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Marketing · head to head

Ahrefs vs Microsoft Clarity

Ahrefs logo

Ahrefs

Marketing

Backlink and keyword research platform run on its own web crawler, metered by credits since 2024

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Clarity logo

Microsoft Clarity

Marketing

Free behaviour analytics tool with session recordings, heatmaps, and AI insights

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.; Microsoft Clarity no paid tier means no premium support; enterprise SLAs and dedicated account management are unavailable
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ahrefs and Microsoft Clarity actually diverge.

Attributes where Ahrefs and Microsoft Clarity differ
AttributeAhrefsMicrosoft Clarity
Pricing modelPer month by credits and usage limitsfree
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Microsoft Clarity

Nothing recorded that Ahrefs does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Ahrefs

  • SEO researchnot Microsoft Clarity
  • Competitor analysisnot Microsoft Clarity
  • Content planningnot Microsoft Clarity
  • Backlink analysisnot Microsoft Clarity
  • Rank trackingnot Microsoft Clarity

Microsoft Clarity

  • SaaS product teams identifying checkout and signup funnel frictionnot Ahrefs
  • E-commerce sites optimising product discovery and purchase flowsnot Ahrefs
  • Content websites understanding reading patterns and article engagementnot Ahrefs
  • Mobile app teams (iOS/Android) analysing user journey and drop-off pointsnot Ahrefs
  • B2B platforms optimising onboarding and feature discoverynot Ahrefs
  • Agencies and consultants providing UX analysis to clients free of chargenot 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.

Microsoft Clarity

  • No paid tier means no premium support; enterprise SLAs and dedicated account management are unavailable
  • Dependency on JavaScript tracking; websites with strict CSP (content security policy) may struggle with integration
  • Session replay is limited to browser-based interactions; native app behaviour in web wrappers is not captured
  • AI Chat and summaries require adequate session volume; low-traffic sites lack sufficient data for meaningful pattern detection
  • Privacy masking is automatic but lacks granular configuration; custom masking rules for proprietary data require workarounds

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

Microsoft Clarity

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Clarity review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Ahrefs if

  • You need site explorer.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want keywords explorer.
Ahrefs review

Choose Microsoft Clarity if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
Microsoft Clarity review

Questions people ask

Is Ahrefs or Microsoft Clarity better?
Neither clearly leads. Ahrefs starts at Free and Microsoft Clarity at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ahrefs or Microsoft Clarity?
Ahrefs starts at Free and Microsoft Clarity at Free.
Does Ahrefs or Microsoft Clarity run on more platforms?
Ahrefs runs on Web. Microsoft Clarity runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Microsoft Clarity is typically brought in for.
What can Ahrefs do that Microsoft Clarity cannot?
Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker.

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.

Microsoft Clarity: Is Microsoft Clarity truly free?

Yes. Microsoft Clarity is completely free with no traffic limits, no paid tier, and no restrictions based on session volume. It integrates with web properties via a single tracking snippet.

Source
Ahrefs: 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.

Microsoft Clarity: Does Clarity comply with GDPR and CCPA?

Yes. Clarity automatically masks sensitive form field data before transmission and supports privacy-by-default configuration. EU and California data residency options are available.

Source
Ahrefs: 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.

Microsoft Clarity: Can Clarity track mobile apps?

Yes. Clarity provides native SDKs for iOS and Android, as well as support for React Native and Flutter apps.

Source
Ahrefs: 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.

Ahrefs: 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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