Semrush vs Ahrefs: which SEO platform wins in 2026?

    Updated
    LemAudit Editorial
    By LemAudit Editorial · Research teamLast reviewed

    Feature-by-feature comparison

    FeatureSemrushAhrefs
    Free planLimited free account, 10 requests/dayFree Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for owned sites only
    Keyword database (stated)26+ billion keywords across 142 databases27.5+ billion keywords across 243 databases
    Backlink index (stated)43+ trillion backlinks35+ trillion backlinks
    Authority metricAuthority Score (proprietary, 0–100)Domain Rating (proprietary, 0–100)
    Site audit (on test domains)Ran successfully; deep technical checksRan successfully; cleaner issue grouping
    Position trackingIncluded with quota by tierSeparate Rank Tracker quota by tier
    Content toolingSEO Writing Assistant, Topic ResearchContent Explorer with traffic estimates
    Local SEO / ListingsYes (Listing Management add-on)Not core to product
    PPC researchStrong (Advertising Research suite)Limited
    AI features (mid-2026)AI assistant in Writing Assistant; Copilot betaAI Content Helper; AI Overview tracking
    API accessAvailable on Business tier and abovePaid add-on, per-row pricing
    Cheapest paid plan$139.95/mo (Pro)$129/mo (Lite)
    Best forAgencies needing PPC + local + SEO in one suiteLink builders, technical SEOs, content teams

    Pricing snapshot

    Public vendor pricing as of . Both vendors change pricing without notice; check their own pages before buying.

    Semrush

    • Pro$139.95/mo
      5 projects, 500 tracked keywords, core SEO + PPC tools
    • Guru$249.95/mo
      15 projects, 1,500 tracked keywords, historical data, content tools
    • Business$499.95/mo
      40 projects, 5,000 tracked keywords, API access, share of voice

    Ahrefs

    • Lite$129/mo
      1 user, 5 projects, limited credits
    • Standard$249/mo
      1 user, 20 projects, Content Explorer, 6mo history
    • Advanced$449/mo
      3 users, 50 projects, Web Explorer, 2yr history
    • Enterprise$14,990/yr
      5+ users, SSO, audit log, dedicated support

    How we made this page

    Reference test domains: stripe.com, notion.so, shopify.com. We test against the same three sites on every page so results stay comparable and reproducible.

    Last tested: .

    Sources:

    We re-test both products against the same three reference domains every quarter. Pricing is screenshot-verified from the vendors' public pricing pages on the date above. We have no affiliate relationship with either vendor as of 2026-06-30.

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