Ahrefs begins at $108 a month, which provides as much as about $1,200 a 12 months for a plan designed for small companies. In case you’re a contract website positioning guide or run an enterprise, you may be shelling out wherever between $2,400 to $14,990 per 12 months.
Having used Ahrefs for almost eight years throughout freelance and full-time content material advertising roles, I perceive why you would possibly select it over different website positioning instruments. Ahrefs has come a great distance since its days as a link-building instrument ten years again. Right this moment, it packs numerous options like website audit, AI content material grader, and Pages 2.0 report.
However let’s deal with the massive query: is Ahrefs value it? Spoiler alert: I gained’t provide the traditional ‘it relies upon’ reply we frequently hear in most website positioning and content material advertising conversations.
For context, some customers famous a 29% worth improve earlier this 12 months, which most likely makes you concentrate on potential future worth hikes. On the flip aspect, Ahrefs launched a extra reasonably priced Starter plan, which provides you 100 credit for $29 each month.
Whilst you can proceed utilizing their free webmaster instruments, what do you have to consider when contemplating an improve? Proceed studying my deep dive for these very solutions.
Ahrefs ranks #14 in keeping with G2’s Fall 2024 Grid Report for website positioning instruments. Consumers are inspired to think about particular person wants when making buy selections.
Ahrefs: Paid vs. free website positioning instruments
Skip this part in case you aren’t new to website positioning.
Ahrefs doesn’t supply a free trial. Evaluating Ahrefs’ free website positioning instruments with the paid variations isn’t actually honest. Many of the free instruments they provide are for easy duties rookies might discover helpful. However in case you’re hoping to get severe work performed, these free instruments gained’t take you far.
| Options | Free Instruments | Paid Plan |
| Dashboard | ||
| Website explorer | ||
| Key phrase explorer | ||
| Website audit | ||
| Rank tracker | ||
| Aggressive evaluation | ||
| SERP historical past | ||
| Web page examine |
Ahrefs presents eight free website positioning instruments:
- Key phrase generator: Generate as much as 20 key phrases
- Key phrase problem checker: Consider how exhausting it’s to rank for a selected key phrase
- SERP checker: Have a look at the SERP overview of the primary 4 outcomes
- Key phrase rank checker: Test in case your web site ranks within the high 100 for a particular key phrase
- Backlink checker: See the area ranking of your web site and the whole variety of backlinks
- Damaged hyperlink checker: Discover the variety of damaged hyperlinks in your web site
- Web site authority checker: Test your web site’s authority
- Web site site visitors checker: See your web site’s natural site visitors and site visitors worth
As you may see, these instruments are fairly restricted. That stated, Ahrefs Webmaster Instruments provides web site homeowners restricted free entry to website explorer and website audit options. Let’s get to the nice half and see if the paid plans are value your cash.
Are Ahrefs options well worth the worth? What G2 customers suppose
G2 customers admire Ahrefs’ website explorer, backlink checker, aggressive evaluation, key phrase explorer, website audit, and alternatives options. I completely agree—these options are a goldmine for website positioning and content material advertising professionals who want information to determine what’s working, what isn’t, and what wants fixing. Let’s see how these options might help you:
Website explorer
That is the part the place you land after logging into Ahrefs. Website explorer analyzes an internet site’s natural site visitors, whole key phrases, and backlinks. The perfect a part of this characteristic is that it compiles all this website positioning information right into a single dashboard.
One factor I actually like about website explorer is the way it provides location-specific site visitors insights. Plus, I can join these insights with content material adjustments and algorithm updates, proven by inexperienced circles and “a” symbols on the timeline.
Website explorer additionally exhibits you natural key phrases by intent, lists your high natural rivals, and categorizes crawled pages with their HTTP codes.
What G2 customers are saying:
“Ahrefs presents numerous options with an abundance of knowledge to assist higher evaluation, such because the Website Explorer instrument to see the place a website stands in its total efficiency, the Key phrase Explorer instrument to seek out trending low competitors key phrases to work on, the Website Audit characteristic to audit how efficient the efforts are and to determine gaps, and the Rank Tracker instrument to see how the location is performing compared to rivals.”
