Tool profile
Ahrefs: cost, fit and limits
Ahrefs is an SEO platform sold by Ahrefs that includes Keywords Explorer for keyword research and difficulty alongside site audit, rank tracking, backlink data and AI features such as Brand Radar, for SEO teams, agencies and publishers.
What to know first
Ahrefs prices appear in EUR on the page we opened, with no billing basis labeled and a note that annual payment saves up to 17%. Starter is €27, Lite €119, Standard €229 and Advanced €419, plus a custom Enterprise tier. Plans differ by tracked keywords (750 to 5,000), crawl credits and checks on AI prompts. Keywords Explorer gets AI suggestions on Standard. Lookup limits for keyword research are not stated.
Ahrefs at a glance
| Maker | Ahrefs, Singapore |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | €27 per month (Starter) |
| API access | Yes |
| Category | Best AI Keyword Research Tools in 2026, rank 2 of 11 |
| Website | ahrefs.com |
Who Ahrefs is best for
Agencies that need seats and projects
Lite includes 1 user with 2 more at €37.40 each, and Advanced allows 50 non-verified projects with 10 extra users at €74.80, so team growth is priced per seat.
Teams watching AI answers
Plans include checks on AI prompts: 150 on Lite, 300 on Standard and 600 on Advanced, and Brand Radar is an add-on from €179 a month for tracking AI prompts.
Publishers needing long history
History runs 6 months on Lite, 2 years on Standard and 5 years on Advanced, which supports traffic and ranking trend analysis for larger content libraries.
Ahrefs plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | €27 per month (billing basis not labeled) | The button links to a trial signup, and the page does not describe the included features. |
| Lite | €119 per month | 1 user, 5 non-verified projects, unlimited verified projects, 6 months of history, 750 tracked keywords, 100,000 crawl credits and 150 AI prompt checks. |
| Standard | €229 per month | 1 user, 20 non-verified projects, 2 years of history, 2,000 tracked keywords, 500,000 crawl credits, 300 AI prompt checks, and AI suggestions in Keywords Explorer. |
| Advanced | €419 per month | 1 user, 50 non-verified projects, 5 years of history, 5,000 tracked keywords, 1,500,000 crawl credits and 600 AI prompt checks. |
| Enterprise | Custom quote | Uncapped API access, unlimited history, no training on your data, SSO and an audit log, arranged through sales. |
Checked October 2026.
What Ahrefs does
- Keywords Explorer with AI suggestions
- Keywords Explorer is the keyword research module, and the page lists AI suggestions inside it on Standard. It sits inside the suite, so keyword work shares limits with other tools.
- Brand Radar
- Brand Radar is an add-on from €179 a month for tracking AI prompts. Separate from it, each plan has a quota of AI prompt checks, which monitor how AI answers mention a brand.
- Ask Ahrefs and MCP
- Ask Ahrefs and Ahrefs AI are linked from the menu, and the pricing page lists an SEO MCP server, so an outside assistant can reach account data on plans that include it.
- Content Kit
- AI Content Helper and AI Content Grader sit in Content Kit, an add-on from €89 a month that the page marks Soon, so it was not yet generally available when we read it.
- Report Builder
- Report Builder is an €89 a month add-on for client reporting. Agencies that deliver monthly SEO reports should add it to the plan price when budgeting.
How Ahrefs handles your data
The pricing page states no training on your data under the Enterprise plan, and the general policy was not checked for this. It lists SSO and an audit log for Enterprise but names no certification, hosting region or retention period. The page states no legal entity or headquarters country. Brand Radar and AI prompt checks send prompts to AI systems and store the answers in your account, so a team handling client brand data on a lower tier should ask Ahrefs in writing whether the Enterprise no-training promise applies to its plan too.
Where Ahrefs falls short in practice
- No stated keyword lookup limits. The pricing page caps tracked keywords, projects and crawl credits but does not state how many keyword lookups a plan allows, so research-heavy users cannot estimate cost per keyword.
- Seats and add-ons raise the price. Lite includes 1 user and each extra user costs €37.40, while Report Builder and Brand Radar are paid add-ons. The €119 headline grows quickly for agencies.
- Billing basis is unlabeled. Prices show in EUR with a save up to 17% note for annual payment, but the page does not say whether €119 is monthly or annual-equivalent. The Get started links use a monthly interval.
Works with
Alternatives to Ahrefs
Ahrefs: common questions
How much does Ahrefs cost for keyword research?
The pricing page we opened shows Starter at €27, Lite at €119, Standard at €229 and Advanced at €419, in EUR with no billing basis labeled. It also notes that paying annually saves up to 17%. A free plan is listed as Ahrefs Free. Keyword lookup limits are not stated on the page.
Which Ahrefs plan includes AI keyword suggestions?
The pricing page lists AI suggestions in Keywords Explorer on the Standard plan, at €229 a month. Lite, at €119, lists tracked keywords, projects and AI prompt checks but not that feature. Confirm on the page whether Advanced adds anything more before choosing a tier for keyword research.
What is Ahrefs Brand Radar?
Brand Radar is an add-on for tracking AI prompts, priced from €179 a month on the pricing page. It is separate from the AI prompt checks included in plans, which run 150 on Lite, 300 on Standard and 600 on Advanced. It matters more to brand teams than to keyword researchers.
Does Ahrefs train AI on my data?
The pricing page says No training on your data under the Enterprise plan, and the vendor's general policy was not checked for this. For other plans, the page states nothing either way. If you work with confidential client data on Lite, Standard or Advanced, ask Ahrefs in writing for the plan-level rule.
Does Ahrefs have an API or MCP server?
The pricing page lists an SEO MCP server and an MCP Server, and Enterprise includes uncapped API access. The page does not say what API limits apply on lower plans. If you plan to automate keyword pulls, confirm which plan unlocks API access before subscribing.