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Ahrefs Alternatives (2027): 9 Cheaper Paid SEO Tools Compared With Ahrefs' Current Pricing

Ahrefs Alternatives: Cheaper All-in-One SEO Tools Compared With Ahrefs' Current Prices

Ahrefs is still one of the strongest SEO platforms, but for a startup it is an expensive habit: the Lite plan costs $129 a month, Standard $249 and Advanced $449, and Ahrefs doesn't list a free trial. If you need paid-level data (competitor backlinks, keyword difficulty, rank tracking and site audits) for less money, or a tool that is better at one specific job, there are good options. We checked the current pricing of every tool below on its official pricing page in October 2026. Prices are in US dollars as each vendor lists them; tax may be added.
Quick answer: the closest all-round alternative is Semrush (from $139.95 a month), and the best value all-in-one is SE Ranking ($129 a month, or $103.20 billed yearly, with a 14-day free trial). On a tight budget, Ubersuggest ($29), SpyFu ($39) and Moz Pro Starter ($49) cover the basics, Majestic is the backlink specialist, and Mangools is the easiest to learn. If you can't pay anything yet, start with our list of free Ahrefs alternatives.
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What Ahrefs Costs in 2027

Before comparing, here is the baseline from Ahrefs' pricing page, billed monthly. Paying yearly saves up to 17%.
Ahrefs planPrice per monthMain limits
Ahrefs Free$0Site Explorer and Site Audit for your own verified sites only
Starter$29Entry access to keyword and competitor research
Lite$1295 unverified projects, 6 months of history, 750 tracked keywords, 1 user
Standard$24920 unverified projects, 2 years of history, 2,000 tracked keywords
Advanced$44950 unverified projects, 5 years of history, 5,000 tracked keywords
Enterprise$1,499Annual commitment, from 3 users, unlimited history
Extra users cost $40 to $80 a month each on Lite to Advanced, and add-ons such as Brand Radar AI (from $199 a month) and the Content Kit (from $99 a month) cost extra. That is why many founders look for a cheaper tool.

Paid Ahrefs Alternatives Compared

ToolBest forCheapest plan (Oct 2026)Try before you pay
SemrushAll-in-one SEO plus AI search visibility$139.95/month ($117.33 billed yearly)7-day free trial; free plan
Moz ProOne website, Domain Authority, keyword researchStarter $49/month; Standard $99 ($79 yearly)Free trial
SE RankingBest-value all-in-one, agenciesCore $129/month ($103.20 yearly)14-day free trial, no card
SpyFuCompetitor keywords and Google Ads historyBasic $39/month ($29 yearly)30-day money-back guarantee
UbersuggestBeginners, small budgetsFrom $29/month; lifetime plans available7-day free trial
MajesticBacklink analysis (Trust Flow, Citation Flow)Lite $49.99/month ($499.99 a year)7-day money-back guarantee
SerpstatKeyword research and audits on a budgetIndividual $50/month billed yearly ($600)7-day trial of Team plan
MangoolsEasy keyword research (KWFinder)From $37.70/month billed yearlyFree account; 48-hour money-back
cognitiveSEOBacklink audits and penalty recoveryStarter $129.99/month7-day free trial (card required)
Sources: each vendor's official pricing page, checked 26 October 2026; prices exclude VAT and change often.

The 9 Best Paid Ahrefs Alternatives in 2027

1. Semrush: the closest all-round match

Semrush matches Ahrefs feature for feature: keyword research, competitor analysis, backlinks, position tracking and site audits, plus tracking of your visibility in AI search such as ChatGPT and Google's AI Mode. Its logo now reads "An Adobe Company".
  • SEO plan: $139.95 a month ($117.33 billed yearly) with 5 projects and 500 tracked keywords.
  • SEO + AI Search plans: Starter $199 a month ($165.17 yearly) with 50 tracked AI prompts, and Pro+ $299 ($248.17 yearly) with 15 projects, 1,500 keywords and historical data back to 2012.
  • Try it: a 7-day free trial, or the free plan with 10 reports a day.
Best for: teams that want one tool for SEO, content and AI search. It costs about the same as Ahrefs, so choose it for its features, not to save money.

