Introduction
SEO or search engine optimization as a word, has created a new buzz in the digital market, especially for website owners. They have been indulging in tactics to drive greater traffic to their sites, increase revenue, and generate keywords, to name a few. However, in the contemporary period, SEO tools and softwares have emerged to assist websites in doing the same. Ahrefs is one such familiar name.
Marshalled by Dmitry Gerasimenko, and established in the year 2011, Ahrefs is the most popular and looked after name in the SEO industry. It has been working for nearly 10 years, in order to improve rankings, awareness, and driving relevant traffic for the top notch websites. The firm believes that websites have an underlying marketing potential that is not fully recognized by the authority at times.
Ahrefs aims to unlock that marketing potential (which is apparently hidden) in your websites. Some of the renowned international companies like Facebook, ebay, shopify, LinkedIn, Tripadvisor, Netflix, Adobe, UBER, Pinterest, Expedia, Huffpost, and survey monkey have used and continue to use Ahrefs to give a new, elevating dimension to their websites.
In the preceding article, we will have a look at some of the alternatives that can be used apart from Ahrefs. But before that, let us visit another important question, why do we need alternatives?
Why are we looking at alternatives?
The question remains. If Ahrefs is a one stop SEO solution for all our needs, then why are we so bent on looking at the alternatives? Is Ahrefs not enough? Do we need alternatives to replace Ahrefs, or only for having a rough idea about the same? You will get the solution to each of these questions as we move ahead with the topic.
Ahrefs is a near perfect tool for solving all the SEO needs, and has been doing so since the last decade. Right. But, there is monetary exchange included in return for the extraordinary services that Ahrefs provides. And this exchange is not an affordable option for many websites out there. They cannot afford to hire an SEO tool like Ahrefs and are therefore in a dire need for less expensive or free alternatives.
In addition, we should keep the change going. Ahrefs has been ruling the market since so long, and now it is time for us to direct our resources towards something else, perhaps, towards something better. This way, we might come up with an option that is delivering the same excellence at less expense.
Following these reasons, we have curated a list of 15 worthy alternatives to Ahrefs, both free and paid.
Top 15 Ahrefs alternatives
1. SEMrush
There is a reason why SEMrush is placed as the first alternative amongst 14 others. It is considered to be the best Ahrefs alternatives by masses, and rightfully so. This SEO tools software comes packed with the right ammunition to crush Ahrefs as an alternative.
Its closeness to ahrefs in terms of commitment, quality, and services is a perfect starting point for any SEO tools software.
Features
It has inbuilt features to ensure and specialise majorly in keyword research, competitor analysis, paid advertising campaign optimization, and so much more including on-page SEO analysis, backlink research, and rank tracking.
It comes with an array of varied pricing plans ranging from as low as $119.95 per month to as high as $449.95 per month. Apart from this, SEMrush also allows free subscription to its users and dispenses them with the opportunities to access the domain tracking tool, keyword tracking tools, position tracking tool and site audit tool.
It has its own database of 20 billion keywords that is tapped in through the exclusive features of Keyword Overview Tool & Keyword Magic Tool.
Websites also have the power to track the incoming traffic at their site with near accurate calculation of traffic rates.
You can also track your social media presence, especially on YouTube and Pinterest through the use of tools like Social Media Tracker & Social Media Analytics Tool.
Link analytics are not completed in the stipulated time period.
The content research is lacking appropriate criterion to provide amazing content.
Less expensive as compared to Ahrefs.
2. BuzzSumo
Used and promoted by global giants like News Corp, IBM, and Expedia, BuzzSumo is a common name in the SEO industry. While finding organic keywords remains an area of partial focus, this software shifts its attention towards finding popular content ideas for your website. This way, the SEO ranking of your site is indirectly boosted.
It might seem an expensive choice to some, but with great price, comes great results!
Features
It has a diversity of pricing plans starting from as low as $99 per month to as high as $499 per month. The latter plan is preferred by large teams and companies. Like many of its counterparts, BuzzSumo gives a discount of 20% on its annual plan.
Content centred features like mention tracking and content analytics are emphasised.
An influencer marketing campaign can also be easily supported through the feature of influencer search.
Using past data to reflect on new strategies for the future by using analytics history and content search.
Though this software is more content focussed, it lacks in the inclusion of more features as compared to Ahrefs.
3. Moz Pro
Moz Pro is considered to be a great suite for SEO tools, and is trusted widely, across the globe. They continue to introduce updates in their software which makes it a good choice for those who want to stay up to date with the technology.
Local SEO planners should not be disappointed by this pick. It is an all inclusive SEO software platform with a nice fleet for SEO tools of almost all domains.
Features
If someone creates a free account on Moz Pro, they become eligible to access some of the free services, including Keyword Explorer, MozCast, Link Explorer, Moz bar, My Online Presence, Domain Analysis Tool, and Raven Tools.
