SEMrush vs Ahrefs: SEO Tools Comparison

SEMrush and Ahrefs are the two most popular SEO tools used by agencies and SEO specialists worldwide. But the question remains, ‘Which is better for SEO?’ For SEMrush vs Ahrefs, what will determine the best tool is your goals and workflow. Their breadth and focus are different. However, both platforms offer key tools like keyword research and site audits.

Wondering which is better for SEO? This Semrush vs Ahrefs 2025 comparison will give an in-depth insight into Semrush and Ahrefs. At the end, you will be able to choose which is best for you.

Overview: SEMrush vs. Ahrefs

Now called “Semrush,” SEMrush is a SaaS platform based in Boston. Oleg Shchegolev and Dmitri Melnikoven started it in 2008. It offers a set of digital marketing tools. Its SEO toolbox includes keyword research, domain analytics, and site audits, among others.

Semrush also has toolkits for things like PPC, content marketing, and social media. It also supports local SEO. So, it is an all-in-one marketing solution. But its UI isn’t very beginner-friendly.

Meanwhile, Dmitry Gerasimenko started Ahrefs in 2010 as a platform focused on SEO. Its base is in Singapore. At first, it was based around its AhrefsBot web crawler and index of backlinks.

The main tools include Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, and Rank Tracker. Ahrefs puts a lot of emphasis on creating a clean and easy-to-use interface. But it doesn’t come with social or PPC tools by default because its main focus is SEO.

In short, Ahrefs is more focused on SEO basics. Meanwhile, Semrush covers a broader range of marketing channels.

SEO Tools Comparison

Choosing Semrush vs Ahrefs can be tricky as they are both top SEO platforms. This section breaks down their core features and adds a short verdict to help you decide which tool fits your goals and workflow best.

1. Keyword Research

For keyword research, both platforms provide extensive keyword databases and research tools. But their scope and method differ. Ahrefs has a bigger global keyword list, but Semrush gives more US-focused keyword options.

Semrush has 27.3B keywords in 142 locations, while Ahrefs has 28.7B in 217 locations. Thus, Ahrefs is higher globally, but Semrush boasts 3.7 billion keywords in the US alone.

On the other hand, Ahrefs is only $2.2 billion. So it only makes sense to choose Semrush for keyword ideas for the U.S. market.

Let’s look at their keyword research interface:

Keyword Magic Tool for Semrush

Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool provides advanced filtering. It can filter word count, intent, and volume. It also shows PPC (AdWords) statistics, since Semrush integrates paid data. The platform now uses AI to suggest keywords that fit your site’s authority and content.

Semrush displays metrics like search volume, difficulty, and trend data. One unique metric is Personal Keyword Difficulty (PKD). This is an AI-generated score that predicts how hard it is for your specific site to rank for a particular keyword.

Keyword Explorer for Ahrefs

Ahrefs Keyword Explorer provides several metrics. They include search volume, keyword difficulty, and clicks per search. There’s also Traffic Potential, which shows the traffic of the top-ranking page. The tool suggests broader “Parent Topics” you could rank for. It also shows SERP features with ranking history.

Ahrefs also displays “Also rank for” and “Search suggestions” for more ideas. The platform gets keyword volume data from Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends. It also uses its own clickstream estimates.

A key difference between the two sites is the granularity and extra insights. Both have a Keyword Gap Analysis tool to compare your keywords with competitors. However, Semrush’s tool also includes PPC overlap, while Ahrefs focuses on the organic gap.

Verdict: You need to consider your goal and choice of add-ons when choosing Semrush vs Ahrefs for keyword research. Semrush has a broader range of tools. Meanwhile, users like Ahrefs for its precise data and special metrics. 

2. Backlink Analysis

Backlink data is an area where Ahrefs and Semrush have long competed. Semrush boasts one of the largest backlink databases in the industry. As of 2025, it claims 43 trillion links from 390 million domains.

Ahrefs claims to have the largest crawler index of 35 trillion external backlinks. In any case, both far exceed what smaller tools like Moz or Ubersuggest index.

Both platforms provide in-depth backlink reports for any domain or URL. They show backlinks, referring domains, anchor text, follow/nofollow status, and link details.

However, they differ when it comes to measuring link-based authority. Semrush assigns an Authority Score to each domain. Meanwhile, Ahrefs uses Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR).

Besides this, there are some other key differences for both ends:

Semrush for Backlink Analysis

Semrush’s Backlink Audit uses a Toxic Score to flag risky backlinks from weak or spammy sites. It also consists of a Link Building Tool. This tool finds sites that may link to you. It provides a comprehensive “Backlink Analytics” view with dozens of filters.