2. Moz Pro: the cheapest entry plan for one website

Moz Pro has a Starter plan at $49 a month, aimed at people managing a single website. The full plans are Standard at $99 a month ($79 billed yearly) with 3 tracked sites and 300 tracked keywords, Medium at $179 ($143) and Large at $299 ($239). Domain Authority is Moz's own metric, and Moz has a strong Link Explorer and Keyword Explorer, and now adds AI visibility tracking. There is a free trial, and paying yearly saves 20%.

3. SE Ranking: the best value all-in-one

SE Ranking covers rank tracking, keyword and competitor research, backlink research and site audits in one platform. Core costs $129 a month or $103.20 billed yearly, with 10 projects, 2,000 keywords tracked daily, 25 AI prompts a day and API and MCP access; Growth costs $279 ($223.20 yearly). Its 14-day free trial needs no credit card, which makes it the easiest paid tool to test properly.

4. SpyFu: competitor keywords and ad history

SpyFu is built around one question: what keywords do my competitors rank and bid for? It shows more than 10 years of organic ranking and Google Ads history. Basic costs $39 a month ($29 billed yearly) with 10,000-row results and 5,000 tracked keywords a week; Pro + AI costs $59 for the first month and then $119 ($89 yearly) with unlimited results. Backlink data is lighter than Ahrefs', but for PPC research it is very good value, and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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5. Ubersuggest: the cheapest monthly plan

Ubersuggest (by NP Digital) is the cheapest tool here: its own price comparison lists its plans from $29 to $99 a month. The Individual plan covers 1 project, 125 tracked keywords and 150 searches a day; Business adds 7 projects and 300 searches a day. It also sells one-off lifetime plans, and monthly plans have a 7-day free trial. The data is simpler than Ahrefs', but it is easy for beginners.

6. Majestic: the backlink specialist

Majestic has specialised in backlink analysis since 2004, with its own Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics. Lite costs $49.99 a month ($499.99 a year) and Pro $99.99 a month ($999.99 a year); the API plan costs $399.99 a month. Prices exclude VAT, and Lite and Pro have a 7-day money-back guarantee for new customers. Its keyword features are limited and it is not a site-audit tool, so most people use it alongside another tool.

7. Serpstat: a budget all-in-one platform

Serpstat includes keyword research, site analysis, rank tracking, site audits and backlink analysis. Individual costs $50 a month billed yearly ($600 up front), with 5 projects and 100 searches a day; Team costs $100 a month billed yearly and adds API access, MCP integration and 1,500 AI visibility checks; Agency costs $410 a month billed yearly. You can try the Team plan free for 7 days.

8. Mangools: the easiest to learn

Mangools bundles five simple tools: KWFinder for keyword research, SERPChecker, SERPWatcher for rank tracking, LinkMiner for backlinks and SiteProfiler, plus AI Search Watcher. Mangools' own Ahrefs comparison puts its price at from $37.70 a month (Basic, billed yearly); Basic includes 100 keyword lookups a day and 200 tracked keywords. You can create a free account first, and there is a 48-hour money-back guarantee.

9. cognitiveSEO: backlink audits and penalty recovery

cognitiveSEO is still active and focuses on backlink analysis, link audits and Google penalty recovery, alongside a site audit, rank tracker and content optimisation tool. The Starter plan costs $129.99 a month (yearly billing saves 30%), and there is a 7-day free trial that needs a card or PayPal. It is not cheaper than Ahrefs Lite; choose it if cleaning up a risky backlink profile is your main job.

