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Ahrefs vs SE Ranking

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors.

The short answer

Free plan
Only Ahrefs (SE Ranking has paid plans only)
Public API
Both have one
Best fit
Ahrefs: SEO teams and agencies that need backlink data they can defend to a client · SE Ranking: Small and mid-size SEO agencies that bill clients on white-label reports and need many projects per seat
Platforms
Ahrefs: Web, Chrome extension · SE Ranking: Web
Trust score
About even — Ahrefs 92, SE Ranking 91

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

AhrefsBacklink index, keyword research, rank tracking and site audits from one crawler, now with AI-answer visibility trackingSE RankingSEO platform with rank tracking, site audits, backlinks and AI-search visibility, priced for agencies

Side by side

FactAhrefsSE Ranking
CategorySEO ToolsSEO Tools
Pricing modelFreemiumPaid
Starts at$29/mo—
Public APIYesYes
Trust score92 / 10091 / 100
PlatformsWeb, API, Chrome extensionWeb, API
CompanyAhrefs Pte. Ltd.Seranking Ltd.
Launched—2013
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

Ahrefs

Ahrefs is the backlink index most SEO teams treat as the reference, and the rest of the suite — keywords, rank tracking, audits — is strong enough that it usually replaces two or three cheaper tools. The entry prices mislead: Starter at $29 is a taster, and Lite at $129 is a single seat with credit limits, so a small agency lands at Standard plus extra users before it feels unconstrained. Buy it for the data; price it on your real seat count.

Pros

  • Backlink index built on Ahrefs' own crawler, with trillions of links and years of history
  • Keyword research, rank tracking, site audit and AI-answer visibility in one subscription
  • API and MCP access included from the Lite plan, not sold as a separate product
  • Free tier for your own verified sites and a $29 Starter for light use

Cons

  • Lite caps usage at 1,000 credits per user and six months of history
  • Every plan includes one user; additional seats are a per-month surcharge
  • Enterprise at $1,499 requires an annual commitment
  • Brand Radar AI and prompt-check packages are paid add-ons on top of the plan

SE Ranking

SE Ranking is the mid-market pick for agencies that need rank tracking, audits and client reports without paying Semrush or Ahrefs prices, and in 2026 it is one of the few suites where AI-answer visibility is tracked in the same project as organic rankings. Solo site owners will find the Core plan generous but still a three-figure monthly bill, and the keyword and backlink databases are smaller than the two market leaders'.

Pros

  • Daily rank tracking with Google top-100 and share-of-voice reporting is included on the entry plan, not an upsell
  • AI-visibility tracking across AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity is built into the same projects as keyword tracking
  • Every plan includes API credits and an MCP server, so reporting can be automated without a separate data subscription
  • The 14-day trial runs the full product with no card, and annual billing takes 20 percent off
  • Agency Pack adds white-label platform and reports, client seats and a lead generator for a flat add-on rather than a plan jump

Cons

  • The pricing page quoted euros only from our location, so the USD cost could not be read without starting a trial
  • The Core plan has a single manager seat; extra seats and extra keywords are each billed on top
  • Most add-ons (Agency Pack, API) are annual-only, so the real commitment is a year's prepayment
  • The Core plan keeps only six months of history; lifetime history needs Growth

Which one fits

Choose Ahrefs if you need

  • SEO teams and agencies that need backlink data they can defend to a client
  • Content teams running keyword research and rank tracking at scale
  • Developers pulling index data through the API or MCP on a Lite plan or above

Choose SE Ranking if you need

  • Small and mid-size SEO agencies that bill clients on white-label reports and need many projects per seat
  • Marketing teams that want organic rankings and AI-search mentions tracked side by side in one dashboard
  • Teams that want SEO data in scripts or AI assistants through the included API credits and MCP server

Ahrefs vs SE Ranking: the questions people ask

Is Ahrefs cheaper than SE Ranking?

Ahrefs starts at $29/mo. An entry price for SE Ranking is not confirmed by us yet, so check its pricing page before you compare.

Does Ahrefs or SE Ranking have a free tier?

Ahrefs has a free tier; SE Ranking has paid plans only.

Which has a public API, Ahrefs or SE Ranking?

Both ship a public API, so either can be built on; the fact table above shows the platforms each one runs on.

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