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Software · head to head

Acast vs Ahrefs

Acast logo

Acast

Software

Enterprise podcast hosting and advertising

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ahrefs logo

Ahrefs

Software

Everything you need to rank higher & get more traffic

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Acast the free Starter tier is limited to 1 show and 5 episodes; unlimited episodes require making the show available in Acast's advertising marketplace; Ahrefs the entry Lite plan is $129 a month and caps projects at 5 and tracked keywords at 750
  • They diverge on capability: Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Ahrefs covers Site Explorer.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acast and Ahrefs actually diverge.

Attributes where Acast and Ahrefs differ
AttributeAcastAhrefs
Starting priceOn request$29/month
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Founded20142010

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Acast

  • Enterprise hosting
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Sponsorship platform
  • Analytics
  • Monetization
  • All podcast platforms
  • Advertising networks
  • CMS systems

Only in Ahrefs

  • Site Explorer
  • Keywords Explorer
  • Site Audit
  • Rank Tracker
  • Content Explorer
  • Competitive analysis
  • Backlink checker
  • Keyword research

Both cover

  • API access
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Acast

  • Hosting and distributing a podcast to all major listening appsnot Ahrefs
  • Monetising episodes through the Acast advertising marketplace and sponsorshipsnot Ahrefs
  • Publishing video podcast episodes alongside audionot Ahrefs

Ahrefs

  • SEO researchnot Acast
  • Competitor analysisnot Acast
  • Content planningnot Acast
  • Backlink analysisnot Acast
  • Rank trackingnot Acast

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Acast

  • The free Starter tier is limited to 1 show and 5 episodes; unlimited episodes require making the show available in Acast's advertising marketplace
  • Multiple shows require the paid Influencer plan at $14.99 per month billed annually or $25 per month billed monthly
  • Team management, prioritised support and the Publishing API require the Pro plan at $29.99 per month billed annually or $40 per month monthly
  • Publishing video episodes to Apple Podcasts requires the Video plan at $39.99 per month billed annually or $50 per month monthly
  • The Video plan includes only 10,000 monthly video views
  • A payment card is required to sign up even for the free tier
  • The Creator Network tier is quote only with no published price

Ahrefs

  • The entry Lite plan is $129 a month and caps projects at 5 and tracked keywords at 750
  • Crawl credits are metered by tier, from 100,000 on Lite to 1,500,000 on Advanced
  • Enterprise at $1,499 a month requires an annual commitment
  • Brand Radar AI, custom prompts and Content Kit are separate add-ons starting at $199, $50 and $99 a month
  • The $29 Starter plan covers search and competitive research basics rather than the full toolset

Pricing, plan by plan

Acast

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Dynamic ad insertion
    • Sponsorship marketplace

Ahrefs

$29/month
  • Starter$29/month
    • Core keyword research
    • Backlink analysis
    • Competitor research
  • Lite$129/month
  • Standard$249/month
  • Advanced$449/month

Which should you pick?

Choose Acast if

  • You need enterprise hosting.
  • You also want dynamic ad insertion.
Acast review

Choose Ahrefs if

  • You need site explorer.
  • You also want keywords explorer.
Ahrefs review

Questions people ask

Is Acast or Ahrefs better?
Neither clearly leads. Acast starts at On request and Ahrefs at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acast or Ahrefs?
Acast starts at On request and Ahrefs at $29/month.
Does Acast or Ahrefs run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Acast best used for?
Acast is most often used for hosting and distributing a podcast to all major listening apps, monetising episodes through the acast advertising marketplace and sponsorships, publishing video podcast episodes alongside audio. Of those, hosting and distributing a podcast to all major listening apps and monetising episodes through the acast advertising marketplace and sponsorships are not what Ahrefs is typically brought in for.
What can Acast do that Ahrefs cannot?
Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Sponsorship platform, Analytics. Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker. Both handle API access, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ahrefs: What are Ahrefs' main features?

Ahrefs' three main features are Site Explorer (for organic performance), Keywords Explorer (for keyword research), and Content Explorer (for content discovery). The platform includes backlink analysis, competitor research, technical SEO audits, rank tracking, and content workflows.

Source
Ahrefs: What is the size of Ahrefs' backlink database?

Ahrefs maintains a database of 28 trillion internal backlinks and 35 trillion external backlinks that are updated frequently, providing the depth and freshness of link data that differentiates it from competitors.

Source
Ahrefs: What is Ahrefs' pricing?

Ahrefs pricing starts at $29/month for Starter plan, $129/month for Lite, $249/month for Standard, $449/month for Advanced, and $1,499/month for Enterprise, with annual discounts available.

Source
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