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Ahrefs vs SE Ranking: same entry price, different limits

Traditional SEO suites · Verified · By Joonas Rotko

Ahrefs logo

Ahrefs

Hands-on

From Starter, billed monthly

$29/mo
SE Ranking logo

SE Ranking

Hands-on

From Core, billed annually

$103.20/mo

$129/mo billed monthly

Quick answer

Ahrefs Lite ($129/month billed monthly) and SE Ranking Core ($129/month billed monthly) cost the same to the dollar, billed monthly. SE Ranking Core tracks Google AI Overviews plus 100 AI prompts and bundles 10 client reports; Ahrefs Lite bundles only 5 AI prompts, no confirmed Google AI Overview tracking, and no reporting at any price. Ahrefs keeps the deeper backlink index. Prices verified 30 Sep 2026.

Across the three setups below: SE Ranking in 3 of 3 scenarios.

Which one fits you?

  1. Small business owner, one website

    SE Ranking logo

    SE Ranking

    My pick

    $103.20/mo billed annually

    SE Ranking Core is $129/month billed monthly, the same price as Ahrefs Lite at $129/month billed monthly, but Core already tracks Google AI Overviews plus 100 AI prompts. Ahrefs Lite bundles only 5 AI prompts and doesn't confirm Google AI Overview tracking, so matching this scenario's AI bar means Ahrefs Standard at $249/month billed monthly instead.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    Skip it if backlink depth matters more than AI tracking or price. Ahrefs remains the category benchmark there.

    See SE Ranking plans

  2. Solo marketer or consultant, 3 client sites

    SE Ranking logo

    SE Ranking

    My pick

    $103.20/mo billed annually

    SE Ranking Core bundles 10 reports on the same $129/month billed monthly plan that covers 10 projects and 2,000 keywords, more than this brief needs. Ahrefs has no plan that bundles client reporting at all, only a separate $99/month add-on.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    SE Ranking wins by default: Ahrefs sells reporting only as an add-on, never included in a plan.

    Skip it if not really an option here: no Ahrefs plan covers a 3-client brief that needs bundled reports.

    See SE Ranking plans

  3. Small agency, about 10 clients

    SE Ranking logo

    SE Ranking

    My pick

    $204.20/mo billed annually

    SE Ranking clears this brief at $204.20/month billed annually, once you add the Agency Pack for white-label reports and two extra seats on Core. Ahrefs has no plan that reaches the AI prompt volume this brief needs (Advanced tops out at 20, short of the 100 required) and bundles no client reporting at any price.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    SE Ranking wins on the numbers regardless: Ahrefs fails outright on AI prompt volume and has never bundled client reporting at any tier.

    Skip it if you need monthly billing. The Agency Pack that unlocks white-label reports is sold on annual billing only, so this pick only works with an annual plan.

    See SE Ranking plans

Neither fits? See the alternatives, or take the 2-minute recommendation.

How are Ahrefs and SE Ranking really different?

  • Same entry price, different AI bundle

    Ahrefs
    5 Brand Radar prompts on Lite; no confirmed Google AI Overview tracking
    SE Ranking
    Google AI Overviews plus 100 AI prompts across 5 engines on Core

    Both entry plans cost $129/month billed monthly, but SE Ranking Core tracks far more AI prompts and confirms Google AI Overview tracking; Ahrefs Lite confirms neither at that price.

  • Client reporting

    Ahrefs
    Not bundled into any plan; a separate $99/month add-on
    SE Ranking
    10 reports included on Core, rising to 30 on Growth

    SE Ranking builds client reporting into every plan; Ahrefs sells it only as an add-on it never bundles.

  • White label

    Ahrefs
    No white-label option found in this pass, at any price
    SE Ranking
    Agency Pack add-on unlocks white-label reporting at $69/month billed annually, annual billing only

    SE Ranking has a real, if annual-only, path to white label. Ahrefs simply doesn't sell one.

  • Trying before you buy

    Ahrefs
    No free trial of any kind; refunds are discretionary and non-use only, no stated day window
    SE Ranking
    14-day free trial, no card required

    SE Ranking has a real, dated trial you can start without a card; Ahrefs has none.

What will Ahrefs or SE Ranking cost for your setup?

The cheapest plan that covers each setup, add-ons included. Prices exclude VAT.

