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Software · head to head

Ahrefs vs SimilarWeb

Ahrefs logo

Ahrefs

Software

Everything you need to rank higher & get more traffic

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SimilarWeb

Software

Website traffic and competitive analysis

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SimilarWeb 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; SimilarWeb browser extension data accuracy is lower than full platform
  • They diverge on capability: Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, SimilarWeb covers Traffic analytics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ahrefs and SimilarWeb actually diverge.

Attributes where Ahrefs and SimilarWeb differ
AttributeAhrefsSimilarWeb
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Browser Extension
Founded20102007

Identical on both: 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 SimilarWeb

  • Traffic analytics
  • Audience insights
  • Competitor research
  • Industry analysis
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support

What people use each for

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

Ahrefs

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

SimilarWeb

No use cases recorded yet. See the SimilarWeb 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

SimilarWeb

  • Browser extension data accuracy is lower than full platform
  • Full platform pricing is not transparent and requires quote-based inquiry

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

SimilarWeb

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Traffic overview
    • Engagement metrics
    • Similar sites

Which should you pick?

Choose Ahrefs if

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

Choose SimilarWeb if

  • You need traffic analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Browser Extension.
  • You also want audience insights.
SimilarWeb review

Questions people ask

Is Ahrefs or SimilarWeb better?
Neither clearly leads. Ahrefs starts at $29/month and SimilarWeb at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ahrefs or SimilarWeb?
SimilarWeb has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Ahrefs and Free for SimilarWeb.
Does Ahrefs or SimilarWeb run on more platforms?
Ahrefs runs on Web. SimilarWeb runs on Web, Browser Extension.
Can I use SimilarWeb for free?
Yes. SimilarWeb 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 SimilarWeb is typically brought in for.
What can Ahrefs do that SimilarWeb cannot?
Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker. SimilarWeb covers Traffic analytics, Audience insights, Competitor research, Industry analysis.

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
SimilarWeb: Is the SimilarWeb browser extension free?

Yes. The SimilarWeb browser extension is completely free to install and use with no paid tiers and no credit card required.

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
SimilarWeb: How many websites does SimilarWeb cover?

SimilarWeb provides access to intelligence from 1B+ websites and 8M apps, tracks 5B search terms and 250M display ads across 190 countries and 210 industries.

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
SimilarWeb: How accurate is SimilarWeb extension data?

Browser extension data accuracy is lower than the full platform, but it is adequate for ballpark figures of traffic estimates.

Source
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Related pages

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