– Ahrefs Evaluation, Jayant G., Search Engine Optimization Analyst
Backlink checker
The Backlink checker does what it says; it exhibits you the entire backlink profile of an internet site.
Most website positioning instruments supply one thing comparable, however I just like the number of filters you should utilize right here. For instance, you may filter backlinks by sorts, DR of internet sites from the place they arrive, site visitors of referring domains, anchor textual content, and even by date vary.
What G2 customers are saying:
“I can not not point out the backlink profile. This instrument is superb for checking the standard and amount of backlinks each for my web site and my rivals. Seeing the hyperlink development over time, the highest referring domains, and the general backlink profile helps me fine-tune my link-building methods.”
– Ahrefs Evaluation, Sanjay G., Content material Technique Head
Aggressive evaluation
This characteristic helps with a content material hole evaluation of your web site by evaluating what your rivals rank for versus what you don’t. Enter your web site’s area and one or two competitor URLs to get began.
The content material hole report presents a ton of knowledge, however you need to know why you’re doing the aggressive evaluation within the first place. That’s when you should utilize the totally different filters like SERP options, key phrase problem, key phrase, and search quantity in the fitting approach.
For instance, if I’m engaged on a featured snippet challenge, it is smart to trace which key phrases my rivals use to drive site visitors from featured snippets and AI overviews (AIOs). I’m not saying you must write utilizing these key phrases. But when you have already got content material concentrating on them, it could be value optimizing them to rank for featured snippets or AIOs.
Key phrase explorer
That is maybe essentially the most generally used instrument by rookies and professionals alike. Key phrase analysis instrument allows you to analyze key phrases, their search volumes, CPC, CTR, and the historical past of SERP positions.
I like how Ahrefs has developed over the previous few years to supply extra key phrase information. You possibly can filter key phrases by mother or father matter, verify how their search volumes have modified over the past 12 months, see their site visitors potential, and even assess their intent.
One other standout characteristic for me is the flexibility to match at present’s SERP with what it seemed like three or six months in the past. It really works nice once you’re making an attempt to determine whether or not your article site visitors has dropped attributable to intent shifts or competitor developments.
You can even use AI to seek out ache factors, technical ideas, and subtopics associated to your matters.
Key phrase explorer helps discover information on particular key phrases however doesn’t mechanically uncover new key phrases to focus on.
What G2 customers are saying:
“I like how Key phrase Explorer supplies the key phrase with its problem and click on ratio. Click on ratio is essential for us; it is the true metric that helps us perceive whether or not to make it a main or secondary key phrase.”
– Ahrefs Evaluation, Nitin R., Vice President website positioning
Website audit
Ahrefs’ website audit options crawls and scans your web site pages for over 170 technical and on-page points, together with core internet vitals, indexability, social tags, redirects, and JS/CSS points. In the long run, you get a well being rating that exhibits the proportion of error-free inner URLs in your website. You additionally get suggestions on fixing technical and on-page website positioning points.
My tackle it? You don’t must be in technical website positioning to get essentially the most out of the location audit characteristic. I just lately used the location audit to seek out and repair pages with damaged hyperlinks and 404 errors as a part of an interlinking challenge.
What G2 customers are saying:
“I’ve by no means seen such an in-depth but easy-to-understand breakdown of my web site’s well being. From efficiency points to damaged hyperlinks, from safety points to content material high quality, Ahrefs’ website audit instrument provides me an in depth report with ideas for fixes. It is virtually like having a private website positioning guide!”
– Ahrefs Evaluation, Sanjay G., Content material Technique Head
Alternatives
If you enter an internet site URL in Website Explorer, you’ll come throughout the Alternatives characteristic on the left panel. This part exhibits you low-hanging fruit key phrases, featured snippet alternatives, content material with declining site visitors, and a lot extra.
