SEMrush vs Ahrefs Review

Ahrefs vs SEMrush Review

These two SEO tools help you optimize your site or pages in many different ways. However, the most important thing they do is to provide you with the information to do the following:

  • Create content to drive more organic search traffic to your site.
  • Increase the performance of your website by changing/modifying its technical aspects.

You can use both the tools to get suggestions for keywords based on the phrases you entered in the query box. These keywords can then be used in blog posts to improve your ranking in organic search results. Additionally, you can also use these tools to determine the difficulty of ranking specific keywords or phrases.

Additionally, Ahrefs and SEMrush are also useful for conducting an SEO audit on your website to determine whether any technical improvements can be made to the site to rank higher in search results. However, these are just a few of the features that these two SEO tools help you rank better in search results.

In this article, we will look at some facts related to both these tools and SEO software market before comparing the two tools for benefits like ranking tracking, keyword research, unique features, technical SEO site audit feature, competitor research, backlinks, freebies . Trials, pricing plans, and support. We will also provide a pro-tip to help you choose the right tool for your business from Ahrefs and SEMrush.=> Visit SEMrush Website => Visit Ahrefs Website

lets start!

FACT CHECK: As per Market Watch , the global SEO software market will grow by $538.58 million during the forecast period 2016-2025. One of the main factors behind the growth of SEO software market is the increase in internet penetration across the globe.

A statistic that makes SEO tools such as SEMrush vs Ahrefs extremely important is that the #1 result on the Google search engine results page gets more than 30% of all clicks .

Google organic CTR breakdown by:

Pro-Types: Some important things to consider while selecting the best among the various SEO tools available. For example, when comparing Ahrefs vs SEMrush, consider user satisfaction ratings, pricing, features, benefits, and terms of use and determine which of these tools best meets your needs. The selected tool may not be the better choice of the two, but instead, it should be the best one for you based on your SEO needs and budget.

technical seo audit

Comparison Table of Ahrefs and SEMrush

Aherfssemrush
Keyword count for GoogleIt has a keyword database of over 7 billion keywords.SEMrush has a database of over 20 billion keywords.
search engineAhrefs supports various search engines like Google, YouTube, Amazon, Bing, Yahoo etc.SEMrush is an online visibility management platform that exclusively supports the Google search engine.
Mobile SERP RankingAhrefs does not have this featureSEMrush has features to provide domain analytics for mobile SERP ranking
outgoing linksAhrefs can provide a full stop of outbound linksSEMrush does not support the outgoing link feature
SMM ToolsAhrefs does not have any SMM tools.SEMrush has a social media toolkit that will help you manage and track all your social profiles.
Ability to find the most popular content on every topicAhrefs Content Explorer will let you discover and analyze top performing content on each topic.SEMrush does not have this feature
professionals– User friendly interface
– SEO tools with largest database of backlinks
– A wide range of innovating data / metrics features
– Regular updates and feature releases
– Highly responsive customer support
– Multiple training materials for users
– Easy to navigate and use
– Free version available;
– Possibly the best SEO API available today;
– An excellent resource for content marketing, keyword research and competitor research
Opposition– Lack of integration with Google Analytics
– High pricing
– Low option and many restrictions on Lite option
– No free trial
– Not so great backlink analysis
– A bit inaccurate data at times
– Technical analysis is good but requires technical audit tools
– Pricing can be a bit high for some
free Trialno free trialYes
costTrial: $7 for 7 days (Standard/Advanced only)
Slightly: $99/month
Standard: $179/month
Advanced: $399/month
Agency: $999/month
Face value: Free
to: $ 99.95 / month
Teacher: $ 199.95 / month
Business: $ 399.95 / month
Custom Plan: Available
Enterprise Solutions: Available

