Ahrefs vs SE Ranking
Ahrefs starts at $108/mo and SE Ranking at $103.20/mo on annual billing — but seat fees, project caps and tracked-keyword limits decide the real bill. See it costed below.
Costed for three setups
| Setup | Ahrefs | SE Ranking | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blogger · 1 site · 100 keywords weekly · 1 user | $108/mo Lite | $103.20/mo Core | SE Ranking |
| Blogger · 1 site · 100 keywords weekly · 1 user (monthly billing) | $129/mo Lite | $129/mo Core | Tie |
| Small business · 5 sites · 500 keywords daily · 2 users | $148/mo Lite | $223.20/mo Growth | Ahrefs |
| Small business · 5 sites · 500 keywords daily · 2 users (monthly billing) | $169/mo Lite | $279/mo Growth | Ahrefs |
| Agency · 10 sites · 1,500 keywords daily · 3 users | $328/mo Standard | $223.20/mo Growth | SE Ranking |
| Agency · 10 sites · 1,500 keywords daily · 3 users (monthly billing) | $369/mo Standard | $279/mo Growth | SE Ranking |
At a glance
| Feature | Ahrefs | SE Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing unit | Per account (1 user) + paid seats | Per account (manager seats included) |
| Watch out for | Each plan includes only 1 user; extra seats cost $40 (Lite), $60 (Standard) or $80 (Advanced) a month and are capped at 2, 5 and 10. | Core includes 1 manager seat and Growth 3; extra seat prices are not published on the pricing page. |
| Cheapest paid (annual) | $108/mo | $103.20/mo |
| Cheapest paid (monthly) | $29/mo | $129/mo |
| Entry plan includes | Starter: unlimited projects · no rank tracking listed · update frequency Not listed · users Not listed | Core: 10 projects · 2,000 tracked keywords · daily updates · 1 user |
| Forever free | Yes | No |
| Trial | Not listed | 14 days |
| Add-ons | Content Kit from $99/mo; Report Builder $99/mo; Project Boost Pro $20/mo per project; Project Boost Max $200/mo per project; Traffic reports $99/mo; Brand Radar AI from $199/mo; custom prompt packages $50–$250/mo. Pay-as-you-go credits and extra users are charged automatically. | Agency Pack +$69/mo (annual billing only); API add-on +$29/mo; AI Visibility from $71/mo; standalone SE Ranking API from $179/mo; Planable SMM from $33/mo. Extra keywords and user seats are purchasable (prices Not listed). |
All plans
Ahrefs
| Plan | Mo | Yr/mo | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs Free | $0 | $0 | unlimited projects · no rank tracking listed · update frequency Not listed · users Not listed |
| Starter | $29 | — | unlimited projects · no rank tracking listed · update frequency Not listed · users Not listed |
| Lite | $129 | $108 | 5 projects · 750 tracked keywords · update frequency Not listed · 1 user · +$40/user/mo (max 3) |
| Standard | $249 | $208 | 20 projects · 2,000 tracked keywords · update frequency Not listed · 1 user · +$60/user/mo (max 6) |
| Advanced | $449 | $374 | 50 projects · 5,000 tracked keywords · update frequency Not listed · 1 user · +$80/user/mo (max 11) |
| Enterprise | — | $1499 | 100 projects · tracked keywords Not listed · update frequency Not listed · 3 users · +$100/user/mo |
SE Ranking
| Plan | Mo | Yr/mo | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core | $129 | $103.20 | 10 projects · 2,000 tracked keywords · daily updates · 1 user |
| Growth | $279 | $223.20 | 30 projects · 5,000 tracked keywords · daily updates · 3 users |
| Enterprise | — | — | unlimited projects · tracked keywords Not listed · update frequency Not listed · users Not listed |
Gotchas
Ahrefs
- Each plan includes only 1 user; extra seats cost $40 (Lite), $60 (Standard) or $80 (Advanced) a month and are capped at 2, 5 and 10.
- Lite gives 1,000 credits per user per month — Standard and up are unlimited.
- Project limits apply to unverified sites; verified sites you own are unlimited.
- The pricing page does not state the rank-tracking update frequency.
SE Ranking
- Core includes 1 manager seat and Growth 3; extra seat prices are not published on the pricing page.
- Annual plans are billed upfront (20% off); free assisted migration only on annual.
- Only one active session per login — shared logins get kicked out.
FAQ
Is Ahrefs cheaper than SE Ranking?
For 5 sites, 500 keywords tracked daily, 2 users, annual billing: Ahrefs $148/mo on Lite vs SE Ranking $223.20/mo on Growth. The answer flips with seat add-ons, project caps and daily vs weekly tracking — use the calculator on the SEO tools hub for your exact setup.
Do Ahrefs and SE Ranking have free plans or trials?
Ahrefs: Ahrefs Free gives website owners limited free access to Site Explorer & Site Audit. Ahrefs says “We never run discounts” — no free trial is offered. SE Ranking: No forever-free plan; 14-day free trial, no credit card (10 projects, 750 tracked keywords per day during the trial).
Which limits matter most when comparing SEO tools?
Included users and the price of extra seats, project/site caps, tracked keywords (and whether they update daily or weekly, pooled or per project), and whether the annual price is billed upfront. Our calculator checks each against the official plan cards.