Ubersuggest’s free version gives you solid keyword research and basic SEO audit reports. SEO Minion is a completely free Chrome plugin that handles on-page analysis and broken link checking.

The catch with free plans? You’re usually sacrificing accuracy and depth. These options typically limit search volume details, project quantities, and export capabilities.

Paid alternatives break down into different pricing tiers based on your needs:

Budget-friendly options ($29-49/month):

• Ubersuggest at $29/month
• Search Atlas Community Edition at $29/month
• Mangools Basic at roughly half of Ahrefs’ starter price

Mid-range tools ($50-99/month):

• Majestic starting at $50/month
• SE Ranking from $52/month

Premium solutions ($100+/month):

• Semrush from $139.95/month
• AccuRanker starting at $99/month

Most tools let you test them out first. Moz gives you 30 days, SE Ranking offers 14 days, and Monitor Backlinks provides 30 days—plenty of time to see if they’re worth the investment.

Here’s what I’ve found: paid tools deliver much better value if you need detailed insights for professional SEO work. Free options work fine if you’re just getting started or handling basic SEO tasks for a small site.

What’s the best Ahrefs alternative?

After months of testing these tools, I can tell you there’s no single “best” alternative—it really depends on what you need.

If you’re looking for the most complete replacement, Semrush is your best bet. It’s got the closest feature set to Ahrefs and the data quality to back it up. SE Ranking is perfect if you want solid features without breaking the bank.

For those just getting started, Ubersuggest and Mangools offer simple interfaces and affordable pricing. Need something specific? Majestic crushes it for backlink analysis, while SurferSEO is unbeatable for content optimization.

Here’s what I learned: no single tool replaces everything Ahrefs does perfectly. Many SEO pros actually use multiple tools—maybe a core platform like Semrush plus a specialized tool like Exploding Topics Pro for trend research.

Before you pick anything, ask yourself: what do you actually use Ahrefs for most? Is it keyword research? Competitor analysis? Link building? Your daily workflow should guide your decision.

Budget matters too, especially if you’re a freelancer or running a small business. But remember, even free tools like Semrush’s basic plan can get you started if you’re not ready to commit financially.

The SEO tool landscape keeps getting better. These alternatives are pushing each other to improve, which means better tools for all of us. Whether you go budget-friendly with Mangools or invest in Semrush’s full suite, you’ve got solid options beyond Ahrefs.

What’s your experience been with these tools? I’d love to hear which ones have worked best for your specific needs.

Key Features to Look for in an Ahrefs Alternative

Choosing the right Ahrefs alternative isn’t just about finding cheaper software — it’s about finding the right mix of data depth, usability, and value for your SEO goals. Whether you’re an agency, blogger, or business owner, the best tools should help you make smarter decisions, faster.

Here’s what to look for before you switch.

1. Keyword Research Capabilities

If you want to rank higher, you need data that reveals what people are actually searching for — and how tough it’ll be to rank. A great Ahrefs alternative should give you:

• Reliable search volume, keyword difficulty, and CPC data.
• Insights into search intent (so you know if a keyword drives traffic or sales).
• SERP analysis that shows who’s ranking now — and why.
• Keyword clustering and topic discovery to build smarter content strategies.

Top Picks:

• Semrush – still the most complete keyword database on the market.
• SE Ranking – ideal for local SEO and multilingual keyword research.
• WriterZen – a newer, AI-powered tool that groups keywords into clusters and uncovers search intent. It’s perfect for bloggers and content marketers looking to build topic authority.

2. Backlink Analysis Tools

Backlinks remain a core ranking signal, but quality now matters more than quantity. A solid alternative to Ahrefs should give you:

• A large, fresh backlink index with real-time updates.
• Link quality metrics like Domain Authority, Trust Flow, or toxicity scores.
• Historical data to monitor growth and lost links over time.
• Competitor backlink comparisons to spot new link-building opportunities.

Top Picks:

• Majestic – best-in-class backlink mapping and trust flow analysis.
• Semrush – comprehensive link database with AI-driven spam detection.
• Search Atlas – AI-powered link analysis that identifies which backlinks actually improve rankings.

3. Site Audit & Technical SEO

Even the best content can’t rank if your site has technical issues. Look for a tool that automatically scans your site for:

• Broken links, crawl errors, and duplicate content.
• Slow-loading pages and Core Web Vitals problems.
• Missing title tags, meta descriptions, or alt text.
• HTTPS, schema, and mobile usability issues.

Top Picks:

• Semrush Site Audit – clean, visual reports and automatic alerts.
• SEO PowerSuite – powerful desktop solution with customizable reports.
• Screaming Frog – trusted by SEO pros for detailed, enterprise-level audits.

