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Ahrefs alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Ahrefs: lower plans are restrictive with usage credits, and expensive on higher tiers. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Ahrefs, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Semrush currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Semrush logoSemrushFree plan + paidNoWeb3 of 366.5
2Mangools logoMangoolsFree plan + paidNoWeb, Browser extension4 of 455.3
3GoGoogle Search ConsoleFreeNoWeb4 of 453.6
  1. Semrush logo

    1. SemrushTop pick

    Best for: Agencies and marketing teams wanting one suite for SEO, competitor and content research

    Free plan + paidWeb

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Ahrefs

    A broader suite that adds PPC, local, social and content tools.

    Pros

    • Very broad toolset covering most search marketing tasks
    • Large keyword and competitor databases
    • AI search visibility tracking alongside classic SEO

    Cons

    • Costs rise fast with extra users and toolkits
    • Crowded interface with a learning curve
    • Free account is very limited
    Visit Semrush Compare with AhrefsDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Semrush a good Ahrefs alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free trial
    Yes (Semrush One)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026semrush.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Keyword research
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026semrush.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Rank tracking
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026semrush.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Mangools logo

    2. Mangools

    Best for: Bloggers and small businesses wanting simple, affordable keyword research

    Free plan + paidWeb, Browser extension

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Ahrefs

    Beginner-friendly keyword, SERP and backlink tools at low prices.

    Pros

    • Very approachable keyword research in KWFinder
    • Five tools under one low-priced subscription
    • Free mini tools and a free account to try it

    Cons

    • Weekly rank updates on most plans
    • Thinner backlink data than the big suites
    • No full technical site crawler
    Visit Mangools Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Mangools a good Ahrefs alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Keyword research
    KWFinder
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mangools.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Rank tracking updates
    Weekly, daily on Agency
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mangools.com(opens source in a new tab)
    SERP metrics
    49 SEO metrics
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mangools.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Billing
    Auto-renewing monthly or yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mangools.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Go

    3. Google Search Console

    Best for: Every site owner who wants Google's own data on search performance and indexing

    FreeWeb

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Ahrefs

    Free first-party search data if you only need your own site.

    Pros

    • Free first-party data straight from Google
    • Shows indexing problems and lets you request recrawls
    • Alerts for manual actions and security issues

    Cons

    • Only covers sites you verify, with no competitor data
    • Limited history and some queries withheld
    Visit Google Search Console Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Google Search Console a good Ahrefs alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Pricing
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026support.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Search analytics
    Impressions, clicks, position
    Checked Oct 25, 2026search.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Sitemap and URL submission
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026search.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platform
    Web-based
    Checked Oct 25, 2026support.google.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Ahrefs alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Semrush logo

Best Ahrefs alternative for most people

Semrush

A broader suite that adds PPC, local, social and content tools.

Go

Best Ahrefs alternative for a free option

Google Search Console

Free first-party search data if you only need your own site.

Mangools logo

Best Ahrefs alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Mangools

Beginner-friendly keyword, SERP and backlink tools at low prices.

Majestic logo

Best Ahrefs alternative for working in the browser

Majestic

A dedicated backlink tool with Trust Flow metrics at a lower price.

Ahrefs alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Ahrefs?

Semrush ranks first right now. A broader suite that adds PPC, local, social and content tools. Majestic and SE Ranking follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Ahrefs?

Yes. Semrush (free plan + paid), Mangools (free plan + paid) and Google Search Console (free) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Ahrefs?

None of the 6 alternatives in this list is open source.

Why do people switch from Ahrefs?

The complaints we hear most: lower plans are restrictive with usage credits; expensive on higher tiers; fewer PPC and social features than Semrush.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Ahrefs, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.