10 Best Ahrefs Alternatives Compared in 2025 (Free and Paid)

Looking for an Ahrefs alternative? Our analysis shows Semrush offers the most comparable features. Moz Pro serves as an excellent Ahrefs alternative for beginners. For those seeking a free Ahrefs alternative, Google Search Console combined with Screaming Frog provides powerful capabilities. Mangools delivers similar features at a lower price point.

What Makes SEO Tools Essential in 2025?

While Ahrefs remains a powerful SEO tool, many marketers and businesses seek reliable Ahrefs alternatives in 2025. Whether you need a more budget-friendly option or specific features, several excellent Ahrefs alternatives have emerged. The SEO landscape evolves rapidly, and new tools appear each year. We’ve thoroughly tested these alternatives to help you make an informed choice.

Why Look for Other Options?

The Price Tag

Ahrefs starts at $99 per month. That’s a lot for small businesses and freelancers. Many people need something that costs less. The market offers many budget-friendly options with similar features. Some tools even give you more value for your money.

Different Features

Some tools do certain jobs better than Ahrefs. You might need better local SEO tools. You might want social media features. Each alternative has its own special strengths. The right choice depends on your specific needs.

Unique Requirements

Your business might need special features Ahrefs doesn’t have. Some tools work better for local businesses. Others help more with content creation. You might want better reporting tools for clients.

Understanding SEO Tool Basics

Core Functions

Every good SEO tool should track your website’s performance. It needs to help you find keywords. The tool should check your competitors. Link analysis is also important.

Data Quality

Fresh data helps you make better decisions. Look for tools that update often. Check how much data they have in your country. This matters for keyword research and competitor analysis.

Top Paid Options

1. Semrush

Semrush offers complete SEO tools for serious marketers. It helps with keyword research and competitor tracking. The tool includes content writing features and social media management. Semrush excels at finding content gaps in your market.

The tool shows PPC data from Google Ads. You can see what ads your competitors run. This helps plan both SEO and PPC campaigns. Semrush also checks your website’s technical health.

The content marketing tools suggest topics to write about. They help optimize your writing for search engines. You can track how well your content performs over time.

Pros:

• More features than Ahrefs
• Better for content writing
• Good social media tools
• Strong PPC research features
• Regular tool updates

Cons:

• Takes time to learn
• Costs more than others
• Might be too much for new users
• Can feel overwhelming
• Higher price for agencies

Pricing Plans:

• Basic: $119.95/month
• Better: $229.95/month
• Best: $449.95/month

2. Moz Pro

Moz Pro makes SEO easier for beginners. The tool explains complex SEO concepts clearly. It shows exactly what you need to fix on your website. Their keyword difficulty score helps plan content better.

The local SEO features help small businesses rank in their area. You can track rankings for specific cities. The tool monitors your Google Business Profile. It also tracks local competitors.

Moz offers excellent learning resources and guides. Their blog teaches you SEO best practices. The community forum helps solve SEO problems. Their training materials suit both beginners and experts.

Pros:

• Easier to learn than Ahrefs
• Great learning materials
• Strong local search tools
• Active community support
• Clear keyword metrics

Cons:

• Fewer keywords in database
• Updates take longer
• Basic link checking
• Limited rank tracking
• Smaller feature set

Pricing Plans:

• Basic: $99/month
• Better: $179/month
• Best: $299/month

3. Mangools Suite

Mangools gives you good SEO tools at a lower price. The system is easy to understand. You can start working right away without much training. The interface makes SEO tasks simple.

Their KWFinder tool helps discover profitable keywords. SERPWatcher tracks your rankings daily. SiteProfiler shows complete website analysis. These tools work together smoothly.

The link analysis tool finds quality backlink opportunities. You can check your competitors’ best links. The tool suggests websites that might link to you. This helps build better backlinks.

Pros:

• Costs less than Ahrefs
• Easy to use
• Good keyword tools
• Simple interface
• Quick to learn

Cons:

• Less data overall
• Fewer advanced tools
• Smaller link database
• Basic reporting
• Limited API access

Pricing Plans:

• Basic: $49/month
• Better: $69/month
• Best: $129/month

Free Options

4. Google Search Console

Google Search Console tells you how your site performs in search results. The data comes straight from Google. You get real information about your website’s performance. This tool shows mobile usability issues.