However, apart from free features, the software also has varied pricing plans ranging from as low as $99 per month to as high as $599 per month, with an annual discount of 20%. Also inclusive is the facility to request a customised enterprise plan.
Features like automated reporting and long tail keyword suggestions, ease the process of finding suitable keywords.
Ranking performance is effectively assessed through the features of domain authority and page authority.
Analytics are created and made through local SEO edits.
It lacks adequate feature improvements and link research.
Follows a definable SEO strategy, which is favourable for individuals and companies who are looking for the same.
4. Keyword Shitter
Here comes a free SEO tool generating software platform on the list! That is right, Keyword Shitter provides free SEO services to all its users, however with some limitations on its features. Despite that, it is by far considered the best tool for analyzing Google auto suggest keywords.
Features
Despite the absence of a user interface, the software runs well and gets the job done.
A large number of auto suggest based keywords are churned out, only by the input of seed keyword on the main toolbar.
The content can be adjusted according to a filter plug in, which separates the content into positive and negative.
It is considered to be a gem for those who are aiming to use it for research purposes.
Its association with the Keywords Everywhere Chrome extension makes it an even more powerful software to get the search volume for each generated keyword.
5. SE Ranking
With a broad range of SEO features, SE Ranking can be simply understood as an SEO toolkit. Those content marketers, ventures, firms, or businesses that are on a look for a low cost SEO solution to boost their SEO approach, are looking at the right alternative.
Features
It has three different pricing plans, with each plan offering unique sets of features on table. The initial plan is priced at $23.40 per month, known as the Optimum plan. The next plan, Plus plan can be bought for $53.40 per month. The last plan, or the Enterprise plan is priced at $113 per month. In addition, one can also buy an annual subscription that offers discounts and offers.
For posts and webpages, an on page SEO verifier is present that can be easily reached out.
An appropriate and well researched suggestion of keywords is present and made available.
There is a PPC (pay per click) competitor analysis available.
A uniquely curated marketing plan is provided for boosting up rankings of the website.
It is a feature rich platform.
Ahrefs has a better range of features than this software platform.
6. Jaaxy
This SEO tool does not limit itself to keyword research, but also includes and dispenses niche ideas in addition. It is developed by affiliate marketers for affiliate marketers. It has an impressive average keyword search range of about 500 million keywords per year.
Features
Jaaxy comes with a free trial that allows you to process the first 30 searches for free, after which you have to begin analysing if the platform is right for you or not. There are two subscription prices starting from $49 for one month.
It deals in a wide array for areas ranging from keyword, website, and competition, to market research.
It gives access to brand new niches and lists them according to low and high competition rates.
Website details of your potential competitors are extracted by knowing their website content structure, content quality/length, backlinks, ad placements, meta tags along with other information that will give you a competitive edge.
7. Serpstat
Serpstat is widely known to be an all-in-one SEO platform, majorly because it claims itself to be so. As it touts itself to be, it is definitely a comprehensive platform that provides solutions to all kinds of needs with accuracy. Those who have already used it might not be able to express any major difference between Serpstat and other alternatives in their working.
Features
Offers its features at a relatively lower price than SEMrush and Ahrefs. It comprises four pricing plans starting from as low as $69 per month to as high as $499 per month. Apart from this, one can also avail the facility of hiring this software to offer customised and personalised plans that are designed according to the unique website needs. Lastly, it also offers a 20% discount on its annual pricing plan.
Keywords are conveniently batched in up to 200 unique domains, each carefully researched and tested.
Competitors are analyzed and identified through the use of Google ads, to ease the process of progression.
The backlink research tool dispensed by Serpstat is easy to understand and easy to use, so no additional assistance is required when using Serpstat.
There is still some scope for Serpstat to improve its keyword accuracy and keyword analysis.
Allows you to create more diverse marketing opportunities using its all extensive range of features.
8. Monitor Backlinks
Claimed to be the best monitoring tool for keyword research and backlinks by many, including Monitor Backlinks as well, it fails to draw a unique element here. Basically, it can just be seen as pulling data together from Majestic and Moz Pro.
Features
Lacks considerable features to compare from ahrefs, including the absence of a keyword tool, competitor analysis feature, domain comparisons, and organic traffic reporting to begin with.
There are limited rows of backlink data available (only 4k).
Comes accommodated with the option of a free trial to familiarise the users with their available features and help them make an informed decision.
9. KWFinder
A magools tool with extraordinary keyword research powers, KWFinder claims itself to be one of the best keyword finders in the millennial market. Its main appeal lies in its price. That is, it is an affordable option when compared to other SEO tools, especially Ahrefs.
If keyword planning is your main goal, without stretching your budget, then you should definitely go for KWFinder.
Features
KWFinder’s pricing plans vary considerably and are available at different monthly charges, ranging from just $29.90 per month to $79.90 a month. Besides, it offers a double discount on its annual plans, as compared to its competitors, that is, you save 40% instead of 20%.
