Is Semrush or Ahrefs better for backlinks?

Ahrefs is widely considered to have the freshest and largest live backlink index. Semrush has closed the gap but Ahrefs still wins on data freshness for new links.

Which is cheaper, Semrush or Ahrefs?

Entry prices are similar ($129 vs $139.95 per month). Total cost depends on add-ons: Semrush charges separately for Trends, Local and AI Toolkit; Ahrefs charges per extra credit and per seat.

Can I run both Semrush and Ahrefs?

Yes, many large agencies do, but the combined cost typically exceeds $500/mo per seat. For most SMB and mid-market teams, one platform plus a focused suite like Workexe covers the same ground for a fraction of the price.

Compare

Semrush vs Ahrefs

Semrush and Ahrefs are the two largest all-in-one SEO platforms. Semrush leans toward marketing breadth (PPC, social, content marketing) while Ahrefs is sharpest on backlinks and keyword data. Both are expensive at scale and bill heavily on credits or per-seat add-ons.

Semrush

Ahrefs

Feature comparison

Feature	Semrush	Ahrefs
Backlink index size	Large, refreshed regularly	Industry-leading freshness and depth
Keyword research depth	Massive database with clustering, intent, trends	Massive database with click-through data, parent topics
Site audit	Detailed, project-based crawls	Detailed, weekly crawls included on most plans
Rank tracking	Included, per-project keyword caps	Included, generous keyword caps on higher tiers
Content tools	Content Marketing Platform add-on, SEO Writing Assistant	Lightweight content explorer, no native editor
PPC / ads research	Strong: ad copy, display, PLA	Limited
Pricing entry	Pro $139.95/mo	Lite $129/mo
Extra seats	Billed per user on top of base plan	Billed per user on top of base plan

Backlink index size

Semrush

Large, refreshed regularly

Ahrefs

Industry-leading freshness and depth

Keyword research depth

Semrush

Massive database with clustering, intent, trends

Ahrefs

Massive database with click-through data, parent topics

Site audit

Semrush

Detailed, project-based crawls

Ahrefs

Detailed, weekly crawls included on most plans

Rank tracking

Semrush

Included, per-project keyword caps

Ahrefs

Included, generous keyword caps on higher tiers

Content tools

Semrush

Content Marketing Platform add-on, SEO Writing Assistant

Ahrefs

Lightweight content explorer, no native editor

PPC / ads research

Semrush

Strong: ad copy, display, PLA

Ahrefs

Limited

Pricing entry

Semrush

Pro $139.95/mo

Ahrefs

Lite $129/mo

Extra seats

Semrush

Billed per user on top of base plan

Ahrefs

Billed per user on top of base plan

Pricing and typical limits

Semrush

Pro $139.95, Guru $249.95, Business $499.95 per month. Add-ons for Trends, Local, AI Toolkit billed separately. Each extra seat is billed monthly on top.

Ahrefs

Lite $129, Standard $249, Advanced $449, Enterprise from $1,499 per month. Extra users billed monthly on top.

Key differences

Semrush: Choose Semrush if you need PPC research, content marketing tooling and a broader marketing surface beyond pure SEO.
Ahrefs: Choose Ahrefs if backlinks and keyword data are your primary signal and you want the cleanest data pipeline.
Best for: Large in-house marketing teams or agencies with the budget to run one as the central platform.

A focused alternative

Workexe: the modern alternative to Semrush and Ahrefs

Workexe is the focused alternative for SEO teams that do not need ad research or huge link indexes priced into the base plan. Starter $19/mo opens the full module set (keyword tracking, rank tracking, AI tracking, site audit, content assistant, backlinks, competitor analysis, SEO tasks) without per-seat surcharges. Most Semrush and Ahrefs switchers cite predictable seat pricing as the deciding factor.

See Workexe pricing Explore modules

Full module suite from $19/mo
No per-seat surcharges
No credit meters on lookups
AI tracking included

Frequently asked questions

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