5 Best Ahrefs Alternatives in 2025
Last updated: February 2026 • 17 min read
Ahrefs is a popular tool for seo professionals and agencies needing deep backlink and keyword data. While it offers a free tier (Webmaster Tools (limited)), its paid plans start at $129/mo. Whether you're looking for a cheaper option, better features, or an open-source solution, we've compiled the 5 best Ahrefs alternatives to help you find the right fit.
📋 Quick Summary
- Total alternatives: 5
- Free alternatives: 5 (SEMrush, Moz Pro, Mangools)
- Best overall: SEMrush
- Best free: SEMrush
Why Look for Ahrefs Alternatives?
People commonly look for Ahrefs alternatives for several reasons:
- Cost: While Ahrefs has a free tier, its paid plans starting at $129/mo can add up quickly for growing teams.
- Feature gaps: Expensive entry price and no free trial (paid audit only) are common complaints.
- Simplicity: Some users find Ahrefs overly complex for their needs and prefer simpler solutions.
- Data ownership: Organizations wanting data sovereignty prefer open-source, self-hosted alternatives.
- Better fit: Different tools excel at different use cases — you may find a tool that's specifically built for your workflow.
📊 Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Free Tier | Starting Price | Rating | Open Source | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs | ✓ Webmaster Tools (limited) | $129/mo | ⭐ 4.7 | No | SEO professionals and agencies needing deep backlink and keyword data |
| SEMrush | ✓ 10 searches/day | $139.95/mo | ⭐ 4.6 | No | Marketing teams needing an all-in-one SEO and PPC platform |
| Moz Pro | ✓ Moz Free (limited) | $99/mo | ⭐ 4.2 | No | SEO learners and professionals who value community and education |
| Mangools | ✓ 5 lookups/day | $49/mo | ⭐ 4.4 | No | Freelancers and small businesses wanting affordable SEO tools |
| SE Ranking | ✓ 14-day trial | $65/mo | ⭐ 4.3 | No | Agencies and businesses wanting premium SEO features at budget prices |
| SpyFu | ✓ Limited free searches | $39/mo | ⭐ 4.1 | No | Marketers focused on competitive PPC and SEO intelligence |
Detailed Reviews of Each Alternative
SEMrush
Digital marketing suite combining SEO, PPC, content marketing, and competitive research in one platform.
SEMrush is an all-in-one digital marketing toolkit used by over 10 million marketers worldwide. Beyond core SEO features, it includes PPC research, social media management, content marketing tools, and local SEO features. Its keyword database covers over 25 billion keywords across 130 countries. SEMrush is particularly strong in competitive intelligence, letting you reverse-engineer any competitor's entire digital strategy.
Pros
- ✓ Most complete marketing toolkit
- ✓ Excellent PPC data
- ✓ Great reporting
- ✓ Generous free tier
Cons
- ✗ Expensive for solopreneurs
- ✗ Can feel overwhelming
- ✗ Some data less accurate than Ahrefs
- ✗ Add-ons increase cost
Moz Pro
Veteran SEO platform known for Domain Authority metric, offering keyword research, site audits, and link analysis.
Moz Pro is one of the original SEO platforms, founded by Rand Fishkin. It's the creator of the widely-used Domain Authority (DA) metric and offers a comprehensive suite including keyword research, rank tracking, site crawling, and on-page optimization. Moz's community and educational resources are unmatched in the SEO industry, making it a great choice for those learning SEO alongside using professional tools.
Pros
- ✓ Industry-standard DA metric
- ✓ Excellent educational resources
- ✓ Strong community
- ✓ Free MozBar extension
Cons
- ✗ Smaller link database than Ahrefs
- ✗ Interface feels dated
- ✗ Slower data updates
- ✗ Less competitive analysis depth
Mangools
Affordable SEO toolset with beautiful UI, offering keyword research, SERP analysis, rank tracking, and backlink checking.
Mangools offers five SEO tools in one affordable package: KWFinder for keyword research, SERPChecker for SERP analysis, SERPWatcher for rank tracking, LinkMiner for backlinks, and SiteProfiler for site metrics. It's known for having the most beginner-friendly interface in the SEO tool market while still providing professional-grade data. Perfect for freelancers and small businesses who find Ahrefs/SEMrush overkill.
Pros
- ✓ Most affordable full SEO suite
- ✓ Beautiful, intuitive UI
- ✓ Great keyword difficulty metric
- ✓ Beginner-friendly
Cons
- ✗ Smaller database than Ahrefs/SEMrush
- ✗ Limited site audit features
- ✗ Fewer advanced features
- ✗ Daily search limits on all plans
SE Ranking
Budget-friendly all-in-one SEO platform with accurate rank tracking, site audits, and competitor research.
SE Ranking offers enterprise-grade SEO features at a fraction of the price of major competitors. It's particularly known for its accurate daily rank tracking, comprehensive site audits, and white-label reporting. The platform covers keyword research, backlink monitoring, competitor analysis, and even includes a social media management module. Popular with agencies for its client management and branded reporting features.
Pros
- ✓ Excellent value for money
- ✓ Accurate rank tracking
- ✓ Great white-label options
- ✓ All-in-one platform
Cons
- ✗ Less brand recognition
- ✗ Smaller keyword database
- ✗ UI less polished than competitors
- ✗ Limited free tier
SpyFu
Competitive intelligence tool specializing in revealing competitors' most profitable keywords and ad strategies.
SpyFu is built specifically for competitive intelligence in SEO and PPC. It lets you see every keyword a competitor has ever ranked for, every Google Ad they've ever run, and estimate their monthly ad spend. With 15+ years of historical data, you can track how competitors' strategies have evolved. It's one of the most affordable competitive research tools and offers unlimited searches on all plans.
Pros
- ✓ Unlimited searches on all plans
- ✓ 15+ years of historical data
- ✓ Excellent PPC insights
- ✓ Very affordable
Cons
- ✗ US-focused data primarily
- ✗ Less accurate for smaller sites
- ✗ Interface feels dated
- ✗ Limited international data
🏆 Our Recommendations
❓ FAQ
What is the best free alternative to Ahrefs?
The best free alternative to Ahrefs is SEMrush, which offers 10 searches/day.
Is there an open-source alternative to Ahrefs?
There are no widely-used open-source alternatives to Ahrefs at this time, but several affordable options exist.
What is the cheapest alternative to Ahrefs?
The cheapest alternatives are the free options: SEMrush, Moz Pro, Mangools. For paid alternatives, prices start from as low as $39/mo.
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