4. Rank Tracking

Knowing where your keywords stand in the SERPs helps you measure progress and react to changes quickly. The best rank trackers should include:

• Daily or on-demand updates across Google, Bing, and other search engines.
• Local and device-based tracking to see how you rank by region or platform.
• Competitor position tracking to benchmark your performance.
• Visual trend reports for quick insights.

Top Picks:

• SE Ranking – highly accurate and budget-friendly for agencies.
• Mangools (SERPWatcher) – intuitive tracking for beginners.
• AccuRanker – ultra-fast and precise tracking used by large teams and enterprises.

5. Competitor Analysis

The fastest way to grow is to see what’s already working for others in your niche. A good SEO tool should let you:

• Compare domains and discover overlapping keywords.
• Find content gaps — topics your competitors rank for but you don’t.
• Analyze competitors’ backlinks and traffic sources.
• Track share of voice and keyword overlap.

Top Picks:

• SpyFu – great for uncovering competitors’ SEO and PPC strategies.
• Semrush – robust competitor keyword, backlink, and traffic analysis.
• Similarweb – ideal for market-level insights and content benchmarking.

6. Pricing & Ease of Use

Finally, your SEO tool should fit your budget and your workflow. The most powerful software means little if it’s too complicated to use or too expensive to scale. Look for:

• Flexible plans that grow with your business.
• A clean, easy-to-understand dashboard.
• Integrations with Google Search Console, Analytics, and CMS platforms.
• Fast customer support and clear onboarding resources.

Top Picks:

• Ubersuggest – simple and affordable for beginners.
• Mangools – one of the most intuitive interfaces on the market.
• WriterZen – balances ease of use with advanced AI-driven insights.

Here’s a concise, reader-friendly version of your text, keeping the key points and comparisons intact:

After months of testing these Ahrefs alternatives, a few standout tools clearly shine based on different SEO needs.

• Keyword Research: Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool is excellent for deep research, while Mangools is beginner-friendly and simple to use.
• Backlink Analysis: Majestic leads with its massive database, and Moz actually surpasses Ahrefs in total links.
• Site Audits: SEO PowerSuite’s Website Auditor detects over 40 technical issues, and Serpstat combines multiple SEO functions in one platform.
• Rank Tracking: Nightwatch updates daily, and AccuRanker allows on-demand ranking checks—faster than Ahrefs.
• Budget-Friendly Options: Ubersuggest ($29/mo) and Mangools (€29.90/mo) are great starters; SE Ranking ($52/mo) and Majestic ($49.99/mo) offer more features, while Semrush ($139.95/mo) provides the most complete toolkit.

Most tools offer free trials (7–30 days), so testing first is recommended. Prices range widely—from Writesonic at $16/month to Semrush at $140/month—so the “best” tool depends on your goals and budget.

If you mainly need keyword research and basic competitor analysis, Ubersuggest or Mangools may suffice. For managing multiple client campaigns, SE Ranking or Semrush provide the extra features you’ll likely need.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Ahrefs Alternatives

Q1. What are some affordable alternatives to Ahrefs?

Some budget-friendly Ahrefs alternatives include Ubersuggest (starting at $29/month), Mangools (starting at €29.90/month), and SE Ranking (starting at $52/month). These tools offer many similar features to Ahrefs at a lower price point, making them suitable for small businesses and individuals.

Q2. Is there a free version of Ahrefs available?

While Ahrefs doesn’t offer a completely free version, they do provide Ahrefs Webmaster Tools at no cost. This allows website owners to access basic SEO insights, including backlink analysis and keyword data for their own sites. However, it has limited functionality compared to the paid plans.

Q3. How does Semrush compare to Ahrefs?

Semrush is often considered the closest alternative to Ahrefs in terms of features and data quality. It offers a more comprehensive marketing toolkit, including PPC research capabilities. Semrush’s entry-level plan provides more features and allows for more reports than Ahrefs’ equivalent plan. However, the best choice depends on your specific needs and budget.

Q4. What unique features do some Ahrefs alternatives offer?

Some alternatives offer unique capabilities not found in Ahrefs. For example, Exploding Topics Pro specializes in trend discovery, helping identify emerging topics months before they go mainstream. SurferSEO focuses exclusively on content optimization with real-time guidance. These specialized tools can complement a core SEO platform for specific needs.

Q5. Are there any reliable free SEO tools for beginners?

Yes, several free tools can help beginners start with SEO. Google Search Console and Google Keyword Planner provide valuable insights directly from Google. SEObility offers free keyword research and competitor analysis. Additionally, browser extensions like SEO Minion can assist with on-page analysis. While these free tools have limitations, they can be useful for learning SEO basics before investing in paid solutions.