Fe/male Switch: Your Startup Facilitator & Incubator for Women

2025-10-24 08:26 Tool comparisons

Best SEO and Keyword Research Tools in 2025: Ahrefs vs Majestic Comprehensive Guide

In the fast-paced digital landscape of 2025, startups and SMEs (small and medium enterprises) face an ever-growing challenge: standing out amidst fierce competition. With search engines being the primary gateway to customers, mastering SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and keyword research is no longer optional, it’s critical to success.

When it comes to SEO tools, Ahrefs and Majestic often top the list. Each offers unique strengths that cater to businesses in different scenarios. But how do you choose the best one for your startup or SME in 2025? Let’s dive into a detailed comparison and help you make the choice that aligns with your goals.

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Why SEO is a Must-Have Marketing Strategy for Startups

Marketing, not product development, is the hardest part of any startup journey. Building the best product means nothing if no one knows it exists. To validate your idea, you must show up where your audience is searching: Google, Bing, and now even AI-driven assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

This is where the right SEO tool becomes essential. The right platform doesn’t just help businesses rank higher; it also uncovers opportunities for backlinks, content strategy, and competitor analysis.

Hint: If SEO feels overwhelming or is taking too much time, try the advanced F/MS AI Article Writer. It helps startups and SMEs set up a full SEO content strategy with AI-driven automation while also prioritizing backlink-building for authority.

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Ahrefs vs Majestic: The Core Breakdown

1. Ahrefs: A Complete SEO Package

Ahrefs is widely recognized as an all-in-one SEO suite suitable for comprehensive keyword research, competition analysis, backlink exploration, and more.

Keyword Database: Boasting over 17 billion indexed keywords, Ahrefs Keyword Explorer provides deep insights into search volume, keyword difficulty, and related terms. It’s a powerhouse for entrepreneurs aiming for both short-tail and long-tail keywords.
Backlink Analysis: With a rapidly refreshing database (updated every 15–30 minutes), Ahrefs excels at tracking backlinks and identifying growth opportunities.
Site Audit and Content Explorer: These tools allow startups to fix on-page errors and identify content gaps.
Pricing: Plans start at $29/month for basic packages, making it accessible even for newer startups.

Want a clearer picture of how Ahrefs can improve your campaigns? Learn more about Ahrefs’ SEO solutions on platforms like AISEO Blog.

2. Majestic: The Backlink Authority

While Majestic lacks some of the versatility of Ahrefs, it shines in its backlink analysis features.

Historic Data: Explore backlink history going back as far as 2006, making Majestic ideal for understanding long-term trends.
Fresh Index: Updated daily, this database includes trillions of URLs, largely catering to backlink-centric strategies.
Simplicity: With fewer advanced keyword functionalities, Majestic focuses primarily on link-building metrics like Trust Flow, Citation Flow, and Fresh Index scores.
Pricing: A more affordable option for startups, with packages starting under $80/month.

For businesses focused strictly on link-building campaigns, Majestic is worth considering. Explore its unique features on Rhino Rank’s Comparison Review.

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How to Choose Between Ahrefs and Majestic in 2025

Step 1: Define Your SEO Goals

If your main goal is keyword research and competitor analysis, Ahrefs is unbeatable with its keyword-rich database and advanced features.
If you’re looking to analyze and build a robust backlink strategy, Majestic may suit your needs better.

Step 2: Consider Usability and Learning Curve

Ahrefs has a more modern and intuitive interface, making it ideal for entrepreneurs without a dedicated SEO team. Majestic, while powerful, can feel outdated and clunky.

Step 3: Budget Wisely

For smaller budgets or niche backlink projects, Majestic is often more cost-effective. However, Ahrefs provides a better return on investment due to its versatility.

Common Mistakes SMEs Make with SEO Tools

Ignoring Usability Needs: Complex tools can waste time. Choose one your team can actually use efficiently.
Overlooking Competitor Insights: Focusing exclusively on keywords while ignoring competitor strategies is a missed opportunity.
Underestimating Backlink Strategies: Not all SEO efforts are keyword-based. Backlinks remain a core ranking factor in 2025.
Shying Away from Automation: Startups rarely have time to dedicate solely to SEO. Integrating AI tools, like the F/MS Marketing Tool, can help manage tasks like keyword generation, backlink outreach, and automatic updates.

