Ahrefs vs Semrush
Semrush uniquely has 3 features.
| Ahrefs | Semrush | |
|---|---|---|
| Company | ||
| Founded | 2011 | 2008 |
| HQ | Singapore | Boston, USA |
| AI model | Proprietary + Claude + Gemini (multi-model) | Proprietary |
| User base | 1M+ (Fortune 500 widely adopted) | 10M+ users |
| Platforms | Web, Chrome Extension, API, MCP Server | Web, Chrome Extension, iOS, Android |
| Languages | 173+ countries/locations covered; multilingual keyword data and AI localization | 25+ |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | — | Subscription |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes — limited free account available |
| Free trial | No | Yes — 7 days |
| Starting price | $29/mo (Starter) | $139/mo (SEO plan) |
| Enterprise | $1,499/mo (annual commitment) | Custom — request demo |
| All plans | Ahrefs FreeFreeStarter$29/moLite$129/moStandard$249/moAdvanced$449/moEnterprise$1,499/mo | SEO$139/moStarter (SEO + AI Search)$199/moPro+ (SEO + AI Search)$299/moAdvanced (SEO + AI Search)$549/mo |
| Positioning | ||
| Best for | SEOs, content marketers, agencies, and enterprise teams needing comprehensive search and AI visibility data | SEO professionals, digital marketers, agencies, and enterprises seeking comprehensive search visibility and AI search monitoring |
| 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. | Semrush One unifies traditional SEO and AI search visibility (LLM citation tracking) on a single platform built on 17 years of search intelligence, with 28B keywords, 43T backlinks, and 289M+ LLM prompts monitored. |
| Competitors | Semrush, Moz, Majestic, Serpstat, SE Ranking | Ahrefs, Moz, Mangools, SE Ranking, Surfer SEO, BrightEdge |
| 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 | — | WordPress, Google Docs, Shopify via integrations |
| Google Docs | — | ✓ |
| Key Integrations | Google Search Console, Looker Studio (Advanced+), Data Studio Connectors, MCP Server, ChatGPT/Claude/Copilot via API, IndexNow | Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Google Ads, Adobe (parent company), Lovable AI builder, ChatGPT, MCP access, Zapier, WordPress, Google Docs |
| Wordpress | — | ✓ |
| Zapier | — | ✓ |