Introduction
As online businesses continue to expand, businesses continue relying on productivity software to keep up with the market. Today, we are going to compare two of the most popular productivity software services: Ahrefs and SEMrush. Our Flare Compare team has pitted the two against each other to determine their similarities, differences, strengths, and weaknesses to enable you to make an informed decision.
Features
Ahrefs and SEMrush offer similar features, including keyword research, backlinks checker, position tracking, and site audit. However, SEMrush provides additional features such as social media tracking and PPC (pay-per-click) analysis.
| Feature | Ahrefs | SEMrush |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword research | Yes | Yes |
| Backlink checker | Yes | Yes |
| Position tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Site audit | Yes | Yes |
| Social media tracking | No | Yes |
| PPC analysis | No | Yes |
Keyword Research
As noted earlier, both productivity software services offer keyword research. SEMrush provides unlimited search for any of its plans, while Ahrefs only offers a limited search on its trial account. Additionally, both services offer keyword difficulty scores that indicate how challenging it is to rank for specific keywords. SEMrush provides an extensive list of keyword suggestions, allowing its users to access both short-term and long-term keywords for their campaigns.
Backlink Checker
The backlink checker feature allows users to check their backlinks and monitor their competitors. Both Ahrefs and SEMrush are designed well for this task. Ahrefs, however, has the most extensive backlink index, providing users with a more complete backlink profile. Ahrefs' database boasts over 25 trillion links, while SEMrush has over 12 trillion links in its database.
Position Tracking
Both SEMrush and Ahrefs provide keyword position tracking tools. Their keyword tracking tools allow users to track their position in real-time while comparing their rank to that of their competitors. However, Ahrefs offers a more in-depth report on rank distribution, local rankings, and featured snippets' position.
Site Audit
Both services offer site audit tools that enhance the technical performance of your website. SEMrush provides more in-depth site audit tools than Ahrefs. SEMrush scans sites for over 130 different technical issues, while Ahrefs checks for over 110 issues.
Social Media Tracking and PPC Analysis
SEMrush provides social media tracking and PPC analysis, which are not found in Ahrefs. With social media tracking, businesses can gain insight regarding how their social media campaigns fare online, while PPC analysis enables businesses to track their spend and, ultimately, reduce their ad spend.
Pricing
Pricing is a crucial consideration when selecting a productivity software service. Both services offer three pricing plans: Ahrefs has Lite, Standard, and Advanced Plans, while SEMrush has the Pro, Guru, and Business plans.
Ahrefs Prices
- Lite Plan: $99/month
- Standard Plan: $179/month
- Advanced Plan: $399/month
SEMrush Prices
- Pro Plan: $119/month
- Guru Plan: $229/month
- Business Plan: $449/month
Conclusion
Ahrefs and SEMrush are great productivity software services; however, they differ in their features, prices, and user experience. Ahrefs is best for link builders and SEO agencies, while SEMrush is more ideal for both PPC and SEO. Though Ahrefs is more technical than SEMrush, SEMrush is more user-friendly, making it more favorable to novice users.
References
- SEMrush. (n.d.). Plans & Pricing - SEMrush. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.semrush.com/prices/
- Ahrefs. (n.d.). Pricing. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://ahrefs.com/pricing
- Semrush vs. Ahrefs: Which SEO Tool is Best for Keyword Research? (2019, June 18). Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.semrush.com/blog/semrush-vs-ahrefs/