Small business owner, one website

1 site · 100 tracked keywords · AI search visibility: Google AI Overview tracking or AI prompt tracking (10 prompts) · 1 user

ToolMonthlyYearly, per month

Ahrefs

$249
$208

Standard

Above 20 sites: Advanced (+$166/mo, billed annually).

SE Ranking

My pick
$129
$103.20

Core

Above 10 sites: Growth (+$120/mo, billed annually).

See SE Ranking plans
Usage, limits and billing

Ahrefs

  • Uses 1 of 20 sites, 100 of 2,000 tracked keywords, 10 of 10 AI prompts.
  • AI visibility covered by AI prompt tracking (10 prompts).
  • On monthly billing: $2,988 a year.
  • On annual billing: $2,490 a year.
  • Above 2,000 tracked keywords: Advanced, $166/mo more.
  • Above 10 AI prompts: Advanced, $166/mo more.

SE Ranking

  • Uses 1 of 10 sites, 100 of 2,000 tracked keywords.
  • AI visibility covered by Google AI Overview tracking and AI prompt tracking (10 prompts).
  • On monthly billing: $1,548 a year.
  • On annual billing: $1,238.40 a year.
  • Above 2,000 tracked keywords: Growth, $120/mo more.

Solo marketer or consultant, 3 client sites

3 sites · 300 tracked keywords · client reports · 1 user

ToolMonthlyYearly, per month

Ahrefs

Fit unconfirmed
Fit unconfirmed

Ahrefs Free is priced, but sites limit isn't published

SE Ranking

My pick
$129
$103.20

Core

Above 10 sites: Growth (+$120/mo, billed annually).

See SE Ranking plans
Usage, limits and billing

Ahrefs

The plan's price is published, but a limit this setup needs isn't, so the fit can't be confirmed.

SE Ranking

  • Uses 3 of 10 sites, 300 of 2,000 tracked keywords.
  • On monthly billing: $1,548 a year.
  • On annual billing: $1,238.40 a year.
  • Above 2,000 tracked keywords: Growth, $120/mo more.

Small agency, about 10 clients

10 sites · 1,000 tracked keywords · 100 AI prompts · 10 white-label reports · client reports · 3 users

ToolMonthlyYearly, per month

Ahrefs

Fit unconfirmed
Fit unconfirmed

Ahrefs Free is priced, but sites limit isn't published

SE Ranking

My pick
Annual only
$204.20

Core with Agency Pack and 2 extra manager seats

Above 10 sites: Growth with Agency Pack (+$88/mo, billed annually).

See SE Ranking plans
Usage, limits and billing

Ahrefs

The plan's price is published, but a limit this setup needs isn't, so the fit can't be confirmed.

SE Ranking

  • Uses 10 of 10 sites, 1,000 of 2,000 tracked keywords, 100 of 100 AI prompts, 10 of unlimited white-label reports.
  • On annual billing: $2,450.40 a year.
  • Above 2,000 tracked keywords: Growth with Agency Pack, $88/mo more.
  • Above 100 AI prompts: Core with AI Search and Agency Pack, $71.20/mo more.
  • Agency Pack requires annual billing.
How I calculated this

For each tool I price every current plan plus the add-ons a setup needs, from the vendor's published prices only, and take the cheapest. Monthly and annual billing are priced separately. When a limit or price isn't published, the tool shows as not fitting instead of a guess.

  • Small business owner, one website: One site and about 100 keywords, enough for your core service and location terms. For AI search, either Google AI Overview tracking or 10 tracked AI prompts counts. One login.
  • Solo marketer or consultant, 3 client sites: Three client sites at about 100 keywords each, with client reports. One person does the work.Ahrefs, monthly billing: Ahrefs Free is priced, but sites limit isn't published. Sites limit isn't published. Tracked keywords limit isn't published. Client reports limit isn't published.Ahrefs, annual billing: Ahrefs Free is priced, but sites limit isn't published. Sites limit isn't published. Tracked keywords limit isn't published. Client reports limit isn't published.
  • Small agency, about 10 clients: Ten clients at about 100 keywords and 10 AI prompts each, with a white-label report for every client. Google AI Overview tracking alone doesn't count here, since clients ask about ChatGPT too. Three people log in.Ahrefs, monthly billing: Ahrefs Free is priced, but sites limit isn't published. Sites limit isn't published. Tracked keywords limit isn't published. AI prompts limit isn't published. White-label reports limit isn't published. Client reports limit isn't published. Users limit isn't published.Ahrefs, annual billing: Ahrefs Free is priced, but sites limit isn't published. Sites limit isn't published. Tracked keywords limit isn't published. AI prompts limit isn't published. White-label reports limit isn't published. Client reports limit isn't published. Users limit isn't published.SE Ranking, monthly billing: Not sold on monthly billing (Agency Pack is annual-only).

