Is there a cheaper alternative to Ahrefs?

SE Ranking, Mangools and Ubersuggest are the usual budget options. Majestic is cheaper if you only need backlink data. If keyword and competitor research are the priority, Semrush is the closest full replacement, at a similar price.

Do I need Ahrefs as a solo founder?

Not at the start. A free keyword tool plus Search Console is enough to learn what queries you already rank for. Buy a paid suite once content is a real channel and you can name the decisions the data will change.

Which tool has the best backlink index?

Ahrefs and Semrush are the two most commonly trusted indexes, with Majestic strong on historical link data. No index is complete. Treat link counts as directional and verify important links manually.

All alternatives

SEO / Alternatives

Ahrefs alternatives

Ahrefs is the benchmark for backlink data and keyword research. These alternatives fit tighter budgets, simpler content research or a broader SEO-plus-PPC suite.

Ahrefs is expensive because the link index and keyword data are good. The alternatives below are not all cheaper copies: some are broader marketing suites, some are focused link tools, and some are low-cost keyword research for a site that is still early. Choose by the SEO job you actually do every week.

10 alternativesReviewed October 2026Best for founders, content marketers and seo teams

Reviewed by Rebupl editorialLast updated 7 November 2026How we review

Short answer: If you use Ahrefs for backlink research, keywords and site audits, start with Semrush, Moz Pro, Majestic. Each one is listed because it fits a specific part of that job — check the price note and audience before you switch.

The list

Best Ahrefs alternatives

Ordered by fit for backlink research, keywords and site audits, not by payment. Prices are a snapshot from the last review.

Semrush

Paid

SEO, PPC and competitor research in one suite.

Semrush combines keyword research, rank tracking, backlinks, ads and content tools. The breadth is useful for a marketing team; the price is hard to justify for a single side project.

SEO suiteAgencies and in-house marketing teamsseoppccompetitors

From around $139.95/mo; limited free tier.

Visit

Moz Pro

Paid

The long-running SEO suite behind Domain Authority.

Moz Pro covers rank tracking, site audits and link research with the familiar Domain Authority metric. It is a credible mid-priced alternative to Ahrefs and Semrush.

SEO suiteSEOs who value domain authority and link dataseodomain authoritybacklinks

From around $99/mo; free community tools.

Visit

Majestic

Paid

Backlink history and trust metrics.

Majestic focuses on link data: historical backlinks, trust flow and topical trust flow. It is narrower than a full SEO suite and useful when links are the specific problem.

Backlink analysisLink builders and technical SEOsbacklinkstrust flowseo

From around $49.99/mo.

Visit

SE Ranking

Free + paid

Rank tracking and audits at a mid-market price.

SE Ranking covers rank tracking, keyword research, audits and competitor analysis without the enterprise price. The data depth is below Ahrefs, and the value is clear for a small team.

SEO suiteSmall teams and agencies watching budgetsrank trackingseobudget

From around $59/mo; free trial.

Visit

Ubersuggest

Free + paid

A low-cost keyword and content research tool.

Ubersuggest is a beginner-friendly keyword tool with a limited free tier and a low monthly price. It is not a replacement for Ahrefs at scale, but it covers the first year of content research.

Keyword researchSolo founders starting with SEOkeywordscontentbudget

Free searches; paid from around $29/mo.

Visit

Mangools

Paid

Focused keyword research without a suite upsell.

Mangools bundles keyword research, SERP analysis, rank tracking and site profiling at a low price. It is best for content-led sites that do not need enterprise backlink data.

Keyword researchBloggers and small SEO teamskeywordscontentseo

From around $29.90/mo.

Visit

Serpstat

Free + paid

SEO, PPC and content research in one dashboard.

Serpstat covers keyword research, competitor analysis, audits and rank tracking. It is a practical mid-priced suite when Semrush feels too expensive but the free tools are not enough.

SEO suiteAgencies and growing marketing teamsseoppckeywords

From around $59/mo; free trial.

Visit

Screaming Frog

Paid

Desktop crawler for deep technical audits.

Screaming Frog crawls a site like a search engine and exposes redirects, broken links, duplicate titles, canonicals and JavaScript issues. It is a diagnostic tool, not a keyword or backlink suite.

SEO crawlerTechnical SEOs and developerscrawlertechnical seoaudit

Free up to 500 URLs; paid licence from around $259/yr.

Visit

SpyFu

Free + paid

Competitor keywords and ad history.

SpyFu focuses on what competitors bid on and rank for, including historical ads and estimated spend. It is narrower than a full SEO suite and useful when paid search is part of the channel mix.

Competitor researchSEO and PPC teams researching competitorscompetitorsppckeywords

Limited free data; paid from around $39/mo.

Visit

Sitebulb

Paid

A crawler that explains the issues it finds.

Sitebulb turns a crawl into prioritised, readable issues with hints and visuals. It is friendlier than a raw crawler export and useful for agencies that need to hand findings to clients.

SEO crawlerSEOs who want prioritised auditscrawlerauditprioritisation

From around $13/mo.

Visit

How we picked them

Reviewed 7 November 2026. The list is built from the following sources. A product cannot buy a position.

Each platform's public pricing and submission pages, checked on the review date.
Rebupl's own pricing, FAQ and launch rules for the platform side of a comparison.
The reviewed Where to Launch directory, which records pricing, audience and link policy.

Full method: editorial policy · Markdown: ahrefs.md

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