Ahrefs vs Semrush

Which one do AI engines recommend, and how do they differ on price, fit and features?

The short answer

Semrush is the stronger AI pick in SEO Tools: it has a visibility score of 64.3 versus 56 for Ahrefs, and ranks ahead in 73% of the answers that name both.

Choose Ahrefs if…

You want a lower entry price ($29 vs $139)
You need ISO 27001 coverage
Strong backlink analysis and index
Strong competitor research

Choose Semrush if…

You want the brand AI engines rank higher (64.3 vs 56)
You prefer a larger, established vendor (1,001–5,000 employees)
Widely recommended as a top-tier all-in-one platform for broad suites
Strong keyword research, competitor analysis, and site auditing

AI visibility side by side

Latest weekly run · Nov 2

Metric	Ahrefs	Semrush
Visibility score	56%	64.3%
Change vs last week	New	New
Rank in SEO Tools	#2	#1
Share of voice	12%	12.3%
Mentions this run	61	63
Positive in AI answers	49%	49%

The stronger value in each row is marked with a ✓.

Visibility score trend

Weekly runs over the last 60 days

Ahrefs 0pp · Semrush 0pp over 0 weekly runs.

Engine by engine

Semrush leads on 3 of 3 engines

ChatGPT

67.2%

77%

AI Mode

62%

64.3%

Perplexity

38.9%

51.7%

AhrefsSemrush

Head to head in AI answers

63 engine answers name both brands

17Ahrefs ranked higher

46Semrush ranked higher

Prompt	Engine	Ahrefs	Semrush
What is an SEO tool and when does a company need one?	ChatGPT	#2	#3
How do I choose an SEO tool for a mid-market team?	ChatGPT	#3	#2
How do I choose an SEO tool for a mid-market team?	AI Mode	#6	#5
How do I choose an SEO tool for a mid-market team?	Perplexity	#4	#3
What features matter most in an SEO tool?	ChatGPT	#3	#4
How do companies improve search rankings without a dedicated tool?	AI Mode	#1	#2
What is the difference between an SEO tool and Marketing Automation?	ChatGPT	#2	#1
What is the difference between an SEO tool and Marketing Automation?	AI Mode	#1	#2
How long does it take to roll out an SEO tool?	ChatGPT	#4	#3
How long does it take to roll out an SEO tool?	AI Mode	#2	#1
What should an SEO tool integrate with?	ChatGPT	#4	#5
What should an SEO tool integrate with?	Perplexity	#6	#7

Features, pricing & fit

Dimension	Ahrefs	Semrush
Pricing model	Flat tiers	Flat tiers
Entry price	Free; paid from $29 / mo	Free; paid from $139 / mo
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Deployment	SaaS	—
Compliance	ISO 27001	—
Support	Customer support five days a week, Academy courses and certification, Webinars and AMAs, YouTube tutorials	Help Center and Basic Onboarding, Enterprise SLA and 24/7 support, Dedicated account manager
Founded	2010	2008
Headquarters	Singapore	Boston, MA
Employees	51–200	1,001–5,000
Funding	Bootstrapped	IPO
Best for	Freelance SEOs, marketing consultants, and lean in-house marketing teams, from small businesses to Fortune 500 teams.	Freelancers and small businesses through to agencies and enterprises managing multiple brands, regions and teams.