# What is the difference between Ahrefs and Semrush?

> Ahrefs and Semrush compete in the all-in-one SEO suites category. Ahrefs starts at $29/mo (Starter); Semrush starts at $139/mo (SEO). Across the 6 features compared, Ahrefs documents 5 as available and Semrush documents 4. For about USD 10 of difference, the two entry plans split the budget differently.

Updated: August 25, 2026 · 27 verified data points on this page

Canonical URL: https://avaob.com/en/compare/ahrefs-vs-semrush

## Verdict

For about USD 10 of difference, the two entry plans split the budget differently. Ahrefs Lite costs USD 129 and brings 750 keywords, 5 projects and 5 AI prompts. Semrush's SEO plan costs USD 139, covers 5 sites and 500 daily keywords and includes no prompts at all: for those you must move to the USD 199 Starter plan, which adds 50 daily prompts and 300 visibility reports per day. If generative search is in scope, Semrush's real floor is USD 199.

- **Choose Ahrefs if**: You want prompt tracking included in the cheapest plan and more keywords per dollar.
- **Choose Semrush if**: You need Semrush's breadth of modules and are willing to move to Starter for the AI side.

## Entry price and free tier

**Side-by-side comparison**

| Attribute | Ahrefs | Semrush |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Entry price | $29/mo (Starter) | $139/mo (SEO) |
| Free tier | Yes, permanent | Yes, permanent |
| Vendor | Ahrefs Pte. Ltd. | Semrush Holdings, Inc. |

## Features compared

**All-in-one SEO suites**

| Feature | Ahrefs | Semrush |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Keyword rank tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Site audit | Yes | Yes |
| AI prompt tracking | Yes | Partial |
| API access | Partial | Not verified |
| Permanent free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Public pricing | Yes | Yes |

## Limits compared

**Lite / SEO**

| Limit | Ahrefs | Semrush |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Keywords tracked | 750 | 500 |
| Projects | 5 | 5 |
| AI prompts tracked | 5 | 0 |
| Seats included | 1 | Not verified |

## Tool profiles

- [Ahrefs](/en/tools/ahrefs)
- [Semrush](/en/tools/semrush)

## Other all-in-one SEO suites comparisons

- [Ahrefs vs SE Ranking](/en/compare/ahrefs-vs-se-ranking)
- [SE Ranking vs Semrush](/en/compare/se-ranking-vs-semrush)

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between Ahrefs and Semrush?

For about USD 10 of difference, the two entry plans split the budget differently. Ahrefs Lite costs USD 129 and brings 750 keywords, 5 projects and 5 AI prompts. Semrush's SEO plan costs USD 139, covers 5 sites and 500 daily keywords and includes no prompts at all: for those you must move to the USD 199 Starter plan, which adds 50 daily prompts and 300 visibility reports per day. If generative search is in scope, Semrush's real floor is USD 199.

### Choose Ahrefs if

You want prompt tracking included in the cheapest plan and more keywords per dollar.

### Choose Semrush if

You need Semrush's breadth of modules and are willing to move to Starter for the AI side.

## Sources

Every data point on this page comes from a public vendor page:

- [Ahrefs — Ahrefs pricing page](https://ahrefs.com/pricing) — Verified on August 25, 2026
- [Semrush — Semrush pricing page](https://www.semrush.com/prices/) — Verified on August 25, 2026