🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 190 (from laksa187)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa190.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/","crawl_time":1775480636,"first_indexed_time":1603357739,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,robbierichards!www,\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/ s443","src_root_hash":"10544678642178949190","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Ahrefs vs SEMrush: A Side-By-Side Comparison of Both Toolsets","meta_descriptions":["Ahrefs vs SEMrush: which toolset is best for your business? This post provides side-by-side comaprison - SEO, competitor analysis and more."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"SEMrush and Ahrefs are titans (and competitors) in the SEO arena. Both platforms offer a range of tools to help bolster your SEO and broader digital marketing campaigns.\n \nBut which toolset is better? Ahrefs or SEMrush?\nThe answer will depend on the specific needs of your business. \nIn this post, I’m going to take a close look at how each toolset stacks up across the different areas of a search marketing campaign, from competitor analysis and keyword research all the way through to reporting and API access.\n \nBy the end of the post, you should have a good idea of whether Ahrefs or SEMrush is best-suited to the needs of your business and\/or clients.\n \nIf you want to see how Ahrefs compares to SEMrush in a particular area, use the links below to jump. There will also be a link at the end of each section that brings you back to the top of the post.\nAhrefs vs SEMrush (by use case):\nQuick comparison\nCompetitive Analysis\nKeyword Research\nRank Tracking\nSite Audits\nBacklink Analysis\nPPC Analysis\nCampaign Reporting\nAPI Access\nDisclaimer\n: This article does contain affiliate links. If you purchase a tool through one of my links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for the support!\nThe Competitors:\nAhrefs\nand\nSEMrush\nAhrefs\n and\nSEMrush\n (aff)\nare both leading all-in-one SEO toolsets.\nAhrefs is one of the best tools for SEO-related tasks, such as \nbacklink analysis\n, and keyword research. SEMrush has similar SEO tools, but it also offers a diverse range of other Toolkits for content audits, PPC,\nreporting\n, local listings \nand campaign management.\nSEMrush\nSEMrush\n (aff) is an all-in-one digital marketing platform that is used by over\n6 million\nprofessionals. Not only was it voted the\n#1 all-in-one SEO tool\nwith its broad competitor and market analysis, but it’s also a leading\nSEM tool\nwith its in-depth PPC analysis capabilities.\nAhrefs\nAhrefs\nis another all-in-one SEO toolset that is best-known for having the most extensive index of live backlinks. It also includes a robust suite of tools for keyword research, rank tracking, content analysis, backlink analysis, and technical\nsite audits\n.\nWe'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across different sections of the SEO campaign throughout the post, but here is a quick snapshot.\nAhrefs Vs. SEMrush\nCell\nSEMrush\nAhrefs\nFeatures\nUsability\nKeyword Index\n20B\n6.3B\nLive Backlink Index\nKeyword Research\nBacklink Analysis\nTechnical Site Audits\nRank Tracking\nPPC Analysis\nReporting\nAPI \nReports Per Day\n3,000 (starter plan)\n25 (starter plan)\nUsers (Starter Plan)\n1\n3\nPricing\nPlans start at $99.95\/mo\nPlans start at $99\/mo\nTrials\nFree 30-Day Trial\n7-Day Trial for $7\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs: Category Comparison\nIn this section, we'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across each of the major SEO campaign areas.\nAt the end of each section, I'll include a final verdict that includes a star rating for each of the following:\nFunctionality:\noverall breadth and quality of the feature set. \nUsability:\noverall ease-of-use.\nIn addition to functionality and usability, I'll also include a brief summary explaining how my final verdict was reached.  \nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Competitive Analysis\nBoth toolsets can analyze the competition. While Ahrefs’ competitive analysis toolset is centered more on SEO and content, SEMrush takes it to another level, providing deep insights into a competitor’s\nentire\nonline traffic strategy – i.e. organic, paid, referral, social, and direct – making it one of the top\nSimilarWeb competitors\n.\nSEMrush\nSEMrush\n (aff) is the industry-leader when it comes to competitor analysis. But one of the areas where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs is with its\ntraffic analysis\n.\nThe\n \nTraffic Analytics\n \nreport, in combination with the\nSEO\n and\nAdvertising\ntoolkits, lets you drill down to find the specific source of traffic for a competitor’s site.\nIdentify other websites also visited by your competitors’ site visitors, and get insights into their browsing interests and brand preferences.\n \nFind out which keywords, URLs, subfolders, and\/or subdomains drive the most organic traffic.\nIdentify which content types and topics get your competitors the most backlinks.\n \nFind out which paid keywords drive the most traffic, and how that is trending over time.\nFind out which keywords competitors have been bidding on the longest, and which ad copy has been in the rotation the longest.\nBulk analyze the online traffic strategies for up to 200 websites at once.\n \nFind out which websites, YouTube videos and channels your top competitors are publishing displays ads on.\nEditor's note:\nWant to test drive the Traffic Analytics toolset?\nUse the free trial link and traffic analysis template below:\nSEMrush + Traffic Analytics (\nfree 14-day trial\n)\nFree traffic analysis template\nReady to go? Sweet. Let’s get started! \nAhrefs\nWhile SEMrush provides a comprehensive view of your competitors’ entire digital marketing strategy, from how they get traffic to where they convert it, Ahrefs primarily focuses on\nSEO competitive analysis\n. \nAhrefs’\nSite Explore\nr only provides basic insights around paid keywords and ad copy compared to SEMrush.\nFind out which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic.\nPerform URL, subfolder and subdomain-level keyword\ngap analysis\n.\n \nFind out which content topics and types get the most engagement for competitors (Content Explorer).\nFind out which competitor content topics and types get linked to the most.\nUncover backlink gaps and recurring link sources. \nFINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH\nCell\nSEMrush\nAhrefs\nChannels\nOrganic, Paid, Social, Direct, and Referral\nOrganic and Paid (basic)\nFunctionality\nUsability\nSEMrush\nis the winner in this category.\nWhile Ahrefs provides some great insights into your competitor's SEO strategy and which content topics get the most engagement in a specific industry, SEMrush takes it a step further.\nIn addition to in-depth SEO competitor analysis, the ability to analyze which channels drive the most traffic – organic, paid, direct, social, referral – and drill into the specific source of that traffic, all the way down to the keyword, ad, or referral site, makes SEMrush a clear winner in the competitive analysis category. \nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Keyword Research\nBoth toolsets provide some of the best keyword research functionality of any tool on the market. SEMrush’s\nkeyword magic tool\nhas the largest keyword database with\n20 billion keywords\n.\nSEMrush\nThe Keyword Magic tool is the main keyword research tool for SEMrush. With the largest index and a ton of functionality, it’s no wonder it’s been voted the\n#1 keyword research\ntool by hundreds of experts. \nIf you're looking for a tool that provides the largest volume of accurate keyword data, SEMrush might be the one for you.\nUncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher.\nIdentify which keywords drive the most organic traffic to competing sites across different subdomains, subfolders, and URLs.\nCompare the keywords of up to five\ncompetitors\nto find keyword gaps at the URL, subfolder, and domain levels.\nFilter out all your\nuntapped featured snippet opportunities\n. i.e. where you have top 10 rankings for a keyword, but don't rank in the featured snippet yet.\nEnter a seed topic into the Keyword Magic tool, and build a massive list of long-tail keywords, broken into topic groups. Plus, you can toggle to view the question-based topics, too.\nKeyword research is also baked into the Advertising Toolkit, so you can see which keywords your competitors are bidding on, and for how long, and then check the ones you want to add to your master keyword list.\nSEMrush provides the largest and most accurate keyword database. \nAhrefs\nKeyword Explorer\nis the main keyword research tool in Ahrefs. Although it has a smaller index compared to SEMrush, the interface (UI) is more user-friendly and easier to navigate.\nUncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher.\nFind which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic to a site.\nEnter a seed keyword into Keyword Explorer and get hundreds or thousands of ideas that can be filtered by different reports based on keyword match types and question-based topics.\nThe SERP Overview report also makes it easy to\nquickly qualify\nnew keyword opportunities directly in the keyword list by looking at content types, traffic estimates, and backlink data for competing URLs.\nPerform keyword research across different search engines, such as Amazon, YouTube, and Bing. The accuracy is questionable at times, but it’s still a unique feature.\nFINAL VERDICT: TIED\nCell\nSEMrush\nAhrefs\nKeyword Index\n20B\n6.3B\nFunctionality\nUsability\nIt’s hard to separate the tools in this category purely on functionality and usability – it will largely come down to personal preference.\nIf you’re looking for the tool with the largest database of accurate keyword data, then\nSEMrush\nmight be the best option.\nBut if you’re looking for a solid keyword database with a user-friendly interface, plus the ability to search for opportunities on other search engines, then\nAhrefs\nmight be a better option.\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Rank Tracking\nOnce you have a set of existing or new target keywords, you’ll want an accurate rank tracker to monitor their performance across different devices. Both tools were voted as\nleading rank tracking solutions\n.\nSEMrush\nSEMrush offers rank tracking capabilities that rival or beat most\nstandalone SERP tracking tools\n.\nWhile both tools provide mobile ranking data on all plans, SEMrush provides daily ranking updates on the starter plan, whereas Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days\n.\nIn addition, Ahrefs' highest paid plans update ranking data every 3 days. \n \nGet a summary of your domain’s visibility, estimated traffic, and average position for every keyword you’re tracking.\nTrack keyword ranking changes from an international level, all the way down to a local level, and across\nall\ndevice types.\nCheck rankings across tags, devices, locations, and different SERP features.\nCompare your target keyword performance against competitors.\nMonitor SERP feature movements and quickly spot new opportunities.\nView historical ranking performance - 7, 30, 60, 90 days etc. \nIntegrate rank reports with other popular third party reporting tools such as Google Data Studio. \nImport\nhistorical rankings data from third-party tools. \nAhrefs\nAhrefs provides a solid rank tracking UI and feature set, but you need to be on the top-paying plans to access the mobile ranking data, and it is only updated every 3 days.\nAnalyze rankings data quickly in the user-friendly interface.\nFilter keyword rankings by tags, location, positions, search volume, traffic, competitors, device, etc.\nCheck which keywords have SERP features and whether you rank for them.\nSee SEO metrics for the top-ranking pages in the integrated SERP overview report.\nFINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH\nCell\nSEMrush\nAhrefs\nRanking Updates\nDaily\nEvery 7 days\nFunctionality\nUsability\nSEMrush\nis the winner in this category. \nI use the SEMrush\nposition tracker\nfor all my personal and client campaigns due to the accuracy and frequency of updates.\nSEMrush provides daily ranking updates and alerts, imports historical ranking data from third-party tools, and integrates with Data Studio. This makes it easy to quickly map ranking movements back to organic traffic and conversion performance. \nIn addition, the Position Tracker is extremely easy to set up and navigate. \nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Site Audits\nYou wouldn't build a house on shaky foundations, would you? Well, the same goes for your\nSEO campaigns\n. \nYou need a rock-solid SEO platform that makes it easy to uncover technical issues that are preventing your site from reaching its potential, or even worse, causing it to lose\norganic traffic\n.\n \nBoth SEMrush and Ahrefs provide versatile\naudit tools\nto ensure your site is on a solid footing.\nSEMrush\nSEMrush offers both a\ntoolset\nfor running in-depth technical audits, as well as automated content audits.\nIdentify issues associated with things like duplicate and thin content, broken links, crawling, and indexation problems.\nAudit the desktop or mobile version of a site, plus include or exclude specific pages.\nRun on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis.\nCompare crawls side-by-side\nfrom different points in time to see how errors, warnings, and notices have changed over time.\nPrioritize issues so you can see precisely where your website is struggling.\nSend audit action items from SEMrush directly into other project management tools like Trello. \nAhrefs\nAhrefs also provides a robust site audit toolset. \nMonitor your site for the 100+ most common SEO issues, such as redirect chains, missing meta descriptions, duplicate content, broken links, and indexation problems.\nCheck all possible SEO issues and follow recommendations on how to fix them.\nRun on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis.\nOne\nunique feature\nof the Ahrefs Site Audit tool is that it\nsupports Javascript rendering\n. Javascript-generated content is becoming more common, so this is a great feature.\nSEMrush does not currently support Javascript rendering. \nFINAL VERDICT: TIED\nCell\nSEMrush\nAhrefs\nFunctionality\nUsability\nThis category is going to largely come down to UI and feature preference. \nI've found the SEMrush audit insights to be more comprehensive and like the ability to\ncompare audits side-by-side\nto view progress, prioritize the list of actions, and import them into project management tools such as Trello for execution.\nIt’s also nice to go a step further and run automated content audits.\nAs a result, I prefer SEMrush over Ahrefs when it comes to monthly site crawls and technical audits. \nThat said, Ahrefs also provides a robust site audit tool. While it doesn't allow you to compare technical audits side-by-side, or automate content audits, it does provide other unique features such as the ability to execute\nJavascript rendering\n. \nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Backlink Analysis and Link Building\nAnother critical part of any SEO campaign is analyzing your backlink quality and\nbuilding authority links\n to\nimprove ranking\npotential. Both tools provide a full suite of tools to help with this. \nWhile I generally prefer Ahrefs for backlink analysis and link prospecting, SEMrush has improved a lot in this area in the last 12 months. It also provides a convenient\nbacklink audit tool\nthat makes it easy to spot potentially toxic links.\nSEMrush\nSEMrush is well-known for its competitive analysis, but over the last 12 months has improved its suite of\nlink building tools\n, closing the gap on Ahrefs.\nSEMrush now has an extensive backlink database plus a full set of features that allow you to analyze competitor backlinks, uncover quick win opportunities, and spot potentially harmful links in your profile. \nOne thing to note:\nIf you want to access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports in SEMrush, you have to set up a project, whereas, in Ahrefs, you don’t.\n \n(Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, e.g. 3, 15, 25. So if you’ve used your project allocation, you may have to remove one, or add more projects in order to access these reports in SEMrush.)\nFind a site's top linked pages to see which topics and content types attract the most links.\nUncover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity from pages linking to 404 pages.\nFind recurring link sources for your top competitors.\nPerform competitor backlink gap analysis to quickly spot where your competitors are getting links, but you’re not.\nBuilt-in workflows to help manage the entire outreach process - sending and receiving emails, follow ups and response tracking.\n \nAutomatically extract contact information from target websites.\n \nSpot toxic backlinks in your profile.\nAhrefs\nAhrefs is best-known for having the\nlargest index of live backlinks\n. Over the years, the platform has continually improved the feature set that sits on top of its enormous index, and provides a beautiful, easy-to-navigate UI that makes it easy to find and vet new backlink opportunities.\nEvery minute, Ahrefs crawls 5 million pages looking for new domains to vet and add to its index, making it the\nsecond most active crawler\nafter Google. \nFind the top-linked pages of competitor sites, discover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity.\nApply advanced filters to backlink reports to streamline the prospecting process.\nFind backlink gaps and recurring link sources – i.e. higher-probability link targets – with the Link Intersect tool.\n \nAnalyze anchor text distribution and referring IP patterns.\nUse trend graphs to spot unnatural link activity. Eg: negative SEO attacks.\n \nLink metrics are integrated with other tools like the keyword and content explorer, making it easier to accurately qualify new keyword opportunities and content topics.\nUse advanced filters to quickly\nidentify how many backlinks are needed to rank\na piece of content highly on page one. \nFINAL VERDICT: AHREFS\nCell\nSEMrush\nAhrefs\nFunctionality\nUsability\nAhrefs\nis the winner in this category.\nThe quality of Ahrefs’ link index, combined with the easy-to-navigate reports and powerful filtering options, makes it the top link building toolset on the market.\nAhrefs is still my preferred tool when it comes to finding new link building options.\nThat said, if you were leaning towards SEMrush before this point, they still provide solid\nlink building tools\nwith backlink analysis functionality.\nTheir index is constantly growing, along with the features. I just find Ahrefs’ data is still a bit cleaner, and the analysis capabilities (filtering etc) and UI easier to navigate. \nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for PPC Analysis\nPaid search is an important channel in most digital marketing strategies. It’s vital to purchase mindshare in the SERPs while waiting for organic search efforts to drive results.\nHaving a robust suite of SEM tools is critical to quickly uncover paid keyword opportunities, ad copy ideas, and high-converting landing page templates.\nIt helps eliminate the guesswork when it comes to planning and building a profitable campaign, and in the process, prevents a lot of wasted ad budget.\nSEMrush\nOn top of the competitive analysis and\nSEO toolkits\n, SEMrush provides one of the best SEM toolsets on the market. In many cases, it beats standalone\nPPC tools\n.\n \nThe\nAdvertising Toolkit\nprovides deep insights into a competitor’s PPC strategy, from budget and keywords to ad copies and landing pages. If you think you’ll need to analyze a competitor's paid strategies, this is where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs, and most other platforms, by a wide margin.\nUncover the\nkeywords\nyour competitors are bidding on, how much they are\nspending\neach month, and how these are trending over time.\nAnalyze the ad copies that competitors are using to\nwin the click\nin the SERPs, and see which ads have been running the longest as this can indicate the top-performing variants that you can model for higher ROI.\nFind all the landing pages that competitors are using to\nconvert paid traffic\n.\nFind which competitors are running\ndisplay ads\n, and the creatives they are using - text, image and HTML.\nFind which YouTube channels and videos your competitors are running\nvideo ads\non, along with the actual video ad creatives.\nAnalyze competitor PLA campaigns, and glean valuable insights into the creatives and pricing strategies they are using on\nGoogle Shopping\n.\nRun PPC\ngap analysis\nto find keywords your competitors are bidding on, but your current campaign is missing.\nUse the ad builder to find new keywords,\ncreate ad templates\n, and then import them directly into the Google Ads platform.\nAhrefs\nAhrefs added a paid search section in its Site Explorer, but has not appeared to prioritize this area of the platform. There is very little data on the keywords and ad copies used by domains.\nAhrefs provides a tiny fraction of the PPC insights compared to SEMrush’s Advertising Toolkit.\nGet minimal insights into the PPC keywords and ad copies a domain is running on Google.\nIn Ahrefs' defense, they have decided to focus primarily on improving their SEO toolset. That said, if you're running paid ad campaigns for your business or clients, and want to analyze competitor PPC campaigns, the SEMrush Advertising Toolkit may be a big differentiator for you. \nFINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH\nCell\nSEMrush\nAhrefs\nFunctionality\nUsability\nSEMrush\nis the winner in this category.\nSEMrush eliminates all the guesswork when it comes to building or optimizing Google PPC campaigns. You get an almost unfair behind-the-scenes look at your competitor’s campaign and quickly gain insights into what is working for them, so you don’t waste a bunch of money testing different keywords, ad copy, and landing pages.\nYou simply look at what is working for your competitors, and start with a proven template for success.\nAhrefs has not invested much in this area of its platform to date. So, if you’re looking for an all-in-one digital marketing platform that will give you valuable PPC insights, SEMrush is definitely the platform to choose.\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Campaign Reporting\nWhen running digital marketing campaigns, you need to show how your efforts are moving the needle from a ranking, traffic, and conversion standpoint.\nSEMrush\nSEMrush provides a robust\nbuilt-in reporting\ntoolset, along with simple integrations with a long list of third-party tools.\nYou can choose from a library of\npre-built templates\n, customize them with the\ndrag-and-drop\nreport builder, and pull\n50+ metrics\nfrom the different toolkits. It also integrates with Google My Business, Google Analytics, and Search Console.\nAhrefs\nWhile Ahrefs provides nice easy-to-read data visualizations inside the web app, it only enables basic pre-defined PDF exports and no white-label reporting functionality.\nFINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH\nCell\nSEMrush\nAhrefs\nFunctionality\nUsability\nSEMrush\nis the winner in this category.\nSEMrush provides a robust built-in reporting tool that eliminates the need to invest in third-party reporting tools.\nThe ability to pull in metrics from different sources - Google Analytics, Search Console and Google My Business - into a single dashboard, easily customize reports with a drag-and-drop builder, white-label and schedule reports, differentiate SEMrush from Ahrefs and a lot of other SEO platforms that only provide basic PDF exports.  \nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs: API Access\nAn API (Application Programming Interface) gives you access to a tool’s functionality without using the software. In other words, it's like a backdoor access to all the raw data that you usually see on the front-end user interface. So, if you’re developing in-house tools and reports, you can use the API to extract the data you require.\nSEMrush\nSEMrush offers two main\nAPI packages\n:\nThe Standard API comes with the Business Plan, and includes:\na. Analytics API (Domain Analytics and Keyword Research).\nb. Projects API (Site Audit and Position Tracking).\nc. Accounts API (how many API units remain on your account).\nThe Traffic Analytics API is available separately on request.\nGet data faster with the API than the standard interface.\nPull the data automatically to gather vast sets of data efficiently.\nIntegrate the SEMrush data into your dashboards and other tools.\nNote\n: The SEMrush\nAPI version 4.0\nis currently in beta and provides access to the Site Audit API.\nAhrefs\nThe\nAhrefs API\ncan pull the following metrics:\nDomain Rating (DR)\nBacklinks\nReferring Domains\nURL Rating (UR)\nThe free subscription is available with any of the paid plans, or you can purchase a more advanced API plan starting at $500\/mo.\nUser feedback suggests that the quality of the data lacks in comparison to the toolset.\nIntegrate the Ahrefs data into your in-house tools and apps.\nPull the data into reporting tools like Data Studio.\nFINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH\nCell\nSEMrush\nAhrefs\nFunctionality\nUsability\nSEMrush\nis the winner in this category.\nSEMrush has the most flexible API, allowing users to quickly pull data from its different Toolkits.