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Software · head to head

Majestic vs Ahrefs

Majestic logo

Majestic

Software

Backlink analysis and link intelligence platform for SEO

From
$41.67/month
Rated
-
Ahrefs logo

Ahrefs

Software

Everything you need to rank higher & get more traffic

From
$29/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Majestic pricing is based on consumable analysis units, so heavy usage can exhaust a plan's allowance before the month ends.; Ahrefs the entry Lite plan is $129 a month and caps projects at 5 and tracked keywords at 750
  • They diverge on capability: Majestic covers Trust Flow & Citation Flow, Ahrefs covers Keywords Explorer.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Majestic and Ahrefs actually diverge.

Attributes where Majestic and Ahrefs differ
AttributeMajesticAhrefs
Starting price$41.67/month$29/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Platformsweb, apiWeb
Founded20042010

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Majestic

  • Trust Flow & Citation Flow
  • Fresh & Historic Index
  • Bulk Backlink Checker
  • Author Explorer
  • Link Graph
  • API Access

Only in Ahrefs

  • Keywords Explorer
  • Site Audit
  • Rank Tracker
  • Content Explorer
  • Competitive analysis
  • Backlink checker
  • Keyword research
  • Google Search Console

Both cover

  • Site Explorer

What people use each for

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

Majestic

  • Auditing a site's backlink profile before an SEO campaignnot Ahrefs
  • Comparing link profiles between competitor domainsnot Ahrefs
  • Bulk-checking backlinks across many URLs at oncenot Ahrefs
  • Finding link-building opportunities via the link graphnot Ahrefs

Ahrefs

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

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Majestic

  • Pricing is based on consumable analysis units, so heavy usage can exhaust a plan's allowance before the month ends.
  • Lite plan excludes the Historic Index and raw data exports, which are common needs for deeper backlink audits.
  • API access requires the most expensive plan, unlike some competitors that bundle limited API calls into mid-tier plans.
  • The 7-day money-back guarantee is limited to first-time subscribers on Lite and Pro plans only.

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Majestic

$41.67/month
  • Lite$41.67/month
    • 1 user
    • 1 million analysis units
    • Fresh Index, Site Explorer
  • Pro$83.33/month
    • 1 user
    • 20 million analysis units
    • Historic Index, Index Merger
  • API$333.33/month
    • 5 users
    • 100 million analysis units
    • Full API access

Ahrefs

$29/month
  • Starter$29/month
    • Core keyword research
    • Backlink analysis
    • Competitor research
  • Lite$129/month
  • Standard$249/month
  • Advanced$449/month

Which should you pick?

Choose Majestic if

  • You need trust flow & citation flow.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want fresh & historic index.

Choose Ahrefs if

  • You need keywords explorer.
  • You also want site audit.

Questions people ask

Is Majestic or Ahrefs better?
Neither clearly leads. Majestic starts at $41.67/month and Ahrefs at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Majestic or Ahrefs?
Majestic starts at $41.67/month and Ahrefs at $29/month.
Does Majestic or Ahrefs run on more platforms?
Majestic runs on web, api. Ahrefs runs on Web.
What is Majestic best used for?
Majestic is most often used for auditing a site's backlink profile before an seo campaign, comparing link profiles between competitor domains, bulk-checking backlinks across many urls at once, finding link-building opportunities via the link graph. Of those, auditing a site's backlink profile before an seo campaign and comparing link profiles between competitor domains are not what Ahrefs is typically brought in for.
What can Majestic do that Ahrefs cannot?
Majestic covers Trust Flow & Citation Flow, Fresh & Historic Index, Bulk Backlink Checker, Author Explorer. Ahrefs covers Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker, Content Explorer. Both handle Site Explorer.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Majestic: What payment options does Majestic support?

Majestic supports payment by Credit Card, Debit Card, and PayPal for recurring monthly and annual subscription plans.

Source
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
Majestic: Does Majestic offer a money-back guarantee?

Lite and Pro plans include a 7-day money-back guarantee for new customers purchasing their first ever subscription plan.

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
Majestic: How do I cancel my Majestic subscription?

PayPal users manage cancellation through their PayPal account, while monthly credit card subscribers can cancel via the My Subscriptions page in their account.

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
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