Ahrefs alternatives
Which Ahrefs alternative fits your job? 6 compared, with September 2026 prices
Ahrefs is built on its own web index, and nothing here replaces it for backlinks. For other jobs there are cheaper or simpler options. Here is who each one suits and what it costs today.
Disclosure: SearchBlueprint makes this page and is one of the 6 tools on it, listed first. Every other tool's price and features come from its own website, read on September 29, 2026, and each card says when another tool is the better pick.
- The shortlist
- 1SearchBlueprintTeams that want to know what to do next on their own site.
- 2SemrushTeams that want a broad toolkit with AI search in the same plan.
- 3SE RankingAgencies that want research, audits and AI checks for many clients.
- 4Moz ProSmall businesses that rely on Domain Authority and a link index.
- 5Mangools (KWFinder)Freelancers who want easy keyword research at a low price.
- 6UbersuggestSmall businesses that want a one-time price.
The short answer
For a full swap, Semrush and SE Ranking are the closest. For keyword research on a budget, Mangools and Ubersuggest cost less. If what you need is a plan for your own site, you may not need an index at all.
What Ahrefs is good at
Ahrefs is built on its own web index. Per their pricing page, Lite covers 5 projects, 750 tracked keywords, 5 tracked AI prompts and 6 months of history, with API and MCP access on core plans, and their free tools include a keyword generator and an AI visibility checker.
Why teams look at alternatives
- Core plans start at $129/mo (Lite), and the $29/mo Starter covers research only.
- Brand Radar, their AI prompt database, is priced separately from $199/mo.
- Lite tracks 5 AI prompts; more prompts mean a higher plan or a prompt package.
Per Ahrefs's own pricing page, read September 29, 2026.
At a glance
Prices as each vendor states them on September 29, 2026, in US dollars. Check their site before you buy.
| Tool | Best for | Entry price | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| SearchBlueprint | Teams that want to know what to do next on their own site. | Free first plan, then $150/mo (Base) | Your first strategy run free, plus 61 free tools with no signup |
| Semrush | Teams that want a broad toolkit with AI search in the same plan. | $139/mo (SEO), or $117.33/mo billed annually | Free plan with 10 reports a day; 7-day free trial on paid plans |
| SE Ranking | Agencies that want research, audits and AI checks for many clients. | $129/mo (Core), or $103.20/mo billed annually | 14-day free trial, no credit card |
| Moz Pro | Small businesses that rely on Domain Authority and a link index. | $49/mo for one website; Standard $99/mo, or $79/mo paid yearly | Free trial; a free Moz Community account gives limited Keyword Explorer, Link Explorer and MozBar access |
| Mangools (KWFinder) | Freelancers who want easy keyword research at a low price. | $37.70/mo (Basic), billed annually | Free account with 5 KWFinder lookups a day; 48-hour money-back guarantee |
| Ubersuggest | Small businesses that want a one-time price. | $39/mo (Individual), or $390 once for lifetime access | Free limited features; free trial on monthly plans |
The alternatives, one by one
1.SearchBlueprint
Our productBest for: Teams that want to know what to do next on their own site.
One run on your URL gives you a keyword map (which page on your site targets which search), a site structure and a list of pages to write next. On paid plans the on-page plan suggests a new title and headings for each page it reads.
- Entry price
- Free first plan, then $150/mo (Base)
- Free option
- Your first strategy run free, plus 61 free tools with no signup
Pick another tool if: It is not a data suite: no backlink index, no historical data and no daily tracking of keyword positions. If that is the job, a suite on this list does it.
2.Semrush
Best for: Teams that want a broad toolkit with AI search in the same plan.
The SEO plan covers 5 websites and 500 keywords tracked daily; the Starter plan adds 50 AI prompts tracked daily and 300 AI visibility reports a day.
- Entry price
- $139/mo (SEO), or $117.33/mo billed annually
- Free option
- Free plan with 10 reports a day; 7-day free trial on paid plans
Pick another tool if: AI search starts at $199/mo, and extra users start at $45/mo each.
Semrush's homepage says Adobe has completed its acquisition of Semrush.
3.SE Ranking
Best for: Agencies that want research, audits and AI checks for many clients.
Core includes unlimited keyword, competitor and backlink research, 10 projects and 100 AI prompts tracked daily across 5 AI models.
- Entry price
- $129/mo (Core), or $103.20/mo billed annually
- Free option
- 14-day free trial, no credit card
Pick another tool if: White-label reporting is in the Agency Pack add-on.
4.Moz Pro
Best for: Small businesses that rely on Domain Authority and a link index.
Link Explorer and Keyword Explorer have limited free access, and Standard at $99/mo adds 300 tracked keywords and 50 AI prompts checked weekly.
- Entry price
- $49/mo for one website; Standard $99/mo, or $79/mo paid yearly
- Free option
- Free trial; a free Moz Community account gives limited Keyword Explorer, Link Explorer and MozBar access
Pick another tool if: AI prompts are checked once a week.
5.Mangools (KWFinder)
Best for: Freelancers who want easy keyword research at a low price.
Basic at $37.70/mo billed annually allows 100 keyword lookups a day and tracks 200 keyword positions, with more than 65,000 locations.
- Entry price
- $37.70/mo (Basic), billed annually
- Free option
- Free account with 5 KWFinder lookups a day; 48-hour money-back guarantee
Pick another tool if: No extra seats on Basic.
6.Ubersuggest
Best for: Small businesses that want a one-time price.
Individual allows 150 searches a day for one project, or $390 once for lifetime access.
- Entry price
- $39/mo (Individual), or $390 once for lifetime access
- Free option
- Free limited features; free trial on monthly plans
Pick another tool if: The yearly price shown is a limited-time offer.
When to stay on Ahrefs
- Backlink research is the job. Nothing here replaces their index.
- You want thousands of keyword positions checked across many projects.
- You crawl very large sites and need their history going back years.
- You already use their API or MCP access in your own workflows.
Switching from Ahrefs
- 1Export your keyword lists and tracked keywords from Ahrefs as CSV.
- 2Save the backlink reports you rely on; other indexes will show different numbers.
- 3Rebuild one project in the alternative during its trial or on its free plan.
- 4Cancel once the new tool covers last month's actual work.
Questions people ask
What is the cheapest Ahrefs alternative?
Among the tools here, Mangools Basic at $37.70/mo billed annually, or Ubersuggest's $390 lifetime price. Both focus on keyword research rather than backlinks.
Is Ahrefs free, or is there a free alternative?
Ahrefs has a free account and free tools, such as a keyword generator and an AI visibility checker, but its full index is paid. Nothing free replaces that index; Moz's free community access and Google Keyword Planner cover the basics.
Which tool has the best backlink data?
Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz and SE Ranking each run their own backlink database. We don't test them against each other, so compare the reports for your own domain during a trial.
Is SearchBlueprint an Ahrefs alternative?
Only if you used Ahrefs to plan your own site. It has no backlink index, and it says so.
Before you pick a tool, see what your own site needs.
Start with the plan for your own site: which page targets each search, and what to write next. The first one is free.
- Free first plan
- No credit card
- Keep your plan