Google Suggest is primarily used for keyword discovery. It is used when google gives suggestions to those who are typing their search query in google.
Keyword ranking is done on the basis of difficulty, this ensures that all the low competition keywords are statistically different from high competition keywords.
Bulk of keywords are imported, that are later batched and separated according to different domains.
Keyword research seems to be its main arena. Therefore, it falls short of other features.
10. Ubersuggest
Acquired by the bestselling author, Neil Patel, Ubersuggest is an SEO Tool that helps in suggesting target keywords for websites. It is known widely to be a low cost alternative to Ahrefs in improving your website rankings.
Plus, it is neither completely free, nor completely paid. This makes it a freemium tool. Users can acquire some of its features for free, however, with certain limitations.
Features
While some of its features are 100% free, its paid plans range between $29 and $99 per month, including discount offers on annual plans.
Relevant keyword ideas are presented, regardless of a particular niche.
The user interface (UI), is significantly greater, making it an easier option to use.
Content marketing beginners could not ask for a better option.
This SEO tool platform has some room to include more features, like Ahrefs.
11. GrowthBar
Some people know GrowthBar to be just another simplified version of Ahrefs that is compounded with an easy to use dashboard that lets us sort amongst the most critical SEO data. The best part is, anybody can access it through the facility of their own Chrome browser.
However, we should not sideline the fact that it is a paid tool, although it is easy to afford as compared to other Ahrefs alternatives. Further, you have the facility to try this tool for free, before concluding whether you want to buy it or not.
Features
It is available for a trial period of 5 days, which is followed by the payment of 49$ per month.
Advanced analytics are not an essential component of GrowthBar.
It is easy to use in the sense that everything is conveniently available on your Chrome results page, and no additional hassle for logging in on different platforms is required.
Provides you with a growth strategy to outshine your competitors.
Aids you in telling whether a particular keyword is important to include or not, with the help of the feature of ‘Keyword Ranking Difficulty Checker’.
12. Searchmetrics
An SEO tool and also a content marketing platform, Searchmetrics brings to the table a flashier, more creative, and more powerful way of blending all the SEO tools and features together.
Features
It’s up to the date and time honored features lets the users become familiar with the latest digital business innovations.
The most striking of all its features is its ability to give access to the users for going through the historical SEO data. It helps to look for apertures in the previous plans and correct them in the subsequent future.
The domain level keyword research tool provided by Searchmetrics is classic in getting the relevant search engine result pages (SERPs).
13. Long TailPro
As the name suggests, this SEO Tools software is everything about finding suitable ad long tail keywords for your website.
Features
The main feature and consideration is its price. It is priced well below its alternatives like Ahref and SEMRush, but still manages to offer pretty much the same features.
The feature of a keyword difficulty score is included in this software, which allows the customers to know whether traffic can be drawn from a substantial keyword or not.
Once the seed keyword is added, hundreds of relevant suggestions pop up and allow you to make the most appropriate choice.
14. Traffic Analytics
An SEMRush SEO tool, it is a perfect alternative to Ahrefs in the sense that it gets the customers acquainted with all the routes through which traffic is driven to their website, alongwith tracking the competitors’ traffic. This is something that Ahrefs fails to provide.
Features
It comes with a trial period of 14 days, after which users are required to pay a specified sum of money to continue using their services.
It helps you know the channels that are getting maximum traffic to your website, along with the information of websites that draw the most referral traffic to your site.
Analysing the folders and subfolders to pick out the ones which are getting maximum client visits.
Easy and convenient keyword research to help generate the most traffic.
Identifying whether various devices have any impact on the traffic and engagement rates.
15. SpyFu
This software specifically focuses on keywords and traffic that is drawn through Google Ads. It is believed to be one of the best alternatives to Ahrefs in its pricing and features offered. If you are running a small business and keeping a tight budget to enhance your SEO analytics, then SpyFU is the perfect choice for you.
Features
It embraces the tool of a comprehensive competitive keyword research which not only draws information about your data, but also that of your competitors’.
It follows three varied pricing plans. The Basic plan is priced at just $33 per month, the professional plan $58 per month, and the team plan $199 per month.
It offers you the facility of unlimited search results, data exports, domain overviews, backlink searches, competitors results, customising brand reporting, tracking keyword rankings, and so much more.
Conclusion
Concluding our detailed discussion about the best alternatives for Ahrefs as a SEO tools software, we can safely say that SEMrush is the most compatible alternative for Ahrefs in terms of the features it includes, and the pricing plan it offers.
Further, our conclusion is also backed by careful research results and testimonials that were empirically listed. While Ahrefs has had a hold in the digital and content marketing arena for a decade, it is time that we pave way for other alternatives to bloom.
The list of top 15 Ahrefs alternatives provided above is an attempt to do the same.
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