Head-to-head · facts checked 14 Sept 2026
Ahrefs vs Clearscope
Clearscope uniquely has 4 features · Ahrefs uniquely has 3 features.
From
$129/mo (Essentials)
Free plan
No
The verdict
Ahrefs or Clearscope?
Section 01
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Ahrefs
Free
Free
Ahrefs data on your own site, key issues to fix
Ahrefs Free
Free
Free access to Ahrefs data on your own site; fix key issues
Starter
$29/mo
Basic keyword and competitor research; see what people search and spy on competitors
Lite
$129/mo · $1,290/yr
5 projects, 750 tracked keywords, 100K crawl credits, 6 months historical data, 1 user
Standard
$249/mo · $2,490/yr
20 projects, 2,000 tracked keywords, 500K crawl credits, 2 years historical data, 1 user
Advanced
$449/mo · $4,490/yr
50 projects, 5,000 tracked keywords, 1.5M crawl credits, 5 years historical data, 1 user
Enterprise
$1,499/mo
All Advanced features plus uncapped API, SSO, unlimited historical data, from 3 users, personalized limits, Annual commitment required
Clearscope
Essentials
$129/mo
50 Tracked Prompts, 50 Pages, 20 monthly Topic Explorations, 20 monthly Drafts
Business
$399/mo
300 Tracked Prompts, 300 Pages, 50 monthly Topic Explorations, 20 monthly Drafts, Dedicated Account Manager
Enterprise
Custom
Everything in Business plus custom credits, custom agreements, crawler whitelisting, SSO
For everything else about each tool, read the full Ahrefs review and Clearscope review.
Side by side
| Company | ||
| Founded | 2011 | 2016 |
| HQ | Singapore | San Francisco, USA |
| AI model | Proprietary + Claude + Gemini (multi-model) | Proprietary |
| User base | 1M+ (Fortune 500 widely adopted) | Thousands (exact number not publicly stated) |
| Platforms | Web, Chrome Extension, API, MCP Server | Web |
| Languages | 173+ countries/locations covered; multilingual keyword data and AI localization | English, French, German, Italian, Spanish |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | Freemium | Subscription |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | No | Yes, 14 days |
| Starting price | $29/mo (Starter) | $129/mo (Essentials) |
| Enterprise | $1,499/mo (annual commitment) | Custom |
| Refund policy | Generally no refunds; unused monthly subscriptions may be refunded on request | No minimum contract; cancel anytime; no explicit refund policy stated |
| All plans | Free — Free Ahrefs Free — Free Starter — $29/mo Lite — $129/mo Standard — $249/mo Advanced — $449/mo Enterprise — $1,499/mo | Essentials — $129/mo Business — $399/mo Enterprise — Custom |
| Positioning | ||
| Best for | SEOs, content marketers, agencies, and enterprise teams needing comprehensive search and AI visibility data | Content teams and SEO professionals at growth-stage to enterprise companies seeking AI-powered content optimization and search visibility |
| Differentiator | The only AI marketing platform built on a proprietary web index powering custom LLMs, combining traditional SEO with AI search visibility tracking (Brand Radar, Agent A) and the world's #1 SEO crawler infrastructure. | Clearscope combines best-in-class content optimization with AI chatbot prompt tracking (ChatGPT, Gemini) and brand visibility monitoring across both traditional search and generative AI platforms, making it uniquely positioned for GEO + SEO workflows. |
| Competitors | Semrush, Moz, Majestic, Serpstat, SE Ranking | Surfer SEO, MarketMuse, Semrush, Frase, NeuronWriter |
| Features | ||
| AI Copywriting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Backlink Analysis | ✓ | ✕ |
| Content Brief | ✕ | ✓ |
| Content Editor | ✓ | ✓ |
| GSC Integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Keyword Clustering | ✓ | ✓ |
| Keyword Research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Long Form Writing | ✕ | ✓ |
| On Page SEO | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rank Tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| SERP Analysis | ✓ | ✓ |
| Topic Clusters | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ||
| API Access | ✓ | ✕ |
| Chrome Extension | ✓ | ✕ |
| CMS | — | Google Docs, WordPress |
| Google Docs | ✕ | ✓ |
| Key Integrations | Google Search Console, Looker Studio (Advanced+), Data Studio Connectors, MCP Server, ChatGPT/Claude/Copilot via API, IndexNow | Google Docs, WordPress, Microsoft Word |
| Wordpress | ✕ | ✓ |
Section 02
Ahrefs vs Clearscope: common questions
Is Ahrefs or Clearscope cheaper?
Ahrefs's cheapest paid plan is $29/mo (Starter) and Clearscope's is $129/mo (Essentials). Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
Keep comparing
More Ahrefs matchups