The performance report reveals your top keywords. You can see which pages get the most clicks. The tool shows your average position in search results. It also finds technical problems on your site.

Google Search Console sends alerts about serious issues. It tells you when Google can’t access your pages. The tool shows if your site works well on mobile devices. You learn about security problems quickly.

Pros:

• Completely free
• Data straight from Google
• Real-time updates
• Mobile insights
• Security alerts

Cons:

• Limited keyword data
• Can’t check competitors
• Basic link info
• No rank tracking
• Basic reporting

5. Ubersuggest (Free Version)

Ubersuggest helps you find new keyword ideas. The free version works well for basic needs. You can check your site’s SEO health and get content suggestions. The tool shows keyword trends over time.

The site audit finds common SEO problems. You can see what needs fixing on your website. The tool suggests content ideas based on your keywords. It shows what content works for competitors.

Neil Patel updates this tool regularly with new features. The free version gives enough data for small sites. You can upgrade to paid plans for more data.

Pros:

• Good free features
• Easy to use
• Great for beginners
• Regular updates
• Helpful content ideas

Cons:

• Limited free data
• Basic reports
• Usage limits
• No API access
• Simple metrics

Special Tools

6. Majestic SEO

Majestic SEO focuses on checking website links. It shows how links change over time. The tool helps you understand your link profile deeply. The historical data goes back many years.

The Flow Metrics show link quality in a unique way. Trust Flow measures link trustworthiness. Citation Flow shows link power. These metrics help find good link opportunities.

The tool compares link profiles between websites. You can find common backlinks with competitors. The tool shows which links might help your rankings most.

Pros:

• Best historical link data
• Unique link quality metrics
• Deep link analysis
• Accurate trust scoring
• Comprehensive backlink reports

Cons:

• Limited keyword features
• No content analysis tools
• Complex for beginners
• Focused only on backlinks
• Basic rank tracking

Pricing Plans:

• Basic: $49.99/month
• Better: $99.99/month

7. SpyFu

SpyFu shows what your competitors do online. It tracks both organic and paid search. The tool reveals successful marketing strategies. You see keywords that work well.

The tool shows changes in competitor rankings. You learn which content performs best. SpyFu reveals profitable PPC keywords. It helps plan better marketing campaigns.

Their backlink tool finds high-value link opportunities. You can see which links help competitors rank. The tool suggests outreach targets for link building.

Pros:

• Strong competitor analysis
• Excellent PPC research
• Affordable pricing
• Long-term data history
• Easy to understand reports

Cons:

• Limited technical SEO features
• Basic site audit tools
• US-focused data
• Small keyword database
• Limited backlink data

Pricing Plans:

• Basic: $39/month
• Better: $79/month

8. Screaming Frog

Screaming Frog finds technical problems on your website. It crawls your pages like search engines do. The tool shows exactly what needs fixing. It helps improve site structure.

The crawler checks titles and meta descriptions. It finds broken links and redirect chains. You can see duplicate content issues. The tool exports detailed reports.

Advanced features help with complex SEO tasks. You can check schema markup and hreflang tags. The tool analyzes internal linking patterns.

Pros:

• Best technical SEO analysis
• Detailed site crawling
• Good free version
• Custom extraction features
• Regular updates

Cons:

• No keyword research
• No rank tracking
• Can be resource-heavy
• Technical learning curve
• Limited reporting options

Pricing:

• Free version available
• Paid version: $209/year

Budget-Friendly Choices

9. SE Ranking

SE Ranking provides affordable SEO tools for small businesses. The platform includes all essential SEO features. It works well for basic to moderate SEO needs. Daily rank tracking keeps you updated.

The website audit tool finds common SEO issues. You get keyword suggestions for your content. The competitor analysis shows market opportunities. Reports look professional and clear.

White-label reports help agencies serve clients better. The marketing plan tool guides your SEO strategy. You can track social media performance too.

