Semrush vs Ahrefs 2026: Complete SEO Tool Comparison

Semrush and Ahrefs are the two dominant SEO platforms in 2026. Both cost over $100/month, so choosing the right one matters. This comparison covers every feature that affects your daily SEO workflow.

Semrush vs Ahrefs: Quick Comparison

Feature	Semrush	Ahrefs
Best For	All-in-one digital marketing	Backlink analysis, SEO purists
Starting Price	$139.95/month (Pro)	$129/month (Lite)
Keyword Database	26B+ keywords	19B+ keywords
Backlink Index	43T+ backlinks	35T+ backlinks
Site Audit	Yes (comprehensive)	Yes (thorough)
Content Tools	SEO Writing Assistant, Topic Research	Content Explorer
PPC Tools	Full PPC suite	Limited PPC data
Social Media	Social toolkit included	Not included
Local SEO	Listing Management tool	Limited local features
Free Tools	Limited free account	Free Webmaster Tools

Keyword Research

Semrush Keyword Research

Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool provides access to over 26 billion keywords with detailed metrics: search volume, keyword difficulty, CPC, competitive density, SERP features, and trend data. The tool groups keywords by topic clusters automatically.

Semrush also offers Keyword Gap analysis, showing keywords your competitors rank for that you do not. This competitive intelligence feature is among the most actionable in any SEO tool.

Ahrefs Keyword Research

Ahrefs Keywords Explorer covers 19 billion keywords across 10 search engines including Google, YouTube, Amazon, and Bing. Its keyword difficulty score is widely considered the most accurate in the industry because it factors in actual backlink data.

Ahrefs provides “Parent Topic” grouping that identifies the main topic a keyword belongs to, helping you avoid creating redundant content targeting keywords that can be covered by a single page.

Backlink Analysis

Semrush Backlinks

Semrush indexes over 43 trillion backlinks with daily updates. The Backlink Analytics tool shows referring domains, anchor text distribution, link types, and toxic link scoring. The Backlink Gap tool identifies link building opportunities by comparing your profile against competitors.

Ahrefs Backlinks

Ahrefs built its reputation on backlink analysis and remains the industry standard. Its index of 35 trillion links updates every 15 minutes for actively crawled domains. Ahrefs’ Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR) metrics are the most widely referenced authority scores in the SEO community.

Ahrefs excels at finding broken link opportunities, tracking new and lost backlinks, and analyzing anchor text patterns.

Site Audit

Both platforms offer comprehensive site audits that crawl your website and identify technical SEO issues.

Semrush Site Audit checks 140+ issues across performance, crawlability, HTTPS, internal linking, and Core Web Vitals. It provides a health score and prioritized fix recommendations.

Ahrefs Site Audit checks 170+ issues with a focus on crawlability, on-page SEO, and content quality. Its visual site structure report helps identify orphaned pages and internal linking gaps.

Both are excellent. Semrush edges ahead on structured data validation; Ahrefs edges ahead on internal link analysis.

Content Tools

Semrush Content Suite

Semrush includes a full content marketing toolkit: Topic Research for content ideas, SEO Writing Assistant for real-time optimization scoring, Content Audit for existing page analysis, and Post Tracking for published content performance.

The SEO Writing Assistant integrates with Google Docs and WordPress, providing optimization scores as you write.

Ahrefs Content Tools

Ahrefs Content Explorer is a search engine for content, letting you find popular articles by topic, analyze what gets shared and linked, and identify content gaps. It is excellent for content research but does not offer real-time writing optimization like Semrush.

Pricing Breakdown

Semrush Pricing (2026)

• Pro: $139.95/month — 5 projects, 500 keywords tracked, 10K results per report
• Guru: $249.95/month — 15 projects, 1,500 keywords, content marketing platform
• Business: $499.95/month — 40 projects, 5,000 keywords, API access, share of voice

Ahrefs Pricing (2026)

• Lite: $129/month — 5 projects, 750 keywords tracked
• Standard: $249/month — 20 projects, 2,000 keywords, content explorer
• Advanced: $449/month — 50 projects, 5,000 keywords, all features
• Enterprise: $14,990/year — unlimited projects, API, audit history

At entry level, Ahrefs is $10/month cheaper. At mid-tier, pricing is comparable, but Semrush includes PPC and social media tools that Ahrefs does not.

Unique Strengths

Semrush Exclusive Features

• PPC Research: Full advertising research and management toolkit
• Social Media Toolkit: Schedule posts, track engagement, analyze competitors
• Local SEO: Listing management across 150+ directories
• Market Explorer: Industry-level traffic and market share analysis

Ahrefs Exclusive Features

• Free Webmaster Tools: Site audit and backlink data for verified sites at no cost
• Content Explorer: Discover any page on the web by topic with link and traffic metrics
• Batch Analysis: Analyze up to 200 URLs simultaneously
• YouTube and Amazon keyword data: Research beyond Google

Verdict

Choose Semrush if: You need an all-in-one digital marketing platform covering SEO, PPC, social media, and content marketing. Semrush’s breadth is unmatched — it replaces 3-4 separate tools.

Choose Ahrefs if: You are focused primarily on SEO and want the best backlink data, the most accurate keyword difficulty scores, and the cleanest interface. Ahrefs does fewer things but does them exceptionally well.

For SEO-only workflows, Ahrefs is the stronger tool. For marketing teams that need SEO plus paid advertising, social media, and content optimization in one platform, Semrush provides better overall value.

See also: Surfer SEO alternatives and best AI writing tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use both Semrush and Ahrefs?

Some agencies use both — Ahrefs for backlink research and Semrush for keyword research and PPC. However, the combined cost exceeds $250/month, which is difficult to justify unless you are managing multiple client sites.

Which has better data accuracy?

Ahrefs is generally considered more accurate for backlink data and keyword difficulty. Semrush has a larger keyword database and better search volume estimates for long-tail keywords. Both are sufficiently accurate for professional SEO work.

Is Semrush good for beginners?

Semrush has a steeper learning curve due to its breadth of features. Ahrefs’ interface is cleaner and more intuitive for SEO-focused users. Both offer extensive tutorials and certification programs.

Do they offer discounts?

Both offer approximately 17% savings on annual billing. Semrush occasionally runs promotional pricing. Ahrefs rarely discounts but offers free Webmaster Tools as an entry point.