9 Best Ahrefs Alternatives in 2026 (Plus 5 Free Options)

Why people look for an Ahrefs alternative

Ahrefs users rarely complain about the data. They complain about the meter. These are the common reasons people start looking:

• Credits run out. Lite gives each user 1,000 credits a month. Every report, filter and export spends them, so a busy research week can use up a month's credits.
• Teams get expensive. Extra users cost $40 each on Lite, $60 on Standard and $80 on Advanced.
• No trial, no discounts. The pricing FAQ says Ahrefs never runs discounts. You can test it only through the limited Ahrefs Free account.
• AI search is priced on top. Paid plans include 150 to 600 AI prompt checks a month. More needs a $50 to $250 package, and the Brand Radar index starts at $199 a month.

Free Ahrefs alternatives (and their limits)

Free tools won't replace Ahrefs, but they cover more than most people expect. The big difference is whose site you can look at: some only show your own verified site, others let you check anyone.

A sensible free stack: Search Console and Ahrefs Free for your own site, plus LinkRocket's Free plan for checking competitors. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to check backlinks for free.

Ahrefs alternatives at a glance

The 9 best Ahrefs alternatives in 2026

Ranked by how well each replaces Ahrefs for link and keyword work, with the price of the entry plan.

1. LinkRocket: Best Ahrefs alternative for analyzing and building links

From $59/mo Free plan 14-day Pro trial 5 AI engines

LinkRocket is built around backlinks too, but it doesn't stop at reporting them. Each backlink report shows DR, DA and Trust Flow side by side, a risk score on every link, and where a site's links point. Then the Backlink Exchange and Backlink Marketplace give you a way to act on what you found, which Ahrefs doesn't offer.

Pro is $59 a month, less than half of Ahrefs Lite, with 15 backlink reports a month (3,000 backlinks each), 90 days of history and backlink monitoring on 3 domains. There are no credits to ration, and it includes 3 seats.

Where links point

2. Semrush: Best all-in-one suite

From $139/mo Free plan 7-day trial

Semrush is the other giant. Its backlink database rivals Ahrefs', and it adds ads, content, social and local toolkits. At $139 a month for the SEO plan it costs more than Ahrefs Lite, so switch for breadth, not savings. It does have a free account and a 7-day trial, which Ahrefs doesn't.

3. SE Ranking: Best for agencies

From $129/mo 14-day trial, no card Agency add-on

SE Ranking costs the same as Ahrefs Lite at $129 a month but trades some backlink depth for volume: 2,000 tracked keywords, 10 projects and AI tracking on five engines. It also has a 14-day trial with no card, so you can compare it with your Ahrefs data before you cancel.

4. Majestic: Best for pure link research

From $49.99/mo 7-day refund Trust Flow

Majestic does one thing: links. It invented Trust Flow and Citation Flow, two scores that separate trusted links from sheer volume, and its historic index goes back years. Lite is $49.99 a month and Pro $99.99, both with a 7-day money-back guarantee for new customers.

5. Moz Pro: Best for Domain Authority reports

From $49/mo Standard $99/mo Home of DA

Moz Pro is where Domain Authority comes from. If your clients judge links by DA, Moz shows it natively. Starter is $49 a month for one site; Standard at $99 covers 3 sites and 300 keywords and adds AI tracking for GPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode. Its free link checker is a handy stand-in for quick lookups.

6. Mangools: Best for easy keyword research

From $61/mo $37.70/mo yearly 48-hour refund

Mangools' LinkMiner is lighter than Site Explorer, but KWFinder is one of the friendliest keyword tools on the market. Basic is $61 a month, or $37.70 billed yearly, and includes the AI Search Watcher with 500 prompts.

7. Serpstat: Best for small teams

From $129/mo 3 users included $1 card check

Serpstat's $129 Team plan includes three users. On Ahrefs Lite, two extra users would add $80 a month. It includes 1,500 AI checks a month and solid backlink and keyword data for the price.

8. Ubersuggest: Best on a tight budget

From $29/mo Lifetime option 7-day trial

At $29 a month, or $290 once for lifetime access to Individual, Ubersuggest is the cheapest way to get keyword, backlink and audit basics. Its link data is far thinner than Ahrefs', so it suits one small site, not link research for clients.

9. SpyFu: Best for competitor keyword history

From $39/mo 30-day refund PPC history

SpyFu is the pick if you used Ahrefs mostly to see which keywords competitors rank and bid for. Basic is $39 a month and shows years of a competitor's organic and paid keywords. Its backlink tools are basic.

AI search tracking: Ahrefs vs the alternatives

Ahrefs tracks more AI engines than most, but it meters them. Here's how the alternatives compare.

LinkRocket includes AI visibility on every plan. The Free plan has 2 checks a month, enough to see your starting point before you pay for anything.

LinkRocket vs Ahrefs, side by side

Ahrefs still has the deeper index and is the better choice for large-scale link research. For a small business or a lean agency, LinkRocket gives you the link data you need plus a way to build links, for less than half the price. The full comparison is on our LinkRocket vs Ahrefs page.

How to choose the right one

How to switch from Ahrefs

1. 1
   Export what you have in AhrefsDownload your tracked keywords, project list and any backlink exports as CSV before the renewal date.
2. 2
   Rebuild your keyword listImport the CSV into LinkRocket’s Keyword Vault, tag it, and push the keywords you care about into Rank Tracking.
3. 3
   Run a baselineRun a site audit and a backlink report on day one so you have a before picture to compare against.
4. 4
   Add AI visibilitySet up an AI visibility project and see which of the five AI engines mention you, and which mention a competitor instead.
5. 5
   Run both for one cycleKeep Ahrefs until its billing period ends and compare the numbers side by side. Then cancel the one you used less.

Keep your Ahrefs Free account after you cancel. It still covers your verified sites at no cost, so you keep a second opinion on your own links.

The short version

Ahrefs is excellent and priced like it. If you need the deepest link index for heavy research, it's worth it. If you want solid backlink data, AI visibility and a way to actually build links, LinkRocket does that for $59 a month with a Free plan to start. Majestic suits pure link research, Semrush suits people who also run ads, and the free combination of Search Console, Ahrefs Free and LinkRocket Free covers a lot of ground for $0.

Frequently asked questions