Ahrefs vs. Screaming Frog in 2025: The Best Tools to Optimize SEO and Keywords for Startups
In 2025, effective SEO and keyword research are more than just about search engine rankings, they drive discoverability, traffic, and ultimately conversions. For startups and SMEs navigating tight budgets and competitive landscapes, choosing the best SEO tools becomes critical to their growth. Ahrefs and Screaming Frog are two of the most talked-about platforms in this space, each excelling in distinct areas. But which tool is best suited for your needs in 2025? Let’s dive into this showdown, exploring key differences, benefits, and best practices.
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The Importance of SEO Tools for Early-Stage Startups
Marketers often say, "Building a great product is just half the battle." The harder, but arguably more crucial, part is marketing it. Even the best ideas can flounder in obscurity if they remain undiscovered. This is where tools like Ahrefs and Screaming Frog come into play.
Startups and SMEs, particularly those with limited resources, must focus on:
- Building keyword-targeted content that attracts organic traffic.
- Auditing technical SEO issues to ensure search crawlers can find their site.
- Tracking competitors to uncover gaps and opportunities.
By streamlining these tasks, SEO tools allow founders to focus on scaling their business, validating product/market fit, and turning casual visitors into loyal customers.
Looking for an effortless way to automate your SEO strategy? Try the F/MS AI SEO Writer with Human Oversight. Designed for entrepreneurs, this tool crafts high-quality, search-engine-friendly content that not only ranks but builds authority across platforms like Google and AI-driven tools such as ChatGPT or Perplexity.
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The Head-to-Head Comparison: Ahrefs vs. Screaming Frog
1. Ahrefs: The Swiss Army Knife of SEO
Ahrefs is often hailed as the “all-in-one” SEO platform, and for good reason. Packed with features ranging from keyword research and rank tracking to backlink analysis and content gap identification, Ahrefs is especially valuable for startups looking to improve their visibility and monitor competitors.
Key Features:
- Keyword Explorer: Generate keyword suggestions alongside detailed metrics like search volume, keyword difficulty (KD), and traffic potential, essential for early-stage startups.
- Backlink Analysis: See which websites are linking to your competitors and create a targeted backlink-building strategy.
- Content Gap Tool: Quickly identify content opportunities by analyzing what your competitors rank for but you don’t.
- Rank Tracker: Regular updates on where your site stands for your target keywords globally and locally.
Pricing in 2025:
Ahrefs offers plans starting at $99/month, with varying feature sets. Startups can also opt for a lighter plan at $29/month, which is perfect for essential SEO tasks.
Best For: Entrepreneurs and marketers focused on comprehensive keyword research, competition tracking, and content creation strategies.
Check out reviews on Zapier's list of best SEO tools in 2025 for an in-depth look at Ahrefs' features.
2. Screaming Frog: The Technical SEO Detective
Screaming Frog doesn’t aim to compete with the breadth of Ahrefs. Instead, it specializes in deep technical SEO auditing, an area where many startups struggle. By crawling your website, Screaming Frog identifies critical issues like broken links, duplicate content, and missing metadata that affect your search performance.
Key Features:
- Website Crawling: Analyze up to 500 URLs for free or purchase the paid version for unlimited crawls.
- SEO Audit Reports: Detect errors such as duplicate content, missing meta descriptions, and incorrect canonical tags.
- Redirect Path Check: Ensure 301s or 302s are implemented properly to avoid issues with link equity.
- XML Sitemap Generation: Create search-engine-friendly site maps with minimal effort.
Pricing in 2025:
Still accessible and budget-friendly, Screaming Frog’s paid plan costs around $259/year, a steal for startups with a focus on site health and performance.
Best For: Tech-focused founders and SEO professionals aiming for perfect site architecture and fast-loading pages.
Want to dig deeper? Read about why Screaming Frog is a top SEO tool for technical audits on 321 Web Marketing.
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How to Choose the Right Tool for Your Startup or SME
While both tools have unique strengths, the decision largely depends on your current SEO priorities:
ScenarioBest Tool
Conducting comprehensive keyword research
Ahrefs
Tracking competitor backlinks or content strategies
Ahrefs
Identifying and fixing technical site issues
Screaming Frog
Low-budget solutions for smaller websites
Screaming Frog
That said, integrating both tools into your workflow often yields the best results. Use Screaming Frog to perfect your site’s infrastructure and Ahrefs to build out high-performing content strategies.
By combining them, startups can address both content optimization and technical SEO challenges in a data-driven way.
Common Mistakes Startups Make with SEO Tools
- Neglecting Technical SEO: Even the best content won’t rank if crawlers can’t index your site properly. Audit your site regularly with tools like Screaming Frog.