\nAhrefs also provides a solid API, but based on the documentation page, it appears to be limited largely to referring domain and backlink data. \nThe Final Verdict: SEMrush or Ahrefs?\nDue to the more extensive index and accuracy of data, plus the breadth of use cases – competitor traffic and market analysis, SEO and PPC insights – if I had to choose one platform, I'd go with\nSEMrush\n.\nThat said, if you're looking for a solid all-in-one SEO toolset, it’s also worth considering a 7-day trial of\nAhrefs\n.\nHere's a recap of some of the major reasons you might consider choosing one over the other.\nSEMrush:\nBesides being a top-rated all-in-one SEO platform, SEMrush also provides deep competitor and traffic insights across\nall major digital channels\n– organic, paid, social, referral – on mobile and desktop devices.\nSEMrush provides a\nmore\nextensive\n, up-to-date\nkeyword database\n.\nSEMrush provides\ndaily ranking updates\n. In contrast, Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days for Lite plans ($99), and every 3 days on the Advanced Plans ($399\/month).\nThe site audit features are more comprehensive and easier to integrate with third-party reporting and project management tools like Trello.\nSEMrush provides advanced\nPPC analysis\ncapabilities. You can monitor competitor PPC spend, keyword targeting, ad copy, landing page URLs, video, Google Shopping and display ads.\nSEMrush lets you build\ncustom white-label reports\nthat pull data from all the different toolkits in the platform. Plus, It also integrates with third-party tools like Data Studio.\nUsers get access to a lot\nmore\ndomain analytics and\nreports\neach day.\nMost of the\ntoolkits are integrated\n, so you can look at competitor SEO and PPC keyword data side-by-side and add them to the same master keyword list.\nSEMrush enables users to run automated\ncontent audits\n.\nThe\nAPI\naccess is more flexible.\nAhrefs:\nAhrefs has the\nlargest index of live backlinks\n, which still makes it the best solution for backlink prospecting and analysis.\nIt pulls link data into keyword SERP overview reports, making it easier to\nqualify keywords\nmore accurately while inside the application.\nWhile SEMrush has improved a lot, the Ahrefs\nUI\nis still easier to navigate.\nThe Content Explorer makes it easy to identify which content types and topics in a given industry attract the most links and social engagement. \nAhrefs lets you access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports without setting up a ‘project’ whereas, in SEMrush, you have to create a project. Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, so if you’ve used your project allocation, these reports might be inaccessible in SEMrush.\nAhrefs’ site audit toolset provides\nJavascript rendering\n, whereas SEMrush' audit tooset currently does not.","attrs_markdown":"[Robbie Richards](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/)\n\nExpert Digital Marketing Consultant\n\n- [Hire Me](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/)\n  - [SaaS SEO Agency](https:\/\/virayo.com\/?utm_source=robbierichards&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=main+nav)\n  - [SaaS SEO Consulting](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/saas-seo-consultant\/)\n- [SEO Course](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo-course\/)\n- [My Tools](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/recommended-tools\/)\n- [YouTube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC3A1tHgfSAKQV70V21wu2OQ)\n- [Blog](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/blog-posts\/)\n- [Contact](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/contact\/)\n\n# Ahrefs vs SEMrush: Which is the Best Toolset for Your Business?\nOctober 22, 2020 by [Robbie](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/author\/robbiefergusontech-net\/) [Leave a Comment](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#respond)\n\nSEMrush and Ahrefs are titans (and competitors) in the SEO arena. Both platforms offer a range of tools to help bolster your SEO and broader digital marketing campaigns.  \n   \n*But which toolset is better? Ahrefs or SEMrush?*  \n  \nThe answer will depend on the specific needs of your business.   \n  \nIn this post, I’m going to take a close look at how each toolset stacks up across the different areas of a search marketing campaign, from competitor analysis and keyword research all the way through to reporting and API access.  \n   \nBy the end of the post, you should have a good idea of whether Ahrefs or SEMrush is best-suited to the needs of your business and\/or clients.  \n   \nIf you want to see how Ahrefs compares to SEMrush in a particular area, use the links below to jump. There will also be a link at the end of each section that brings you back to the top of the post.\n\n**Ahrefs vs SEMrush (by use case):**\n\n- [Quick comparison](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#quick)\n- [Competitive Analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#competitive)\n- [Keyword Research](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#keywordresearch)\n- [Rank Tracking](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#ranktracking)\n- [Site Audits](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#audit)\n- [Backlink Analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#backlinkanalysis)\n- [PPC Analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#ppc)\n- [Campaign Reporting](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#reporting)\n- [API Access](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#api)\n\n**Disclaimer**: This article does contain affiliate links. If you purchase a tool through one of my links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for the support\\!\n***\n## The Competitors: Ahrefs and SEMrush\n[Ahrefs](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/) and [SEMrush](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/?ref=14255390) (aff) are both leading all-in-one SEO toolsets.   \n  \nAhrefs is one of the best tools for SEO-related tasks, such as [backlink analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-backlink-checker\/), and keyword research. SEMrush has similar SEO tools, but it also offers a diverse range of other Toolkits for content audits, PPC, [reporting](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/reporting-tools\/), local listings and campaign management.\n\n### SEMrush\n[![](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image2.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image2.png)\n\n[SEMrush](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/?ref=14255390) (aff) is an all-in-one digital marketing platform that is used by over **6 million** professionals. Not only was it voted the [\\#1 all-in-one SEO tool](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-seo-tools\/) with its broad competitor and market analysis, but it’s also a leading [SEM tool](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-sem-tools\/) with its in-depth PPC analysis capabilities.\n\n### Ahrefs\n[![](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image12.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image12.png)\n\n[Ahrefs](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/) is another all-in-one SEO toolset that is best-known for having the most extensive index of live backlinks. It also includes a robust suite of tools for keyword research, rank tracking, content analysis, backlink analysis, and technical [site audits](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-seo-audit-tools\/).\n***\n## Ahrefs vs. SEMrush: Quick Comparison\nWe'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across different sections of the SEO campaign throughout the post, but here is a quick snapshot.\n\n| Ahrefs Vs. SEMrush |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Features** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **Keyword Index** | 20B | 6\\.3B |\n| **Live Backlink Index** |   |   |\n| **Keyword Research** |   |   |\n| **Backlink Analysis** |   |   |\n| **Technical Site Audits** |   |   |\n| **Rank Tracking** |   |   |\n| **PPC Analysis** |   |   |\n| **Reporting** |   |   |\n| **API** |   |   |\n| **Reports Per Day** | 3,000 (starter plan) | 25 (starter plan) |\n| **Users (Starter Plan)** | 1 | 3 |\n| **Pricing** | Plans start at \\$99.95\/mo | Plans start at \\$99\/mo |\n| **Trials** | **[Free 30-Day Trial](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/partner\/robbierichards)** | **[7-Day Trial for \\$7](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/)** |\n\n[Top](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#top)\n***\n## SEMrush vs. Ahrefs: Category Comparison\nIn this section, we'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across each of the major SEO campaign areas.\n\nAt the end of each section, I'll include a final verdict that includes a star rating for each of the following:\n\n- **Functionality:** overall breadth and quality of the feature set.\n- **Usability:** overall ease-of-use.\n\nIn addition to functionality and usability, I'll also include a brief summary explaining how my final verdict was reached.\n### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Competitive Analysis\nBoth toolsets can analyze the competition. While Ahrefs’ competitive analysis toolset is centered more on SEO and content, SEMrush takes it to another level, providing deep insights into a competitor’s **entire** online traffic strategy – i.e. organic, paid, referral, social, and direct – making it one of the top [SimilarWeb competitors](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/similarweb-alternatives\/).\n\n#### SEMrush\n[SEMrush](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/?ref=14255390) (aff) is the industry-leader when it comes to competitor analysis. But one of the areas where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs is with its [traffic analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/how-much-traffic-website-gets\/).   \n  \nThe**[Traffic Analytics](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/analytics\/traffic\/?ref=14255390)**report, in combination with the [SEO](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/seo\/?ref=14255390) and [Advertising](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/ppc\/?ref=14255390) toolkits, lets you drill down to find the specific source of traffic for a competitor’s site.\n\n[![SEMrush traffic analytics tools](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image13.jpg)![SEMrush traffic analytics tools](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20376%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image13.jpg)\n\n- Identify other websites also visited by your competitors’ site visitors, and get insights into their browsing interests and brand preferences.\n- Find out which keywords, URLs, subfolders, and\/or subdomains drive the most organic traffic.\n- Identify which content types and topics get your competitors the most backlinks.\n- Find out which paid keywords drive the most traffic, and how that is trending over time.\n- Find out which keywords competitors have been bidding on the longest, and which ad copy has been in the rotation the longest.\n- Bulk analyze the online traffic strategies for up to 200 websites at once.\n- Find out which websites, YouTube videos and channels your top competitors are publishing displays ads on.\n\n[![Robbie headshot](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rj-employee_Robbie-color-new.png)![Robbie headshot](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20150%20150%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rj-employee_Robbie-color-new.png)\n\n**Editor's note:** Want to test drive the Traffic Analytics toolset?  \n  \nUse the free trial link and traffic analysis template below:\n\n1. SEMrush + Traffic Analytics ([free 14-day trial](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/billing\/offers\/buy\/q8f9lqe5?promo=ROBBIE-JZBL9EGE))\n2. Free traffic analysis template\n\n![Traffic analysis template](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Traffic-Analysis-template.gif)\n\n![Traffic analysis template](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%201920%20876%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)\n\nReady to go? Sweet. Let’s get started\\!\n#### Ahrefs\nWhile SEMrush provides a comprehensive view of your competitors’ entire digital marketing strategy, from how they get traffic to where they convert it, Ahrefs primarily focuses on [SEO competitive analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/seo-competitor-analysis\/).   \n  \nAhrefs’ [Site Explore](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer)r only provides basic insights around paid keywords and ad copy compared to SEMrush.\n\n[![Ahrefs Site Explorer dashboard](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image5.png)![Ahrefs Site Explorer dashboard](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20406%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image5.png)\n\n- Find out which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic.\n- Perform URL, subfolder and subdomain-level keyword [gap analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/keyword-gap-analysis\/).\n- Find out which content topics and types get the most engagement for competitors (Content Explorer).\n- Find out which competitor content topics and types get linked to the most.\n- Uncover backlink gaps and recurring link sources.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Channels** | Organic, Paid, Social, Direct, and Referral | Organic and Paid (basic) |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **SEMrush** is the winner in this category.   While Ahrefs provides some great insights into your competitor's SEO strategy and which content topics get the most engagement in a specific industry, SEMrush takes it a step further.   In addition to in-depth SEO competitor analysis, the ability to analyze which channels drive the most traffic – organic, paid, direct, social, referral – and drill into the specific source of that traffic, all the way down to the keyword, ad, or referral site, makes SEMrush a clear winner in the competitive analysis category. |   |   |\n\n[Top](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#top)\n***\n### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Keyword Research\nBoth toolsets provide some of the best keyword research functionality of any tool on the market. SEMrush’s [keyword magic tool](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/analytics\/keywordmagic\/?ref=14255390) has the largest keyword database with **20 billion keywords**.\n\n#### SEMrush\nThe Keyword Magic tool is the main keyword research tool for SEMrush. With the largest index and a ton of functionality, it’s no wonder it’s been voted the [\\#1 keyword research](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-keyword-research-tool\/) tool by hundreds of experts.   \n  \nIf you're looking for a tool that provides the largest volume of accurate keyword data, SEMrush might be the one for you.\n\n[![SEMrush keyword magic tool](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image8.png)![SEMrush keyword magic tool](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20374%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image8.png)\n\n- Uncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher.\n- Identify which keywords drive the most organic traffic to competing sites across different subdomains, subfolders, and URLs.\n- Compare the keywords of up to five [competitors](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/find-competitor-keywords\/) to find keyword gaps at the URL, subfolder, and domain levels.\n- Filter out all your [untapped featured snippet opportunities](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/how-to-get-a-featured-snippet\/). i.e. where you have top 10 rankings for a keyword, but don't rank in the featured snippet yet.\n- Enter a seed topic into the Keyword Magic tool, and build a massive list of long-tail keywords, broken into topic groups. Plus, you can toggle to view the question-based topics, too.\n- Keyword research is also baked into the Advertising Toolkit, so you can see which keywords your competitors are bidding on, and for how long, and then check the ones you want to add to your master keyword list.\n- SEMrush provides the largest and most accurate keyword database.\n#### Ahrefs\n[Keyword Explorer](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer) is the main keyword research tool in Ahrefs. Although it has a smaller index compared to SEMrush, the interface (UI) is more user-friendly and easier to navigate.\n\n[![Ahrefs Keyword Explorer](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image7.png)![Ahrefs Keyword Explorer](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20408%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image7.png)\n\n- Uncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher.\n- Find which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic to a site.\n- Enter a seed keyword into Keyword Explorer and get hundreds or thousands of ideas that can be filtered by different reports based on keyword match types and question-based topics.\n- The SERP Overview report also makes it easy to [quickly qualify](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/serp-analysis\/) new keyword opportunities directly in the keyword list by looking at content types, traffic estimates, and backlink data for competing URLs.\n- Perform keyword research across different search engines, such as Amazon, YouTube, and Bing. The accuracy is questionable at times, but it’s still a unique feature.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: TIED |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Keyword Index** | 20B | 6\\.3B |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| It’s hard to separate the tools in this category purely on functionality and usability – it will largely come down to personal preference.   If you’re looking for the tool with the largest database of accurate keyword data, then **SEMrush** might be the best option.   But if you’re looking for a solid keyword database with a user-friendly interface, plus the ability to search for opportunities on other search engines, then **Ahrefs** might be a better option. |   |   |\n\n[Top](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#top)\n***\n### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Rank Tracking\nOnce you have a set of existing or new target keywords, you’ll want an accurate rank tracker to monitor their performance across different devices. Both tools were voted as [leading rank tracking solutions](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-rank-tracker\/).\n\n#### SEMrush\nSEMrush offers rank tracking capabilities that rival or beat most [standalone SERP tracking tools](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-serp-tracking-tools\/).\n\nWhile both tools provide mobile ranking data on all plans, SEMrush provides daily ranking updates on the starter plan, whereas Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days**.** In addition, Ahrefs' highest paid plans update ranking data every 3 days.\n\n[![SEMrush Position Tracker](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image6.png)![SEMrush Position Tracker](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20433%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image6.png)\n\n- Get a summary of your domain’s visibility, estimated traffic, and average position for every keyword you’re tracking.\n- Track keyword ranking changes from an international level, all the way down to a local level, and across **all** device types.\n- Check rankings across tags, devices, locations, and different SERP features.\n- Compare your target keyword performance against competitors.\n- Monitor SERP feature movements and quickly spot new opportunities.\n- View historical ranking performance - 7, 30, 60, 90 days etc.\n- Integrate rank reports with other popular third party reporting tools such as Google Data Studio.\n- **Import** historical rankings data from third-party tools.\n#### Ahrefs\nAhrefs provides a solid rank tracking UI and feature set, but you need to be on the top-paying plans to access the mobile ranking data, and it is only updated every 3 days.\n\n[![Ahrefs Rank Tracker](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image16.png)![Ahrefs Rank Tracker](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20412%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image16.png)\n\n- Analyze rankings data quickly in the user-friendly interface.\n- Filter keyword rankings by tags, location, positions, search volume, traffic, competitors, device, etc.\n- Check which keywords have SERP features and whether you rank for them.\n- See SEO metrics for the top-ranking pages in the integrated SERP overview report.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Ranking Updates** | Daily | Every 7 days |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **SEMrush** is the winner in this category. I use the SEMrush [position tracker](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/features\/position-tracking\/?ref=14255390) for all my personal and client campaigns due to the accuracy and frequency of updates. SEMrush provides daily ranking updates and alerts, imports historical ranking data from third-party tools, and integrates with Data Studio. This makes it easy to quickly map ranking movements back to organic traffic and conversion performance. In addition, the Position Tracker is extremely easy to set up and navigate. |   |   |\n\n[Top](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#top)\n***\n### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Site Audits\nYou wouldn't build a house on shaky foundations, would you? Well, the same goes for your [SEO campaigns](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/case-study\/).   \n  \nYou need a rock-solid SEO platform that makes it easy to uncover technical issues that are preventing your site from reaching its potential, or even worse, causing it to lose [organic traffic](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/increase-organic-traffic\/).  \n   \nBoth SEMrush and Ahrefs provide versatile audit tools to ensure your site is on a solid footing.\n\n#### SEMrush\nSEMrush offers both a [toolset](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/siteaudit\/?ref=14255390) for running in-depth technical audits, as well as automated content audits.\n\n[![SEMrush Site Audit report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image17.png)![SEMrush Site Audit report](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20437%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image17.png)\n\n- Identify issues associated with things like duplicate and thin content, broken links, crawling, and indexation problems.\n- Audit the desktop or mobile version of a site, plus include or exclude specific pages.\n- Run on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis.\n- **Compare crawls side-by-side** from different points in time to see how errors, warnings, and notices have changed over time.\n- Prioritize issues so you can see precisely where your website is struggling.\n- Send audit action items from SEMrush directly into other project management tools like Trello.\n#### Ahrefs\nAhrefs also provides a robust site audit toolset.\n\n[![Ahrefs Site Audit report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image11.png)![Ahrefs Site Audit report](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20396%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image11.png)\n\n- Monitor your site for the 100+ most common SEO issues, such as redirect chains, missing meta descriptions, duplicate content, broken links, and indexation problems.\n- Check all possible SEO issues and follow recommendations on how to fix them.\n- Run on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis.\n\nOne **unique feature** of the Ahrefs Site Audit tool is that it **supports Javascript rendering**. Javascript-generated content is becoming more common, so this is a great feature.   \n  \nSEMrush does not currently support Javascript rendering.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: TIED |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| This category is going to largely come down to UI and feature preference.   I've found the SEMrush audit insights to be more comprehensive and like the ability to **compare audits side-by-side** to view progress, prioritize the list of actions, and import them into project management tools such as Trello for execution.   It’s also nice to go a step further and run automated content audits. As a result, I prefer SEMrush over Ahrefs when it comes to monthly site crawls and technical audits. That said, Ahrefs also provides a robust site audit tool. While it doesn't allow you to compare technical audits side-by-side, or automate content audits, it does provide other unique features such as the ability to execute **Javascript rendering**. |   |   |\n\n[Top](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#top)\n***\n### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Backlink Analysis and Link Building\nAnother critical part of any SEO campaign is analyzing your backlink quality and [building authority links](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/13-killer-link-building-strategies\/) to [improve ranking](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/first-page-of-google\/) potential. Both tools provide a full suite of tools to help with this.   \n  \nWhile I generally prefer Ahrefs for backlink analysis and link prospecting, SEMrush has improved a lot in this area in the last 12 months. It also provides a convenient [backlink audit tool](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/backlink_audit\/?ref=14255390) that makes it easy to spot potentially toxic links.\n\n#### SEMrush\nSEMrush is well-known for its competitive analysis, but over the last 12 months has improved its suite of [link building tools](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/link_building\/), closing the gap on Ahrefs.\n\nSEMrush now has an extensive backlink database plus a full set of features that allow you to analyze competitor backlinks, uncover quick win opportunities, and spot potentially harmful links in your profile.   \n  \n**One thing to note:**  \n  \nIf you want to access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports in SEMrush, you have to set up a project, whereas, in Ahrefs, you don’t.  \n   \n(Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, e.g. 3, 15, 25. So if you’ve used your project allocation, you may have to remove one, or add more projects in order to access these reports in SEMrush.)\n\n[![SEMrush backlinks report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image1.png)![SEMrush backlinks report](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20464%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image1.png)\n\n- Find a site's top linked pages to see which topics and content types attract the most links.\n- Uncover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity from pages linking to 404 pages.\n- Find recurring link sources for your top competitors.\n- Perform competitor backlink gap analysis to quickly spot where your competitors are getting links, but you’re not.\n- Built-in workflows to help manage the entire outreach process - sending and receiving emails, follow ups and response tracking.\n- Automatically extract contact information from target websites.\n- Spot toxic backlinks in your profile.\n#### Ahrefs\nAhrefs is best-known for having the **largest index of live backlinks**. Over the years, the platform has continually improved the feature set that sits on top of its enormous index, and provides a beautiful, easy-to-navigate UI that makes it easy to find and vet new backlink opportunities.   \n  \nEvery minute, Ahrefs crawls 5 million pages looking for new domains to vet and add to its index, making it the **second most active crawler** after Google.\n\n[![Ahrefs backlinks report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image14.png)![Ahrefs backlinks report](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20392%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image14.png)\n\n- Find the top-linked pages of competitor sites, discover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity.\n- Apply advanced filters to backlink reports to streamline the prospecting process.\n- Find backlink gaps and recurring link sources – i.e. higher-probability link targets – with the Link Intersect tool.\n- Analyze anchor text distribution and referring IP patterns.\n- Use trend graphs to spot unnatural link activity. Eg: negative SEO attacks.\n- Link metrics are integrated with other tools like the keyword and content explorer, making it easier to accurately qualify new keyword opportunities and content topics.\n- Use advanced filters to quickly [identify how many backlinks are needed to rank](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need-to-rank\/) a piece of content highly on page one.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: AHREFS |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **Ahrefs** is the winner in this category.   The quality of Ahrefs’ link index, combined with the easy-to-navigate reports and powerful filtering options, makes it the top link building toolset on the market.   Ahrefs is still my preferred tool when it comes to finding new link building options.   That said, if you were leaning towards SEMrush before this point, they still provide solid [link building tools](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/link_building\/?ref=14255390) with backlink analysis functionality. Their index is constantly growing, along with the features. I just find Ahrefs’ data is still a bit cleaner, and the analysis capabilities (filtering etc) and UI easier to navigate. |   |   |\n\n[Top](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#top)\n***\n### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for PPC Analysis\nPaid search is an important channel in most digital marketing strategies. It’s vital to purchase mindshare in the SERPs while waiting for organic search efforts to drive results.   \n  \nHaving a robust suite of SEM tools is critical to quickly uncover paid keyword opportunities, ad copy ideas, and high-converting landing page templates.\n\nIt helps eliminate the guesswork when it comes to planning and building a profitable campaign, and in the process, prevents a lot of wasted ad budget.\n#### SEMrush\nOn top of the competitive analysis and [SEO toolkits](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/seo\/?ref=14255390), SEMrush provides one of the best SEM toolsets on the market. In many cases, it beats standalone [PPC tools](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/ppc\/best-ppc-tools).  \n   \nThe [Advertising Toolkit](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/ppc\/?ref=14255390) provides deep insights into a competitor’s PPC strategy, from budget and keywords to ad copies and landing pages. If you think you’ll need to analyze a competitor's paid strategies, this is where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs, and most other platforms, by a wide margin.\n\n[![SEMrush Advertising Research report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image10.png)![SEMrush Advertising Research report](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20421%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image10.png)\n\n- Uncover the **keywords** your competitors are bidding on, how much they are **spending** each month, and how these are trending over time.\n- Analyze the ad copies that competitors are using to **win the click** in the SERPs, and see which ads have been running the longest as this can indicate the top-performing variants that you can model for higher ROI.\n- Find all the landing pages that competitors are using to **convert paid traffic**.\n- Find which competitors are running **display ads**, and the creatives they are using - text, image and HTML.\n- Find which YouTube channels and videos your competitors are running **video ads** on, along with the actual video ad creatives.\n- Analyze competitor PLA campaigns, and glean valuable insights into the creatives and pricing strategies they are using on **Google Shopping**.\n- Run PPC **gap analysis** to find keywords your competitors are bidding on, but your current campaign is missing.\n- Use the ad builder to find new keywords, **create ad templates**, and then import them directly into the Google Ads platform.\n#### Ahrefs\nAhrefs added a paid search section in its Site Explorer, but has not appeared to prioritize this area of the platform. There is very little data on the keywords and ad copies used by domains.\n\nAhrefs provides a tiny fraction of the PPC insights compared to SEMrush’s Advertising Toolkit.\n\n[![Ahrefs PPC report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image3.png)![Ahrefs PPC report](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20452%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image3.png)\n\n- Get minimal insights into the PPC keywords and ad copies a domain is running on Google.\n\nIn Ahrefs' defense, they have decided to focus primarily on improving their SEO toolset. That said, if you're running paid ad campaigns for your business or clients, and want to analyze competitor PPC campaigns, the SEMrush Advertising Toolkit may be a big differentiator for you.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **SEMrush** is the winner in this category.   SEMrush eliminates all the guesswork when it comes to building or optimizing Google PPC campaigns. You get an almost unfair behind-the-scenes look at your competitor’s campaign and quickly gain insights into what is working for them, so you don’t waste a bunch of money testing different keywords, ad copy, and landing pages.   You simply look at what is working for your competitors, and start with a proven template for success.   Ahrefs has not invested much in this area of its platform to date. So, if you’re looking for an all-in-one digital marketing platform that will give you valuable PPC insights, SEMrush is definitely the platform to choose. |   |   |\n\n[Top](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#top)\n***\n### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Campaign Reporting\nWhen running digital marketing campaigns, you need to show how your efforts are moving the needle from a ranking, traffic, and conversion standpoint.\n\n#### SEMrush\nSEMrush provides a robust [built-in reporting](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/my_reports\/?ref=14255390) toolset, along with simple integrations with a long list of third-party tools.   \n  \nYou can choose from a library of **pre-built templates**, customize them with the **drag-and-drop** report builder, and pull **50+ metrics** from the different toolkits. It also integrates with Google My Business, Google Analytics, and Search Console.\n\n[![Building reports in SEMrush](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image4.png)![Building reports in SEMrush](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20426%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image4.png)\n\n#### Ahrefs\nWhile Ahrefs provides nice easy-to-read data visualizations inside the web app, it only enables basic pre-defined PDF exports and no white-label reporting functionality.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **SEMrush** is the winner in this category.   SEMrush provides a robust built-in reporting tool that eliminates the need to invest in third-party reporting tools. The ability to pull in metrics from different sources - Google Analytics, Search Console and Google My Business - into a single dashboard, easily customize reports with a drag-and-drop builder, white-label and schedule reports, differentiate SEMrush from Ahrefs and a lot of other SEO platforms that only provide basic PDF exports. |   |   |\n\n[Top](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#top)\n***\n## SEMrush vs. Ahrefs: API Access\nAn API (Application Programming Interface) gives you access to a tool’s functionality without using the software. In other words, it's like a backdoor access to all the raw data that you usually see on the front-end user interface. So, if you’re developing in-house tools and reports, you can use the API to extract the data you require.\n\n#### SEMrush\nSEMrush offers two main [API packages](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/api-documentation\/?ref=14255390):\n\n1. The Standard API comes with the Business Plan, and includes:  \n     \n   a. Analytics API (Domain Analytics and Keyword Research).  \n   b. Projects API (Site Audit and Position Tracking).   \n   c. Accounts API (how many API units remain on your account).\n2. The Traffic Analytics API is available separately on request.\n\n[![SEMrush API options](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image15.png)![SEMrush API options](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20439%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image15.png)\n\n- Get data faster with the API than the standard interface.\n- Pull the data automatically to gather vast sets of data efficiently.\n- Integrate the SEMrush data into your dashboards and other tools.\n\n**Note**: The SEMrush [API version 4.0](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/api-v4\/?ref=14255390) is currently in beta and provides access to the Site Audit API.\n\n#### Ahrefs\nThe [Ahrefs API](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/api) can pull the following metrics:\n\n- Domain Rating (DR)\n- Backlinks\n- Referring Domains\n- URL Rating (UR)\n\nThe free subscription is available with any of the paid plans, or you can purchase a more advanced API plan starting at \\$500\/mo.  \n  \nUser feedback suggests that the quality of the data lacks in comparison to the toolset.\n\n[![Ahrefs API options](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image9.png)![Ahrefs API options](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20399%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image9.png)\n\n- Integrate the Ahrefs data into your in-house tools and apps.\n- Pull the data into reporting tools like Data Studio.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **SEMrush** is the winner in this category.   SEMrush has the most flexible API, allowing users to quickly pull data from its different Toolkits.  Ahrefs also provides a solid API, but based on the documentation page, it appears to be limited largely to referring domain and backlink data. |   |   |\n\n[Top](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#top)\n***\n##\n## The Final Verdict: SEMrush or Ahrefs?\n\nDue to the more extensive index and accuracy of data, plus the breadth of use cases – competitor traffic and market analysis, SEO and PPC insights – if I had to choose one platform, I'd go with [SEMrush](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/?ref=14255390).  \n  \nThat said, if you're looking for a solid all-in-one SEO toolset, it’s also worth considering a 7-day trial of [Ahrefs](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/).  \n  \nHere's a recap of some of the major reasons you might consider choosing one over the other.\n\n### SEMrush:\n- Besides being a top-rated all-in-one SEO platform, SEMrush also provides deep competitor and traffic insights across **all major digital channels** – organic, paid, social, referral – on mobile and desktop devices.\n- SEMrush provides a **more** **extensive**, up-to-date **keyword database**.\n- SEMrush provides **daily ranking updates**. In contrast, Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days for Lite plans (\\$99), and every 3 days on the Advanced Plans (\\$399\/month).\n- The site audit features are more comprehensive and easier to integrate with third-party reporting and project management tools like Trello.\n- SEMrush provides advanced **PPC analysis** capabilities. You can monitor competitor PPC spend, keyword targeting, ad copy, landing page URLs, video, Google Shopping and display ads.\n- SEMrush lets you build **custom white-label reports** that pull data from all the different toolkits in the platform. Plus, It also integrates with third-party tools like Data Studio.\n- Users get access to a lot **more** domain analytics and **reports** each day.\n- Most of the **toolkits are integrated**, so you can look at competitor SEO and PPC keyword data side-by-side and add them to the same master keyword list.\n- SEMrush enables users to run automated **content audits**.\n- The **API** access is more flexible.\n### Ahrefs:\n- Ahrefs has the **largest index of live backlinks**, which still makes it the best solution for backlink prospecting and analysis.\n- It pulls link data into keyword SERP overview reports, making it easier to **qualify keywords** more accurately while inside the application.\n- While SEMrush has improved a lot, the Ahrefs **UI** is still easier to navigate.\n- The Content Explorer makes it easy to identify which content types and topics in a given industry attract the most links and social engagement.\n- Ahrefs lets you access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports without setting up a ‘project’ whereas, in SEMrush, you have to create a project. Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, so if you’ve used your project allocation, these reports might be inaccessible in SEMrush.\n- Ahrefs’ site audit toolset provides **Javascript rendering**, whereas SEMrush' audit tooset currently does not.\n\n[![30-Day SEMrush Free Trial Banner](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Robbie-Richards-Banner-3.png)![30-Day SEMrush Free Trial Banner](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%2094%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/partner\/robbierichards)\n\nFiled Under: [SEO](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/category\/seo\/)\n### Leave a Reply [Cancel reply](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#respond)\nThis site uses Akismet to reduce spam. [Learn how your comment data is processed](https:\/\/akismet.com\/privacy\/).\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/YouTube-sidebar-banner.png)![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC3A1tHgfSAKQV70V21wu2OQ)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Course-Sidebar.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo-course\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Banners-Robbie-Richards_300x250.png)![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/semrush.sjv.io\/c\/349777\/1529171\/13053)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/tools2.jpg)![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/recommended-tools\/)\n\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/privacy-policy\/)\n- [Cookie Policy](https:\/\/www.iubenda.com\/privacy-policy\/74707086\/cookie-policy)\n- [Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/terms-of-service\/)\n\nCopyright © 2026 · [Genesis Sample](http:\/\/www.studiopress.com\/) on [Genesis Framework](https:\/\/www.studiopress.com\/) · [WordPress](https:\/\/wordpress.org\/) · [Log in](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-login.php)","attrs_readable_markdown":"SEMrush and Ahrefs are titans (and competitors) in the SEO arena. Both platforms offer a range of tools to help bolster your SEO and broader digital marketing campaigns.  \n   \n*But which toolset is better? Ahrefs or SEMrush?*  \n  \nThe answer will depend on the specific needs of your business.   \n  \nIn this post, I’m going to take a close look at how each toolset stacks up across the different areas of a search marketing campaign, from competitor analysis and keyword research all the way through to reporting and API access.  \n   \nBy the end of the post, you should have a good idea of whether Ahrefs or SEMrush is best-suited to the needs of your business and\/or clients.  \n   \nIf you want to see how Ahrefs compares to SEMrush in a particular area, use the links below to jump. There will also be a link at the end of each section that brings you back to the top of the post.\n\n**Ahrefs vs SEMrush (by use case):**\n\n- [Quick comparison](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#quick)\n- [Competitive Analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#competitive)\n- [Keyword Research](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#keywordresearch)\n- [Rank Tracking](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#ranktracking)\n- [Site Audits](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#audit)\n- [Backlink Analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#backlinkanalysis)\n- [PPC Analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#ppc)\n- [Campaign Reporting](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#reporting)\n- [API Access](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/ahrefs-vs-semrush\/#api)\n\n**Disclaimer**: This article does contain affiliate links. If you purchase a tool through one of my links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for the support\\!\n\nThe Competitors: Ahrefs and SEMrush\n\n[Ahrefs](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/) and [SEMrush](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/?ref=14255390) (aff)are both leading all-in-one SEO toolsets. Ahrefs is one of the best tools for SEO-related tasks, such as[backlink analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-backlink-checker\/), and keyword research. SEMrush has similar SEO tools, but it also offers a diverse range of other Toolkits for content audits, PPC, [reporting](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/reporting-tools\/), local listings and campaign management.\n\nSEMrush\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image2.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image2.png)\n\n[SEMrush](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/?ref=14255390) (aff) is an all-in-one digital marketing platform that is used by over **6 million** professionals. Not only was it voted the [\\#1 all-in-one SEO tool](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-seo-tools\/) with its broad competitor and market analysis, but it’s also a leading [SEM tool](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-sem-tools\/) with its in-depth PPC analysis capabilities.\n\nAhrefs\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image12.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image12.png)\n\n[Ahrefs](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/) is another all-in-one SEO toolset that is best-known for having the most extensive index of live backlinks. It also includes a robust suite of tools for keyword research, rank tracking, content analysis, backlink analysis, and technical [site audits](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-seo-audit-tools\/).\n\nWe'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across different sections of the SEO campaign throughout the post, but here is a quick snapshot.\n\n| Ahrefs Vs. SEMrush |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Features** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **Keyword Index** | 20B | 6\\.3B |\n| **Live Backlink Index** |   |   |\n| **Keyword Research** |   |   |\n| **Backlink Analysis** |   |   |\n| **Technical Site Audits** |   |   |\n| **Rank Tracking** |   |   |\n| **PPC Analysis** |   |   |\n| **Reporting** |   |   |\n| **API** |   |   |\n| **Reports Per Day** | 3,000 (starter plan) | 25 (starter plan) |\n| **Users (Starter Plan)** | 1 | 3 |\n| **Pricing** | Plans start at \\$99.95\/mo | Plans start at \\$99\/mo |\n| **Trials** | **[Free 30-Day Trial](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/partner\/robbierichards)** | **[7-Day Trial for \\$7](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/)** |\n\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs: Category Comparison\n\nIn this section, we'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across each of the major SEO campaign areas.\n\nAt the end of each section, I'll include a final verdict that includes a star rating for each of the following:\n\n- **Functionality:** overall breadth and quality of the feature set.\n- **Usability:** overall ease-of-use.\n\nIn addition to functionality and usability, I'll also include a brief summary explaining how my final verdict was reached.\n\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Competitive Analysis\n\nBoth toolsets can analyze the competition. While Ahrefs’ competitive analysis toolset is centered more on SEO and content, SEMrush takes it to another level, providing deep insights into a competitor’s **entire** online traffic strategy – i.e. organic, paid, referral, social, and direct – making it one of the top [SimilarWeb competitors](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/similarweb-alternatives\/).\n\nSEMrush\n\n[SEMrush](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/?ref=14255390) (aff) is the industry-leader when it comes to competitor analysis. But one of the areas where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs is with its [traffic analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/how-much-traffic-website-gets\/).   \n  \nThe**[Traffic Analytics](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/analytics\/traffic\/?ref=14255390)**report, in combination with the [SEO](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/seo\/?ref=14255390) and [Advertising](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/ppc\/?ref=14255390) toolkits, lets you drill down to find the specific source of traffic for a competitor’s site.\n\n[![SEMrush traffic analytics tools](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image13.jpg)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image13.jpg)\n\n- Identify other websites also visited by your competitors’ site visitors, and get insights into their browsing interests and brand preferences.\n- Find out which keywords, URLs, subfolders, and\/or subdomains drive the most organic traffic.\n- Identify which content types and topics get your competitors the most backlinks.\n- Find out which paid keywords drive the most traffic, and how that is trending over time.\n- Find out which keywords competitors have been bidding on the longest, and which ad copy has been in the rotation the longest.\n- Bulk analyze the online traffic strategies for up to 200 websites at once.\n- Find out which websites, YouTube videos and channels your top competitors are publishing displays ads on.\n\n[![Robbie headshot](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rj-employee_Robbie-color-new.