Ahrefs vs SEMrush 2018: A Comprehensive Comparison of SEO Features

Ahrefs and SEMrush are two of the most popular SEO tools on the market, and in 2018, they continued to evolve and improve their features.

Ahrefs has a larger database of keywords, with over 3 billion keywords to choose from, compared to SEMrush's 1.4 billion.

SEMrush has a more comprehensive backlink database, with over 13 trillion links, compared to Ahrefs' 8 trillion links.

SEMrush's backlink database is also more accurate, with a higher percentage of live links, making it a more reliable tool for link building and analysis.

Backlinks are one of the most important metrics Google uses to determine rank.

Ahrefs has crawled 12 trillion known links, 200 million root domains, and 6 billion pages crawled each day, making it one of the best backlink profiles in the industry.

You can use Ahrefs' Site Explorer or SEMrush's Domain Analytics to filter backlinks by the strength of the referring domain.

Ahrefs found 49K referring domain links and 419K total backlinks, while SEMrush found 71.5K referring domain links and 2.1M total backlinks.

Ahrefs is more accurate and has a larger database of backlinks, with the Referring Domain History feature allowing you to see referring domains over time.

Ahrefs is also easier to use overall for link stuff, taking fewer clicks to see a page's best links and most links.

Here's a comparison of backlink analysis tools:

Ahrefs is the clear winner when it comes to backlink analysis, with a more complete backlink data set and easier-to-use interface.

Ahrefs also has a "Content Gap Tool" to find keywords your competitors rank for but you don't, and a "Click Metrics" feature to estimate potential traffic for keywords.

SEMrush, on the other hand, has a more comprehensive set of tools for varied keyword research needs, but focuses more on in-depth exploration and competitor analysis.

Ultimately, the choice between Ahrefs and SEMrush for backlink analysis and site audits depends on your specific needs and preferences.

Keyword research is a crucial aspect of SEO, and both Ahrefs and SEMrush offer powerful capabilities in this area. Ahrefs has more organic keyword data, but SEMrush can search for PPC and PLA keywords, which Ahrefs doesn't do.

SEMrush's Keyword Magic tool can bring up 12,129 keywords for a given phrase, while Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer can generate 20,787 keywords. Ahrefs' categories to break down keywords by "Newly Discovered", "Questions", and "Phrase match" are also a useful feature.

In terms of content research, SEMrush has a content audit tool that helps optimize content using LSI keywords and a better readability score. This tool uses TF:IDF, a metric that Google uses to rank content.

Keyword research is a crucial step in SEO, and there are several metrics to consider when analyzing keywords. Search traffic, competitiveness, cost per click, and keyword phrase length are all important factors to examine.

Both Ahrefs and SEMrush offer powerful keyword research tools, each with their unique strengths. Ahrefs has more organic keyword data, which can be beneficial for long-term SEO strategies.

To determine the competitiveness of a keyword, you can look at the number of search results and the quality of the competing websites. Ahrefs' built-in filters can get rid of irrelevant keywords, but SEMrush's Keyword Magic tool can provide a wider range of potential keyword ideas.

For example, when searching for the keyword "weighted blanket", Ahrefs brought up 20,787 broad match keywords, while SEMrush found 12,129. Ahrefs also offers categories to break down keywords by "Newly Discovered", "Questions", and "Phrase match".

SEMrush has a larger keyword search volume database, with 21 billion keywords compared to Ahrefs' 17 billion. This can be beneficial for identifying promising keywords and assessing their difficulty to rank for.

Here are some key differences between Ahrefs and SEMrush's keyword research tools:

Overall, both Ahrefs and SEMrush offer powerful keyword research tools, but SEMrush has a larger database and more advanced features.

SEMrush offers a robust set of content marketing features that can help you optimize your content for better search engine rankings. One of its standout features is the SEO Content Template, which provides a report on common backlinks, recommended keywords, article length, and readability score.

The SEMrush SEO Writing Assistant is a game-changer for content writers. It integrates with Google Docs and grades your article as you type, making it a fun and engaging way to optimize your content. I personally enjoy this feature, as it helps me see keywords get checked off the list.

SEMrush's Content Audit tool is a comprehensive on-page SEO checker and content writing assistant. It helps you optimize your content using LSI keywords and improve readability score. The tool is based on the technical term TF:IDF, which measures the frequency of particular terms within your article to help Google rank your content.

The Real-Time Content Checker tool provides an overall score based on metrics such as readability, word count, LSI keywords, and other suggestions. I particularly like the "Recommended Keywords" section, which tells you what words to use in your content to better optimize for TF:IDF.

SEMrush also offers a content gap analysis feature, which helps you identify content opportunities by analyzing your competitors' content. This feature is available in both SEMrush and Ahrefs, but SEMrush's version is more comprehensive.

