Build my stackAhrefs vs SE Ranking
Evaluating Ahrefs and SE Ranking requires comparing two popular options in the marketing & seo space. While Ahrefs is widely recognized for its ability to help sEO professionals, agencies, and in-house marketing teams that need the deepest backlink index, the most accurate keyword data, and an all in one research workspace that now covers both traditional search and AI search visibility., SE Ranking is optimized for teams that need to focus on growing digital agencies, in-house search marketing teams, and mid-market companies seeking an accurate daily keyword rank tracker with local ZIP-code precision, automated white-label client PDF reporting, and website audit tools at a fraction of the cost of legacy enterprise suites.. In this hands-on evaluation, we look at their pricing structures, feature sets, user reviews, and performance to help you decide which tool fits your daily workflow best.
Based on our comprehensive evaluation metrics, Ahrefs emerges as the stronger overall choice for most teams, earning a score of 4.8 compared to 4.3 for SE Ranking. A key factor in this recommendation is that Ahrefs provides largest commercial backlink index outside Google, updated constantly, which helps streamline workflows. However, SE Ranking remains an excellent alternative if your team is specifically looking for a tool optimized for growing digital agencies, in-house search marketing teams, and mid-market companies seeking an accurate daily keyword rank tracker with local ZIP-code precision, automated white-label client PDF reporting, and website audit tools at a fraction of the cost of legacy enterprise suites. and you value best price-to-feature ratio in the category. Weigh the cost differences and feature limits carefully before making a commitment.
When comparing Ahrefs and SE Ranking, Ahrefs comes out ahead with a 4.8/5 score for sEO professionals, agencies, and in-house marketing teams that need the deepest backlink index, the most accurate keyword data, and an all in one research workspace that now covers both traditional search and AI search visibility.. Ahrefs starts at $129/mo, while SE Ranking starts at $52/mo. Choose Ahrefs for sEO professionals, agencies, and in-house marketing teams that need the deepest backlink index, the most accurate keyword data, and an all in one research workspace that now covers both traditional search and AI search visibility., or SE Ranking for growing digital agencies, in-house search marketing teams, and mid-market companies seeking an accurate daily keyword rank tracker with local ZIP-code precision, automated white-label client PDF reporting, and website audit tools at a fraction of the cost of legacy enterprise suites..
Who stands behind these tools
Ahrefs
- Company
- Ahrefs Pte. Ltd.
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Singapore
- CEO
- Dmitry Gerasimenko
Pricing & features verified 2026-07-01
SE Ranking
- Company
- SE Ranking Ltd.
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdom
- CEO
- Yaroslav Kholodov
Pricing & features verified 2026-07-20
Ahrefs vs SE Ranking at a glance
| Ahrefs | SE Ranking | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Marketing & SEO | Marketing & SEO |
| Our rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Starts at | $129/mo | $52/mo |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Best for | SEO professionals, agencies, and in-house marketing teams that need the deepest backlink index, the most accurate keyword data, and an all in one research workspace that now covers both traditional search and AI search visibility. | Growing digital agencies, in-house search marketing teams, and mid-market companies seeking an accurate daily keyword rank tracker with local ZIP-code precision, automated white-label client PDF reporting, and website audit tools at a fraction of the cost of legacy enterprise suites. |
Feature Comparison & Edge Analysis
Toggle below to spotlight the unique capabilities where each tool stands out
| Capability / Feature | Ahrefs | SE Ranking | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
Free Tier Access SE Ranking has free tier | SE Ranking Wins | ||
Native Time Tracking Built-in timer & logging capabilities | SE Ranking Wins | ||
AI Assistant & Summary AI text generation & automated summary support | Parity | ||
Custom Views (Board/List/Gantt) Multiple workspace view perspectives | Parity | ||
Mobile Apps (iOS & Android) Native mobile app support | Parity | ||
CSV & Workspace Export Full data portability and CSV exports | Parity | ||
Role-Based Permissions Granular access controls per member | Parity | ||
Workflow Automations Trigger-action automation rules | Parity | ||
External Guest Sharing Client and guest collaboration access | Parity | ||
Enterprise SSO & SAML Single Sign-On enterprise security | Parity |
How Pricing Scales as Your Team Grows
Drag the seat slider to see the exact price gap and cost trajectory between Ahrefs and SE Ranking
AhrefsEst. $2,690/year at 5 seats
📐 $129 base + 4 extra seats (+$140)
SE RankingEst. $1,584/year at 5 seats
📐 $132/mo base
500-Credit Ceiling & Inactive Project Crawl Consumption
Ahrefs consumes 1 credit per report row click, SERP breakdown, and filter toggle. Heavy research can exhaust the 500-credit monthly quota within 4 days, triggering $35/pack overage billing.