What Changed Since the 2025 Version of This List

  • Google Search Console is free, so it has moved to our list of free Ahrefs alternatives, together with Ahrefs Free (formerly Ahrefs Webmaster Tools).
  • Ahrefs now has a $29 Starter plan and a free plan for verified sites, but still lists no free trial.
  • Semrush now sells an SEO plan and combined SEO + AI Search plans (Starter and Pro+) and belongs to Adobe.
  • Ubersuggest now lives at ubersuggest.com rather than on Neil Patel's own website.
  • cognitiveSEO is still available, so it stays on the list.

Which Ahrefs Alternative Should You Choose?

  • You want Ahrefs-level data in one tool: Semrush, or SE Ranking if you want to pay less.
  • You run one small website: Moz Pro Starter ($49) or Mangools Basic.
  • You mainly need competitor and PPC keywords: SpyFu.
  • You mainly need backlink data: Majestic, or cognitiveSEO for link audits.
  • You have almost no budget: Ubersuggest, or the free tools in our free Ahrefs alternatives guide.
  • You want to test before paying: SE Ranking (14 days, no card), Semrush (7 days) or Serpstat's Team plan (7 days).
Comparing two tools head to head? Read Ahrefs vs Semrush, Ahrefs vs SE Ranking, Ahrefs vs Serpstat, Ahrefs vs Ubersuggest, Semrush vs SpyFu or Moz vs Majestic. From this batch, see also Ahrefs vs Long Tail Pro, Ahrefs vs Wincher and SpyFu vs Keyword Insights.

How Founders Use Paid SEO Tools Without Overspending

Most startups don't need a $129-a-month tool every month. A practical approach: use the free tools until you publish regularly, then pay for one month of a full tool when you plan content or check competitors, and cancel in between. Start with keyword research (our Keyword Tool vs Keyword Planner comparison covers the free options), track a short list of keywords, and audit your site before big changes. If you are also comparing other platforms, see our lists of Semrush alternatives and Moz alternatives.
Research only pays off when you publish. The F/MS AI SEO Tool turns your keywords into articles written to rank on Google and to be cited by AI assistants, with human editors checking the result.

FAQ About Ahrefs Alternatives

How much does Ahrefs cost in 2027?

Ahrefs' pricing page lists Starter at $29 a month, Lite at $129, Standard at $249, Advanced at $449 and Enterprise at $1,499 with an annual commitment. Paying yearly saves up to 17%.

Does Ahrefs have a free trial?

No free trial is listed. Ahrefs says it never runs discounts and points website owners to Ahrefs Free, which covers only sites you verify.

What is the best alternative to Ahrefs?

Semrush is the closest all-round match. SE Ranking offers similar core features for less, at $129 a month or $103.20 billed yearly.

What is the cheapest alternative to Ahrefs?

Among the paid tools we checked, Ubersuggest starts at $29 a month, SpyFu Basic at $39 ($29 billed yearly) and Moz Pro Starter at $49.

Is Semrush cheaper than Ahrefs?

No. Semrush's SEO plan costs $139.95 a month, slightly more than Ahrefs Lite at $129. Semrush does offer a 7-day free trial and a free plan.

Which Ahrefs alternative is best for backlinks?

Majestic, which specialises in backlink data with its Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics; cognitiveSEO is strong for backlink audits and penalty recovery.

Which Ahrefs alternatives can I try for free?

SE Ranking has a 14-day free trial that needs no credit card. Semrush, Ubersuggest, Serpstat (Team plan) and cognitiveSEO offer 7 days, and Moz Pro also has a free trial.

Is cognitiveSEO still available?

Yes. Its Starter plan costs $129.99 a month, with a 7-day free trial.

Are there free Ahrefs alternatives?

Yes, for your own website: Google Search Console, Ahrefs Free, Bing Webmaster Tools and Screaming Frog's free version. See our free Ahrefs alternatives guide.

Where can I get my startup featured to build backlinks?

You can publish a guest post in one of the Fe/male Switch startup blogs, which rank in Google and in AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity. Get a quality backlink.

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
2026-10-26 21:42 Top Alternatives