- Overlooking Competitors: Startups often miss the opportunity to learn from competitor strategies. Use tools like Ahrefs’ Content Gap to close these.
- Choosing Tools Based Solely on Price: While budgets are tight, saving on tools often makes scaling content or audits harder later. Remember, SEO is an investment.
- Ignoring Data from AI Platforms: In 2025, users increasingly rely on AI tools like ChatGPT for answers. Optimize your SEO to rank in traditional search engines and these AI tools.
Looking for an edge? Boost your visibility by listing your startup in relevant directories. Check out the F/MS Marketing Directories to gain backlinks and improve your domain authority.
Pro-Tip for Founders: Automate Your SEO Today
What if you could automate your blog’s SEO while focusing on growing your startup? The F/MS AI SEO Tool enables entrepreneurs to rank on Google, Bing, and even AI tools like ChatGPT without the manual hassle. It’s not just about ranking, it’s about creating content that builds your brand’s authority.
Features include:
- AI-generated blog posts curated by experts.
- Auto-optimized content for search engines and trending platforms.
- Conversion-ready lead generation strategies.
It’s never been easier to manage your SEO while prioritizing what matters most: growing your business.
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Conclusion: Choose Wisely for Long-Term Growth
Both Ahrefs and Screaming Frog are indispensable in 2025 for startups and SMEs aiming to dominate their industries. If your focus is on keywords, backlinks, and competitors, Ahrefs is your go-to tool. For technical site audits and resolving performance issues, Screaming Frog wins every time.
Ultimately, many businesses find that combining these tools gives them a competitive edge. Whichever tool you choose, make sure it aligns with your current business goals, and remember to reinvest in marketing, you can’t grow what customers can’t find.
For entrepreneurs looking to supercharge their SEO with minimal effort, explore the F/MS AI SEO Tool with Human Oversight and get ready to rank on every relevant platform imaginable.
Tag, share, and grow your startup! 🚀
FAQ on Ahrefs vs. Screaming Frog for Startups in 2025
1. What is the primary difference between Ahrefs and Screaming Frog?
Ahrefs is an all-in-one SEO platform focusing on keyword research, backlink analysis, and competitor tracking, while Screaming Frog specializes in technical SEO audits to identify and fix site issues like broken links or duplicate content. Learn more about Ahrefs and Screaming Frog
2. Where can I submit a guest post about my startup?
If your startups need to drive targeted traffic and build authority with high-volume, niche-relevant content placements in articles that rank well not only in Google, but also in Perplexity and ChatGPT, then you might want to publish your guest post in one of the F/MS Startup Game's blogs. Get a quality backlink
3. What makes Ahrefs a top choice for startups?
Ahrefs offers tools like keyword research with search volume insights, backlink tracking, and a Content Gap tool to identify opportunities for targeted content creation, making it invaluable for growing startups. Explore Ahrefs’ features
4. Why is Screaming Frog ideal for technical SEO audits?
Screaming Frog excels in crawling websites to find technical SEO issues like missing meta tags, duplicate content, and broken links, which are crucial for optimizing your site’s infrastructure. Learn about Screaming Frog
5. How much do Ahrefs and Screaming Frog cost in 2025?
Ahrefs offers plans starting at $99/month, with a beginner option at $29/month, while Screaming Frog’s paid plan costs $259/year, making it budget-friendly for technical SEO needs. Understand Ahrefs and Screaming Frog pricing
6. Can startups benefit by using both tools together?
Yes, integrating Ahrefs for keyword strategy and competitor analysis with Screaming Frog for technical SEO audits ensures a comprehensive approach to optimization. See why combining tools is effective
7. Can I use AI to write SEO-optimized articles that help my brand grow?
Most business owners don't understand how SEO works, let alone how to use AI for writing blog articles. That's why for busy business owners there's a great free tool that doesn't require much knowledge. Write articles for free
8. What’s the best tool for competitor backlink analysis?
Ahrefs stands out for its Backlink Analysis tool, allowing you to track competitor backlinks and identify opportunities to strengthen your own link-building strategy. Check out Ahrefs
9. Can Screaming Frog handle large-scale website audits?
Yes, Screaming Frog can crawl unlimited URLs with its paid version, making it ideal for large or complex websites. Discover Screaming Frog’s capabilities
10. How does Ahrefs help with content creation strategies?
Ahrefs features tools like the Content Gap and Keyword Explorer, helping startups find content opportunities and refine their strategies to attract the right audience. Learn more about Ahrefs for content
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.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch. The Fe/male Switch team is located in several countries, including the Netherlands and Malta.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
