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Ahrefs vs Semrush
How is Ahrefs better than Semrush?
Explore the features, data, and automations that make top marketers choose Ahrefs over Semrush.
Marketers at 44% of the Fortune 500 use Ahrefs to stay ahead in search and AI.
Better data than anyone else in the industry
35
T
The world’s largest index of live backlinks
28.7
B
Keywords. Filtered from 110B
217
Locations with keyword data
400
M+
Monthly AI prompts
Semrush
43
T
Live & dead backlinks
26.7
B
Keywords
143
Locations with keyword data
239
M+
AI prompts database
Exclusive features6 things only Ahrefs can do
1
Compare 20 competitors instantly, not just 5
Site Explorer
Use the Performance chart to scan up to 20 competitors across Organic Traffic, Referring Domains, Share of Voice, and more in a single view.
Semrush
Limits you to 5 competitors. Share of Voice is locked to the Business plan only.
5
Competitors limit
2
Analyze content changes and their impact
Site Explorer
Spot content changes that actually drive organic traffic, and replicate those winning strategies.
Semrush
Shows you a competitor’s top pages. Can’t connect content changes to traffic shifts.
3
Track every source that shapes AI answers
Brand Radar
Ahrefs Brand Radar monitors brand mentions across 7 AI tools, but also the sources that feed them: SEO, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit.
Semrush
Semrush only covers AI visibility across 4 AI tools. Not included in the standard Semrush plans.
4
AI tools tracked
4
Cut through the backlink noise
Backlinks report
Ahrefs’ Best Links filter lets you configure the type of links you see across all reports and charts.
Semrush
Semrush’s Best Filter only shows dofollow links.
5
Find issues the moment they happen
Site Audit
Always-on audits crawl your website 24/7. Catch critical issues immediately and get AI recommendations on how to fix them.
Semrush
Site Audit runs on a fixed schedule. Fixes require your development team.
6
Compare SERPs side-by-side
Keywords Explorer
Spot shifts in intent over time, across the same or different keywords.
Semrush
No side-by-side SERP comparison. No intent shift tracking across keywords.
Side by side comparison
Compare Ahrefs vs Semrush
Semrush
Verified projects
Unlimited (all plans)
5 (Pro) / 15 (Guru) / 40 (Business)
AI visibility sources
7 AI tools + SEO + YouTube + TikTok + Reddit
4 AI tools
Crawlable pages / project
Up to 5,000,000
100,000
JavaScript rendering
All plans
Guru & Business plans only
Competitor analysis domains
20
5
Share of Voice
All plans
Business plan only
Keyword search volume
Global — 217 countries
Country-specific — 143 countries
Industry context
Semrush got acquired by Adobe
In 2025, Adobe acquired Semrush. Here’s what that means for you.
Expect from Semrush
Price increases
Enterprise-first roadmap
Slower feature releases
Bundles, bundles, bundles (Photoshop)
Ahrefs is different
Bootstrapped since 2011
API on all paid plans
200+ features released in 2025
Built for marketers and enterprises
Seen enough? Try out Ahrefs for yourself and start growing your site today!
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