SEMrush Killer Features

killer semrush featureDescription
Data accuracy for search volumeBy constantly updating the database, SEMrush provides the most accurate and relevant data.
huge keyword databaseThe SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool has a large keyword database for Google. It has over 20 billion keywords in the database. It is the largest keyword database available in the market. This huge keyword database will help you to enrich your SEO and PPC campaigns.
position tracking toolSEMrush Position Tracking Tool is the perfect solution for the SEO expert. All SEMrush users will get daily data updates and mobile rankings. They can also buy additional keywords without any payment. All users have basic tracking functions. This tool provides local level volume data to all customers.
SEO ReportSEMrush will let you create custom PDF reports visually. It features branded and white label reports, report scheduling, and integration with GA, GMB and GSC.
Toxic link monitoringSEMrush has features for detailed analysis of toxic backlinks, toxic scores and toxic markers along with the option of outreach.
Content Marketing FeaturesSEMrush provides various unique features and functionalities for content optimization and writing. It provides tools like SEO writing assistant, on-page SEO tester, content audit, etc.

SEMrush Vs Ahrefs: Profit

Let us now compare the two SEO tools on the basis of their various benefits.

#1) Comparison based on Rank Tracking

The success or failure of any SEO efforts can be accurately determined using the rank tracking method. One of the most important Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of SEO campaigns, improving rankings shows how an SEO campaign is affecting a website’s online visibility.

The below comparison table explains the differences between the two tools in terms of rank tracking.

semrushAherfe
OneWith SEMrush’s rank tracking tool, you can monitor daily progress and changes in the ranking of a website or SEO campaign.One of the new tools from Ahrefs, Rank Tracker can help any business improve its SEO campaign. There are four different pieces of information that you can find on Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker dashboard.
twoFor a custom set of keywords, it keeps track of daily search engine rankings and changes.Competitors Tab: Compare the progress of your site with that of your competitors.
3Review your own target keyword search engine volatility.Pages tab: Group tracked keywords by their respective pages
4Track keyword rankings across multiple languages, devices and geographic locations.Metrics tab: Tracking everything you need to know to measure keyword performance from this tab.
5Review Google’s search engine volatility across industries and watch for signs of Google algorithmic updates.
Compile a ranking report in a PDF format.
Aggregate tab: Determines how your tracked keywords improved over a week, month, and 90 days

Final Verdict: While the rank tracking tools of both SEMrush and Ahrefs are useful, we recommend Ahrefs Rank Tracker as it allows you to track everything you need on a single dashboard. Additionally, it also provides more information than the rank tracking tool of SEMrush.

#2) Keyword Research Based Comparisons

When it comes to keyword research parameters, there are three most important things to consider.

These are as follows:

  • Determining the number of people searching for a specific phrase or keyword.
  • Finding out the difficulty to rank for that particular phrase/keyword.
  • Getting suggestions for other keywords.

All of the above information can be easily searched using both Ahrefs and Semrush. Simply enter the target keyword into Ahrefs’ ‘Keyword Explorer’ or SEMrush’s ‘Keyword Overview’ and you will get the information you need right away. This information includes keyword difficulty scores, search volume, and a list of related keywords.

Big Discounts for Domains, Hosting, SSL and more

The comparison table given below explains the differences between the two tools in terms of keyword research.

semrushAherfe
OneTo indicate keyword difficulty, SEMrush uses percentage scores. The higher this percentage, the more difficult it is for the keyword to rank.Ahrefs indicates the difficulty of the keyword by scoring the keyword out of 100. A higher score indicates greater difficulty in ranking for the keyword.
twoSEMrush’s difficulty score is shown as a decimal number. When you use SEMrush there is usually more in-depth information about keyword difficulty.The Ahrefs difficulty score is provided as a whole number.
3You can use SEMrush to create a keyword list that you can refer to at any time you want. This can be done with Keyword Manager.You can use Ahrefs to create a keyword list that you can refer to at any time you want. This can be done with the keyword list feature.

Final Verdict: Overall, both SEMrush and Ahrefs are pretty similar in terms of the keyword research tools it offers. However, there is one thing that gives Ahrefs an edge.

In Ahrefs, the keyword research feature not only sets the level of difficulty to rank a given keyword, but it also tells you what you will need to rank on the first page of search results. This feature is not available with SEMrush and thus Ahrefs wins the battle of keyword research.