Pro Tip: Boost Rankings with AI-Powered SEO Tools

Staying visible on SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) in 2025 means optimizing not just for Google but also for AI-driven platforms. Tools like F/MS AI Blog automate advanced keyword research, create highly-targeted authoritative content, and help your site rank on platforms like Bing AI and ChatGPT. This tool ensures that your blog and website are discoverable across all relevant platforms, driving traffic and conversions without manual interference.

Marketing Needs in 2025 and Why SEO is the First Step

Successful startups know that validating their product idea hinges on effective marketing. Strong marketing begins with making your business findable. Just like creating a product prototype, building an online presence starts with fine-tuned SEO and keyword optimization.

One of the fastest ways to get your SEO up and running is by leveraging tools like F/MS Marketing Directories, which offer 1,500+ business directories for backlink-building and traffic generation.

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Conclusion: Which Is Better for Startups, Ahrefs or Majestic?

Both Ahrefs and Majestic are excellent tools, but they cater to different needs:

Choose Ahrefs: If you want an all-in-one SEO tool for keyword research, content planning, and competition tracking.
Go with Majestic: If your primary goal is building an authoritative backlink strategy with historical data insights.

For startups, Ahrefs’ broader feature set makes it a more versatile choice, but Majestic remains a great budget-friendly alternative for link-builders.

And don’t forget, whether you pick Ahrefs, Majestic, or any other tool, automation is your best friend. Start saving hours and get ranked with the F/MS AI SEO Tool. It’s cutting-edge, effective, and leaves you more time to spend on growing your business.

SEO is only hard if you don’t start now. Which tool will you use today?

FAQ on Ahrefs vs Majestic: Best SEO Tools for Startups in 2025

1. Which is better for keyword research, Ahrefs or Majestic?

Ahrefs is widely regarded as the better tool for keyword research, offering comprehensive insights into search volume, keyword difficulty, and related terms. Majestic, on the other hand, primarily focuses on backlink analysis and has limited keyword features. Learn more about Ahrefs

2. Where can I submit a guest post about my startup?

If your startups needs 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. Are Ahrefs and Majestic suitable for SMEs with limited budgets?

Both tools offer plans tailored for smaller budgets. Majestic’s pricing starts under $80/month, while Ahrefs has introduced a $29/month plan for basic access, making them more accessible to startups and SMEs. Compare Ahrefs and Majestic

4. Which tool is better for backlink analysis?

Majestic outshines Ahrefs when it comes to backlink analysis, with features like Trust Flow, Citation Flow, and its extensive Historic Index. Ahrefs also provides backlink analysis but is more versatile overall. Explore Majestic’s features

5. What is the difference in usability between Ahrefs and Majestic?

Ahrefs has a more modern and intuitive interface, making it easier for startups to navigate. Majestic, while powerful, has a somewhat dated design that may require more effort to learn. Learn about usability

6. Are these tools good for competitor analysis?

Ahrefs excels in competitor analysis, offering insights into their keyword strategies, backlinks, and content performance. Majestic specializes in assessing backlink profiles to spot opportunities. Discover competitor analysis with Ahrefs

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. Which tool is better for startups looking to track long-term trends?

Majestic’s Historic Index, which dates back to 2006, is perfect for startups analyzing backlink trends over time. Ahrefs focuses more on real-time data updates. Learn more about Majestic’s Historic Index

9. Can Ahrefs and Majestic aid in technical audits?

Ahrefs includes a Site Audit feature that identifies on-page errors, content gaps, and technical SEO issues. Majestic lacks a technical audit tool but offers robust backlink-focused insights. Check out Ahrefs’ Site Audit

10. Which tool integrates better with other AI-driven platforms?

Staying competitive in 2025 requires adaptability with AI platforms like ChatGPT. Ahrefs integrates seamlessly with platforms for AI-powered keyword research and content creation, making it a stronger option for startups embracing AI technology. Explore SEO automation with Ahrefs

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.

Violetta Bonenkamp