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Marketing · head to head

Ahrefs vs Simplecast

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
Simplecast logo

Simplecast

Podcasting

Hosting for professional podcast networks

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ahrefs has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Simplecast basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • They diverge on capability: Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ahrefs and Simplecast actually diverge.

Attributes where Ahrefs and Simplecast differ
AttributeAhrefsSimplecast
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelPer month by credits and usage limitssubscription
Free tierYesNo
CategoryMarketingPodcasting
Founded20102014

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 Simplecast

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Analytics
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Distribution
  • Team collaboration
  • All podcast platforms
  • Advertising networks
  • CMS systems

Both cover

  • API access
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Ahrefs

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

Simplecast

  • Hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metricsnot Ahrefs
  • Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot Ahrefs
  • Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot 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.

Simplecast

  • Basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • Essential plan at $35 per month includes 50,000 monthly downloads and 4 team seats
  • Dynamic ad insertion and campaign management are only on the Professional plan, which is quoted by sales with no published rate
  • API access for publishing and campaign management is Enterprise only
  • Annual prepayment is required to get the 10 percent discount

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

Simplecast

$15/month
  • Basic$15/month
    • Annual option: $13.50/month when prepaid
    • 2 team seats
    • Unlimited storage
  • Essential$35/month
    • Annual option: $31.50/month when prepaid
    • 4 team seats
    • Everything in Basic plus additional web players
  • Professional$null/custom
    • Contact sales for custom pricing
    • Dynamic ad insertion
    • Campaign management
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Contact sales for custom features
    • Everything in Professional plus API integration
    • White-labeled RSS

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 Simplecast if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want analytics.
Simplecast review

Questions people ask

Is Ahrefs or Simplecast better?
Neither clearly leads. Ahrefs starts at Free and Simplecast at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ahrefs or Simplecast?
Ahrefs has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ahrefs and $15/month for Simplecast.
Does Ahrefs or Simplecast run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Ahrefs for free?
Yes. Ahrefs has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Simplecast starts at $15/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 Simplecast is typically brought in for.
What can Ahrefs do that Simplecast cannot?
Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker. Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Distribution. Both handle API access, 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.

Simplecast: How much does Simplecast cost?

Simplecast offers a 14-day free trial (no credit card required) followed by paid plans starting at $15/month for Basic ($13.50/month annual) and $35/month for Essential ($31.50/month annual). Professional and Enterprise plans require contacting sales for custom pricing.

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.

Simplecast: Can I change my Simplecast plan anytime?

Yes. Plan changes are allowed anytime with prorated adjustments. You can cancel anytime with no long-term contracts or penalties.

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.

Simplecast: What is included in the Basic plan?

The Basic plan ($15/month or $13.50/month annually) includes 2 team seats, unlimited storage, distribution to all platforms, basic analytics, custom domain website, and 20,000 downloads per month.

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.

Simplecast: What makes the Essential plan different from Basic?

The Essential plan ($35/month or $31.50/month annually) adds 2 more team seats (4 total), comparative analytics, location analytics, unique listener reports, and increases the monthly download allowance to 50,000.

Source
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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