#3) Comparison on the basis of unique characteristics

Both SEMrush and Ahrefs have unique features that help them to stand apart from other SEO tools in the market including from each other.

The comparison table below explains the differences between the two devices in terms of unique features.

semrushAherfe
OneContent Analyst: You can easily analyze the value of your content with this feature as it provides you with the most important content-related metrics.Domain comparison: You can compare up to five related domains using this feature.
twoDomain vs Domain Comparison Tool: You can use this tool to compare two different domains side by side. This helps you understand your competitors better.Batch Analysis: You can get access to comprehensive reports that compare multiple URLs with the convenience.
3Backlink Audit Tool: You can check the backlink type (text, image, frame or form) using this tool.Link Intersect: You can find potential link building opportunities with this feature.
SEO Toolbar: You can install it as an extension on your browser to view your domain rating as well as SERPS and backlink statistics on individual pages
Ahrefs API: You can access Ahrefs’ database externally using API can do.

Final Verdict: We’ll call this a tie, as both SEMrush and Ahrefs have some useful unique features that are missing in other tools.

#4) Comparison based on Technical SEO Site Audit Feature

SEMrush and Ahrefs both have site auditing features. You can use these features to determine your website performance from on-page SEO and technical SEO perspective. When a site audit is performed, both tools will search for issues that could negatively affect your search rankings.

Some of these issues include:

  • duplicate content
  • overuse of keywords
  • slow-loading content
  • missing header
  • crawl errors
  • ssl problems

Verdict: A whole host of valuable tips are provided by both SEMrush and Ahrefs. Compared to Ahrefs, SEMrush’s audit tools are much easier to use and can automatically provide you with a simple to-do list to follow. Whereas in the case of Ahrefs, you have to analyze your site audit reports manually to generate ‘to-do’ lists.

#5) Comparisons Based on Competitive Research

As an important SEO pillar, competitor research informs your overall SEO strategy. This is especially useful for link acquisition and content strategies. For this reason, you need to have a good knowledge of your competitors when it comes to SEO.

The comparison table below will help in determining the better tool between Ahref and Semrush for competitor research purposes.

semrushAherfe
OneThere is a dedicated section for this within the SEMrush platform called ‘Competitive Research’.You’ll find competing tools on the left side of the domains view. Unlike SEMrush, they are not grouped under a single section.
twoThe Competitive Research section includes five tools: Keyword Gap, Domain Overview, Backlink Gap, Traffic Analytics, Organic Search.
Using each of these tools, you can analyze a competitor or compare their domain versus yours. This means you can get an in-depth view of a competitor with the competitor research section of SEMrush.
Ahrefs’ competitor analysis tools include: Content Gap, Domain Comparison, Competing Pages, Link Gap, Domain Competing.

Verdict: The winner in our opinion is SEMrush. This is because SEMrush’s competitive analysis tools provide a deeper insight into competitors than Ahrefs’ competitor analysis tools.

The number of backlinks of a site is an important indicator to determine its performance. You can enter a domain name on both SEMrush and Ahrefs and get a list of all backlinks for it.

The comparison table below analyzes the differences between the two tools that analyze backlinks.

semrushAherfe
OneSEMrush has a much larger domain database than Ahrefs with 729 million domains. This backlink gives an edge in terms of database size.Ahrefs has 165 million domains out of 165 million.
twoSEMrush provides valuable information about backlinks navigating a domain.
This includes a breakdown of:
– anchor text used
– linking domain type
– ollow dofollow ‘links vs ollow nofollow’ number of links
– new vs lost domains
– country of origin of the backlinks.
Since it provides a range of information/statistics in attractive and easy-to-understand graphs, SEMrush is a better option in terms of backlink reports and tools.
In SEMrush, you will find some backlink auditing and building features that are missing in Ahrefs. Given this, there can only be one winner in this aspect: SEMrush.
SEMrush provides valuable information about backlinks navigating a domain.
This includes a breakdown of:
– anchor text used
– linking domain type
– ollow dofollow ‘links vs ollow nofollow’ number of links
– new vs lost domains
– country of origin of the backlinks

Verdict: While Ahrefs is useful for backlinks analysis, SEMrush beats it in all three aspects of backlink analysis i.e. backlink database size, backlink reports and tools, and backlink auditing and building. This makes SEMrush much better to consider.