This characteristic is useful after I need to rapidly consider totally different alternatives earlier than pursuing them.
Sufficient about the good things; let’s have a look at the place Ahrefs falls brief.
Three explanation why G2 customers dislike Ahrefs
The notorious credit score system, together with excessive pricing and poor buyer help, appears to be the highest explanation why G2 customers dislike Ahrefs. Let’s break these down.
Credit score system
Ahrefs tracks information utilization with credit. All instruments besides Website Audit and Rank Tracker devour 1 credit score once you entry studies, apply filters, or request new information. Standalone instruments like Batch Evaluation, Web page Examine, and Looker Studio additionally use credit once you entry them.
All pricing plans, besides the Lite plan, include limitless credit. On the Lite plan, you rise up to 500 credit per person every month, and in case you go over that restrict, you’ll be charged further.
For customers on the Lite plan, further credit price:
- $50 per 500 credit (pay-as-you-go), billed month-to-month
- $300 yearly to prepay for 500 further credit every month
Many customers aren’t massive followers of this credit score system, particularly businesses managing a number of accounts.
What G2 customers are saying:
“The credit score system just isn’t excellent for company customers. I’ve a yearly subscription of $1990, however it could price me a further $500 to $600 monthly, leading to a complete price of round $8000 per 12 months. With this funds, there are lots of different choices accessible available in the market. It would not price as a lot even when I select to make use of 2 to three instruments concurrently.”
– Ahrefs Evaluation, Yannick X., Small Enterprise
Excessive costs
Customers discover Ahrefs’ pricing fashions advanced due to the credit score system. Some have additionally famous that Ahrefs’ costs are comparatively greater than these of different website positioning instruments accessible available on the market.
What G2 customers are saying:
“It is pricing is at all times altering. After being compelled emigrate from a legacy account, I migrated to a dearer plan. After just a few weeks of utilizing it, I noticed I could not use to instrument anymore as a result of I hit my utilization restrict. That restrict? 600 occasions a month.
I’ve by no means used a instrument that’s this costly and has a fundamental utilization restrict. I pay over $2,000 a 12 months to be closely restricted within the utilization of the instrument. How am I anticipated to drive worth and study new options and functionalities of the instrument if I am unable to even use it to the day-to-day requirement degree?”
– Ahrefs Evaluation, Levi O., Affiliate Director, Content material Advertising
Poor buyer help
Customers additionally cite a scarcity of empathetic customer support as one more reason they dislike Ahrefs. Some evaluations level out that customers couldn’t attain their CSMs after they wanted assist.
What G2 customers are saying:
“In case you made your account over two weeks in the past, you’re locked out of latest options underneath the identical plan on the identical worth. The woman from the dwell chat insisted the one solution to repair it was to cancel our account and begin a brand new one.
That is insane. Are new options being locked out from current subscribers on the identical degree? At earlier positions, I used to be ready to make use of the beta model of latest options. Now, I am unable to even get what I paid for.
Customer support was of completely no assist. Simply the identical circles again and again. And after I tried to succeed in out to the help e-mail, it simply took me to the identical precise one who refused to assist us.”
– Ahrefs Evaluation, Brandon S., Search Engine Optimization Supervisor
Ahrefs pricing
Ahrefs presents 4 pricing choices: Lite, Commonplace, Superior, and Enterprise.
- Lite plan prices you $1,290 per 12 months or $129 monthly in case you select to pay month-to-month. It options six months of historical past, 500 credit per person, and 750 tracked key phrases.
- Commonplace plan prices $2,490 per 12 months or $249 when paid month-to-month. It consists of 20 initiatives, two years of historical past, limitless credit, and a pair of,000 tracked key phrases.
- Superior plan prices $4,490 per 12 months or $449 monthly. It options 5 years of historical past, limitless credit, 50 initiatives, and 5,000 tracked key phrases.
- Enterprise plan prices $14,990 yearly. This plan provides you 100 initiatives, limitless historical past, limitless credit, and 10,000 tracked key phrases.
