Comparison
Semrush vs Ahrefs
How Semrush and Ahrefs compare on price, pricing model, features and reviews, with every fact checked on October 24, 2026.
Quick verdict
Choose Semrush if
- Marketing teams that want keyword, audit, backlink and AI visibility tools in one login.
- Teams that can live with 5 to 15 websites per plan.
Choose Ahrefs if
- SEO and link-building teams who value backlink and competitor data.
- Small teams of 1 to 3 users.
Semrush vs Ahrefs side by side
| Semrush | Ahrefs | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | All-in-one SEO and AI search visibility suite sold as tiered subscriptions with per-plan project and tracking caps. | Bootstrapped SEO suite known for its backlink index, priced per plan with paid extra seats and AI add-ons. |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Starting price | EUR 112.52/month billed annually (SEO plan), EUR 134 billed monthly | $29/month (Starter); $129/month (Lite) |
| Pricing model | flat per plan plus paid extra users | flat per plan plus paid extra seats |
| Free plan or trial | Free plan, Free trial | Free plan |
| SAML SSO | Not published | Enterprise only. |
| SCIM provisioning | Not published | Not published |
| Audit logs | Not published | Not published |
| Data residency | Primary region not named; EEA data transferred to the US under SCCs; subprocessor list published. | Not published |
| Contract | Free trial 7 days, cancel anytime per pricing page; monthly billing available. | Enterprise requires annual commitment; other plans monthly or annual. |
| Support | Not published | Not published |
| G2 rating | 4.4 (4,016 reviews) | 4.5 (709 reviews) |
| Founded | Not verified | Not verified |
| Headquarters | Not verified | Singapore |
| Employees | Not verified | 149 (about page) |
| Technical site audit | Not verified | Crawl credits per month: 100,000 (Lite), 500,000 (Standard), 1.5M (Advanced) |
| Rank tracking | Position tracking: 500 keywords daily on SEO and Starter, 1,500 on Pro+, 5,000+ on Advanced. | Tracked keywords: 750 / 2,000 / 5,000 on Lite / Standard / Advanced. |
| Content optimization and AI features | AI visibility tracking: 50 prompts (Starter), 100 (Pro+), unlimited (Advanced) | AI prompt checks: 150 / 300 / 600; Brand Radar AI add-on from $199/mo. |
| Reporting and white label | Base Report add-on EUR 9.59/mo, Pro Report add-on EUR 19.18/mo. | Report Builder add-on $99/mo (50 reports, 500 widgets, scheduling) |
| Project and credit limits | Websites per plan: 5 / 5 / 15 / 40+; results per report not published. | Projects: 5 / 20 / 50; verified projects unlimited; historical data 6 months / 2 years / 5 years. |
| Pricing model and transparency | Flat plan tiers; extra users, lead generation and reports are paid add-ons. | Flat tiers; extra seats, Brand Radar, prompt packages, Report Builder are add-ons. |
Differences most comparisons miss
Worth knowing about Semrush
- Extra users cost from EUR 43/mo each, so seats are a separate cost line.
- Reports like Base Report and Pro Report and Lead Generation are paid add-ons on top of plans.
- Public DPA exists; EEA data is transferred to the US under SCCs and the primary hosting region is not named.
- Free plan limits you to 1 demo project and 10 reports per day.
Worth knowing about Ahrefs
- SSO is listed only with the Enterprise plan at $1,499/mo, which needs an annual commitment.
- Extra seats cost $40 to $80/mo depending on plan.
- Historical data depth ranges from 6 months on Lite to 5 years on Advanced.
- Brand Radar AI add-on starts at $199/mo, custom prompt packages billed per check beyond quota.
What reviewers complain about
Semrush
- Expensive for small teams.
- Add-on pricing adds up.
- Steep learning curve.
Ahrefs
- Expensive for individuals and small businesses.
- AI tool inaccuracies.
- No local SEO tools.
Sources
Both columns use the same sources: vendor pricing and product pages, documentation, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Full source lists are on the Semrush and Ahrefs reviews.