#7) Free Trial Based on Comparison

Currently, there is no free trial available with Ahrefs. On the other hand, SEMrush comes with a free version. So, if you want to test SEO tools before using them, SEMrush is a better option than Ahrefs.

#8) Comparison based on pricing plan

Ahrefs:

  • Trial: $7 for 7 days (Standard/Advanced only)
  • A little bit: $99/month
  • Standard: $179/month
  • Advanced: $399/month
  • Agency: $999/month

SEMrush:

  • Face Value : Free
  • For: $99.95/month
  • Tutor: $199.95/month
  • Business: $399.95/month
  • Custom Plans: Available
  • Enterprise Solutions: Available

Verdict: If you pay in advance for one year, you will get 16% off on SEMrush. Additionally, the tool comes with a free trial. On the other hand, if you pay in advance for Ahrefs, you’ll get two months for free. However, there is no free trial. Which equipment is better value for money will depend on the needs and budget of your business.

#9) Comparison by Support

SEMrush has a slight edge in this category as it offers three different support channels: email, chat, and phone.

On the other hand, there is no telephonic support with Ahrefs. However, Ahrefs’ support options are more visible. Click on an icon on the lower right corner of your screen that looks like a question mark to connect with a member of the support team at Ahrefs.

Verdict: While SEMrush has more support options, Ahrefs’ support options are more visible. Therefore, we recommend SEMrush and Ahrefs both to be equal when it comes to customer support.

Conclusion

While both SEMrush and Ahrefs have their fair share of pros and cons, we can choose the best one based on a few key factors that are the key to the success of all SEO tools available today. These factors include ranking tracking, keyword research, unique features, technical SEO site audit feature, competitor research, backlinks, free trials, pricing plans and support.

While the rank tracking tools of both SEMrush and Ahrefs are useful, we recommend Ahrefs Rank Tracker as it allows you to track everything you need on a single dashboard. Additionally, it also provides more information than the rank tracking tool of SEMrush.

Overall, both SEMrush and Ahrefs are quite similar in terms of the keyword research tools they offer. However, Ahrefs tells you what level of difficulty you’ll need to rank on the first page of search results in order to rank for a given keyword. This feature is not available with SEMrush and thus Ahrefs wins the battle of keyword research.

Here are some other findings from our comparison of SEMrush and Ahrefs:

  • In terms of unique features, we would call this a tie because both SEMrush and Ahrefs have some very unique features that are missing in other tools.
  • A whole host of valuable tips are provided by both the tools. However, the former performs better in the auditing domain.
  • Compared to Ahrefs’ audit tool, SEMrush’s audit tool is much easier to use and automatically provides you with a simple to-do list for you to follow. On the other hand, you need to go through your site audit report to make Ahrefs ‘to-do’ lists.
  • SEMrush’s competitive analysis tools provide a deeper insight into competitors than Ahrefs’ competitor analysis tools.
  • SEMrush beats Ahrefs in all three aspects of backre analysis i.e. backlink database size, backlink reports and tools and backlink auditing and building.
  • Currently, there is no free trial available with Ahrefs. On the other hand, SEMrush comes with a free version. If you want to test SEO tools before using then this is a better option than SEMrush Ahrefs

If you pay in advance for one year, you will get 16% off on SEMrush. Additionally, the tool comes with a free trial. On the other hand, if you pay in advance for Ahrefs, you’ll get two months for free. However, there is no free trial. Which equipment is better value for money will depend on the needs and budget of your business.

Lastly, while SEMrush has more support options, Ahrfs’ support options are more visible. Therefore, we announce both SEMrush and Ahrefs winners when it comes to customer support.

Since SEMrush does better than Ahrefs in most aspects, we will highly recommend it as a better option.

Author: Feyi' Eniola

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