Disable automatic site audit crawls for non-essential projects and export raw CSV data in single bulk queries rather than clicking individual UI drill-downs.
How they scored, dimension by dimension
In our testing, SE Ranking comes out on top for value for money with a rating of 4.9 versus 4.0 for Ahrefs. This difference reflects SE Ranking's more powerful implementation of these features, which helps teams execute work with less friction. While Ahrefs is capable, it does not match the ease of use or feature depth offered by the winning platform in this category.
Where Ahrefs shines
- Largest commercial backlink index outside Google, updated constantly
- Site Explorer and Keywords Explorer are the industry benchmark for accuracy
- New Brand Radar tracks brand visibility inside AI search (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini)
- Custom AI prompts, MCP server, and Report Builder bring AI workflow into the core product
- Entry price jumped to $129/mo for Lite, a real jump from the old $99
- Credits and row limits replace unlimited usage, which frustrates power users
Where SE Ranking shines
- Best price-to-feature ratio in the category
- 15 projects on Essential plan vs 5 on Moz Standard at same price
- 750 tracked keywords vs 300 on Moz, 1,500 on Ahrefs Lite
- White-label reports and client login portal
- Backlink index size and discovery cadences are smaller than Ahrefs, sometimes missing brand-new referring domains on newly launched sites.
- Historical competitive advertising and PPC keyword databases are less detailed than Semrush for complex multi-channel paid search campaigns.
AI Head-to-Head Arbiter
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AI Advocate Debate
A structured 3-round head-to-head match between verified software advocates.
Round 1: Speed, User Experience, and Day-One Velocity
Ahrefs Advocate
Pro-Ahrefs Stance
Ahrefs is built specifically for SEO professionals, agencies, and in-house marketing teams that need the deepest backlink index, the most accurate keyword data, and an all in one research workspace that now covers both traditional search and AI search visibility.. Its main superpower is Largest commercial backlink index outside Google, updated constantly, allowing teams to get up and running without endless configuration friction.
"While SE Ranking offers plenty of options, it often requires more setup overhead before you see actual productivity gains."
SE Ranking Advocate
Pro-SE Ranking Stance
SE Ranking excels where deep power is required. Best for Growing digital agencies, in-house search marketing teams, and mid-market companies seeking an accurate daily keyword rank tracker with local ZIP-code precision, automated white-label client PDF reporting, and website audit tools at a fraction of the cost of legacy enterprise suites., its standout advantage is Best price-to-feature ratio in the category, giving teams greater autonomy as workflows expand.
"Ahrefs can feel constrained once your team outgrows its default feature boundaries."
So which should you pick?
Choose Ahrefs if
- Built for sEO professionals, agencies, and in-house marketing teams that need the deepest backlink index, the most accurate keyword data, and an all in one research workspace that now covers both traditional search and AI search visibility.
- Largest commercial backlink index outside Google, updated constantly
Choose SE Ranking if
- Built for growing digital agencies, in-house search marketing teams, and mid-market companies seeking an accurate daily keyword rank tracker with local ZIP-code precision, automated white-label client PDF reporting, and website audit tools at a fraction of the cost of legacy enterprise suites.
- value for Money matter most to you
- You want a real free tier before paying
- Budget is tight (from $52/mo)
Migrating from SE Ranking to Ahrefs?
Estimated setup & migration time: ~14 hours for a 10-person team.
💡 Migration Tip: Export all projects from SE Ranking in CSV format before mapping custom fields into Ahrefs. Test with a 3-person sub-team first.
SE Ranking is the cheaper place to start
SE Ranking is the cheaper entry point at $52/mo, versus $129/mo for Ahrefs.
Ahrefs plans at a glance
Lite
Freelancers and small sites
- 1 user
- Core Site Explorer
- Rank tracking basics
Standard
SEO professionals
- Full Site Explorer
- More history & reports
- Content Explorer
Advanced
In-house teams
- More seats & limits
- Looker Studio
- Advanced reporting
Pricing is indicative and shown per month at the time of writing. Plans, limits, and prices change often, so check Ahrefs’s site for the latest before you buy.
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Ahrefs (Rated 4.8/5)