Ahrefs for Backlink Analysis

Ahrefs originated as a link tool and still offers unique reports today. It can find broken backlinks to any site, including links that point to 404 pages. It also identifies linking authors who often link to you or your competitors.

Ahrefs updates backlink data often, spotting new or lost links faster. It also provides a “Best by Links’ Growth” report to see which pages are gaining links.

Verdict: In practice, many SEO pros use both. Regardless, Semrush’s larger index means it may find more historical links. But Ahrefs’ clean interface and link-focused tools appeal to link builders.

3. Competitive Analysis

Semrush and Ahrefs offer competitor research tools, but with different emphases.

Semrush for Competitive Analysis

Semrush’s Traffic Analytics shows estimated traffic sources and volumes for any site. Its Keyword Gap compares your keywords with competitors. This includes organic and paid. The Content Gap tool shows this using visuals.

Another tool, Semrush’s EyeOn, tracks a competitor’s content, social activity, and ads. These features give broad insight into a competitor’s strategy.

Ahrefs for Competitive Analysis

Ahrefs focuses on in-depth SEO competitor insights. Its Site Explorer lets you analyze a competitor’s top-ranking pages. You can also analyze their organic keywords and backlink profile. You can see which pages drive the most traffic. It also allows you to see your competitors’ strongest content. You can even discover which keywords you could target.

The Content Gap tool shows you keyword opportunities that your competitors are using but you’re not. However, it doesn’t track PPC or social data. But Ahrefs gives precise, actionable insights for SEO-focused competitive strategies.

Verdict: Semrush is great at giving you a lot of information about traffic and keyword gaps. Ahrefs is best for finding rival pages that get the most visits and backlinks.

4. Site Audit

Semrush and Ahrefs both offer tools to audit your website. However, their focus is different:

Semrush for Site Audit

Semrush offers one of the most comprehensive site audit tools on the market. It runs over 130 technical and on-page checks. It covers areas like crawlability, Core Web Vitals, and HTTPS. It also offers log file analysis, content audits, and internal linking reports.

The audit interface is visual. It shows site health scores, issue severity rankings, and prioritized task lists. You can even set up audits to run on their own every day or week. This can be useful for ongoing SEO initiatives.

Ahrefs for Site Audit

Ahrefs provides a clean, fast, cloud-based site audit. It focuses on core SEO technical issues. It checks for crawl errors, broken links, and duplicate content. It even finds redirect chains and speed bottlenecks.

Ahrefs also includes data and performance audits. However, it lacks Semrush’s log file analysis and deep content audit features. Reports are simple, fast to generate, and beginner-friendly. Hence, Ahrefs is ideal for quick technical sweeps.

Verdict: Semrush does a more thorough site audit, while Ahrefs focuses on core checks. 

5. Rank Tracking

Both platforms let you track keyword rankings over time. Here’s how they track ranks:

Semrush for Rank Tracking

Semrush’s rank tracking tool is called Position Tracking. This tool tracks keywords daily. It tracks across Google, Bing, and even other search engines. The tool supports both desktop and mobile results. It tracks local rankings down to the city or ZIP level.

The Position Tracking tool also offers SERP feature tracking reports. Semrush provides daily updates by default. Even with a free account, you can track a few keywords.

Ahrefs for Rank Tracking

Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker works for Google on desktop and mobile. It updates weekly or daily with the “Project Boost” add-on. It shows keyword positions, volumes, SERP features, and progress charts. By default, Ahrefs’ rank tracking is more limited. The cheapest Starter plan records up to 40 keywords, while the Lite plan tracks 750 keywords per week.

Verdict: Semrush gives more regular updates and detailed local tracking. Ahrefs makes visibility snapshots that are straightforward and easy to understand. These are perfect for smaller campaigns.

6. Unique Features and Metrics

Beyond the common tools, each platform offers unique capabilities:

Semrush Unique Features

Semrush includes several unique features, and many of them focus on SEO. It has a Local SEO Toolkit for managing multi-location SEO. Its new Copilot AI assistant provides automated marketing suggestions. Semrush offers several proprietary metrics.

These include Traffic Share, Share of Voice, and Authority Score. There are also AI-powered tools like the On-Page SEO Checker and SEO Writing Assistant.

Ahrefs Unique Features

Ahrefs Content Explorer is a standout feature. It does reverse-search for top-performing content by topic. Ahrefs also provides a WordPress SEO plugin for in-editor optimization. Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer displays several key metrics. They include Traffic Potential, Return Rate, and Clicks Per Search. These help assess keyword value. Its ‘Best by Links’ Growth tool highlights pages gaining new links fastest.

