# Ahrefs vs Semrush

Page: https://betterapps.site/compare/ahrefs-vs-semrush
Site: Better Apps, run by Kerry Morrison of BetterStory
Should a small agency pay for Ahrefs or Semrush?
Facts only. Kerry has not reviewed both tools yet.


## Short answer

Ahrefs: Free plan. Paid plans from $29 per month for Starter. Semrush: Free plan. Paid plans from $139 per month.

| Detail | Ahrefs | Semrush |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Headline price | Free plan. Paid plans from $29 per month for Starter | Free plan. Paid plans from $139 per month |
| Cost of the lowest paid plan a month for a team of 5 | $29 on Starter | $139 on SEO |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Trial | The pricing page does not advertise a free trial. Its FAQ says Ahrefs never runs discounts. | The footer of the prices page says Try Semrush free for seven days. Cancel anytime. |
| Best for | SEO and link building teams that need backlink and competitor data. Agencies and in-house marketers who track rankings and site health. Teams that want AI search monitoring next to classic SEO data | SEO specialists and content marketers who want one suite for research and tracking. Agencies and small teams that track several sites. Marketers who want AI visibility reports next to SEO data |
| Skip it if | Buyers who want a free trial, since the pricing page does not advertise one. Small budgets that need a very low entry price for the full toolset, since Lite costs $129 per month | Users who want a pay-per-request data feed, since plans are monthly and capped. Buyers who want a flat price for every need, since the Advanced plan has custom pricing |
| Price checked | November 5, 2026 | November 5, 2026 |

## What each tool is

### Ahrefs

Ahrefs is a marketing platform for visibility in search engines, AI answer tools, and social media. It runs on a proprietary web index. Main tools include Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Rank Tracker, Site Audit, and Content Explorer. Brand Radar and Prompt Tracking monitor how a brand appears in AI search. Ask Ahrefs is an assistant that queries a user's data. The site also offers an API and MCP options. Ahrefs names content marketers, SEO and link builders, PPC specialists, agencies, ecommerce brands, and SaaS companies as users. Paid plans start with one seat, and extra seats cost more.

### Semrush

Semrush is a marketing platform for brand visibility in search results and in AI-generated answers. The tools include keyword research, backlink analysis, rank tracking, and technical site audits. It also offers an AI Visibility tool that tracks how often language models cite a brand. Other modules cover content optimization, local listings, ad insights, digital PR, and social scheduling. The homepage lists enterprises, small teams, freelancers, and agencies as users. Roles named include SEO specialists, content marketers, and growth marketers. Semrush also offers an API, an App Center, and an MCP server for AI assistants. Adobe announced the completion of its acquisition of Semrush on April 28, 2026.

## Jobs each tool covers

### Ahrefs

- Research competitor sites and backlinks
- Find keywords
- Track rankings
- Audit site health
- Monitor brand mentions in AI search

### Semrush

- Research keywords
- Analyze backlinks and competitors
- Track rankings
- Monitor brand visibility in AI answers

Integrations both list: none in the same words.

Listed only for Ahrefs: Ahrefs API, MCP, Google Search Console, Ahrefs Free tools. Listed only for Semrush: Semrush MCP, ChatGPT, Lovable, Semrush API, App Center.

## Every plan on file

Prices checked November 5, 2026. Vendors count different things, such as people, channels, workflow runs or credits, so a lower headline price does not always mean a lower bill.

### Ahrefs plans

| Plan | List price | What to know |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter | $29 per month | Ahrefs describes it as the plan to see what people search and check competitors. Other limits were not recorded. |
| Lite | $129 per month | 1 seat included, with 2 more seats at $40 per month each. 750 tracked keywords. |
| Standard | $249 per month | 1 seat included, with 5 more at $60 each. 2,000 tracked keywords. |
| Advanced | $449 per month | 1 seat included, with 10 more at $80 each. 5,000 tracked keywords. |
| Enterprise | $1,499 per month | Starts at 3 seats, with more at $100 per month each. Annual commitment required. |

### Semrush plans

| Plan | List price | What to know |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free | $0 | 1 demo project and 10 reports per day. No credit card required. |
| SEO | $139 per month, or $117.33 per month billed annually (per month, monthly billing) | 5 websites and 500 keywords tracked daily. |
| Starter | $199 per month, or $165.17 per month billed annually (per month, monthly billing) | 5 websites, 50 AI prompts daily, and 500 keywords tracked daily. |
| Pro+ | $299 per month, or $248.17 per month billed annually (per month, monthly billing) | 15 websites and 1,500 keywords tracked daily. An Advanced plan has custom pricing. |

### What Ahrefs costs for a team

Monthly list price at monthly billing. Per-channel plans count channels, not people.

| Plan | Priced per | 1 person | 3 people | 5 people | 10 people |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Starter | plan | $29 | $29 | $29 | $29 |
| Lite | plan | $129 | $129 | $129 | $129 |
| Standard | plan | $249 | $249 | $249 | $249 |
| Advanced | plan | $449 | $449 | $449 | $449 |
| Enterprise | plan | $1,499 | $1,499 | $1,499 | $1,499 |

### What Semrush costs for a team

Monthly list price at monthly billing. Per-channel plans count channels, not people.

| Plan | Priced per | 1 person | 3 people | 5 people | 10 people |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SEO | plan | $139 | $139 | $139 | $139 |
| Starter | plan | $199 | $199 | $199 | $199 |
| Pro+ | plan | $299 | $299 | $299 | $299 |

## Who each one fits, from the vendor facts

These points follow from what each vendor says it offers and charges. They are not a review.

### Pick Ahrefs if

- SEO and link building teams that need backlink and competitor data
- Agencies and in-house marketers who track rankings and site health
- Teams that want AI search monitoring next to classic SEO data

### Skip Ahrefs if

- Buyers who want a free trial, since the pricing page does not advertise one
- Small budgets that need a very low entry price for the full toolset, since Lite costs $129 per month

### Pick Semrush if

- SEO specialists and content marketers who want one suite for research and tracking
- Agencies and small teams that track several sites
- Marketers who want AI visibility reports next to SEO data

### Skip Semrush if

- Users who want a pay-per-request data feed, since plans are monthly and capped
- Buyers who want a flat price for every need, since the Advanced plan has custom pricing

## Five checks before you pay for either

1. Count what each tool bills on, then price both tools on your own numbers.
2. Check the billing basis. Annual billing is often cheaper than monthly.
3. Run the free plan or trial first when one exists. Ahrefs: The pricing page does not advertise a free trial. Its FAQ says Ahrefs never runs discounts. Semrush: The footer of the prices page says Try Semrush free for seven days. Cancel anytime.
4. Read the limits on the plan you plan to buy.
5. Decide how you would leave. Look for data export and cancellation terms first.

Full pages: https://betterapps.site/tools/ahrefs and https://betterapps.site/tools/semrush