Pros:

• Great value for money
• Daily rank updates
• White-label reporting
• Good project management
• Easy to use interface

Cons:

• Smaller keyword database
• Basic backlink analysis
• Limited API features
• Simple competitor analysis
• Less historical data

Pricing Plans:

• Basic: $39.20/month
• Better: $87.20/month

10. Serpstat

When comparing Serpstat vs Ahrefs, Serpstat emerges as a comprehensive alternative with strong content marketing features. This Ahrefs alternative combines robust SEO tools with competitive analysis and rank tracking capabilities. The tool suits growing businesses and agencies looking for a more affordable option. Its user-friendly interface makes SEO tasks more manageable.

The keyword research tool excels at finding profitable topics. While offering different strengths than Ahrefs, Serpstat provides powerful competitor analysis features. The site audit functionality helps identify and fix technical problems effectively. Content ideas generated through market research help create targeted content strategies.

The rank tracker shows progress clearly. You can check rankings in different locations. The tool monitors competitors’ ranking changes.

Pros:

• All-in-one SEO platform
• Strong content tools
• Good keyword clustering
• Competitive pricing
• Visual data presentation

Cons:

• Some data gaps
• Slower interface at times
• Limited local SEO features
• Basic reporting tools
• Smaller link database

Pricing Plans:

• Basic: $69/month
• Better: $149/month

How to Pick the Right Tool

Think About Your Needs

Your choice depends on several key factors. Consider your budget and team size first. Think about your technical knowledge and project goals. Match these with each tool’s strengths.

Start by listing your most important tasks. Check which tools handle these tasks well. Think about how many people need to use the tool. Consider training time for your team.

Important Features to Look For

Good SEO tools should help with keyword research and rank tracking. They need to check website health and analyze competitors. Look for tools that create clear reports.

Data freshness matters for SEO work. Check how often tools update their databases. Make sure they cover your target countries well. Consider their API access if you need it.

Switching Tools

Moving Your Data

Start by saving your current data from Ahrefs. Set up your tracking in the new tool. Update how your team works with the new system. Keep your old data for reference.

Export all your important reports first. Save your keyword lists and backlink data. Set up similar tracking in the new tool. Train your team on new workflows.

Learning the New Tool

Give yourself time to learn the new system. Check what training the tool offers. Find out where to get help when needed. Start with basic features first.

Use free training resources from the tool. Join user communities for tips. Watch tutorial videos to learn faster. Practice with real projects.

Wrap-Up

Choosing the right Ahrefs alternative depends on your specific needs and budget. For those seeking a comprehensive Ahrefs alternative, Semrush offers the most complete feature set. If you’re looking for a free Ahrefs alternative, combining Google Search Console with Screaming Frog provides excellent value. Mangools and SE Ranking serve as cost-effective Ahrefs alternatives for those on a budget.

Before committing to any Ahrefs alternative, take advantage of free trials. Start with a basic plan to test the features you need most. You can always upgrade as your requirements grow. The best alternative to Ahrefs is the one that aligns with your workflow and helps achieve your SEO goals efficiently.

More Reading

Learn more about SEO tools and strategies. Read about SEO basics and advanced tips. Find guides about switching between tools. Keep learning as SEO changes.

This guide helps you pick a new SEO tool in 2025. Check your tools often. New features come out all the time. Stay updated with the latest SEO trends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a free alternative to Ahrefs?

Yes, you can combine Google Search Console with Screaming Frog’s free version. This combination provides essential SEO features like keyword tracking, technical audits, and basic backlink analysis without cost.

How does Semrush compare to Ahrefs for keyword research?

Semrush offers a larger keyword database and better content planning tools than Ahrefs. It also provides more detailed search intent data and content optimization suggestions.

Can I get Ahrefs features at a lower price?

Mangools and SE Ranking offer similar core features to Ahrefs at roughly half the price. They’re excellent alternatives for small businesses and freelancers with basic SEO needs.

Which Ahrefs alternative is best for beginners?

Moz Pro stands out as the best Ahrefs alternative for beginners. It offers clearer metrics, better learning resources, and a more intuitive interface for those starting with SEO.

Should I use multiple SEO tools instead of just one?

Using multiple tools can provide more comprehensive data. Many SEO professionals combine a paid tool like Semrush with free alternatives for broader insights and verification.