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rj-employee_Robbie-color-new.png)\n\n**Editor's note:** Want to test drive the Traffic Analytics toolset?\n\nUse the free trial link and traffic analysis template below:\n\n1. SEMrush + Traffic Analytics ([free 14-day trial](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/billing\/offers\/buy\/q8f9lqe5?promo=ROBBIE-JZBL9EGE))\n2. Free traffic analysis template\n\n![Traffic analysis template](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%201920%20876%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E)\n\nReady to go? Sweet. Let’s get started\\!\n#### Ahrefs\nWhile SEMrush provides a comprehensive view of your competitors’ entire digital marketing strategy, from how they get traffic to where they convert it, Ahrefs primarily focuses on [SEO competitive analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/seo-competitor-analysis\/).   \n  \nAhrefs’ [Site Explore](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer)r only provides basic insights around paid keywords and ad copy compared to SEMrush.\n\n[![Ahrefs Site Explorer dashboard](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image5.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image5.png)\n\n- Find out which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic.\n- Perform URL, subfolder and subdomain-level keyword [gap analysis](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/keyword-gap-analysis\/).\n- Find out which content topics and types get the most engagement for competitors (Content Explorer).\n- Find out which competitor content topics and types get linked to the most.\n- Uncover backlink gaps and recurring link sources.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Channels** | Organic, Paid, Social, Direct, and Referral | Organic and Paid (basic) |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **SEMrush** is the winner in this category. While Ahrefs provides some great insights into your competitor's SEO strategy and which content topics get the most engagement in a specific industry, SEMrush takes it a step further. In addition to in-depth SEO competitor analysis, the ability to analyze which channels drive the most traffic – organic, paid, direct, social, referral – and drill into the specific source of that traffic, all the way down to the keyword, ad, or referral site, makes SEMrush a clear winner in the competitive analysis category. |   |   |\n\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Keyword Research\n\nBoth toolsets provide some of the best keyword research functionality of any tool on the market. SEMrush’s [keyword magic tool](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/analytics\/keywordmagic\/?ref=14255390) has the largest keyword database with **20 billion keywords**.\n\nSEMrush\n\nThe Keyword Magic tool is the main keyword research tool for SEMrush. With the largest index and a ton of functionality, it’s no wonder it’s been voted the [\\#1 keyword research](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-keyword-research-tool\/) tool by hundreds of experts.   \n  \nIf you're looking for a tool that provides the largest volume of accurate keyword data, SEMrush might be the one for you.\n\n[![SEMrush keyword magic tool](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image8.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image8.png)\n\n- Uncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher.\n- Identify which keywords drive the most organic traffic to competing sites across different subdomains, subfolders, and URLs.\n- Compare the keywords of up to five [competitors](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/find-competitor-keywords\/) to find keyword gaps at the URL, subfolder, and domain levels.\n- Filter out all your [untapped featured snippet opportunities](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/how-to-get-a-featured-snippet\/). i.e. where you have top 10 rankings for a keyword, but don't rank in the featured snippet yet.\n- Enter a seed topic into the Keyword Magic tool, and build a massive list of long-tail keywords, broken into topic groups. Plus, you can toggle to view the question-based topics, too.\n- Keyword research is also baked into the Advertising Toolkit, so you can see which keywords your competitors are bidding on, and for how long, and then check the ones you want to add to your master keyword list.\n- SEMrush provides the largest and most accurate keyword database.\n\nAhrefs\n\n[Keyword Explorer](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer) is the main keyword research tool in Ahrefs. Although it has a smaller index compared to SEMrush, the interface (UI) is more user-friendly and easier to navigate.\n\n[![Ahrefs Keyword Explorer](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image7.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image7.png)\n\n- Uncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher.\n- Find which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic to a site.\n- Enter a seed keyword into Keyword Explorer and get hundreds or thousands of ideas that can be filtered by different reports based on keyword match types and question-based topics.\n- The SERP Overview report also makes it easy to [quickly qualify](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/serp-analysis\/) new keyword opportunities directly in the keyword list by looking at content types, traffic estimates, and backlink data for competing URLs.\n- Perform keyword research across different search engines, such as Amazon, YouTube, and Bing. The accuracy is questionable at times, but it’s still a unique feature.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: TIED |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Keyword Index** | 20B | 6\\.3B |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| It’s hard to separate the tools in this category purely on functionality and usability – it will largely come down to personal preference. If you’re looking for the tool with the largest database of accurate keyword data, then **SEMrush** might be the best option. But if you’re looking for a solid keyword database with a user-friendly interface, plus the ability to search for opportunities on other search engines, then **Ahrefs** might be a better option. |   |   |\n\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Rank Tracking\n\nOnce you have a set of existing or new target keywords, you’ll want an accurate rank tracker to monitor their performance across different devices. Both tools were voted as [leading rank tracking solutions](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-rank-tracker\/).\n\nSEMrush\n\nSEMrush offers rank tracking capabilities that rival or beat most [standalone SERP tracking tools](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/best-serp-tracking-tools\/).\n\nWhile both tools provide mobile ranking data on all plans, SEMrush provides daily ranking updates on the starter plan, whereas Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days**.** In addition, Ahrefs' highest paid plans update ranking data every 3 days.\n\n[![SEMrush Position Tracker](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image6.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image6.png)\n\n- Get a summary of your domain’s visibility, estimated traffic, and average position for every keyword you’re tracking.\n- Track keyword ranking changes from an international level, all the way down to a local level, and across **all** device types.\n- Check rankings across tags, devices, locations, and different SERP features.\n- Compare your target keyword performance against competitors.\n- Monitor SERP feature movements and quickly spot new opportunities.\n- View historical ranking performance - 7, 30, 60, 90 days etc.\n- Integrate rank reports with other popular third party reporting tools such as Google Data Studio.\n- **Import** historical rankings data from third-party tools.\n\nAhrefs\n\nAhrefs provides a solid rank tracking UI and feature set, but you need to be on the top-paying plans to access the mobile ranking data, and it is only updated every 3 days.\n\n[![Ahrefs Rank Tracker](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image16.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image16.png)\n\n- Analyze rankings data quickly in the user-friendly interface.\n- Filter keyword rankings by tags, location, positions, search volume, traffic, competitors, device, etc.\n- Check which keywords have SERP features and whether you rank for them.\n- See SEO metrics for the top-ranking pages in the integrated SERP overview report.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Ranking Updates** | Daily | Every 7 days |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **SEMrush** is the winner in this category. I use the SEMrush [position tracker](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/features\/position-tracking\/?ref=14255390) for all my personal and client campaigns due to the accuracy and frequency of updates. SEMrush provides daily ranking updates and alerts, imports historical ranking data from third-party tools, and integrates with Data Studio. This makes it easy to quickly map ranking movements back to organic traffic and conversion performance. In addition, the Position Tracker is extremely easy to set up and navigate. |   |   |\n\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Site Audits\n\nYou wouldn't build a house on shaky foundations, would you? Well, the same goes for your [SEO campaigns](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/case-study\/).   \n  \nYou need a rock-solid SEO platform that makes it easy to uncover technical issues that are preventing your site from reaching its potential, or even worse, causing it to lose [organic traffic](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/increase-organic-traffic\/).  \n   \nBoth SEMrush and Ahrefs provide versatile audit tools to ensure your site is on a solid footing.\n\nSEMrush\n\nSEMrush offers both a [toolset](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/siteaudit\/?ref=14255390) for running in-depth technical audits, as well as automated content audits.\n\n[![SEMrush Site Audit report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image17.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image17.png)\n\n- Identify issues associated with things like duplicate and thin content, broken links, crawling, and indexation problems.\n- Audit the desktop or mobile version of a site, plus include or exclude specific pages.\n- Run on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis.\n- **Compare crawls side-by-side** from different points in time to see how errors, warnings, and notices have changed over time.\n- Prioritize issues so you can see precisely where your website is struggling.\n- Send audit action items from SEMrush directly into other project management tools like Trello.\n\nAhrefs\n\nAhrefs also provides a robust site audit toolset.\n\n[![Ahrefs Site Audit report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image11.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image11.png)\n\n- Monitor your site for the 100+ most common SEO issues, such as redirect chains, missing meta descriptions, duplicate content, broken links, and indexation problems.\n- Check all possible SEO issues and follow recommendations on how to fix them.\n- Run on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis.\n\nOne **unique feature** of the Ahrefs Site Audit tool is that it **supports Javascript rendering**. Javascript-generated content is becoming more common, so this is a great feature.\n\nSEMrush does not currently support Javascript rendering.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: TIED |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| This category is going to largely come down to UI and feature preference. I've found the SEMrush audit insights to be more comprehensive and like the ability to **compare audits side-by-side** to view progress, prioritize the list of actions, and import them into project management tools such as Trello for execution. It’s also nice to go a step further and run automated content audits. As a result, I prefer SEMrush over Ahrefs when it comes to monthly site crawls and technical audits. That said, Ahrefs also provides a robust site audit tool. While it doesn't allow you to compare technical audits side-by-side, or automate content audits, it does provide other unique features such as the ability to execute **Javascript rendering**. |   |   |\n\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Backlink Analysis and Link Building\n\nAnother critical part of any SEO campaign is analyzing your backlink quality and [building authority links](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/13-killer-link-building-strategies\/) to [improve ranking](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/first-page-of-google\/) potential. Both tools provide a full suite of tools to help with this.   \n  \nWhile I generally prefer Ahrefs for backlink analysis and link prospecting, SEMrush has improved a lot in this area in the last 12 months. It also provides a convenient [backlink audit tool](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/backlink_audit\/?ref=14255390) that makes it easy to spot potentially toxic links.\n\nSEMrush\n\nSEMrush is well-known for its competitive analysis, but over the last 12 months has improved its suite of [link building tools](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/link_building\/), closing the gap on Ahrefs.\n\nSEMrush now has an extensive backlink database plus a full set of features that allow you to analyze competitor backlinks, uncover quick win opportunities, and spot potentially harmful links in your profile.   \n  \n**One thing to note:**  \n  \nIf you want to access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports in SEMrush, you have to set up a project, whereas, in Ahrefs, you don’t.  \n   \n(Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, e.g. 3, 15, 25. So if you’ve used your project allocation, you may have to remove one, or add more projects in order to access these reports in SEMrush.)\n\n[![SEMrush backlinks report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image1.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image1.png)\n\n- Find a site's top linked pages to see which topics and content types attract the most links.\n- Uncover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity from pages linking to 404 pages.\n- Find recurring link sources for your top competitors.\n- Perform competitor backlink gap analysis to quickly spot where your competitors are getting links, but you’re not.\n- Built-in workflows to help manage the entire outreach process - sending and receiving emails, follow ups and response tracking.\n- Automatically extract contact information from target websites.\n- Spot toxic backlinks in your profile.\n\nAhrefs\n\nAhrefs is best-known for having the **largest index of live backlinks**. Over the years, the platform has continually improved the feature set that sits on top of its enormous index, and provides a beautiful, easy-to-navigate UI that makes it easy to find and vet new backlink opportunities. Every minute, Ahrefs crawls 5 million pages looking for new domains to vet and add to its index, making it the **second most active crawler** after Google.\n\n[![Ahrefs backlinks report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image14.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image14.png)\n\n- Find the top-linked pages of competitor sites, discover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity.\n- Apply advanced filters to backlink reports to streamline the prospecting process.\n- Find backlink gaps and recurring link sources – i.e. higher-probability link targets – with the Link Intersect tool.\n- Analyze anchor text distribution and referring IP patterns.\n- Use trend graphs to spot unnatural link activity. Eg: negative SEO attacks.\n- Link metrics are integrated with other tools like the keyword and content explorer, making it easier to accurately qualify new keyword opportunities and content topics.\n- Use advanced filters to quickly [identify how many backlinks are needed to rank](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/seo\/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need-to-rank\/) a piece of content highly on page one.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: AHREFS |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **Ahrefs** is the winner in this category. The quality of Ahrefs’ link index, combined with the easy-to-navigate reports and powerful filtering options, makes it the top link building toolset on the market. Ahrefs is still my preferred tool when it comes to finding new link building options. That said, if you were leaning towards SEMrush before this point, they still provide solid [link building tools](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/link_building\/?ref=14255390) with backlink analysis functionality. Their index is constantly growing, along with the features. I just find Ahrefs’ data is still a bit cleaner, and the analysis capabilities (filtering etc) and UI easier to navigate. |   |   |\n\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for PPC Analysis\n\nPaid search is an important channel in most digital marketing strategies. It’s vital to purchase mindshare in the SERPs while waiting for organic search efforts to drive results. Having a robust suite of SEM tools is critical to quickly uncover paid keyword opportunities, ad copy ideas, and high-converting landing page templates.\n\nIt helps eliminate the guesswork when it comes to planning and building a profitable campaign, and in the process, prevents a lot of wasted ad budget.\n\nSEMrush\n\nOn top of the competitive analysis and [SEO toolkits](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/seo\/?ref=14255390), SEMrush provides one of the best SEM toolsets on the market. In many cases, it beats standalone [PPC tools](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/ppc\/best-ppc-tools).  \n   \nThe [Advertising Toolkit](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/ppc\/?ref=14255390) provides deep insights into a competitor’s PPC strategy, from budget and keywords to ad copies and landing pages. If you think you’ll need to analyze a competitor's paid strategies, this is where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs, and most other platforms, by a wide margin.\n\n[![SEMrush Advertising Research report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image10.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image10.png)\n\n- Uncover the **keywords** your competitors are bidding on, how much they are **spending** each month, and how these are trending over time.\n- Analyze the ad copies that competitors are using to **win the click** in the SERPs, and see which ads have been running the longest as this can indicate the top-performing variants that you can model for higher ROI.\n- Find all the landing pages that competitors are using to **convert paid traffic**.\n- Find which competitors are running **display ads**, and the creatives they are using - text, image and HTML.\n- Find which YouTube channels and videos your competitors are running **video ads** on, along with the actual video ad creatives.\n- Analyze competitor PLA campaigns, and glean valuable insights into the creatives and pricing strategies they are using on **Google Shopping**.\n- Run PPC **gap analysis** to find keywords your competitors are bidding on, but your current campaign is missing.\n- Use the ad builder to find new keywords, **create ad templates**, and then import them directly into the Google Ads platform.\n\nAhrefs\n\nAhrefs added a paid search section in its Site Explorer, but has not appeared to prioritize this area of the platform. There is very little data on the keywords and ad copies used by domains.\n\nAhrefs provides a tiny fraction of the PPC insights compared to SEMrush’s Advertising Toolkit.\n\n[![Ahrefs PPC report](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image3.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image3.png)\n\n- Get minimal insights into the PPC keywords and ad copies a domain is running on Google.\n\nIn Ahrefs' defense, they have decided to focus primarily on improving their SEO toolset. That said, if you're running paid ad campaigns for your business or clients, and want to analyze competitor PPC campaigns, the SEMrush Advertising Toolkit may be a big differentiator for you.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **SEMrush** is the winner in this category. SEMrush eliminates all the guesswork when it comes to building or optimizing Google PPC campaigns. You get an almost unfair behind-the-scenes look at your competitor’s campaign and quickly gain insights into what is working for them, so you don’t waste a bunch of money testing different keywords, ad copy, and landing pages. You simply look at what is working for your competitors, and start with a proven template for success. Ahrefs has not invested much in this area of its platform to date. So, if you’re looking for an all-in-one digital marketing platform that will give you valuable PPC insights, SEMrush is definitely the platform to choose. |   |   |\n\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Campaign Reporting\n\nWhen running digital marketing campaigns, you need to show how your efforts are moving the needle from a ranking, traffic, and conversion standpoint.\n\nSEMrush\n\nSEMrush provides a robust [built-in reporting](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/my_reports\/?ref=14255390)toolset, along with simple integrations with a long list of third-party tools. You can choose from a library of **pre-built templates**, customize them with the **drag-and-drop** report builder, and pull **50+ metrics** from the different toolkits. It also integrates with Google My Business, Google Analytics, and Search Console.\n\n[![Building reports in SEMrush](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image4.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image4.png)\n\nAhrefs\n\nWhile Ahrefs provides nice easy-to-read data visualizations inside the web app, it only enables basic pre-defined PDF exports and no white-label reporting functionality.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **SEMrush** is the winner in this category. SEMrush provides a robust built-in reporting tool that eliminates the need to invest in third-party reporting tools. The ability to pull in metrics from different sources - Google Analytics, Search Console and Google My Business - into a single dashboard, easily customize reports with a drag-and-drop builder, white-label and schedule reports, differentiate SEMrush from Ahrefs and a lot of other SEO platforms that only provide basic PDF exports. |   |   |\n\nSEMrush vs. Ahrefs: API Access\n\nAn API (Application Programming Interface) gives you access to a tool’s functionality without using the software. In other words, it's like a backdoor access to all the raw data that you usually see on the front-end user interface. So, if you’re developing in-house tools and reports, you can use the API to extract the data you require.\n\nSEMrush\n\nSEMrush offers two main [API packages](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/api-documentation\/?ref=14255390):\n\n1. The Standard API comes with the Business Plan, and includes:\n   a. Analytics API (Domain Analytics and Keyword Research).  \n   b. Projects API (Site Audit and Position Tracking).   \n   c. Accounts API (how many API units remain on your account).\n2. The Traffic Analytics API is available separately on request.\n\n[![SEMrush API options](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image15.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image15.png)\n\n- Get data faster with the API than the standard interface.\n- Pull the data automatically to gather vast sets of data efficiently.\n- Integrate the SEMrush data into your dashboards and other tools.\n\n**Note**: The SEMrush [API version 4.0](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/api-v4\/?ref=14255390) is currently in beta and provides access to the Site Audit API.\n\nAhrefs\n\nThe [Ahrefs API](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/api) can pull the following metrics:\n\n- Domain Rating (DR)\n- Backlinks\n- Referring Domains\n- URL Rating (UR)\n\nThe free subscription is available with any of the paid plans, or you can purchase a more advanced API plan starting at \\$500\/mo. User feedback suggests that the quality of the data lacks in comparison to the toolset.\n\n[![Ahrefs API options](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image9.png)](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image9.png)\n\n- Integrate the Ahrefs data into your in-house tools and apps.\n- Pull the data into reporting tools like Data Studio.\n\n| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Cell | **SEMrush** | **Ahrefs** |\n| **Functionality** |   |   |\n| **Usability** |   |   |\n| **SEMrush** is the winner in this category. SEMrush has the most flexible API, allowing users to quickly pull data from its different Toolkits. Ahrefs also provides a solid API, but based on the documentation page, it appears to be limited largely to referring domain and backlink data. |   |   |\n\nThe Final Verdict: SEMrush or Ahrefs?\n\nDue to the more extensive index and accuracy of data, plus the breadth of use cases – competitor traffic and market analysis, SEO and PPC insights – if I had to choose one platform, I'd go with [SEMrush](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/?ref=14255390).  \n  \nThat said, if you're looking for a solid all-in-one SEO toolset, it’s also worth considering a 7-day trial of [Ahrefs](https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/).  \n  \nHere's a recap of some of the major reasons you might consider choosing one over the other.\n\nSEMrush:\n\n- Besides being a top-rated all-in-one SEO platform, SEMrush also provides deep competitor and traffic insights across **all major digital channels** – organic, paid, social, referral – on mobile and desktop devices.\n- SEMrush provides a **more** **extensive**, up-to-date **keyword database**.\n- SEMrush provides **daily ranking updates**. In contrast, Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days for Lite plans (\\$99), and every 3 days on the Advanced Plans (\\$399\/month).\n- The site audit features are more comprehensive and easier to integrate with third-party reporting and project management tools like Trello.\n- SEMrush provides advanced **PPC analysis** capabilities. You can monitor competitor PPC spend, keyword targeting, ad copy, landing page URLs, video, Google Shopping and display ads.\n- SEMrush lets you build **custom white-label reports** that pull data from all the different toolkits in the platform. Plus, It also integrates with third-party tools like Data Studio.\n- Users get access to a lot **more** domain analytics and **reports** each day.\n- Most of the **toolkits are integrated**, so you can look at competitor SEO and PPC keyword data side-by-side and add them to the same master keyword list.\n- SEMrush enables users to run automated **content audits**.\n- The **API** access is more flexible.\n\nAhrefs:\n\n- Ahrefs has the **largest index of live backlinks**, which still makes it the best solution for backlink prospecting and analysis.\n- It pulls link data into keyword SERP overview reports, making it easier to **qualify keywords** more accurately while inside the application.\n- While SEMrush has improved a lot, the Ahrefs **UI** is still easier to navigate.\n- The Content Explorer makes it easy to identify which content types and topics in a given industry attract the most links and social engagement.\n- Ahrefs lets you access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports without setting up a ‘project’ whereas, in SEMrush, you have to create a project. Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, so if you’ve used your project allocation, these reports might be inaccessible in SEMrush.\n- Ahrefs’ site audit toolset provides **Javascript rendering**, whereas SEMrush' audit tooset currently does not.\n\n[![30-Day SEMrush Free Trial Banner](https:\/\/www.robbierichards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Robbie-Richards-Banner-3.png)](https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/partner\/robbierichards)","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Title	Ahrefs vs SEMrush: A Side-By-Side Comparison of Both Toolsets
