Marketing · head to head
Ahrefs vs Convert

Ahrefs
Marketing
Backlink and keyword research platform run on its own web crawler, metered by credits since 2024
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Ahrefs the April 2024 move from unlimited usage to credits was a real downgrade for existing customers: Lite meters 1,000 credits per user per month and the data tools lock when they are gone, so heavy research on the entry plan now forces an upgrade to Standard at 249 USD.; Convert pricing is driven by monthly tested users, starting at $399 per month for 100,000 monthly tested users on Growth and $599 on Pro
- They diverge on capability: Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Convert covers A/B testing.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 2 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Ahrefs and Convert actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Marketing).
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 Convert
- A/B testing
- Multivariate testing
- Analytics
- SSL encryption
Both cover
- Google Analytics
- API access
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- English language support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Ahrefs
- SEO researchnot Convert
- Competitor analysisnot Convert
- Content planningnot Convert
- Backlink analysisnot Convert
- Rank trackingnot Convert
Convert
- A/B and multivariate testing for conversion optimizationnot Ahrefs
- Full-stack experimentation on web and mobilenot Ahrefs
- Sequential testing and statistical confidence trackingnot Ahrefs
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Ahrefs
- The April 2024 move from unlimited usage to credits was a real downgrade for existing customers: Lite meters 1,000 credits per user per month and the data tools lock when they are gone, so heavy research on the entry plan now forces an upgrade to Standard at 249 USD.
- Pay-as-you-go credits are charged automatically once enabled, so a busy research month can produce an unbudgeted overage bill rather than a hard stop.
- Every paid tier includes exactly one user, and additional seats cost 40, 60 or 80 USD a month by tier, so a three-person team on Standard pays 369 USD a month rather than 249.
- Row caps bind before credit caps for many jobs: Lite returns at most 2,500 rows per report, which is not enough to export a mid-sized site backlink profile in one pass.
- Ahrefs states plainly that it never runs discounts and offers no free trial of the paid plans, so evaluation means paying a full month or working from the ownership-verified free tier.
- Rank Tracker updates weekly on every tier including Enterprise, so teams needing daily positions have to buy a separate tracker such as SE Ranking or Semrush.
- A growing share of capability is sold as add-ons rather than included: Report Builder at 99 USD a month, Content Kit from 99 USD, Project Boost at 20 or 200 USD per project, and Brand Radar from 199 USD.
Convert
- Pricing is driven by monthly tested users, starting at $399 per month for 100,000 monthly tested users on Growth and $599 on Pro
- Single Sign-On requires the Pro plan at $599 per month
- Multivariate testing, multi-page testing, full stack and feature flags, sequential testing and raw test data export are all withheld from the Growth plan
- Phone support, change history and guided onboarding require Pro
- The advertised $299 and $420 per month rates require paying the full year up front at $3,588 or $5,040
- The Enterprise plan is price on request, is only available as an annual plan, and its data segregation feature carries additional costs
- Listed prices exclude VAT, GST and other taxes, which are added at checkout
- Above 5 million monthly tested users there is no published rate
Pricing, plan by plan
Ahrefs
Free- Ahrefs FreeFree
- Limited Site Explorer and Site Audit for sites you verify ownership of
- No access to competitor data
- Where paid subscriptions land after cancellation
- Starter$29/month
- Search and competitor data with reduced row limits
- No projects tier of the main plan ladder
- Sits below Lite on the published pricing page
- Lite$129/month
- 1 user included, up to 2 more at 40 USD each per month
- 1,000 credits per user per month, the only tier with a credit cap
- 5 projects, 750 tracked keywords, 6 months of historical data
- Standard$249/month
- 1 user included, up to 5 more at 60 USD each per month
- Unlimited report credits under fair use
- 20 projects, 2,000 tracked keywords, 2 years of historical data
Convert
Free- Growth$399/month
- Pro$599/month
- Enterprise$undefined/mo
Which should you pick?
Choose Ahrefs if
- You need site explorer.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want keywords explorer.
Choose Convert if
- You need a/b testing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want multivariate testing.
Questions people ask
- Is Ahrefs or Convert better?
- Neither clearly leads. Ahrefs starts at Free and Convert at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Ahrefs or Convert?
- Ahrefs starts at Free and Convert at Free.
- Does Ahrefs or Convert run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Ahrefs for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 Convert is typically brought in for.
- What can Ahrefs do that Convert cannot?
- Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker. Convert covers A/B testing, Multivariate testing, Analytics, SSL encryption. Both handle Google Analytics, API access, Cloud deployment, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Ahrefs: How much does Ahrefs cost?
Starter is 29 USD a month, Lite 129, Standard 249, Advanced 449 and Enterprise 1,499 with an annual commitment. Paying annually saves up to 17 percent, which Ahrefs describes as two months free, and it is arranged through support rather than on the site.
Convert: What is the starting price for Convert?
The Growth plan starts at $399/month (or $299/month billed annually for 25% savings) with 100K monthly tested users, 5 projects, and 5 active experiences per project.
SourceAhrefs: What are Ahrefs credits and when did they start?
Ahrefs replaced unlimited report usage with credits in April 2024. It meters report credits, crawl credits and API units. Lite includes 1,000 credits per user per month; Standard and above are unlimited under a fair use policy. Purchased pay-as-you-go credits last three billing months.
Convert: What is the difference between Growth and Pro plans?
Both cap at 100K tested users/month, but Pro ($599/month or $420/month annual) adds 30 active projects (vs 5), unlimited experiences per project (vs 5), unlimited domains (vs 10), multivariate testing, full-stack testing, sequential testing, and phone support.
SourceAhrefs: Is Ahrefs or Moz better?
Ahrefs has the deeper and fresher link index and stronger competitive research, and it is the default for link work. Moz is cheaper at entry, owns Domain Authority as a reportable metric, and has a real local listings product. If you report DA to clients or manage multi-location listings, Moz earns its place; otherwise Ahrefs wins on data.
Convert: How much does the Enterprise plan cost?
Enterprise pricing is available 'on request.' It supports 1M+ monthly tested users (12M+ annually), unlimited projects, experiences, and domains, plus dedicated account manager and custom terms.
SourceAhrefs: Is there a free version or a trial?
There is Ahrefs Free, limited to Site Explorer and Site Audit on sites you verify you own, so it gives you no competitor data. Ahrefs states it never runs discounts and does not offer a trial of the paid plans.
Convert: What is the cost to exceed my monthly tested user limit?
Growth overages cost $399 per 100K additional users. Pro/Enterprise overages cost $699 per 250K additional users. Customers can also upgrade mid-cycle at any time.
SourceAhrefs: How many users are included?
One, on every paid tier up to Advanced. Extra seats cost 40 USD a month on Lite, 60 on Standard, 80 on Advanced and 100 on Enterprise, and unpaid additional users are billed automatically as pay-as-you-go.
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