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Marketing · head to head

Ahrefs vs Rakuten

Ahrefs logo

Ahrefs

Marketing

Everything you need to rank higher & get more traffic

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rakuten logo

Rakuten

Marketing

Get cash back on every purchase

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Rakuten has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Ahrefs the entry Lite plan is $129 a month and caps projects at 5 and tracked keywords at 750; Rakuten minimum withdrawal amount of $5.01 creates friction for light users
  • They diverge on capability: Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Rakuten covers Cash back rewards.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ahrefs and Rakuten actually diverge.

Attributes where Ahrefs and Rakuten differ
AttributeAhrefsRakuten
Starting price$29/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebBrowser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
CategoryMarketingUnknown
Founded20101999

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Rakuten

  • Cash back rewards
  • Coupon codes
  • In-store offers
  • Price comparisons
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Safari support

What people use each for

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

Ahrefs

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

Rakuten

No use cases recorded yet. See the Rakuten review.

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

Rakuten

  • Minimum withdrawal amount of $5.01 creates friction for light users
  • Quarterly payout schedule only, with months-long delays between earning and receiving payments
  • Amazon cashback limited to specific categories at 1-3% rates
  • Must click through Rakuten link first or cashback does not register

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

Rakuten

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Rakuten review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Ahrefs if

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

Choose Rakuten if

  • You need cash back rewards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
  • You also want coupon codes.
Rakuten review

Questions people ask

Is Ahrefs or Rakuten better?
Neither clearly leads. Ahrefs starts at $29/month and Rakuten at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ahrefs or Rakuten?
Rakuten has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Ahrefs and Free for Rakuten.
Does Ahrefs or Rakuten run on more platforms?
Ahrefs runs on Web. Rakuten runs on Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
Can I use Rakuten for free?
Yes. Rakuten has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ahrefs starts at $29/month.
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 Rakuten is typically brought in for.
What can Ahrefs do that Rakuten cannot?
Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker. Rakuten covers Cash back rewards, Coupon codes, In-store offers, Price comparisons.

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
Rakuten: Is Rakuten free to use?

Yes, the Rakuten browser extension is completely free with no membership fees. Users never pay to earn cashback rewards.

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
Rakuten: How and when can I withdraw my cashback earnings?

Rakuten processes payouts quarterly in February, May, August, and November. You need a minimum balance of $5.01 to request a payout via PayPal or check.

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
Rakuten: How many stores does Rakuten support?

Rakuten works with over 3,500 online stores and offers cashback rates up to 40% depending on the retailer and promotion.

Source
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