Meta Description	Ahrefs vs SEMrush: which toolset is best for your business? This post provides side-by-side comaprison - SEO, competitor analysis and more.
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Boilerpipe Text	SEMrush and Ahrefs are titans (and competitors) in the SEO arena. Both platforms offer a range of tools to help bolster your SEO and broader digital marketing campaigns. But which toolset is better? Ahrefs or SEMrush? The answer will depend on the specific needs of your business. In this post, I’m going to take a close look at how each toolset stacks up across the different areas of a search marketing campaign, from competitor analysis and keyword research all the way through to reporting and API access. By the end of the post, you should have a good idea of whether Ahrefs or SEMrush is best-suited to the needs of your business and/or clients. If you want to see how Ahrefs compares to SEMrush in a particular area, use the links below to jump. There will also be a link at the end of each section that brings you back to the top of the post. Ahrefs vs SEMrush (by use case): Quick comparison Competitive Analysis Keyword Research Rank Tracking Site Audits Backlink Analysis PPC Analysis Campaign Reporting API Access Disclaimer : This article does contain affiliate links. If you purchase a tool through one of my links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for the support! The Competitors: Ahrefs and SEMrush Ahrefs and SEMrush (aff) are both leading all-in-one SEO toolsets. Ahrefs is one of the best tools for SEO-related tasks, such as backlink analysis , and keyword research. SEMrush has similar SEO tools, but it also offers a diverse range of other Toolkits for content audits, PPC, reporting , local listings and campaign management. SEMrush SEMrush (aff) is an all-in-one digital marketing platform that is used by over 6 million professionals. Not only was it voted the #1 all-in-one SEO tool with its broad competitor and market analysis, but it’s also a leading SEM tool with its in-depth PPC analysis capabilities. Ahrefs Ahrefs is another all-in-one SEO toolset that is best-known for having the most extensive index of live backlinks. It also includes a robust suite of tools for keyword research, rank tracking, content analysis, backlink analysis, and technical site audits . We'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across different sections of the SEO campaign throughout the post, but here is a quick snapshot. Ahrefs Vs. SEMrush Cell SEMrush Ahrefs Features Usability Keyword Index 20B 6.3B Live Backlink Index Keyword Research Backlink Analysis Technical Site Audits Rank Tracking PPC Analysis Reporting API Reports Per Day 3,000 (starter plan) 25 (starter plan) Users (Starter Plan) 1 3 Pricing Plans start at $99.95/mo Plans start at $99/mo Trials Free 30-Day Trial 7-Day Trial for $7 SEMrush vs. Ahrefs: Category Comparison In this section, we'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across each of the major SEO campaign areas. At the end of each section, I'll include a final verdict that includes a star rating for each of the following: Functionality: overall breadth and quality of the feature set. Usability: overall ease-of-use. In addition to functionality and usability, I'll also include a brief summary explaining how my final verdict was reached. SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Competitive Analysis Both toolsets can analyze the competition. While Ahrefs’ competitive analysis toolset is centered more on SEO and content, SEMrush takes it to another level, providing deep insights into a competitor’s entire online traffic strategy – i.e. organic, paid, referral, social, and direct – making it one of the top SimilarWeb competitors . SEMrush SEMrush (aff) is the industry-leader when it comes to competitor analysis. But one of the areas where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs is with its traffic analysis . The Traffic Analytics report, in combination with the SEO and Advertising toolkits, lets you drill down to find the specific source of traffic for a competitor’s site. Identify other websites also visited by your competitors’ site visitors, and get insights into their browsing interests and brand preferences. Find out which keywords, URLs, subfolders, and/or subdomains drive the most organic traffic. Identify which content types and topics get your competitors the most backlinks. Find out which paid keywords drive the most traffic, and how that is trending over time. Find out which keywords competitors have been bidding on the longest, and which ad copy has been in the rotation the longest. Bulk analyze the online traffic strategies for up to 200 websites at once. Find out which websites, YouTube videos and channels your top competitors are publishing displays ads on. Editor's note: Want to test drive the Traffic Analytics toolset? Use the free trial link and traffic analysis template below: SEMrush + Traffic Analytics ( free 14-day trial ) Free traffic analysis template Ready to go? Sweet. Let’s get started! Ahrefs While SEMrush provides a comprehensive view of your competitors’ entire digital marketing strategy, from how they get traffic to where they convert it, Ahrefs primarily focuses on SEO competitive analysis . Ahrefs’ Site Explore r only provides basic insights around paid keywords and ad copy compared to SEMrush. Find out which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic. Perform URL, subfolder and subdomain-level keyword gap analysis . Find out which content topics and types get the most engagement for competitors (Content Explorer). Find out which competitor content topics and types get linked to the most. Uncover backlink gaps and recurring link sources. FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH Cell SEMrush Ahrefs Channels Organic, Paid, Social, Direct, and Referral Organic and Paid (basic) Functionality Usability SEMrush is the winner in this category. While Ahrefs provides some great insights into your competitor's SEO strategy and which content topics get the most engagement in a specific industry, SEMrush takes it a step further. In addition to in-depth SEO competitor analysis, the ability to analyze which channels drive the most traffic – organic, paid, direct, social, referral – and drill into the specific source of that traffic, all the way down to the keyword, ad, or referral site, makes SEMrush a clear winner in the competitive analysis category. SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Keyword Research Both toolsets provide some of the best keyword research functionality of any tool on the market. SEMrush’s keyword magic tool has the largest keyword database with 20 billion keywords . SEMrush The Keyword Magic tool is the main keyword research tool for SEMrush. With the largest index and a ton of functionality, it’s no wonder it’s been voted the #1 keyword research tool by hundreds of experts. If you're looking for a tool that provides the largest volume of accurate keyword data, SEMrush might be the one for you. Uncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher. Identify which keywords drive the most organic traffic to competing sites across different subdomains, subfolders, and URLs. Compare the keywords of up to five competitors to find keyword gaps at the URL, subfolder, and domain levels. Filter out all your untapped featured snippet opportunities . i.e. where you have top 10 rankings for a keyword, but don't rank in the featured snippet yet. Enter a seed topic into the Keyword Magic tool, and build a massive list of long-tail keywords, broken into topic groups. Plus, you can toggle to view the question-based topics, too. Keyword research is also baked into the Advertising Toolkit, so you can see which keywords your competitors are bidding on, and for how long, and then check the ones you want to add to your master keyword list. SEMrush provides the largest and most accurate keyword database. Ahrefs Keyword Explorer is the main keyword research tool in Ahrefs. Although it has a smaller index compared to SEMrush, the interface (UI) is more user-friendly and easier to navigate. Uncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher. Find which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic to a site. Enter a seed keyword into Keyword Explorer and get hundreds or thousands of ideas that can be filtered by different reports based on keyword match types and question-based topics. The SERP Overview report also makes it easy to quickly qualify new keyword opportunities directly in the keyword list by looking at content types, traffic estimates, and backlink data for competing URLs. Perform keyword research across different search engines, such as Amazon, YouTube, and Bing. The accuracy is questionable at times, but it’s still a unique feature. FINAL VERDICT: TIED Cell SEMrush Ahrefs Keyword Index 20B 6.3B Functionality Usability It’s hard to separate the tools in this category purely on functionality and usability – it will largely come down to personal preference. If you’re looking for the tool with the largest database of accurate keyword data, then SEMrush might be the best option. But if you’re looking for a solid keyword database with a user-friendly interface, plus the ability to search for opportunities on other search engines, then Ahrefs might be a better option. SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Rank Tracking Once you have a set of existing or new target keywords, you’ll want an accurate rank tracker to monitor their performance across different devices. Both tools were voted as leading rank tracking solutions . SEMrush SEMrush offers rank tracking capabilities that rival or beat most standalone SERP tracking tools . While both tools provide mobile ranking data on all plans, SEMrush provides daily ranking updates on the starter plan, whereas Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days . In addition, Ahrefs' highest paid plans update ranking data every 3 days. Get a summary of your domain’s visibility, estimated traffic, and average position for every keyword you’re tracking. Track keyword ranking changes from an international level, all the way down to a local level, and across all device types. Check rankings across tags, devices, locations, and different SERP features. Compare your target keyword performance against competitors. Monitor SERP feature movements and quickly spot new opportunities. View historical ranking performance - 7, 30, 60, 90 days etc. Integrate rank reports with other popular third party reporting tools such as Google Data Studio. Import historical rankings data from third-party tools. Ahrefs Ahrefs provides a solid rank tracking UI and feature set, but you need to be on the top-paying plans to access the mobile ranking data, and it is only updated every 3 days. Analyze rankings data quickly in the user-friendly interface. Filter keyword rankings by tags, location, positions, search volume, traffic, competitors, device, etc. Check which keywords have SERP features and whether you rank for them. See SEO metrics for the top-ranking pages in the integrated SERP overview report. FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH Cell SEMrush Ahrefs Ranking Updates Daily Every 7 days Functionality Usability SEMrush is the winner in this category. I use the SEMrush position tracker for all my personal and client campaigns due to the accuracy and frequency of updates. SEMrush provides daily ranking updates and alerts, imports historical ranking data from third-party tools, and integrates with Data Studio. This makes it easy to quickly map ranking movements back to organic traffic and conversion performance. In addition, the Position Tracker is extremely easy to set up and navigate. SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Site Audits You wouldn't build a house on shaky foundations, would you? Well, the same goes for your SEO campaigns . You need a rock-solid SEO platform that makes it easy to uncover technical issues that are preventing your site from reaching its potential, or even worse, causing it to lose organic traffic . Both SEMrush and Ahrefs provide versatile audit tools to ensure your site is on a solid footing. SEMrush SEMrush offers both a toolset for running in-depth technical audits, as well as automated content audits. Identify issues associated with things like duplicate and thin content, broken links, crawling, and indexation problems. Audit the desktop or mobile version of a site, plus include or exclude specific pages. Run on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis. Compare crawls side-by-side from different points in time to see how errors, warnings, and notices have changed over time. Prioritize issues so you can see precisely where your website is struggling. Send audit action items from SEMrush directly into other project management tools like Trello. Ahrefs Ahrefs also provides a robust site audit toolset. Monitor your site for the 100+ most common SEO issues, such as redirect chains, missing meta descriptions, duplicate content, broken links, and indexation problems. Check all possible SEO issues and follow recommendations on how to fix them. Run on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis. One unique feature of the Ahrefs Site Audit tool is that it supports Javascript rendering . Javascript-generated content is becoming more common, so this is a great feature. SEMrush does not currently support Javascript rendering. FINAL VERDICT: TIED Cell SEMrush Ahrefs Functionality Usability This category is going to largely come down to UI and feature preference. I've found the SEMrush audit insights to be more comprehensive and like the ability to compare audits side-by-side to view progress, prioritize the list of actions, and import them into project management tools such as Trello for execution. It’s also nice to go a step further and run automated content audits. As a result, I prefer SEMrush over Ahrefs when it comes to monthly site crawls and technical audits. That said, Ahrefs also provides a robust site audit tool. While it doesn't allow you to compare technical audits side-by-side, or automate content audits, it does provide other unique features such as the ability to execute Javascript rendering . SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Backlink Analysis and Link Building Another critical part of any SEO campaign is analyzing your backlink quality and building authority links to improve ranking potential. Both tools provide a full suite of tools to help with this. While I generally prefer Ahrefs for backlink analysis and link prospecting, SEMrush has improved a lot in this area in the last 12 months. It also provides a convenient backlink audit tool that makes it easy to spot potentially toxic links. SEMrush SEMrush is well-known for its competitive analysis, but over the last 12 months has improved its suite of link building tools , closing the gap on Ahrefs. SEMrush now has an extensive backlink database plus a full set of features that allow you to analyze competitor backlinks, uncover quick win opportunities, and spot potentially harmful links in your profile. One thing to note: If you want to access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports in SEMrush, you have to set up a project, whereas, in Ahrefs, you don’t. (Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, e.g. 3, 15, 25. So if you’ve used your project allocation, you may have to remove one, or add more projects in order to access these reports in SEMrush.) Find a site's top linked pages to see which topics and content types attract the most links. Uncover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity from pages linking to 404 pages. Find recurring link sources for your top competitors. Perform competitor backlink gap analysis to quickly spot where your competitors are getting links, but you’re not. Built-in workflows to help manage the entire outreach process - sending and receiving emails, follow ups and response tracking. Automatically extract contact information from target websites. Spot toxic backlinks in your profile. Ahrefs Ahrefs is best-known for having the largest index of live backlinks . Over the years, the platform has continually improved the feature set that sits on top of its enormous index, and provides a beautiful, easy-to-navigate UI that makes it easy to find and vet new backlink opportunities. Every minute, Ahrefs crawls 5 million pages looking for new domains to vet and add to its index, making it the second most active crawler after Google. Find the top-linked pages of competitor sites, discover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity. Apply advanced filters to backlink reports to streamline the prospecting process. Find backlink gaps and recurring link sources – i.e. higher-probability link targets – with the Link Intersect tool. Analyze anchor text distribution and referring IP patterns. Use trend graphs to spot unnatural link activity. Eg: negative SEO attacks. Link metrics are integrated with other tools like the keyword and content explorer, making it easier to accurately qualify new keyword opportunities and content topics. Use advanced filters to quickly identify how many backlinks are needed to rank a piece of content highly on page one. FINAL VERDICT: AHREFS Cell SEMrush Ahrefs Functionality Usability Ahrefs is the winner in this category. The quality of Ahrefs’ link index, combined with the easy-to-navigate reports and powerful filtering options, makes it the top link building toolset on the market. Ahrefs is still my preferred tool when it comes to finding new link building options. That said, if you were leaning towards SEMrush before this point, they still provide solid link building tools with backlink analysis functionality. Their index is constantly growing, along with the features. I just find Ahrefs’ data is still a bit cleaner, and the analysis capabilities (filtering etc) and UI easier to navigate. SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for PPC Analysis Paid search is an important channel in most digital marketing strategies. It’s vital to purchase mindshare in the SERPs while waiting for organic search efforts to drive results. Having a robust suite of SEM tools is critical to quickly uncover paid keyword opportunities, ad copy ideas, and high-converting landing page templates. It helps eliminate the guesswork when it comes to planning and building a profitable campaign, and in the process, prevents a lot of wasted ad budget. SEMrush On top of the competitive analysis and SEO toolkits , SEMrush provides one of the best SEM toolsets on the market. In many cases, it beats standalone PPC tools . The Advertising Toolkit provides deep insights into a competitor’s PPC strategy, from budget and keywords to ad copies and landing pages. If you think you’ll need to analyze a competitor's paid strategies, this is where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs, and most other platforms, by a wide margin. Uncover the keywords your competitors are bidding on, how much they are spending each month, and how these are trending over time. Analyze the ad copies that competitors are using to win the click in the SERPs, and see which ads have been running the longest as this can indicate the top-performing variants that you can model for higher ROI. Find all the landing pages that competitors are using to convert paid traffic . Find which competitors are running display ads , and the creatives they are using - text, image and HTML. Find which YouTube channels and videos your competitors are running video ads on, along with the actual video ad creatives. Analyze competitor PLA campaigns, and glean valuable insights into the creatives and pricing strategies they are using on Google Shopping . Run PPC gap analysis to find keywords your competitors are bidding on, but your current campaign is missing. Use the ad builder to find new keywords, create ad templates , and then import them directly into the Google Ads platform. Ahrefs Ahrefs added a paid search section in its Site Explorer, but has not appeared to prioritize this area of the platform. There is very little data on the keywords and ad copies used by domains. Ahrefs provides a tiny fraction of the PPC insights compared to SEMrush’s Advertising Toolkit. Get minimal insights into the PPC keywords and ad copies a domain is running on Google. In Ahrefs' defense, they have decided to focus primarily on improving their SEO toolset. That said, if you're running paid ad campaigns for your business or clients, and want to analyze competitor PPC campaigns, the SEMrush Advertising Toolkit may be a big differentiator for you. FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH Cell SEMrush Ahrefs Functionality Usability SEMrush is the winner in this category. SEMrush eliminates all the guesswork when it comes to building or optimizing Google PPC campaigns. You get an almost unfair behind-the-scenes look at your competitor’s campaign and quickly gain insights into what is working for them, so you don’t waste a bunch of money testing different keywords, ad copy, and landing pages. You simply look at what is working for your competitors, and start with a proven template for success. Ahrefs has not invested much in this area of its platform to date. So, if you’re looking for an all-in-one digital marketing platform that will give you valuable PPC insights, SEMrush is definitely the platform to choose. SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Campaign Reporting When running digital marketing campaigns, you need to show how your efforts are moving the needle from a ranking, traffic, and conversion standpoint. SEMrush SEMrush provides a robust built-in reporting toolset, along with simple integrations with a long list of third-party tools. You can choose from a library of pre-built templates , customize them with the drag-and-drop report builder, and pull 50+ metrics from the different toolkits. It also integrates with Google My Business, Google Analytics, and Search Console. Ahrefs While Ahrefs provides nice easy-to-read data visualizations inside the web app, it only enables basic pre-defined PDF exports and no white-label reporting functionality. FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH Cell SEMrush Ahrefs Functionality Usability SEMrush is the winner in this category. SEMrush provides a robust built-in reporting tool that eliminates the need to invest in