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Software · head to head

Ahrefs vs Arc Publishing

Ahrefs logo

Ahrefs

Software

Everything you need to rank higher & get more traffic

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Arc Publishing logo

Arc Publishing

Software

The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ahrefs the entry Lite plan is $129 a month and caps projects at 5 and tracked keywords at 750; Arc Publishing now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
  • They diverge on capability: Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ahrefs and Arc Publishing actually diverge.

Attributes where Ahrefs and Arc Publishing differ
AttributeAhrefsArc Publishing
Starting price$29/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
Founded20102016

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Ahrefs

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

Only in Arc Publishing

  • Modular CMS
  • Content creation
  • Publishing workflow
  • Paywall management
  • Subscription billing
  • Analytics dashboard
  • API framework
  • Commerce integration

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Ahrefs

  • SEO researchnot Arc Publishing
  • Competitor analysisnot Arc Publishing
  • Content planningnot Arc Publishing
  • Backlink analysisnot Arc Publishing
  • Rank trackingnot Arc Publishing

Arc Publishing

  • Content management for news and digital publishersnot Ahrefs
  • Subscription and paywall managementnot Ahrefs
  • Video publishing alongside articlesnot Ahrefs
  • Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot Ahrefs

Where each one falls short

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

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

Arc Publishing

  • Now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
  • Pricing is not published
  • Built for media companies, so the editorial workflow assumptions do not suit a general business site

Pricing, plan by plan

Ahrefs

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

Arc Publishing

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Custom CMS
    • Paywall integration
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Ahrefs if

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

Choose Arc Publishing if

  • You need modular cms.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want content creation.
Arc Publishing review

Questions people ask

Is Ahrefs or Arc Publishing better?
Neither clearly leads. Ahrefs starts at $29/month and Arc Publishing at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ahrefs or Arc Publishing?
Ahrefs starts at $29/month and Arc Publishing at On request.
Does Ahrefs or Arc Publishing run on more platforms?
Ahrefs runs on Web. Arc Publishing runs on Web, Mobile.
What is Ahrefs best used for?
Ahrefs is most often used for seo research, competitor analysis, content planning, backlink analysis. Of those, seo research and competitor analysis are not what Arc Publishing is typically brought in for.
What can Ahrefs do that Arc Publishing cannot?
Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker. Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management. Both handle 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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