Head-to-head
Semrush vs Ahrefs: which one in 2026?
Semrush and Ahrefs are the two best-known paid SEO suites, both covering keyword research, backlink analysis, site audits and AI search visibility. Semrush bundles more marketing jobs and tracks rankings daily. Ahrefs puts its data on a published limits table, tracks rankings weekly and charges for each added user by plan.
Verdict
Semrush edges ahead for teams that run SEO as a broader marketing function, because daily tracking and reporting add-ons sit in the same account. Ahrefs is the better value for research-led work and for buyers who want limits stated plainly. Compare the costs after adding the users and reports you need, since both vendors bill those pieces separately, and check export and crawl caps against your site.
Semrush and Ahrefs side by side
| Semrush | Ahrefs | |
|---|---|---|
| Price entry | €134 per month (SEO plan, €112.52 billed annually) | €27 per month (Starter) |
| Entry paid plan | The SEO plan lists at €134 monthly or €112.52 per month billed annually, with 5 websites and 500 keywords. | Lite lists at €119 per month, with a separate €27 Starter tier for basic competitor and keyword research. |
| Free option | A free plan gives 1 demo project and 10 reports per day, and a 7-day trial is offered on paid plans. | Ahrefs Free shows data about your own site, with limited Site Explorer and Site Audit access. Discounts are never offered. |
| Rank tracking | The entry plan tracks 500 keywords daily, rising to 1,500 on Pro+ and 5,000 on the Advanced tier. | Lite tracks 750 keywords and Standard 2,000, but the update frequency is weekly on every listed plan. |
| Extra users | Additional users start at €43 per month, and Team users are named as an Advanced-tier feature. | One user is included. Extra seats cost €37.40 on Lite, €56.10 on Standard and €74.80 on Advanced per month. |
| AI search tracking | Starter SEO plus AI Search lists 50 prompts tracked daily on 1 domain. Pro+ lists 100 prompts. | Lite includes 150 prompt checks per month. Brand Radar is sold alone from €179 per month, and prompt packages start at €46.70. |
| Reporting | Base Report is €9.59 per month and Pro Report €19.18, the latter adding white-labeling and sharing by link. | Report Builder is an add-on at €89 per month for 50 reports, while Lite and Standard include 5 reports. |
| Published limits | Plan cards show websites, keywords and projects, but export and crawl allowances are less prominent on the page. | A comparison table lists export rows, crawl credits, historical data depth, rows per report and API rows per request. |
| API and integrations | Advanced API data integration is listed for the Advanced tier, and Semrush MCP is sold as a product. | API and MCP access appear from Lite, though capped at 100 rows per request there. Uncapped access needs Enterprise. |
Where each one wins
Semrush wins on
- Daily rank tracking on every plan, where Ahrefs updates weekly.
- Reporting, local, content and advertising modules sit under one login and one sales conversation.
- A free plan with a demo project plus a 7-day trial lets buyers test before paying.
Ahrefs wins on
- Lower entry points at €27 for Starter and €119 for Lite.
- Plan limits for exports, crawling and history are laid out in one clear table.
- Extra seats are cheaper at the Lite level, and unverified-project caps are generous.
Which to pick
Pick Semrush if
You need daily rank tracking, client reporting and several marketing modules together, and can budget for users and add-ons on top of the plan.
Pick Ahrefs if
Backlink and keyword research drive your work, weekly rank checks are enough, and you want exact export, history and crawl limits before you buy.
Each tool in context: Semrush, Ahrefs, and the full Best SEO Software in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is Semrush or Ahrefs cheaper?
Ahrefs is cheaper at the bottom, with Starter at €27 per month and Lite at €119, against €134 monthly for the Semrush SEO plan as of October 2026. Both bill extra users separately, so a team of four can narrow or reverse the gap. Price your real seat count on both pricing pages.
Which tracks rankings more often, Semrush or Ahrefs?
Semrush lists 500 keywords tracked daily on its entry SEO plan. Ahrefs lists weekly rank tracking updates on all of Lite, Standard and Advanced, plus Enterprise. If you watch volatile keywords or report to clients on daily movement, that difference matters more than the headline price.
Do Semrush and Ahrefs both track visibility in AI search?
Yes. Semrush bundles AI visibility with prompt tracking in its SEO plus AI Search plans, while Ahrefs includes prompt checks in each plan and sells Brand Radar as a standalone product from €179 per month. Compare how many prompts you need, since both meter them differently, per day or per check.
Can I switch between Semrush and Ahrefs without losing data?
Neither vendor offers a one-click migration in the pricing pages checked. Export keyword lists, tracked keywords and reports as files before you cancel, then re-import them. Ahrefs states that a cancelled paid plan switches to Ahrefs Free after the billing period ends.