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Software · head to head

Ahrefs vs Cision

Ahrefs logo

Ahrefs

Software

Everything you need to rank higher & get more traffic

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cision logo

Cision

Software

The complete PR and earned media platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • They diverge on capability: Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Cision covers Media monitoring.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ahrefs and Cision actually diverge.

Attributes where Ahrefs and Cision differ
AttributeAhrefsCision
Starting price$29/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20101867

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 Cision

  • Media monitoring
  • PR Newswire distribution
  • Media database
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Influencer identification
  • Salesforce
  • Slack
  • Microsoft 365

Both cover

  • Google Analytics
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Ahrefs

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

Cision

  • Press release distributionnot Ahrefs
  • Media monitoringnot Ahrefs
  • PR measurementnot Ahrefs
  • Media outreachnot Ahrefs
  • Crisis communicationsnot 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

Cision

Nothing recorded yet. See the Cision review.

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

Cision

On request
  • Cision Communications CloudFree
    • Media monitoring
    • Media database
    • PR analytics
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Full platform access
    • PR Newswire distribution
    • Custom integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Ahrefs if

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

Choose Cision if

  • You need media monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want pr newswire distribution.
Cision review

Questions people ask

Is Ahrefs or Cision better?
Neither clearly leads. Ahrefs starts at $29/month and Cision at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ahrefs or Cision?
Ahrefs starts at $29/month and Cision at On request.
Does Ahrefs or Cision run on more platforms?
Ahrefs runs on Web. Cision runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 Cision is typically brought in for.
What can Ahrefs do that Cision cannot?
Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker. Cision covers Media monitoring, PR Newswire distribution, Media database, Analytics & reporting. Both handle Google Analytics, 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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