SE Ranking vs Ahrefs: Which SEO Tool is Right for You? (2025)

Quick Comparison

| Starting Price | $65/mo | $129/mo |

| Best For | Agencies, budget-conscious teams | Deep research, enterprise SEO |

| Keyword Database | 7 billion keywords | 25.2 billion keywords |

| Backlink Index | 3.5 trillion backlinks | 35.7 trillion backlinks |

| Rank Tracking | Unlimited keywords | 750 keywords (Lite plan) |

| White Label | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |

| Free Trial | 14 days | 7 days ($7) |

| Learning Curve | Easy (2-3 days) | Moderate (1-2 weeks) |

Try Them:

- SE Ranking → - 14-day free trial

- Ahrefs → - 7-day trial for $7

Pricing Breakdown (Monthly)

SE Ranking

- Essential: $65/mo - 1 user, 10 projects, 250 keywords

- Pro: $119/mo - 3 users, 30 projects, 1,000 keywords

- Business: $259/mo - Unlimited users, 100 projects, 5,000 keywords

Best for: Small agencies ($119/mo tier), freelancers ($65/mo tier)

Ahrefs

- Lite: $129/mo - 1 user, 5 projects, 750 keywords

- Standard: $249/mo - 1 user, 20 projects, 2,000 keywords

- Advanced: $449/mo - 3 users, 50 projects, 5,000 keywords

- Enterprise: $14,990/year - Custom limits

Best for: Established agencies (Standard+), enterprise teams with big budgets

Value Winner: SE Ranking's $119/mo Pro plan beats Ahrefs Lite by offering 3 users vs 1, 30 projects vs 5, and unlimited rank tracking vs 750 keywords.

Feature Comparison

1. Keyword Research

Ahrefs Wins (But Not By Much)

Ahrefs:

SE Ranking:

Real-World Difference: For head terms and competitive analysis, Ahrefs shows 2-3x more keyword ideas. For long-tail and local keywords, SE Ranking is equally good.

Choose Ahrefs if: You're targeting highly competitive national/international keywords

Choose SE Ranking if: You're doing local SEO or targeting mid-tail keywords

2. Backlink Analysis

Ahrefs Wins (Significantly)

Ahrefs:

SE Ranking:

Real-World Difference: Ahrefs catches new backlinks within 24 hours. SE Ranking takes 2-4 weeks. For link building campaigns where speed matters, Ahrefs dominates.

Choose Ahrefs if: Link building is core to your strategy

Choose SE Ranking if: You check backlinks monthly, not daily

3. Rank Tracking

SE Ranking Wins

SE Ranking:

- Unlimited keywords on all plans (vs Ahrefs' 750-5,000 limit)

Ahrefs:

Real-World Difference: If you track 500+ keywords or need mobile rank data, SE Ranking saves you $130/mo vs upgrading to Ahrefs Standard.

Choose SE Ranking if: You track 100+ keywords or sell reports to clients

Choose Ahrefs if: You track <50 keywords and don't need white-label

4. Site Audit

Ahrefs Wins (Slightly)

Ahrefs:

SE Ranking:

Real-World Difference: Ahrefs catches more technical issues (especially for large sites 10,000+ pages). SE Ranking's audit is good enough for sites under 5,000 pages.

Choose Ahrefs if: You manage 10+ sites or need forensic-level audits

Choose SE Ranking if: You audit 1-5 sites monthly

5. Competitive Analysis

Ahrefs Wins

Ahrefs:

SE Ranking:

Real-World Difference: Ahrefs' Content Explorer alone is worth the price for content teams. You can find link-worthy articles in minutes.

Choose Ahrefs if: Content strategy is core to your SEO

Choose SE Ranking if: You only check competitors quarterly

Who Should Choose SE Ranking?

✅ Agencies selling white-label reports (Ahrefs doesn't offer this)

✅ Teams tracking 500+ keywords (SE Ranking has unlimited, Ahrefs caps at 750-5,000)

✅ Local SEO specialists (SE Ranking's local rank tracking beats Ahrefs)

✅ Budget-conscious teams ($65/mo vs $129/mo saves $768/year)

✅ Teams needing 2-3 users (SE Ranking Pro is $119/mo for 3 users vs Ahrefs Standard at $249/mo for 1 user)

Real Example: 40-person agency switched from Ahrefs to SE Ranking, saved $6,400/year, and unlocked white-label reporting for clients.

Who Should Choose Ahrefs?

✅ Link builders (35.7 trillion backlinks vs 3.5 trillion)

✅ Content teams (Content Explorer is unmatched)

✅ Competitive research specialists (deepest competitor data)

✅ Enterprise teams ($14,990/year for unlimited everything)

✅ Teams valuing data freshness (Ahrefs updates daily, SE Ranking every 2-4 weeks)

Real Example: Content agency used Ahrefs' Content Explorer to find 50+ link opportunities in 30 minutes. Earned 12 DR50+ backlinks in 90 days.

The Honest Truth

When Ahrefs is Worth 2x the Price:

1. You're building 10+ backlinks/month (daily index updates matter)

2. You create 8+ content pieces/month (Content Explorer ROI is huge)

3. You manage enterprise clients (they expect Ahrefs in the stack)

4. Budget isn't a constraint

When SE Ranking Saves You Money Without Sacrifice:

1. You track 100+ keywords (unlimited tracking vs Ahrefs' 750 cap)

2. You sell reports to clients (white-label is essential)

3. You're doing local SEO (SE Ranking's local tracking > Ahrefs)

4. You need 2-3 users ($119/mo vs $249/mo)

Common Questions

"Can I use both?"

Yes, but why? The overlap is 80%. Most teams either:

- Ahrefs only (if budget allows)

- SE Ranking only (if budget-conscious)

- SE Ranking + free tools (Google Keyword Planner, Google Search Console)

One agency uses Ahrefs for research (Content Explorer, backlink analysis) and SE Ranking for client reporting (white-label, rank tracking). Total cost: $248/mo vs $449/mo for Ahrefs Advanced alone.

"Which has better keyword data?"

Ahrefs by a mile. 25.2 billion keywords vs 7 billion. BUT for 95% of real queries, SE Ranking has the data. Ahrefs shines for ultra-competitive national terms.

"Which is easier to learn?"

SE Ranking. Ahrefs has 15+ tools in the interface. SE Ranking feels more focused. New users get productive in SE Ranking within 2-3 days vs 1-2 weeks for Ahrefs.

"Can I switch from Ahrefs to SE Ranking?"

Yes, but you'll miss:

You'll gain:

"What about Semrush?"

See our SE Ranking vs Semrush comparison → - Semrush is the middle ground at $139/mo.

Bottom Line

Go with Ahrefs if:

Go with SE Ranking if:

Both tools work. Ahrefs has more data. SE Ranking has more value per dollar.

Try Both (Risk-Free)

SE Ranking - 14-Day Free Trial →

No credit card required. Full access to Pro plan.

Ahrefs - 7-Day Trial for $7 →

Full Lite plan access. Cancel anytime.

Next Steps

1. Browse all SEO tools → - See 100+ tools

2. Read SE Ranking full review → - Features, pricing, pros/cons

3. Read Ahrefs full review → - Complete feature breakdown

4. Follow our AI visibility playbook → - 10-step strategy

Written by: LLM Relevance Team (tested both tools with 40+ small businesses)