Ahrefs vs SE Ranking side by side

I compare SEO suites on: Real cost for your setup, both billing bases; AI search visibility: which engines, how many prompts, which plan; Sites and tracked keywords per plan; Client reporting and white label; Users and seat price; Ease of setup for a non-specialist.

Ahrefs and SE Ranking compared on the main buying criteria
Real cost for your setup, both billing basesLite: $129/mo monthly, $108/mo annuallyCore: $129/mo monthly, $103.20/mo annually
AI search visibility: which engines, how many prompts, which plan5 Brand Radar prompts on Lite, check-based pricing beyond that; Google AI Overview tracking unconfirmedGoogle AI Overviews plus 100 prompts across 5 engines on Core
Sites and tracked keywords per plan5 projects, 750 keywords on Lite10 projects, 2,000 keywords on Core
Client reporting and white labelNo bundled reports on any plan; Report Builder add-on $99/month; no white-label option found10 reports bundled on Core; white label via the Agency Pack add-on, $69/month billed annually, annual billing only
Users and seat price1 user included; $40/user per month per extra seat1 user included; $16/user per month per extra seat
All details, including automation and AI workflows
All compared details for Ahrefs and SE Ranking
Ease of setup for a non-specialistNo trial; a separate limited free account only14-day trial, no card required
Real cost for your setup, both billing bases (full detail)Lite: $129/month billed monthly or $108/month billed annually. Standard: $249/month billed monthly or $208/month billed annually. Advanced: $449/month billed monthly or $374/month billed annually. Enterprise: $1,499/month billed annually, annual commitment required.Core: $129/month billed monthly or $103.20/month billed annually. Growth: $279/month billed monthly or $223.20/month billed annually. Enterprise: Talk to sales.
AI search visibility (full detail)Brand Radar prompts bundled from Lite: 5, Standard 10, Advanced 20. Check-based custom packages start at $50/month billed monthly. No confirmation Ahrefs tracks Google AI Overviews specifically.AI prompts: Core 100, Growth 250, both across 5 engines including Google AI Overviews. Extra capacity via the AI Search add-on from $89/month billed monthly.
Site audit100,000 crawl credits a month on Lite, up to 1,500,000 on Advanced250,000 pages a month on Core, up to 2,000,000 on Growth
Backlink dataAhrefs' backlink index is the category benchmark; no per-plan link-count figure is publishedSE Ranking confirms unlimited keyword, competitor and backlink research on both plans, but a comparable total-index-size claim is not part of this pass
Trial and refundsNo free trial of any kind. Refunds are discretionary, non-use only, no stated day window.14-day trial, no card required, capped starter usage during the trial. Payments are non-refundable except where the service wasn't delivered as promised.
Automation and AI workflows: MCP and APIAPI and MCP access on every plan, including Lite; 1,000 credits per user on Lite, unlimited from StandardAPI and MCP access on both plans; 25,000 API credits a month on Core, 100,000 on Growth

Who should pick Ahrefs, and who should pick SE Ranking?

Ahrefs logo

Ahrefs

Hands-on

Ahrefs starts at $129/month billed monthly and gives every plan API and MCP access, but there is no free trial and no standing refund policy, just a discretionary review for non-use. It suits anyone who wants the deepest backlink index in the category and is fine paying to try it.

Best for: The deepest backlink data, tried on your own dime.

Strengths

  • API and MCP access on every plan, including Lite.
  • AI prompt tracking (Brand Radar) bundled into every paid tier.
  • Annual billing saves roughly one month's price on every plan.

Limits

  • No free trial of any kind, only a separate free account with limited data.
  • No refund policy beyond a discretionary review for non-use.
  • No public affiliate program, so this pick links straight to Ahrefs, not through a tracked link.

Skip it if you want to try before you buy.

Ahrefs reviewAhrefs alternatives

SE Ranking logo

SE Ranking

Hands-on
  • Best for small business owners
  • Best for consultants managing a few sites
  • Best for small agencies

SE Ranking fits rank tracking, audits and AI search tracking into a $129/mo entry plan, billed monthly. The catch: white label and extra API volume need a yearly contract.