third-party reporting tools. The ability to pull in metrics from different sources - Google Analytics, Search Console and Google My Business - into a single dashboard, easily customize reports with a drag-and-drop builder, white-label and schedule reports, differentiate SEMrush from Ahrefs and a lot of other SEO platforms that only provide basic PDF exports. SEMrush vs. Ahrefs: API Access An API (Application Programming Interface) gives you access to a tool’s functionality without using the software. In other words, it's like a backdoor access to all the raw data that you usually see on the front-end user interface. So, if you’re developing in-house tools and reports, you can use the API to extract the data you require. SEMrush SEMrush offers two main API packages : The Standard API comes with the Business Plan, and includes: a. Analytics API (Domain Analytics and Keyword Research). b. Projects API (Site Audit and Position Tracking). c. Accounts API (how many API units remain on your account). The Traffic Analytics API is available separately on request. Get data faster with the API than the standard interface. Pull the data automatically to gather vast sets of data efficiently. Integrate the SEMrush data into your dashboards and other tools. Note : The SEMrush API version 4.0 is currently in beta and provides access to the Site Audit API. Ahrefs The Ahrefs API can pull the following metrics: Domain Rating (DR) Backlinks Referring Domains URL Rating (UR) The free subscription is available with any of the paid plans, or you can purchase a more advanced API plan starting at $500/mo. User feedback suggests that the quality of the data lacks in comparison to the toolset. Integrate the Ahrefs data into your in-house tools and apps. Pull the data into reporting tools like Data Studio. FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH Cell SEMrush Ahrefs Functionality Usability SEMrush is the winner in this category. SEMrush has the most flexible API, allowing users to quickly pull data from its different Toolkits. Ahrefs also provides a solid API, but based on the documentation page, it appears to be limited largely to referring domain and backlink data. The Final Verdict: SEMrush or Ahrefs? Due to the more extensive index and accuracy of data, plus the breadth of use cases – competitor traffic and market analysis, SEO and PPC insights – if I had to choose one platform, I'd go with SEMrush . That said, if you're looking for a solid all-in-one SEO toolset, it’s also worth considering a 7-day trial of Ahrefs . Here's a recap of some of the major reasons you might consider choosing one over the other. SEMrush: Besides being a top-rated all-in-one SEO platform, SEMrush also provides deep competitor and traffic insights across all major digital channels – organic, paid, social, referral – on mobile and desktop devices. SEMrush provides a more extensive , up-to-date keyword database . SEMrush provides daily ranking updates . In contrast, Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days for Lite plans ($99), and every 3 days on the Advanced Plans ($399/month). The site audit features are more comprehensive and easier to integrate with third-party reporting and project management tools like Trello. SEMrush provides advanced PPC analysis capabilities. You can monitor competitor PPC spend, keyword targeting, ad copy, landing page URLs, video, Google Shopping and display ads. SEMrush lets you build custom white-label reports that pull data from all the different toolkits in the platform. Plus, It also integrates with third-party tools like Data Studio. Users get access to a lot more domain analytics and reports each day. Most of the toolkits are integrated , so you can look at competitor SEO and PPC keyword data side-by-side and add them to the same master keyword list. SEMrush enables users to run automated content audits . The API access is more flexible. Ahrefs: Ahrefs has the largest index of live backlinks , which still makes it the best solution for backlink prospecting and analysis. It pulls link data into keyword SERP overview reports, making it easier to qualify keywords more accurately while inside the application. While SEMrush has improved a lot, the Ahrefs UI is still easier to navigate. The Content Explorer makes it easy to identify which content types and topics in a given industry attract the most links and social engagement. Ahrefs lets you access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports without setting up a ‘project’ whereas, in SEMrush, you have to create a project. Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, so if you’ve used your project allocation, these reports might be inaccessible in SEMrush. Ahrefs’ site audit toolset provides Javascript rendering , whereas SEMrush' audit tooset currently does not.
Markdown	[Robbie Richards](https://www.robbierichards.com/) Expert Digital Marketing Consultant - [Hire Me](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/) - [SaaS SEO Agency](https://virayo.com/?utm_source=robbierichards&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=main+nav) - [SaaS SEO Consulting](https://www.robbierichards.com/saas-seo-consultant/) - [SEO Course](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo-course/) - [My Tools](https://www.robbierichards.com/recommended-tools/) - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3A1tHgfSAKQV70V21wu2OQ) - [Blog](https://www.robbierichards.com/blog-posts/) - [Contact](https://www.robbierichards.com/contact/) # Ahrefs vs SEMrush: Which is the Best Toolset for Your Business? October 22, 2020 by [Robbie](https://www.robbierichards.com/author/robbiefergusontech-net/) [Leave a Comment](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#respond) SEMrush and Ahrefs are titans (and competitors) in the SEO arena. Both platforms offer a range of tools to help bolster your SEO and broader digital marketing campaigns. But which toolset is better? Ahrefs or SEMrush? The answer will depend on the specific needs of your business. In this post, I’m going to take a close look at how each toolset stacks up across the different areas of a search marketing campaign, from competitor analysis and keyword research all the way through to reporting and API access. By the end of the post, you should have a good idea of whether Ahrefs or SEMrush is best-suited to the needs of your business and/or clients. If you want to see how Ahrefs compares to SEMrush in a particular area, use the links below to jump. There will also be a link at the end of each section that brings you back to the top of the post. Ahrefs vs SEMrush (by use case): - [Quick comparison](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#quick) - [Competitive Analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#competitive) - [Keyword Research](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#keywordresearch) - [Rank Tracking](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#ranktracking) - [Site Audits](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#audit) - [Backlink Analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#backlinkanalysis) - [PPC Analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#ppc) - [Campaign Reporting](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#reporting) - [API Access](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#api) Disclaimer: This article does contain affiliate links. If you purchase a tool through one of my links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for the support\! * ## The Competitors: Ahrefs and SEMrush [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/) and [SEMrush](https://www.semrush.com/?ref=14255390) (aff) are both leading all-in-one SEO toolsets. Ahrefs is one of the best tools for SEO-related tasks, such as [backlink analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-backlink-checker/), and keyword research. SEMrush has similar SEO tools, but it also offers a diverse range of other Toolkits for content audits, PPC, [reporting](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/reporting-tools/), local listings and campaign management. ### SEMrush [![](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image2.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image2.png) [SEMrush](https://www.semrush.com/?ref=14255390) (aff) is an all-in-one digital marketing platform that is used by over 6 million professionals. Not only was it voted the [\#1 all-in-one SEO tool](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-seo-tools/) with its broad competitor and market analysis, but it’s also a leading [SEM tool](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-sem-tools/) with its in-depth PPC analysis capabilities. ### Ahrefs [![](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image12.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image12.png) [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/) is another all-in-one SEO toolset that is best-known for having the most extensive index of live backlinks. It also includes a robust suite of tools for keyword research, rank tracking, content analysis, backlink analysis, and technical [site audits](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-seo-audit-tools/). * ## Ahrefs vs. SEMrush: Quick Comparison We'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across different sections of the SEO campaign throughout the post, but here is a quick snapshot. \| Ahrefs Vs. SEMrush \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Features \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| Keyword Index \| 20B \| 6\.3B \| \| Live Backlink Index \| \| \| \| Keyword Research \| \| \| \| Backlink Analysis \| \| \| \| Technical Site Audits \| \| \| \| Rank Tracking \| \| \| \| PPC Analysis \| \| \| \| Reporting \| \| \| \| API \| \| \| \| Reports Per Day \| 3,000 (starter plan) \| 25 (starter plan) \| \| Users (Starter Plan) \| 1 \| 3 \| \| Pricing \| Plans start at \$99.95/mo \| Plans start at \$99/mo \| \| Trials \| [Free 30-Day Trial](https://www.semrush.com/partner/robbierichards) \| [7-Day Trial for \$7](https://ahrefs.com/) \| [Top](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#top) * ## SEMrush vs. Ahrefs: Category Comparison In this section, we'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across each of the major SEO campaign areas. At the end of each section, I'll include a final verdict that includes a star rating for each of the following: - Functionality: overall breadth and quality of the feature set. - Usability: overall ease-of-use. In addition to functionality and usability, I'll also include a brief summary explaining how my final verdict was reached. ### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Competitive Analysis Both toolsets can analyze the competition. While Ahrefs’ competitive analysis toolset is centered more on SEO and content, SEMrush takes it to another level, providing deep insights into a competitor’s entire online traffic strategy – i.e. organic, paid, referral, social, and direct – making it one of the top [SimilarWeb competitors](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/similarweb-alternatives/). #### SEMrush [SEMrush](https://www.semrush.com/?ref=14255390) (aff) is the industry-leader when it comes to competitor analysis. But one of the areas where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs is with its [traffic analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/how-much-traffic-website-gets/). The[Traffic Analytics](https://www.semrush.com/analytics/traffic/?ref=14255390)report, in combination with the [SEO](https://www.semrush.com/seo/?ref=14255390) and [Advertising](https://www.semrush.com/ppc/?ref=14255390) toolkits, lets you drill down to find the specific source of traffic for a competitor’s site. [![SEMrush traffic analytics tools](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image13.jpg)![SEMrush traffic analytics tools](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20376%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image13.jpg) - Identify other websites also visited by your competitors’ site visitors, and get insights into their browsing interests and brand preferences. - Find out which keywords, URLs, subfolders, and/or subdomains drive the most organic traffic. - Identify which content types and topics get your competitors the most backlinks. - Find out which paid keywords drive the most traffic, and how that is trending over time. - Find out which keywords competitors have been bidding on the longest, and which ad copy has been in the rotation the longest. - Bulk analyze the online traffic strategies for up to 200 websites at once. - Find out which websites, YouTube videos and channels your top competitors are publishing displays ads on. [![Robbie headshot](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/rj-employee_Robbie-color-new.png)![Robbie headshot](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20150%20150%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/rj-employee_Robbie-color-new.png) Editor's note: Want to test drive the Traffic Analytics toolset? Use the free trial link and traffic analysis template below: 1. SEMrush + Traffic Analytics ([free 14-day trial](https://www.semrush.com/billing/offers/buy/q8f9lqe5?promo=ROBBIE-JZBL9EGE)) 2. Free traffic analysis template ![Traffic analysis template](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Traffic-Analysis-template.gif) ![Traffic analysis template](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%201920%20876%22%3E%3C/svg%3E) Ready to go? Sweet. Let’s get started\! #### Ahrefs While SEMrush provides a comprehensive view of your competitors’ entire digital marketing strategy, from how they get traffic to where they convert it, Ahrefs primarily focuses on [SEO competitive analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/seo-competitor-analysis/). Ahrefs’ [Site Explore](https://ahrefs.com/site-explorer)r only provides basic insights around paid keywords and ad copy compared to SEMrush. [![Ahrefs Site Explorer dashboard](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image5.png)![Ahrefs Site Explorer dashboard](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20406%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image5.png) - Find out which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic. - Perform URL, subfolder and subdomain-level keyword [gap analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/keyword-gap-analysis/). - Find out which content topics and types get the most engagement for competitors (Content Explorer). - Find out which competitor content topics and types get linked to the most. - Uncover backlink gaps and recurring link sources. \| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Channels \| Organic, Paid, Social, Direct, and Referral \| Organic and Paid (basic) \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| SEMrush is the winner in this category. While Ahrefs provides some great insights into your competitor's SEO strategy and which content topics get the most engagement in a specific industry, SEMrush takes it a step further. In addition to in-depth SEO competitor analysis, the ability to analyze which channels drive the most traffic – organic, paid, direct, social, referral – and drill into the specific source of that traffic, all the way down to the keyword, ad, or referral site, makes SEMrush a clear winner in the competitive analysis category. \| \| \| [Top](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#top) * ### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Keyword Research Both toolsets provide some of the best keyword research functionality of any tool on the market. SEMrush’s [keyword magic tool](https://www.semrush.com/analytics/keywordmagic/?ref=14255390) has the largest keyword database with 20 billion keywords. #### SEMrush The Keyword Magic tool is the main keyword research tool for SEMrush. With the largest index and a ton of functionality, it’s no wonder it’s been voted the [\#1 keyword research](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-keyword-research-tool/) tool by hundreds of experts. If you're looking for a tool that provides the largest volume of accurate keyword data, SEMrush might be the one for you. [![SEMrush keyword magic tool](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image8.png)![SEMrush keyword magic tool](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20374%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image8.png) - Uncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher. - Identify which keywords drive the most organic traffic to competing sites across different subdomains, subfolders, and URLs. - Compare the keywords of up to five [competitors](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/find-competitor-keywords/) to find keyword gaps at the URL, subfolder, and domain levels. - Filter out all your [untapped featured snippet opportunities](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/how-to-get-a-featured-snippet/). i.e. where you have top 10 rankings for a keyword, but don't rank in the featured snippet yet. - Enter a seed topic into the Keyword Magic tool, and build a massive list of long-tail keywords, broken into topic groups. Plus, you can toggle to view the question-based topics, too. - Keyword research is also baked into the Advertising Toolkit, so you can see which keywords your competitors are bidding on, and for how long, and then check the ones you want to add to your master keyword list. - SEMrush provides the largest and most accurate keyword database. #### Ahrefs [Keyword Explorer](https://ahrefs.com/keywords-explorer) is the main keyword research tool in Ahrefs. Although it has a smaller index compared to SEMrush, the interface (UI) is more user-friendly and easier to navigate. [![Ahrefs Keyword Explorer](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image7.png)![Ahrefs Keyword Explorer](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20408%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image7.png) - Uncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher. - Find which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic to a site. - Enter a seed keyword into Keyword Explorer and get hundreds or thousands of ideas that can be filtered by different reports based on keyword match types and question-based topics. - The SERP Overview report also makes it easy to [quickly qualify](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/serp-analysis/) new keyword opportunities directly in the keyword list by looking at content types, traffic estimates, and backlink data for competing URLs. - Perform keyword research across different search engines, such as Amazon, YouTube, and Bing. The accuracy is questionable at times, but it’s still a unique feature. \| FINAL VERDICT: TIED \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Keyword Index \| 20B \| 6\.3B \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| It’s hard to separate the tools in this category purely on functionality and usability – it will largely come down to personal preference. If you’re looking for the tool with the largest database of accurate keyword data, then SEMrush might be the best option. But if you’re looking for a solid keyword database with a user-friendly interface, plus the ability to search for opportunities on other search engines, then Ahrefs might be a better option. \| \| \| [Top](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#top) * ### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Rank Tracking Once you have a set of existing or new target keywords, you’ll want an accurate rank tracker to monitor their performance across different devices. Both tools were voted as [leading rank tracking solutions](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-rank-tracker/). #### SEMrush SEMrush offers rank tracking capabilities that rival or beat most [standalone SERP tracking tools](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-serp-tracking-tools/). While both tools provide mobile ranking data on all plans, SEMrush provides daily ranking updates on the starter plan, whereas Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days. In addition, Ahrefs' highest paid plans update ranking data every 3 days. [![SEMrush Position Tracker](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image6.png)![SEMrush Position Tracker](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20433%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image6.png) - Get a summary of your domain’s visibility, estimated traffic, and average position for every keyword you’re tracking. - Track keyword ranking changes from an international level, all the way down to a local level, and across all device types. - Check rankings across tags, devices, locations, and different SERP features. - Compare your target keyword performance against competitors. - Monitor SERP feature movements and quickly spot new opportunities. - View historical ranking performance - 7, 30, 60, 90 days etc. - Integrate rank reports with other popular third party reporting tools such as Google Data Studio. - Import historical rankings data from third-party tools. #### Ahrefs Ahrefs provides a solid rank tracking UI and feature set, but you need to be on the top-paying plans to access the mobile ranking data, and it is only updated every 3 days. [![Ahrefs Rank Tracker](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image16.png)![Ahrefs Rank Tracker](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20412%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image16.png) - Analyze rankings data quickly in the user-friendly interface. - Filter keyword rankings by tags, location, positions, search volume, traffic, competitors, device, etc. - Check which keywords have SERP features and whether you rank for them. - See SEO metrics for the top-ranking pages in the integrated SERP overview report. \| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Ranking Updates \| Daily \| Every 7 days \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| SEMrush is the winner in this category. I use the SEMrush [position tracker](https://www.semrush.com/features/position-tracking/?ref=14255390) for all my personal and client campaigns due to the accuracy and frequency of updates. SEMrush provides daily ranking updates and alerts, imports historical ranking data from third-party tools, and integrates with Data Studio. This makes it easy to quickly map ranking movements back to organic traffic and conversion performance. In addition, the Position Tracker is extremely easy to set up and navigate. \| \| \| [Top](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#top) * ### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Site Audits You wouldn't build a house on shaky foundations, would you? Well, the same goes for your [SEO campaigns](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/case-study/). You need a rock-solid SEO platform that makes it easy to uncover technical issues that are preventing your site from reaching its potential, or even worse, causing it to lose [organic traffic](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/increase-organic-traffic/). Both SEMrush and Ahrefs provide versatile audit tools to ensure your site is on a solid footing. #### SEMrush SEMrush offers both a [toolset](https://www.semrush.com/siteaudit/?ref=14255390) for running in-depth technical audits, as well as automated content audits. [![SEMrush Site Audit report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image17.png)![SEMrush Site Audit report](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20437%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image17.png) - Identify issues associated with things like duplicate and thin content, broken links, crawling, and indexation problems. - Audit the desktop or mobile version of a site, plus include or exclude specific pages. - Run on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis. - Compare crawls side-by-side from different points in time to see how errors, warnings, and notices have changed over time. - Prioritize issues so you can see precisely where your website is struggling. - Send audit action items from SEMrush directly into other project management tools like Trello. #### Ahrefs Ahrefs also provides a robust site audit toolset. [![Ahrefs Site Audit report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image11.png)![Ahrefs Site Audit report](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20396%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image11.png) - Monitor your site for the 100+ most common SEO issues, such as redirect chains, missing meta descriptions, duplicate content, broken links, and indexation problems. - Check all possible SEO issues and follow recommendations on how to fix them. - Run on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis. One unique feature of the Ahrefs Site Audit tool is that it supports Javascript rendering. Javascript-generated content is becoming more common, so this is a great feature. SEMrush does not currently support Javascript rendering. \| FINAL VERDICT: TIED \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| This category is going to largely come down to UI and feature preference. I've found the SEMrush audit insights to be more comprehensive and like the ability to compare audits side-by-side to view progress, prioritize the list of actions, and import them into project management tools such as Trello for execution. It’s also nice to go a