Ahrefs vs Semrush Pricing in 2026: Every Plan Compared
Ahrefs starts at $29/month (Starter) while Semrush's cheapest full plan is Pro at $139.95/month. At the professional tier the gap narrows: Ahrefs Lite is $129/month vs Semrush Pro at $139.95, and both offer roughly 17% discounts on annual billing.
What does each tool cost in 2026?
Ahrefs is the cheaper entry point: its Starter plan is $29/month, while Semrush's cheapest full plan (Pro) is $139.95/month. Here is the full price list as verified in July 2026:
| Plan | Ahrefs | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Starter — $29/mo | — |
| Professional | Lite — $129/mo | Pro — $139.95/mo |
| Mid | Standard — $249/mo | Guru — $249.95/mo |
| Advanced | Advanced — $449/mo | Business — $499.95/mo |
| Enterprise | from $1,499/mo | Custom |
Annual billing saves roughly 17% on both platforms: Ahrefs Lite drops to about $108/month and Semrush Pro to about $117.33/month.
Which is better value?
For backlink-focused work, Ahrefs offers the lowest paid entry price in the category at $29/month. For teams that also need PPC research, content-marketing tooling, or local SEO, Semrush bundles more into one subscription — that breadth is why its floor price is higher.
Semrush also sells a newer AI-focused track ("Semrush One") from roughly $199/month to $549/month, aimed at teams that want AI-visibility features alongside classic SEO data.
What are the hidden costs?
API access is gated to expensive tiers on both platforms. Ahrefs offers API access on Enterprise (from $1,499/month); Semrush includes API on Business ($499.95/month). Rank-tracking limits also differ: Ahrefs Lite tracks 750 keywords vs 500 on Semrush Pro.
Bottom line
If you mainly need site audits, keyword and backlink data, start with Ahrefs Starter ($29) and upgrade only when limits bite. If your team runs paid search and content operations from one dashboard, Semrush Pro's higher floor may still be cheaper than stacking separate tools.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cheapest Ahrefs plan in 2026?
- Ahrefs Starter costs $29/month, making it the lowest-priced paid plan among the major SEO suites in 2026. It is limited to one project with restricted Site Explorer and Keywords Explorer usage, and excludes Content Explorer.
- Does Semrush have a plan under $100?
- No. Semrush's cheapest full plan is Pro at $139.95/month (about $117.33/month billed annually). Its free account allows roughly 10 searches per day, which is only suitable for occasional lookups.
- How much do you save with annual billing?
- Both vendors discount roughly 17% for annual commitment. Ahrefs Lite falls from $129 to about $108/month; Semrush Pro falls from $139.95 to about $117.33/month, saving about $271 per year.