The details that matter
Compare your shortlist.
Same questions. Side-by-side answers. Choose two to four tools and focus on the trade-offs.
| What matters | Semrush ↗ | Ahrefs ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Semrush is an online visibility suite covering SEO, keyword research, site audits, rank tracking, competitor analysis and AI search visibility tracking, sold as tiered subscriptions with project and keyword limits. | Ahrefs is an SEO toolset for backlink analysis, keyword research, site audits, rank tracking and AI search brand monitoring, with paid tiers by projects, tracked keywords and crawl credits plus a free tier. |
| Entry monthly plan | $139.00/mo · monthly billing | $29.00/mo · monthly billing |
| Free access | Free plan listed with a 7-day trial window, 1 demo project and 10 reports per day | Ahrefs Free tier is offered |
| API entitlement | API data integration listed on the Advanced plan | API and MCP access listed on Lite, Standard and Advanced; uncapped API on Enterprise |
| Suits you if | Marketers and SEO teams who need keyword, backlink and competitor research in one subscription. | SEO professionals and agencies needing backlink and keyword data and optional AI visibility add-ons. |
| Consider the limits | Entry SEO plan covers 5 websites and 500 daily tracked keywords; extra users start at $45/mo; API only on the $549 tier. | Seats beyond the first cost extra ($40-$80 each); Enterprise is $1,499/mo with annual commitment; add-ons such as Brand Radar are priced separately. |
| Evidence | Facts sourced | Facts sourced |
| Checked | 2026-10-05 | 2026-10-05 |
Purpose
Semrush is an online visibility suite covering SEO, keyword research, site audits, rank tracking, competitor analysis and AI search visibility tracking, sold as tiered subscriptions with project and keyword limits.
Ahrefs is an SEO toolset for backlink analysis, keyword research, site audits, rank tracking and AI search brand monitoring, with paid tiers by projects, tracked keywords and crawl credits plus a free tier.
Entry monthly plan
$139.00/mo · monthly billing
$29.00/mo · monthly billing
Free access
Free plan listed with a 7-day trial window, 1 demo project and 10 reports per day
Ahrefs Free tier is offered
API entitlement
API data integration listed on the Advanced plan
API and MCP access listed on Lite, Standard and Advanced; uncapped API on Enterprise
Suits you if
Marketers and SEO teams who need keyword, backlink and competitor research in one subscription.
SEO professionals and agencies needing backlink and keyword data and optional AI visibility add-ons.
Consider the limits
Entry SEO plan covers 5 websites and 500 daily tracked keywords; extra users start at $45/mo; API only on the $549 tier.
Seats beyond the first cost extra ($40-$80 each); Enterprise is $1,499/mo with annual commitment; add-ons such as Brand Radar are priced separately.
Evidence
Facts sourced
Facts sourced
Checked
2026-10-05
2026-10-05
Unknown is different from unavailable. Annual commitments and separate APIs are not equivalent to monthly subscriptions. Sample evidence is illustrative.