Here are some of the key content marketing features offered by SEMrush:

SEMrush's content marketing features make it an ideal tool for marketers focusing on content creation and social media management.

Ahrefs does have some PPC features, including PPC keywords and ad copy, but the volume is significantly less than what is shown in SEMrush.

SEMrush has a feature that only it has, the display ads, which returned an insane amount of info for getresponse.com and showed almost 10,000 display ads.

In terms of PPC keywords, SEMrush has 1,900, while Ahrefs has 638.

SEMrush also has an ad copy feature, with 476 ads, compared to Ahrefs' 81.

Here's a comparison of the PPC features of Ahrefs and SEMrush:

SEMrush is the clear winner when it comes to PPC and advertising features, with a much larger volume of keywords and ads.

Ahrefs charges extra for more granular alert time frames, such as hourly alerts, which cost $999.

SEMrush also offers alerts, but only for keywords, not backlinks.

Ahrefs does not allow you to rebrand their reports, but SEMrush does, and it's included in their $199+ packages.

Ahrefs offers a premium feature called alerts, which costs more to get more granular alert time frames. For example, you can get monthly backlink alerts at the $99 level, but hourly alerts cost $999.

SEMrush, on the other hand, doesn't offer alerts for backlinks, but does offer them for keywords.

Ahrefs doesn't allow you to rebrand their reports, but SEMrush does, and it's only included in $199+ packages.

SEMrush has a dedicated reporting tool called My Reports, which provides more options for branding and customization, and integrates with multiple Google products.

Ahrefs doesn't have a dedicated reporting tool, but can generate a few limited reports within its Site Explorer, Site Audit, and Rank Tracker tools.

SEMrush's My Reports tool is a game-changer for SEO reporting, offering more flexibility and customization options, and a lower price tag.

Tracking position changes in Google is a crucial aspect of SEO, and both Ahrefs and Semrush offer robust tools for the job.

Semrush updates tracked keywords pretty much every day, giving you real-time insights into your rankings. Ahrefs, on the other hand, only updates theirs once or twice a week, depending on your pricing plan.

Semrush has a "Visibility" score, which gives you a deeper understanding of your website's online presence. Ahrefs, however, has a super accurate rank tracker, but it can't match Semrush's frequency of updates.

If you need to stay on top of rankings changes, Semrush's daily updates are a game-changer. This feature is especially useful for tracking sudden ranking drops or identifying areas for improvement.

Ahrefs and SEMrush both offer tiered pricing structures, with the higher the monthly cost, the more access to toolkits, reports, and features you get.

Ahrefs has a free Ahrefs Webmaster Tools account, which gives you limited access to two of its basic SEO tools, Site Explorer and Site Audit. Standard subscriptions are $199 monthly.

SEMrush offers a free 14-day trial, so you can test out the full power of its toolkit. You can also use SEMrush's Free account, which gives limited access to over a dozen tools for SEO, advertising research, position tracking, content marketing, on-page SEO, and more.

Annual billing saves you 20% on both Ahrefs and SEMrush, changing the prices to $82, $149, $332, and $832 per month for Ahrefs, and $83, $166, and $333 per month for SEMrush.

The Lite version of Ahrefs is a bit more limited than the corresponding Pro version of SEMrush, with limitations on seeing keyword positions up to position 20 and not being able to see recent or historical index.

Ahrefs has four plans to choose from, with prices starting at $179 for their "Standard" plan, which I currently subscribe to.

Annual billing saves you 20% on Ahrefs plans, changing the prices to $82, $149, $332, and $832 per month, respectively.

The Lite plan is limited, only allowing you to see keyword positions up to position 20 and not showing recent or historical index data.

SEMrush's Pro level plan has fewer limitations, but still doesn't allow you to see historical keyword data or compare rankings by location or device.

Paying annually reduces SEMrush costs to $83, $166, and $333 per month, respectively.

The Lite version of Ahrefs is more limited than the corresponding Pro version of SEMrush.

SEMrush charges extra for additional users, even on the $99 base plan, with an additional user costing 70% of the price and sharing usage with the parent account.

Both Ahrefs and Semrush offer fantastic support, with live chat available while logged in to their platforms. They respond quickly to questions, as I've experienced firsthand.

To contact Ahrefs' support team, simply click on the chat button in the bottom right corner of the page. Semrush has a similar setup.

Overall, both tools prioritize support, making it easy to get help when you need it.

Semrush has a very solid site audit feature that Semrush has a very solid site audit feature that Semrush comes out on top. Its site audit features are more robust. And in my opinion, it does a better job of letting you know what you need to take action on first.