step further and run automated content audits. As a result, I prefer SEMrush over Ahrefs when it comes to monthly site crawls and technical audits. That said, Ahrefs also provides a robust site audit tool. While it doesn't allow you to compare technical audits side-by-side, or automate content audits, it does provide other unique features such as the ability to execute Javascript rendering. \| \| \| [Top](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#top) * ### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Backlink Analysis and Link Building Another critical part of any SEO campaign is analyzing your backlink quality and [building authority links](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/13-killer-link-building-strategies/) to [improve ranking](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/first-page-of-google/) potential. Both tools provide a full suite of tools to help with this. While I generally prefer Ahrefs for backlink analysis and link prospecting, SEMrush has improved a lot in this area in the last 12 months. It also provides a convenient [backlink audit tool](https://www.semrush.com/backlink_audit/?ref=14255390) that makes it easy to spot potentially toxic links. #### SEMrush SEMrush is well-known for its competitive analysis, but over the last 12 months has improved its suite of [link building tools](https://www.semrush.com/link_building/), closing the gap on Ahrefs. SEMrush now has an extensive backlink database plus a full set of features that allow you to analyze competitor backlinks, uncover quick win opportunities, and spot potentially harmful links in your profile. One thing to note: If you want to access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports in SEMrush, you have to set up a project, whereas, in Ahrefs, you don’t. (Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, e.g. 3, 15, 25. So if you’ve used your project allocation, you may have to remove one, or add more projects in order to access these reports in SEMrush.) [![SEMrush backlinks report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image1.png)![SEMrush backlinks report](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20464%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image1.png) - Find a site's top linked pages to see which topics and content types attract the most links. - Uncover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity from pages linking to 404 pages. - Find recurring link sources for your top competitors. - Perform competitor backlink gap analysis to quickly spot where your competitors are getting links, but you’re not. - Built-in workflows to help manage the entire outreach process - sending and receiving emails, follow ups and response tracking. - Automatically extract contact information from target websites. - Spot toxic backlinks in your profile. #### Ahrefs Ahrefs is best-known for having the largest index of live backlinks. Over the years, the platform has continually improved the feature set that sits on top of its enormous index, and provides a beautiful, easy-to-navigate UI that makes it easy to find and vet new backlink opportunities. Every minute, Ahrefs crawls 5 million pages looking for new domains to vet and add to its index, making it the second most active crawler after Google. [![Ahrefs backlinks report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image14.png)![Ahrefs backlinks report](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20392%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image14.png) - Find the top-linked pages of competitor sites, discover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity. - Apply advanced filters to backlink reports to streamline the prospecting process. - Find backlink gaps and recurring link sources – i.e. higher-probability link targets – with the Link Intersect tool. - Analyze anchor text distribution and referring IP patterns. - Use trend graphs to spot unnatural link activity. Eg: negative SEO attacks. - Link metrics are integrated with other tools like the keyword and content explorer, making it easier to accurately qualify new keyword opportunities and content topics. - Use advanced filters to quickly [identify how many backlinks are needed to rank](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need-to-rank/) a piece of content highly on page one. \| FINAL VERDICT: AHREFS \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| Ahrefs is the winner in this category. The quality of Ahrefs’ link index, combined with the easy-to-navigate reports and powerful filtering options, makes it the top link building toolset on the market. Ahrefs is still my preferred tool when it comes to finding new link building options. That said, if you were leaning towards SEMrush before this point, they still provide solid [link building tools](https://www.semrush.com/link_building/?ref=14255390) with backlink analysis functionality. Their index is constantly growing, along with the features. I just find Ahrefs’ data is still a bit cleaner, and the analysis capabilities (filtering etc) and UI easier to navigate. \| \| \| [Top](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#top) * ### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for PPC Analysis Paid search is an important channel in most digital marketing strategies. It’s vital to purchase mindshare in the SERPs while waiting for organic search efforts to drive results. Having a robust suite of SEM tools is critical to quickly uncover paid keyword opportunities, ad copy ideas, and high-converting landing page templates. It helps eliminate the guesswork when it comes to planning and building a profitable campaign, and in the process, prevents a lot of wasted ad budget. #### SEMrush On top of the competitive analysis and [SEO toolkits](https://www.semrush.com/seo/?ref=14255390), SEMrush provides one of the best SEM toolsets on the market. In many cases, it beats standalone [PPC tools](https://www.robbierichards.com/ppc/best-ppc-tools). The [Advertising Toolkit](https://www.semrush.com/ppc/?ref=14255390) provides deep insights into a competitor’s PPC strategy, from budget and keywords to ad copies and landing pages. If you think you’ll need to analyze a competitor's paid strategies, this is where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs, and most other platforms, by a wide margin. [![SEMrush Advertising Research report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image10.png)![SEMrush Advertising Research report](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20421%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image10.png) - Uncover the keywords your competitors are bidding on, how much they are spending each month, and how these are trending over time. - Analyze the ad copies that competitors are using to win the click in the SERPs, and see which ads have been running the longest as this can indicate the top-performing variants that you can model for higher ROI. - Find all the landing pages that competitors are using to convert paid traffic. - Find which competitors are running display ads, and the creatives they are using - text, image and HTML. - Find which YouTube channels and videos your competitors are running video ads on, along with the actual video ad creatives. - Analyze competitor PLA campaigns, and glean valuable insights into the creatives and pricing strategies they are using on Google Shopping. - Run PPC gap analysis to find keywords your competitors are bidding on, but your current campaign is missing. - Use the ad builder to find new keywords, create ad templates, and then import them directly into the Google Ads platform. #### Ahrefs Ahrefs added a paid search section in its Site Explorer, but has not appeared to prioritize this area of the platform. There is very little data on the keywords and ad copies used by domains. Ahrefs provides a tiny fraction of the PPC insights compared to SEMrush’s Advertising Toolkit. [![Ahrefs PPC report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image3.png)![Ahrefs PPC report](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20452%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image3.png) - Get minimal insights into the PPC keywords and ad copies a domain is running on Google. In Ahrefs' defense, they have decided to focus primarily on improving their SEO toolset. That said, if you're running paid ad campaigns for your business or clients, and want to analyze competitor PPC campaigns, the SEMrush Advertising Toolkit may be a big differentiator for you. \| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| SEMrush is the winner in this category. SEMrush eliminates all the guesswork when it comes to building or optimizing Google PPC campaigns. You get an almost unfair behind-the-scenes look at your competitor’s campaign and quickly gain insights into what is working for them, so you don’t waste a bunch of money testing different keywords, ad copy, and landing pages. You simply look at what is working for your competitors, and start with a proven template for success. Ahrefs has not invested much in this area of its platform to date. So, if you’re looking for an all-in-one digital marketing platform that will give you valuable PPC insights, SEMrush is definitely the platform to choose. \| \| \| [Top](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#top) * ### SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Campaign Reporting When running digital marketing campaigns, you need to show how your efforts are moving the needle from a ranking, traffic, and conversion standpoint. #### SEMrush SEMrush provides a robust [built-in reporting](https://www.semrush.com/my_reports/?ref=14255390) toolset, along with simple integrations with a long list of third-party tools. You can choose from a library of pre-built templates, customize them with the drag-and-drop report builder, and pull 50+ metrics from the different toolkits. It also integrates with Google My Business, Google Analytics, and Search Console. [![Building reports in SEMrush](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image4.png)![Building reports in SEMrush](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20426%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image4.png) #### Ahrefs While Ahrefs provides nice easy-to-read data visualizations inside the web app, it only enables basic pre-defined PDF exports and no white-label reporting functionality. \| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| SEMrush is the winner in this category. SEMrush provides a robust built-in reporting tool that eliminates the need to invest in third-party reporting tools. The ability to pull in metrics from different sources - Google Analytics, Search Console and Google My Business - into a single dashboard, easily customize reports with a drag-and-drop builder, white-label and schedule reports, differentiate SEMrush from Ahrefs and a lot of other SEO platforms that only provide basic PDF exports. \| \| \| [Top](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#top) * ## SEMrush vs. Ahrefs: API Access An API (Application Programming Interface) gives you access to a tool’s functionality without using the software. In other words, it's like a backdoor access to all the raw data that you usually see on the front-end user interface. So, if you’re developing in-house tools and reports, you can use the API to extract the data you require. #### SEMrush SEMrush offers two main [API packages](https://www.semrush.com/api-documentation/?ref=14255390): 1. The Standard API comes with the Business Plan, and includes: a. Analytics API (Domain Analytics and Keyword Research). b. Projects API (Site Audit and Position Tracking). c. Accounts API (how many API units remain on your account). 2. The Traffic Analytics API is available separately on request. [![SEMrush API options](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image15.png)![SEMrush API options](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20439%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image15.png) - Get data faster with the API than the standard interface. - Pull the data automatically to gather vast sets of data efficiently. - Integrate the SEMrush data into your dashboards and other tools. Note: The SEMrush [API version 4.0](https://www.semrush.com/api-v4/?ref=14255390) is currently in beta and provides access to the Site Audit API. #### Ahrefs The [Ahrefs API](https://ahrefs.com/api) can pull the following metrics: - Domain Rating (DR) - Backlinks - Referring Domains - URL Rating (UR) The free subscription is available with any of the paid plans, or you can purchase a more advanced API plan starting at \$500/mo. User feedback suggests that the quality of the data lacks in comparison to the toolset. [![Ahrefs API options](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image9.png)![Ahrefs API options](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%20399%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image9.png) - Integrate the Ahrefs data into your in-house tools and apps. - Pull the data into reporting tools like Data Studio. \| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| SEMrush is the winner in this category. SEMrush has the most flexible API, allowing users to quickly pull data from its different Toolkits. Ahrefs also provides a solid API, but based on the documentation page, it appears to be limited largely to referring domain and backlink data. \| \| \| [Top](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#top) * ## ## The Final Verdict: SEMrush or Ahrefs? Due to the more extensive index and accuracy of data, plus the breadth of use cases – competitor traffic and market analysis, SEO and PPC insights – if I had to choose one platform, I'd go with [SEMrush](https://www.semrush.com/?ref=14255390). That said, if you're looking for a solid all-in-one SEO toolset, it’s also worth considering a 7-day trial of [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/). Here's a recap of some of the major reasons you might consider choosing one over the other. ### SEMrush: - Besides being a top-rated all-in-one SEO platform, SEMrush also provides deep competitor and traffic insights across all major digital channels – organic, paid, social, referral – on mobile and desktop devices. - SEMrush provides a more extensive, up-to-date keyword database. - SEMrush provides daily ranking updates. In contrast, Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days for Lite plans (\$99), and every 3 days on the Advanced Plans (\$399/month). - The site audit features are more comprehensive and easier to integrate with third-party reporting and project management tools like Trello. - SEMrush provides advanced PPC analysis capabilities. You can monitor competitor PPC spend, keyword targeting, ad copy, landing page URLs, video, Google Shopping and display ads. - SEMrush lets you build custom white-label reports that pull data from all the different toolkits in the platform. Plus, It also integrates with third-party tools like Data Studio. - Users get access to a lot more domain analytics and reports each day. - Most of the toolkits are integrated, so you can look at competitor SEO and PPC keyword data side-by-side and add them to the same master keyword list. - SEMrush enables users to run automated content audits. - The API access is more flexible. ### Ahrefs: - Ahrefs has the largest index of live backlinks, which still makes it the best solution for backlink prospecting and analysis. - It pulls link data into keyword SERP overview reports, making it easier to qualify keywords more accurately while inside the application. - While SEMrush has improved a lot, the Ahrefs UI is still easier to navigate. - The Content Explorer makes it easy to identify which content types and topics in a given industry attract the most links and social engagement. - Ahrefs lets you access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports without setting up a ‘project’ whereas, in SEMrush, you have to create a project. Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, so if you’ve used your project allocation, these reports might be inaccessible in SEMrush. - Ahrefs’ site audit toolset provides Javascript rendering**, whereas SEMrush' audit tooset currently does not. [![30-Day SEMrush Free Trial Banner](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Robbie-Richards-Banner-3.png)![30-Day SEMrush Free Trial Banner](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20660%2094%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.semrush.com/partner/robbierichards) Filed Under: [SEO](https://www.robbierichards.com/category/seo/) ### Leave a Reply [Cancel reply](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#respond) This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. [Learn how your comment data is processed](https://akismet.com/privacy/). 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Readable Markdown	SEMrush and Ahrefs are titans (and competitors) in the SEO arena. Both platforms offer a range of tools to help bolster your SEO and broader digital marketing campaigns. But which toolset is better? Ahrefs or SEMrush? The answer will depend on the specific needs of your business. In this post, I’m going to take a close look at how each toolset stacks up across the different areas of a search marketing campaign, from competitor analysis and keyword research all the way through to reporting and API access. By the end of the post, you should have a good idea of whether Ahrefs or SEMrush is best-suited to the needs of your business and/or clients. If you want to see how Ahrefs compares to SEMrush in a particular area, use the links below to jump. There will also be a link at the end of each section that brings you back to the top of the post. Ahrefs vs SEMrush (by use case): - [Quick comparison](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#quick) - [Competitive Analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#competitive) - [Keyword Research](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#keywordresearch) - [Rank Tracking](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#ranktracking) - [Site Audits](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#audit) - [Backlink Analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#backlinkanalysis) - [PPC Analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#ppc) - [Campaign Reporting](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#reporting) - [API Access](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/ahrefs-vs-semrush/#api) Disclaimer: This article does contain affiliate links. If you purchase a tool through one of my links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for the support\! The Competitors: Ahrefs and SEMrush [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/) and [SEMrush](https://www.semrush.com/?ref=14255390) (aff)are both leading all-in-one SEO toolsets. Ahrefs is one of the best tools for SEO-related tasks, such as[backlink analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-backlink-checker/), and keyword research. SEMrush has similar SEO tools, but it also offers a diverse range of other Toolkits for content audits, PPC, [reporting](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/reporting-tools/), local listings and campaign management. SEMrush [![](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image2.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image2.png) [SEMrush](https://www.semrush.com/?ref=14255390) (aff) is an all-in-one digital marketing platform that is used by over 6 million professionals. Not only was it voted the [\#1 all-in-one SEO tool](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-seo-tools/) with its broad competitor and market analysis, but it’s also a leading [SEM tool](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-sem-tools/) with its in-depth PPC analysis capabilities. Ahrefs [![](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image12.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image12.png) [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/) is another all-in-one SEO toolset that is best-known for having the most extensive index of live backlinks. It also includes a robust suite of tools for keyword research, rank tracking, content analysis, backlink analysis, and technical [site audits](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-seo-audit-tools/). We'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across different sections of the SEO campaign throughout the post, but here is a quick snapshot. \| Ahrefs Vs. SEMrush \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Features \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| Keyword Index \| 20B \| 6\.3B \| \| Live Backlink Index \| \| \| \| Keyword Research \| \| \| \| Backlink Analysis \| \| \| \| Technical Site Audits \| \| \| \| Rank Tracking \| \| \| \| PPC Analysis \| \| \| \| Reporting \| \| \| \| API \| \| \| \| Reports Per Day \| 3,000 (starter plan) \| 25 (starter plan) \| \| Users (Starter Plan) \| 1 \| 3 \| \| Pricing \| Plans start at \$99.95/mo \| Plans start at \$99/mo \| \| Trials \| [Free 30-Day Trial](https://www.semrush.com/partner/robbierichards) \| [7-Day Trial for \$7](https://ahrefs.com/) \| SEMrush vs. Ahrefs: Category Comparison In this section, we'll dive deeper into how SEMrush compares to Ahrefs across each of the major SEO campaign areas. At the end of each section, I'll include a final verdict that includes a star rating for each of the following: - Functionality: overall breadth and quality of the feature set. - Usability: overall ease-of-use. In addition to functionality and usability, I'll also include a brief summary explaining how my final verdict was reached. SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Competitive Analysis Both toolsets can analyze the competition. While Ahrefs’ competitive analysis toolset is centered more on SEO and content, SEMrush takes it to another level, providing deep insights into a competitor’s entire online traffic strategy – i.e. organic, paid, referral, social, and direct – making it one of the top [SimilarWeb competitors](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/similarweb-alternatives/). SEMrush [SEMrush](https://www.semrush.com/?ref=14255390) (aff) is the industry-leader when it comes to competitor analysis. But one of the areas where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs is with its [traffic analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/how-much-traffic-website-gets/). The[Traffic Analytics](https://www.semrush.com/analytics/traffic/?ref=14255390)report, in combination with the [SEO](https://www.semrush.com/seo/?ref=14255390) and [Advertising](https://www.semrush.com/ppc/?ref=14255390) toolkits, lets you drill down to find the specific source of traffic for a competitor’s site. [![SEMrush traffic analytics tools](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image13.jpg)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image13.jpg) - Identify other websites also visited by your competitors’ site visitors, and get insights into their browsing interests and brand preferences. - Find out which keywords, URLs, subfolders, and/or subdomains drive the most organic traffic. - Identify which content types and topics get your competitors the most backlinks. - Find out which paid keywords drive the most traffic, and how that is trending over time. - Find out which keywords competitors have been bidding on the longest, and which ad copy has been in the rotation the longest. - Bulk analyze the online traffic strategies for up to 200 websites at once. - Find out which websites, YouTube videos and channels your top competitors are publishing displays ads on. [![Robbie headshot](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/rj-employee_Robbie-color-new.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/rj-employee_Robbie-color-new.png) Editor's note: Want to test drive the Traffic Analytics toolset? Use the free trial link and traffic analysis template below: 1. SEMrush + Traffic Analytics ([free 14-day trial](https://www.semrush.com/billing/offers/buy/q8f9lqe5?promo=ROBBIE-JZBL9EGE)) 2. Free traffic analysis template ![Traffic analysis template](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%201920%20876%22%3E%3C/svg%3E) Ready to go? Sweet. Let’s get started\! #### Ahrefs While SEMrush provides a comprehensive view of your competitors’ entire digital marketing strategy, from how they get traffic to where they convert it, Ahrefs primarily focuses on [SEO competitive analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/seo-competitor-analysis/). Ahrefs’ [Site Explore](https://ahrefs.com/site-explorer)r only provides basic insights around paid keywords and ad copy compared to SEMrush. [![Ahrefs Site Explorer dashboard](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image5.