Verdict: Semrush offers both SEO and marketing features. Hence, it is the best full-stack marketing platform. But choose Ahrefs if you need a dedicated SEO workhorse.

7. User Interface and Community Feedback

Many people like Ahrefs’ user interface since it is simple and easy to use. This makes it easy for anyone to use. The platform only focuses on SEO, and all the essential tools are on the dashboard.

SEMrush’s interface is more complex because of the many menus and options. Thus, there’s a learning curve even for specialists. But once you get the hang of it, it’s a handy toolbox.

Semrush users enjoy its all-in-one tools. Ahrefs users like its straightforward yet thorough link and keyword analysis. SEMrush vs Ahrefs Reddit discussions give an insight into what users think.

On r/SEO, many users say Ahrefs wins for a clean, intuitive UI, especially for backlink analysis. Semrush gets praise for its broad, all-in-one feature set. But a common complaint is that Semrush is more complex and expensive. Meanwhile, most users find Ahrefs simpler for everyday SEO work. 

One commentator said, “Ahrefs has a much cleaner interface and is faster to use for backlink checks. Semrush feels bloated sometimes, but it has many more tools if you take the time to learn them.”

However, a contrasting opinion from this user stands out: “I like Semrush because everything’s in one dashboard: SEO, PPC, content tools. Ahrefs is simpler, but I end up needing multiple tools alongside it.”

The general Semrush vs Ahrefs verdict remains, “Choose Ahrefs for a cleaner interface if you don’t need many tools. Use Semrush if you need more advanced features and don’t mind the cost.”

8. Pricing and Plans

Pricing is often a decisive factor. Both tools use tiered subscription models with monthly or annual billing. Let’s look at the Semrush vs Ahrefs pricing:

Pricing and Plans for Semrush

Plan / Tool	Price (Annual Billing)structured	Monthly Billing	Projects Included	Keywords Tracked	Notable Features / Notes
Semrush Pro	$117.33/mo	$139.95/mo	5	500	10K results per report page
Semrush Guru	$208.33/mo	$249.95/mo	15	1,500	Adds historical data and content marketing toolkit
Semrush Business	$416.66/mo	$499.95/mo	40	5,000	Includes API access
Add-ons	$20–$289+/mo	Same	—	—	Optional toolkits: Traffic & Market ($289), Local SEO (from $30), Content ($60), Social ($20), etc.
Free options			—	—	Semrush has a free tier + 7-day trial.

Pricing and Plans for Ahrefs

Plan / Tool	Price (Annual Billing)structured	Monthly Billing	Projects Included	Keywords Tracked	Notable Features / Notes
Ahrefs Starter	$29/mo	17% more	1	5	Very limited reports; Site Explorer & Site Audit only; credit-based system
Ahrefs Lite	$129/mo	17% more	5	750	More projects and credits than Starter
Ahrefs Standard / Advanced	$249–$449/mo	17% more	20 (standard), 50 (enterprise)	Thousands	Higher limits, more credits
Ahrefs Enterprise	$1,499/mo	17% more	Custom	Custom	Large-scale custom features
Free options			—	—	Ahrefs offers free Webmaster Tools, but no free trial.

Ahrefs is good for pure SEO work. But it starts cheaper and scales up quickly in cost when you add more credits and features. Meanwhile, Semrush has higher entry pricing but offers broader functionality. Its add-ons are also more flexible. Hence, it provides better value for full-stack marketing teams.

Verdict: For Semrush vs Ahrefs pricing, you need to weigh cost against features. If all you need are key SEO tools, go with Ahrefs. But Semrush is a better choice if you want more tools, especially if you want to do more than SEO. However, Semrush pricing is initially higher. While Ahrefs may sound cheaper, users have complained that you can easily accidentally go over with their credit system.

Semrush vs Ahrefs: Which Is Better?

Ultimately, the decision on Ahrefs vs SEMrush depends on your goals and budget. Semrush is a complete marketing tool suite. It’s great for checking site audits, doing keyword research, and learning about your competitors. So, it’s perfect for big campaigns and agencies, but it costs a lot.

On the other hand, Ahrefs is all about key SEO tasks. These include Backlink analysis and keyword tracking. It has a straightforward design that is easy for new users to understand.

Considering the Semrush vs Ahrefs cost, Ahrefs starts cheaper. However, with add-ons, it could quickly skyrocket. Users say Semrush pricing gives more value per cost.

Both platforms are still evolving even in 2025. They are adding more AI features and bigger databases. In general, Semrush has more functionality, but Ahrefs is more focused on SEO. You can try both and see which one works best for you.