Ahrefs also has a site audit feature, but it found issues like 300+ pages with the “noindex” tag, which isn’t actually a problem. It also found slow-loading pages and meta descriptions that were too short, which are real problems worth fixing.

Semrush's site audit feature breaks down how well your internal links are setup for SEO, and it lets you know if your site’s link authority is flowing in the right direction.

SEM Features are a crucial aspect of any digital marketing strategy. SEMrush has a robust set of features that make it a top choice for Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

SEMrush is a much better tool for Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, with a lot of SEM features Ahrefs doesn't have. It has competitive PPC analysis, which shows what keywords competitors are bidding on, how much they're spending on average, and what their ad copy is.

SEMrush also has a CPC map that shows average CPC based on state, giving you valuable insights to optimize your campaigns. This feature alone makes SEMrush a must-have for any business running Google Ads campaigns.

If you're running Google Ads campaigns, SEMrush's full-fledged PPC software is a must-have. It's part of the reason SEMrush is considered a better value for small business owners with multiple marketing tasks.

SEMrush's SEM features are as robust as its SEO features, making it a powerhouse tool for digital marketers.

Semrush and Ahrefs offer robust SEO functionalities, but they differ in their focus areas and user interface designs.

Semrush has a comprehensive dashboard, making it intuitive and user-friendly. Ahrefs, on the other hand, has a clean and straightforward interface, known for its ease of navigation.

Semrush has a moderate learning curve, with extensive features requiring some learning. Ahrefs, however, is relatively easy to use, especially for users focused on backlinks and site audits.

Both tools offer highly customizable reports and dashboards, but Ahrefs takes a simpler approach to customization.

Here's a comparison of their user interface features:

In terms of user interface, Ahrefs is often preferred due to its ease of use and clean design.

Technical audits are an essential part of maintaining a healthy and well-performing website. SEMrush and Ahrefs both offer site audit features, but SEMrush comes out on top with its more robust and intuitive tool.

SEMrush's site audit feature is easy to use and provides a clear overview of errors and warnings, making it easy to identify and fix issues. Ahrefs' auditing tool, on the other hand, is still good but not as refined yet.

Ahrefs' site audit tool gave a site an 89% health score, but the report was buried under irrelevant issues. SEMrush's site audit tool, however, provides a clear and concise report that highlights the most critical issues first.

Here's a comparison of the two tools' site audit features:

SEMrush's site audit tool is a winner in my eyes, making it easier to see what's wrong and how to fix it.

Semrush has a complete paid search software suite that Ahrefs lacks, making it a must-have for Google Ads campaigns. This comprehensive suite sets Semrush apart from Ahrefs.

Semrush also offers a "listings" tool that helps with setting up NAPs (Name, Address, Phone Number) for local SEO, as well as finding NAP opportunities and lost backlinks. This tool is a game-changer for local SEO efforts.

Ahrefs, on the other hand, has a unique feature called "Content Explorer" that allows for easy broken link building. This feature has saved me dozens of hours by identifying broken external and internal links.

Semrush's content marketing features are also worth noting. Their content auditing tool is a standout feature that includes an on-page SEO checker and content writing assistant. This tool helps optimize content using LSI keywords and readability score.

Here are some of the unique features of each tool:

Overall, both tools have unique features that make them stand out, but Semrush's comprehensive PPC software and content marketing features give it an edge in this department.

Semrush has a complete paid search software suite that Ahrefs lacks, giving it an edge in PPC capabilities. This includes a ton of competitor analysis features to help you optimize your Google Ads campaigns.

Ahrefs, on the other hand, has a unique feature called "Content Explorer" that's perfect for broken link building. This feature has saved me dozens of hours, and it's a simple yet powerful tool.

Semrush's unique features are a must-have for anyone running Google Ads campaigns along with SEO. Their full-fledged PPC software sets them apart from Ahrefs.

Semrush also has a content audit tool that's an on-page SEO checker and content writing assistant. This tool helps you optimize your content using LSI keywords and a better readability score.

Here are some of the unique features of Semrush and Ahrefs:

Semrush's content audit tool uses TF:IDF (term frequency-inverse document frequency) to help Google rank your content. This tool also gives you an overall score based on readability, word count, LSI keywords, and other suggestions.

Ahrefs has a bunch of tools that only they can do, like tracking backlinks from any domain.

SEMrush is often referred to as the "swiss army knife" of the SEO world, and it's because of the many features it offers that Ahrefs can't match.

Ahrefs can only do a few things, but one of them is tracking backlinks from any domain.

SEMrush has a lot of features, and one of them is being able to do competitor analysis with data from over 140 countries.

Ahrefs specifically has tools that only they can use, like tracking backlinks from any domain.

SEMrush offers a lot of tools that Ahrefs can't, like a content gap analysis tool that helps identify gaps in your content strategy.