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image5.png) - Find out which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic. - Perform URL, subfolder and subdomain-level keyword [gap analysis](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/keyword-gap-analysis/). - Find out which content topics and types get the most engagement for competitors (Content Explorer). - Find out which competitor content topics and types get linked to the most. - Uncover backlink gaps and recurring link sources. \| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Channels \| Organic, Paid, Social, Direct, and Referral \| Organic and Paid (basic) \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| SEMrush is the winner in this category. While Ahrefs provides some great insights into your competitor's SEO strategy and which content topics get the most engagement in a specific industry, SEMrush takes it a step further. In addition to in-depth SEO competitor analysis, the ability to analyze which channels drive the most traffic – organic, paid, direct, social, referral – and drill into the specific source of that traffic, all the way down to the keyword, ad, or referral site, makes SEMrush a clear winner in the competitive analysis category. \| \| \| SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Keyword Research Both toolsets provide some of the best keyword research functionality of any tool on the market. SEMrush’s [keyword magic tool](https://www.semrush.com/analytics/keywordmagic/?ref=14255390) has the largest keyword database with 20 billion keywords. SEMrush The Keyword Magic tool is the main keyword research tool for SEMrush. With the largest index and a ton of functionality, it’s no wonder it’s been voted the [\#1 keyword research](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-keyword-research-tool/) tool by hundreds of experts. If you're looking for a tool that provides the largest volume of accurate keyword data, SEMrush might be the one for you. [![SEMrush keyword magic tool](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image8.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image8.png) - Uncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher. - Identify which keywords drive the most organic traffic to competing sites across different subdomains, subfolders, and URLs. - Compare the keywords of up to five [competitors](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/find-competitor-keywords/) to find keyword gaps at the URL, subfolder, and domain levels. - Filter out all your [untapped featured snippet opportunities](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/how-to-get-a-featured-snippet/). i.e. where you have top 10 rankings for a keyword, but don't rank in the featured snippet yet. - Enter a seed topic into the Keyword Magic tool, and build a massive list of long-tail keywords, broken into topic groups. Plus, you can toggle to view the question-based topics, too. - Keyword research is also baked into the Advertising Toolkit, so you can see which keywords your competitors are bidding on, and for how long, and then check the ones you want to add to your master keyword list. - SEMrush provides the largest and most accurate keyword database. Ahrefs [Keyword Explorer](https://ahrefs.com/keywords-explorer) is the main keyword research tool in Ahrefs. Although it has a smaller index compared to SEMrush, the interface (UI) is more user-friendly and easier to navigate. [![Ahrefs Keyword Explorer](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image7.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image7.png) - Uncover existing keyword opportunities that can be optimized to rank higher. - Find which keywords, URLs, and subfolders drive the most organic traffic to a site. - Enter a seed keyword into Keyword Explorer and get hundreds or thousands of ideas that can be filtered by different reports based on keyword match types and question-based topics. - The SERP Overview report also makes it easy to [quickly qualify](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/serp-analysis/) new keyword opportunities directly in the keyword list by looking at content types, traffic estimates, and backlink data for competing URLs. - Perform keyword research across different search engines, such as Amazon, YouTube, and Bing. The accuracy is questionable at times, but it’s still a unique feature. \| FINAL VERDICT: TIED \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Keyword Index \| 20B \| 6\.3B \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| It’s hard to separate the tools in this category purely on functionality and usability – it will largely come down to personal preference. If you’re looking for the tool with the largest database of accurate keyword data, then SEMrush might be the best option. But if you’re looking for a solid keyword database with a user-friendly interface, plus the ability to search for opportunities on other search engines, then Ahrefs might be a better option. \| \| \| SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Rank Tracking Once you have a set of existing or new target keywords, you’ll want an accurate rank tracker to monitor their performance across different devices. Both tools were voted as [leading rank tracking solutions](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-rank-tracker/). SEMrush SEMrush offers rank tracking capabilities that rival or beat most [standalone SERP tracking tools](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/best-serp-tracking-tools/). While both tools provide mobile ranking data on all plans, SEMrush provides daily ranking updates on the starter plan, whereas Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days. In addition, Ahrefs' highest paid plans update ranking data every 3 days. [![SEMrush Position Tracker](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image6.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image6.png) - Get a summary of your domain’s visibility, estimated traffic, and average position for every keyword you’re tracking. - Track keyword ranking changes from an international level, all the way down to a local level, and across all device types. - Check rankings across tags, devices, locations, and different SERP features. - Compare your target keyword performance against competitors. - Monitor SERP feature movements and quickly spot new opportunities. - View historical ranking performance - 7, 30, 60, 90 days etc. - Integrate rank reports with other popular third party reporting tools such as Google Data Studio. - Import historical rankings data from third-party tools. Ahrefs Ahrefs provides a solid rank tracking UI and feature set, but you need to be on the top-paying plans to access the mobile ranking data, and it is only updated every 3 days. [![Ahrefs Rank Tracker](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image16.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image16.png) - Analyze rankings data quickly in the user-friendly interface. - Filter keyword rankings by tags, location, positions, search volume, traffic, competitors, device, etc. - Check which keywords have SERP features and whether you rank for them. - See SEO metrics for the top-ranking pages in the integrated SERP overview report. \| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Ranking Updates \| Daily \| Every 7 days \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| SEMrush is the winner in this category. I use the SEMrush [position tracker](https://www.semrush.com/features/position-tracking/?ref=14255390) for all my personal and client campaigns due to the accuracy and frequency of updates. SEMrush provides daily ranking updates and alerts, imports historical ranking data from third-party tools, and integrates with Data Studio. This makes it easy to quickly map ranking movements back to organic traffic and conversion performance. In addition, the Position Tracker is extremely easy to set up and navigate. \| \| \| SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Site Audits You wouldn't build a house on shaky foundations, would you? Well, the same goes for your [SEO campaigns](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/case-study/). You need a rock-solid SEO platform that makes it easy to uncover technical issues that are preventing your site from reaching its potential, or even worse, causing it to lose [organic traffic](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/increase-organic-traffic/). Both SEMrush and Ahrefs provide versatile audit tools to ensure your site is on a solid footing. SEMrush SEMrush offers both a [toolset](https://www.semrush.com/siteaudit/?ref=14255390) for running in-depth technical audits, as well as automated content audits. [![SEMrush Site Audit report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image17.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image17.png) - Identify issues associated with things like duplicate and thin content, broken links, crawling, and indexation problems. - Audit the desktop or mobile version of a site, plus include or exclude specific pages. - Run on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis. - Compare crawls side-by-side from different points in time to see how errors, warnings, and notices have changed over time. - Prioritize issues so you can see precisely where your website is struggling. - Send audit action items from SEMrush directly into other project management tools like Trello. Ahrefs Ahrefs also provides a robust site audit toolset. [![Ahrefs Site Audit report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image11.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image11.png) - Monitor your site for the 100+ most common SEO issues, such as redirect chains, missing meta descriptions, duplicate content, broken links, and indexation problems. - Check all possible SEO issues and follow recommendations on how to fix them. - Run on-demand audits and schedule auto re-crawls on a daily or weekly basis. One unique feature of the Ahrefs Site Audit tool is that it supports Javascript rendering. Javascript-generated content is becoming more common, so this is a great feature. SEMrush does not currently support Javascript rendering. \| FINAL VERDICT: TIED \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| This category is going to largely come down to UI and feature preference. I've found the SEMrush audit insights to be more comprehensive and like the ability to compare audits side-by-side to view progress, prioritize the list of actions, and import them into project management tools such as Trello for execution. It’s also nice to go a step further and run automated content audits. As a result, I prefer SEMrush over Ahrefs when it comes to monthly site crawls and technical audits. That said, Ahrefs also provides a robust site audit tool. While it doesn't allow you to compare technical audits side-by-side, or automate content audits, it does provide other unique features such as the ability to execute Javascript rendering. \| \| \| SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Backlink Analysis and Link Building Another critical part of any SEO campaign is analyzing your backlink quality and [building authority links](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/13-killer-link-building-strategies/) to [improve ranking](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/first-page-of-google/) potential. Both tools provide a full suite of tools to help with this. While I generally prefer Ahrefs for backlink analysis and link prospecting, SEMrush has improved a lot in this area in the last 12 months. It also provides a convenient [backlink audit tool](https://www.semrush.com/backlink_audit/?ref=14255390) that makes it easy to spot potentially toxic links. SEMrush SEMrush is well-known for its competitive analysis, but over the last 12 months has improved its suite of [link building tools](https://www.semrush.com/link_building/), closing the gap on Ahrefs. SEMrush now has an extensive backlink database plus a full set of features that allow you to analyze competitor backlinks, uncover quick win opportunities, and spot potentially harmful links in your profile. One thing to note: If you want to access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports in SEMrush, you have to set up a project, whereas, in Ahrefs, you don’t. (Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, e.g. 3, 15, 25. So if you’ve used your project allocation, you may have to remove one, or add more projects in order to access these reports in SEMrush.) [![SEMrush backlinks report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image1.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image1.png) - Find a site's top linked pages to see which topics and content types attract the most links. - Uncover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity from pages linking to 404 pages. - Find recurring link sources for your top competitors. - Perform competitor backlink gap analysis to quickly spot where your competitors are getting links, but you’re not. - Built-in workflows to help manage the entire outreach process - sending and receiving emails, follow ups and response tracking. - Automatically extract contact information from target websites. - Spot toxic backlinks in your profile. Ahrefs Ahrefs is best-known for having the largest index of live backlinks. Over the years, the platform has continually improved the feature set that sits on top of its enormous index, and provides a beautiful, easy-to-navigate UI that makes it easy to find and vet new backlink opportunities. Every minute, Ahrefs crawls 5 million pages looking for new domains to vet and add to its index, making it the second most active crawler after Google. [![Ahrefs backlinks report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image14.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image14.png) - Find the top-linked pages of competitor sites, discover unlinked brand mentions, and reclaim lost link equity. - Apply advanced filters to backlink reports to streamline the prospecting process. - Find backlink gaps and recurring link sources – i.e. higher-probability link targets – with the Link Intersect tool. - Analyze anchor text distribution and referring IP patterns. - Use trend graphs to spot unnatural link activity. Eg: negative SEO attacks. - Link metrics are integrated with other tools like the keyword and content explorer, making it easier to accurately qualify new keyword opportunities and content topics. - Use advanced filters to quickly [identify how many backlinks are needed to rank](https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need-to-rank/) a piece of content highly on page one. \| FINAL VERDICT: AHREFS \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| Ahrefs is the winner in this category. The quality of Ahrefs’ link index, combined with the easy-to-navigate reports and powerful filtering options, makes it the top link building toolset on the market. Ahrefs is still my preferred tool when it comes to finding new link building options. That said, if you were leaning towards SEMrush before this point, they still provide solid [link building tools](https://www.semrush.com/link_building/?ref=14255390) with backlink analysis functionality. Their index is constantly growing, along with the features. I just find Ahrefs’ data is still a bit cleaner, and the analysis capabilities (filtering etc) and UI easier to navigate. \| \| \| SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for PPC Analysis Paid search is an important channel in most digital marketing strategies. It’s vital to purchase mindshare in the SERPs while waiting for organic search efforts to drive results. Having a robust suite of SEM tools is critical to quickly uncover paid keyword opportunities, ad copy ideas, and high-converting landing page templates. It helps eliminate the guesswork when it comes to planning and building a profitable campaign, and in the process, prevents a lot of wasted ad budget. SEMrush On top of the competitive analysis and [SEO toolkits](https://www.semrush.com/seo/?ref=14255390), SEMrush provides one of the best SEM toolsets on the market. In many cases, it beats standalone [PPC tools](https://www.robbierichards.com/ppc/best-ppc-tools). The [Advertising Toolkit](https://www.semrush.com/ppc/?ref=14255390) provides deep insights into a competitor’s PPC strategy, from budget and keywords to ad copies and landing pages. If you think you’ll need to analyze a competitor's paid strategies, this is where SEMrush separates itself from Ahrefs, and most other platforms, by a wide margin. [![SEMrush Advertising Research report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image10.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image10.png) - Uncover the keywords your competitors are bidding on, how much they are spending each month, and how these are trending over time. - Analyze the ad copies that competitors are using to win the click in the SERPs, and see which ads have been running the longest as this can indicate the top-performing variants that you can model for higher ROI. - Find all the landing pages that competitors are using to convert paid traffic. - Find which competitors are running display ads, and the creatives they are using - text, image and HTML. - Find which YouTube channels and videos your competitors are running video ads on, along with the actual video ad creatives. - Analyze competitor PLA campaigns, and glean valuable insights into the creatives and pricing strategies they are using on Google Shopping. - Run PPC gap analysis to find keywords your competitors are bidding on, but your current campaign is missing. - Use the ad builder to find new keywords, create ad templates, and then import them directly into the Google Ads platform. Ahrefs Ahrefs added a paid search section in its Site Explorer, but has not appeared to prioritize this area of the platform. There is very little data on the keywords and ad copies used by domains. Ahrefs provides a tiny fraction of the PPC insights compared to SEMrush’s Advertising Toolkit. [![Ahrefs PPC report](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image3.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image3.png) - Get minimal insights into the PPC keywords and ad copies a domain is running on Google. In Ahrefs' defense, they have decided to focus primarily on improving their SEO toolset. That said, if you're running paid ad campaigns for your business or clients, and want to analyze competitor PPC campaigns, the SEMrush Advertising Toolkit may be a big differentiator for you. \| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| SEMrush is the winner in this category. SEMrush eliminates all the guesswork when it comes to building or optimizing Google PPC campaigns. You get an almost unfair behind-the-scenes look at your competitor’s campaign and quickly gain insights into what is working for them, so you don’t waste a bunch of money testing different keywords, ad copy, and landing pages. You simply look at what is working for your competitors, and start with a proven template for success. Ahrefs has not invested much in this area of its platform to date. So, if you’re looking for an all-in-one digital marketing platform that will give you valuable PPC insights, SEMrush is definitely the platform to choose. \| \| \| SEMrush vs. Ahrefs for Campaign Reporting When running digital marketing campaigns, you need to show how your efforts are moving the needle from a ranking, traffic, and conversion standpoint. SEMrush SEMrush provides a robust [built-in reporting](https://www.semrush.com/my_reports/?ref=14255390)toolset, along with simple integrations with a long list of third-party tools. You can choose from a library of pre-built templates, customize them with the drag-and-drop report builder, and pull 50+ metrics from the different toolkits. It also integrates with Google My Business, Google Analytics, and Search Console. [![Building reports in SEMrush](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image4.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image4.png) Ahrefs While Ahrefs provides nice easy-to-read data visualizations inside the web app, it only enables basic pre-defined PDF exports and no white-label reporting functionality. \| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| SEMrush is the winner in this category. SEMrush provides a robust built-in reporting tool that eliminates the need to invest in third-party reporting tools. The ability to pull in metrics from different sources - Google Analytics, Search Console and Google My Business - into a single dashboard, easily customize reports with a drag-and-drop builder, white-label and schedule reports, differentiate SEMrush from Ahrefs and a lot of other SEO platforms that only provide basic PDF exports. \| \| \| SEMrush vs. Ahrefs: API Access An API (Application Programming Interface) gives you access to a tool’s functionality without using the software. In other words, it's like a backdoor access to all the raw data that you usually see on the front-end user interface. So, if you’re developing in-house tools and reports, you can use the API to extract the data you require. SEMrush SEMrush offers two main [API packages](https://www.semrush.com/api-documentation/?ref=14255390): 1. The Standard API comes with the Business Plan, and includes: a. Analytics API (Domain Analytics and Keyword Research). b. Projects API (Site Audit and Position Tracking). c. Accounts API (how many API units remain on your account). 2. The Traffic Analytics API is available separately on request. [![SEMrush API options](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image15.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image15.png) - Get data faster with the API than the standard interface. - Pull the data automatically to gather vast sets of data efficiently. - Integrate the SEMrush data into your dashboards and other tools. Note: The SEMrush [API version 4.0](https://www.semrush.com/api-v4/?ref=14255390) is currently in beta and provides access to the Site Audit API. Ahrefs The [Ahrefs API](https://ahrefs.com/api) can pull the following metrics: - Domain Rating (DR) - Backlinks - Referring Domains - URL Rating (UR) The free subscription is available with any of the paid plans, or you can purchase a more advanced API plan starting at \$500/mo. User feedback suggests that the quality of the data lacks in comparison to the toolset. [![Ahrefs API options](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image9.png)](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image9.png) - Integrate the Ahrefs data into your in-house tools and apps. - Pull the data into reporting tools like Data Studio. \| FINAL VERDICT: SEMRUSH \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Cell \| SEMrush \| Ahrefs \| \| Functionality \| \| \| \| Usability \| \| \| \| SEMrush is the winner in this category. SEMrush has the most flexible API, allowing users to quickly pull data from its different Toolkits. Ahrefs also provides a solid API, but based on the documentation page, it appears to be limited largely to referring domain and backlink data. \| \| \| The Final Verdict: SEMrush or Ahrefs? Due to the more extensive index and accuracy of data, plus the breadth of use cases – competitor traffic and market analysis, SEO and PPC insights – if I had to choose one platform, I'd go with [SEMrush](https://www.semrush.com/?ref=14255390). That said, if you're looking for a solid all-in-one SEO toolset, it’s also worth considering a 7-day trial of [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/). Here's a recap of some of the major reasons you might consider choosing one over the other. SEMrush: - Besides being a top-rated all-in-one SEO platform, SEMrush also provides deep competitor and traffic insights across all major digital channels – organic, paid, social, referral – on mobile and desktop devices. - SEMrush provides a more extensive, up-to-date keyword database. - SEMrush provides daily ranking updates. In contrast, Ahrefs updates ranking data every 7 days for Lite plans (\$99), and every 3 days on the Advanced Plans (\$399/month). - The site audit features are more comprehensive and easier to integrate with third-party reporting and project management tools like Trello. - SEMrush provides advanced PPC analysis capabilities. You can monitor competitor PPC spend, keyword targeting, ad copy, landing page URLs, video, Google Shopping and display ads. - SEMrush lets you build custom white-label reports that pull data from all the different toolkits in the platform. Plus, It also integrates with third-party tools like Data Studio. - Users get access to a lot more domain analytics and reports each day. - Most of the toolkits are integrated, so you can look at competitor SEO and PPC keyword data side-by-side and add them to the same master keyword list. - SEMrush enables users to run automated content audits. - The API access is more flexible. Ahrefs: - Ahrefs has the largest index of live backlinks, which still makes it the best solution for backlink prospecting and analysis. - It pulls link data into keyword SERP overview reports, making it easier to qualify keywords more accurately while inside the application. - While SEMrush has improved a lot, the Ahrefs UI is still easier to navigate. - The Content Explorer makes it easy to identify which content types and topics in a given industry attract the most links and social engagement. - Ahrefs lets you access the backlink auditing and broken link analysis reports without setting up a ‘project’ whereas, in SEMrush, you have to create a project. Both Ahrefs and SEMrush limit the number of projects you can create per plan, so if you’ve used your project allocation, these reports might be inaccessible in SEMrush. - Ahrefs’ site audit toolset provides Javascript rendering, whereas SEMrush' audit tooset currently does not. [![30-Day SEMrush Free Trial Banner](https://www.robbierichards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Robbie-Richards-Banner-3.png)](https://www.semrush.com/partner/robbierichards)
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