What Ahrefs options do G2 customers suggest?
Whereas Ahrefs continues to be a preferred selection amongst content material advertising and website positioning professionals, G2 customers additionally suggest instruments like Google Search Console, Semrush, Moz Professional, and SE Rating.
Ahrefs: Often requested questions (FAQs)
Q. Does Ahrefs supply a free trial?
No, Ahrefs doesn’t supply a free trial, which may make it difficult for brand spanking new customers to find out whether or not it’s the fitting match for them.
Q. Is Ahrefs free?
Ahrefs isn’t a free website positioning instrument. Nevertheless, web site homeowners can entry Ahrefs Webmaster instruments like Website Explorer and Website Audit totally free.
Q. Is Ahrefs correct?
In keeping with a examine performed by AuthorityHacker, Ahrefs has a median discrepancy of twenty-two.5% and 0.99 correlation with Google Search Console (GSC) information. This exhibits that Ahrefs’ high quality of search site visitors estimations is at par with GSC.
Q. Ahrefs vs. Semrush: What do you have to select?
In case you’re simply taking a look at worth, Ahrefs comes out cheaper in case you pay yearly. Semrush prices $117.33 a month, whereas Ahrefs prices $108 monthly on a yearly plan.
Ahrefs presents in-depth backlink evaluation, content material hole identification, and key phrase analysis, whereas Semrush supplies strong options for website positioning, PPC, social media administration, and aggressive evaluation. I really feel Ahrefs fits content material entrepreneurs centered on natural development, whereas Semrush is finest for businesses managing a number of points of digital advertising.
Q. Moz vs. Ahrefs: Which is best for website positioning?
Moz is cheaper than Ahrefs. On a yearly plan, Ahrefs prices $108 monthly, whereas Moz begins at simply $39 monthly. Whereas each website positioning instruments deal with Google, Moz additionally supplies you with information from search engines like google and yahoo like Yahoo and Bing.
A 2022 examine by Tylor Hermanson and his crew discovered Ahrefs ranked for twice as many key phrases as Semrush, which itself had greater than double the key phrases of Moz. For Tylor’s purchasers, Ahrefs delivered almost 5 instances the quantity of rating key phrases in comparison with Moz.
Q. Is Ahrefs costly?
Ahrefs and Moz supply comparable entry-level pricing. Semrush’s entry-level plan is barely greater at $117.33 monthly. I might suggest focusing in your particular wants and funds whereas evaluating Ahrefs with different website positioning instruments.
Q. Is Ahrefs protected?
Ahrefs is protected for enhancing web site visibility and natural site visitors. Nevertheless, relying on the bank card you utilize, it could ask for the final 4 digits of your Social Safety quantity once you create an account. This may be a problem in case you’re utilizing an organization card.
Is Ahrefs value it or overrated? My trustworthy take
I promised I wouldn’t provide the traditional “it relies upon” reply. So, let’s lower to the chase: Ahrefs is well worth the funding if it aligns together with your targets and crew construction.
Any funding in content material advertising instruments is barely worthwhile if it helps you enhance the metrics that matter most to what you are promoting.
So, right here’s what you must ask your self: who in your crew will really use Ahrefs, and the way? In case your reply doesn’t contain at the very least two individuals, you could be higher off sticking with Google Search Console and Google Key phrase Planner.
However in case you’re fascinated by getting Ahrefs for a crew of writers, content material strategists, and website positioning specialists, you’ve received to ask your self just a few questions. Is your crew aligned on targets to completely profit from Ahrefs’ choices? Do you want complete information past what free instruments present? Do you’ve the funds to help a long-term subscription? Do you’ve the metrics to measure success with Ahrefs? Can Ahrefs combine easily into your present workflow?
In case you answered sure to the entire above, go for it! But when funds is a sticking level, loads of options supply comparable aggressive insights that will help you drive website positioning outcomes.
Try six AIO methods that your website positioning and content material advertising crew can use to drive site visitors to your web site.