Ahrefs is 79% cheaper
than Semrush
$29/mo (Starter) vs Semrush SEO at $139/mo — covering 80% of the 5 compared capabilities.
Same job. Way less money.
Comparison scenario
Every cheaper-than claim is tied to a defined scenario — never a bare list price.
single user, monthly billing · USD · prices as observed on official pricing pages.
SEO plan at $139/mo, the cheapest paid plan.
Starter: 29 USD/monthly.
Semrush costs $139/mo on the SEO plan at single user, monthly billing. We found 1 assessed alternative that is cheaper in this scenario; 1 of them covers at least 75% of the 5 compared capabilities.
Capability comparison
Ahrefs covers 80% of the 5 capabilities compared against Semrush. ✓ native · ◐ via integration · ✗ not found.
| Capability | Ahrefs | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rank tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Site audit | ✓ | ✓ |
| Backlink analysis | ✓ | ✓ |
| Competitor analysis | ↑ Lite | ✓ |
What you give up
Capabilities Semrush has that Ahrefs lacks.
- Competitor analysis — Compare your site's SEO performance against competitors.Missing from Ahrefs.
Plans & pricing, side by side
Advertised prices in USD as observed on the official pricing pages — per-seat and transaction-fee plans are marked.
| Ahrefs Free | Free |
| Starter | $29/mo |
| Lite | $129/mo |
| Standard | $249/mo |
| Advanced | $449/mo |
| Enterprise | $1499/mo (billed yearly) |
| Free | Free |
| SEO | $139/mo |
| Starter SEO + AI Search | $199/mo |
| Pro+ SEO + AI Search | $299/mo |
| Advanced SEO + AI Search | $549/mo |
| Enterprise | Contact sales |
Share this comparison
For Ahrefs: use the verified claim in your own marketing — card, badge, or link. The numbers stay tied to this evidence page.
Frequently asked
How much cheaper is Ahrefs than Semrush?
79% cheaper in our scenario (single user, monthly billing): $29/mo on Starter vs $139/mo on SEO. That is $1320 a year.
What does Ahrefs lack compared with Semrush?
Competitor analysis — 1 of the 5 compared capabilities.
When were these prices checked?
Semrush: 2026-10-26; Ahrefs: 2026-10-26 — on the official pricing pages.
Who switched
Anonymous: no account, no email, no IP stored. Reports are shown once a switch has 3 or more and never change ranking or order — alternatives are computed from prices and capabilities only.
Sources & freshness
- https://www.semrush.com/prices/ (official_pricing, checked 2026-10-26)
- https://www.semrush.com/pricing/ (official_pricing, checked 2026-10-26)
- Ahrefs data last verified 2026-10-26