Best for: Small businesses and solo consultants who want AI tracking included.

Strengths

  • AI Overviews plus 100 AI prompts a day on Core.
  • 10 projects and 2,000 keywords on the entry plan.
  • A 14-day trial, no card needed.

Limits

  • White label and extra API volume are yearly only.
  • No refunds once you have paid.
  • Core keeps 6 months of history.

Skip it if you need white label but will not commit to a year.

SE Ranking reviewSE Ranking pricingSE Ranking alternatives

My pick: SE Ranking in 3 of 3 scenarios.

See SE Ranking plansSee Ahrefs plans

Neither Ahrefs nor SE Ranking? Try these

  • Moz logo

    Moz

    From $49/mo billed monthly

    Pick it if you want Google AI Overview tracking and multi-model AI prompts bundled at a lower price than either Ahrefs or SE Ranking's higher tiers, without needing an agency add-on for reporting.

    Moz reviewMoz alternatives

  • Semrush logo

    Semrush

    From $117.33/mo billed annually

    Pick it if you want a free plan to test first, at the cost of no bundled AI prompt tracking on its cheapest paid tier.

    Semrush reviewSemrush alternatives

  • Otterly.AI logo

    Otterly.AI

    From $25/mo billed annually

    Pick it if you only want to know whether AI answers mention your brand, not run a rank tracker or backlink index.

    Outside this category: A GEO tracker, not an SEO suite. Worth it only if AI visibility is the whole question.

    Otterly.AI reviewOtterly.AI alternatives

Switching between Ahrefs and SE Ranking

Neither tool offers free migration in the other direction, so plan to rebuild projects and keyword lists by hand either way. SE Ranking gives free assisted migration on annual plans and self-serve import on monthly; Ahrefs has no trial to build the new setup in before you cancel, so keep the old account running in parallel while you rebuild.

What would change my pick?

  • Ahrefs confirming Google AI Overview tracking would close its biggest AI gap against SE Ranking.
  • Ahrefs adding a bundled reporting tier, instead of a separate add-on, would remove SE Ranking's clearest structural edge for consultants and agencies.
  • A price change on either side. The picks recalculate on their own.

Ahrefs vs SE Ranking: questions people ask

Is Ahrefs cheaper than SE Ranking?

Not really. Ahrefs Lite is $129/month billed monthly, the same price as SE Ranking Core at $129/month billed monthly. Above the entry tier, Ahrefs Standard is $249/month billed monthly against SE Ranking Growth at $279/month billed monthly, and Growth includes more projects, keywords and AI prompts for the difference.

Does Ahrefs track Google AI Overviews like SE Ranking does?

Not confirmed. SE Ranking tracks AI Overviews as a SERP feature on every tracked keyword on both plans, plus a separate prompt-based AI Results Tracker. Ahrefs sells check-based Brand Radar AI prompt packages, but nothing on its pricing page confirms Google AI Overview tracking specifically.

Which is better for a small business, Ahrefs or SE Ranking?

SE Ranking, for a single site. Core is $129/month billed monthly, the same price as Ahrefs Lite, and already tracks Google AI Overviews plus 100 AI prompts. Ahrefs Lite bundles only 5 AI prompts and doesn't confirm Google AI Overview tracking, so clearing that bar means upgrading to Ahrefs Standard at $249/month billed monthly.

Which is better for an agency managing several clients, Ahrefs or SE Ranking?

SE Ranking, and it isn't close. Core plus the Agency Pack add-on and two extra seats clears a 10-client brief at $204.20/month billed annually. Ahrefs has no plan that reaches the AI prompt volume that brief needs (Advanced tops out at 20) and bundles no client reporting at any price.

Does SE Ranking offer white-label reporting?

Yes, through the Agency Pack add-on at $69/month billed annually, sold on annual billing only. Ahrefs has no white-label option found in this pass, at any price.

Is Ahrefs a good alternative to SE Ranking?

Yes, if backlink research is the main job and AI prompt volume or bundled reporting aren't requirements. SE Ranking bundles more AI visibility and client reporting at a comparable or lower price; Ahrefs remains the category benchmark for backlink depth.

How I verified this

Every price and limit here comes from the vendors' own pages, last checked . Ahrefs: hands-on. SE Ranking: hands-on.

Sources and changelog

51 facts from 6 source pages, oldest checked 29 Sep 2026.

  • : Built for the full comparison-page rewrite, SEO-suite pair.
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