Considering SE Ranking vs Ahrefs for your SEO needs? Get the essential information about these tools and make an informed decision with this comparison.
The key to success in the fiercely competitive field of Internet marketing is having an effective SEO plan. There are numerous SEO tools available, each claiming to be the best. Two popular choices in the market are SE Ranking and Ahrefs.
But which one is truly worth your investment and can help you with your website's optimization? In this article, we will compare SE Ranking vs Ahrefs, highlighting their features, functionalities, and pros and cons, to help you make an informed decision about which tool is right for your SEO needs.
Overview SE Ranking and Ahrefs
These powerful SEO tools for improving website performance
Before starting to analyze deeply the main features of SE Ranking vs Ahrefs, we will take a look at what they are:
What Is Ahrefs?
Ahrefs is frequently used by major firms for a variety of marketing goals. Its major features include a powerful backlink checker, a trustworthy keyword research tool, and an easy-to-use API. However, some perceive Ahrefs to be pricey when compared to alternative SEO tools that offer a broader variety of capabilities and better flexibility.
What is SE Ranking?
SE Ranking is a comprehensive platform that caters to a wide range of users. It provides a wide array of tools specifically designed for different SEO tasks, such as SEO copywriting and local marketing, which Ahrefs doesn't offer. Moreover, SE Ranking offers flexible pricing plans and generous data limits. It can be significantly more cost-effective compared to other SEO tools, saving you money in the long run.
Keyword Research: SE Ranking vs Ahrefs
The effectiveness of keyword research tools between two powerful tools
When comparing SE Ranking vs Ahrefs for keyword research, there are several factors to consider. Here are some aspects to consider while comparing the two:
Ahrefs: Keyword Research Features
Keywords Explorer may not be as widely used or popular as Ahrefs' Site Explorer, their backlink analysis tool. However, it still generates a considerable number of keyword ideas and provides accurate data on search volume, keyword difficulty, clicks, and other essential SEO metrics.
To utilize the "keywords explorer" tool effectively:
1. Start by accessing the dedicated tab within the Ahrefs dashboard.
2. Simply input your initial keywords into the search field.
Ahrefs will promptly generate a comprehensive report, offering essential metrics on your chosen keywords. This information will enable you to make well-informed decisions swiftly and efficiently.
In this report, you will find two important factors:
The Return Rate (RR) of your target keyword, which measures the frequency with which the same user searches for that specific keyword within 30 days.
The average number of monthly clicks on search results: It is crucial not to ignore the average monthly clicks on search results for your target keyword, as a high search volume does not always translate to high search traffic.
On the other hand, when it comes to PPC data, Ahrefs does not offer much support. Although you can access some basic PPC information for your seed keywords from the "Ads history" report, it is limited in terms of providing extensive PPC analysis.
SE Ranking: Keyword Research Features
To perform keyword research on SE Ranking:
Visit the “Keyword Research” tab
In the search box, type your seed keyword or keywords.
A report with a summary of your seed keywords will then be produced by SE Ranking.
You'll discover important keyword data for your keywords here: They can be:
Search volume
Difficulty
CPC
After entering your seed keywords, SE Ranking will provide you with 3 categorized list of keyword ideas:
Similar keywords
Related keywords
Low search volume keywords
SE Ranking's keyword research reports offer more than just SEO keyword metrics. They also provide valuable PPC insights related to your target keywords. When you access the overview report, simply scroll down to the "Advertisers" section.
Here, you'll discover the top 5 websites that are actively bidding on your target keywords through Google Ads. This information can be incredibly useful in understanding the competitive landscape and optimizing your own PPC campaigns.
Winner: SE Ranking
SE Ranking and Ahrefs are both powerful tools for keyword research, but SE Ranking stands out with its superior PPC insights. Ahrefs has been lacking in terms of PPC analysis. However, it's important to note that success in the digital marketing world is not solely dependent on a single tool or feature.
SE Ranking's approach is commendable as it focuses on providing a strong foundation for effective management decisions. While Ahrefs' insights are still valuable, SE Ranking offers a more comprehensive and well-rounded solution.
Backlink Analysis: Ahrefs vs SE Ranking
Analyze the backlink analysis capabilities of Ahrefs vs SE Ranking
Ahrefs: Backlink Analysis
A popular tool called Ahrefs' Site Explorer offers a comprehensive look into the backlink profile of any website. It not only allows you to analyze your own site's backlinks but also enables you to gather valuable insights into your competitors' link-building strategies.
Here are the steps to use Site Explorer:
From your Ahrefs dashboard, go to the "Site Explorer" tab.
Enter the domain you’d like to analyze.
The Overview report in SE Ranking gives a snapshot of the website's performance in organic and paid search, including SEO and backlink metrics. You can find the interactive referring domains graph in the overview report of SE Ranking. It provides information on the rate at which the website has gained links over time. This graph effectively demonstrates the consistency of link acquisition for the target website.
SE Ranking: Backlink Analysis
To analyze backlinks on SE Ranking, you need:
Visit the “Backlink Checker” tab
Enter the domain you’d like to analyze.
The summary report will provide you with a glance at the target website's backlink profile, including:
The website’s trust score
Anchors
Dofollow/nofollow ratio
Referring domains
Backlinks.
You can easily access interactive graphs for referring domains, backlinks, new & lost referring domains, and new & lost backlinks by simply scrolling down. In a similar manner to Ahrefs, if you click on the referring domains number, you will be directed to the referring domains report.
SE Ranking's link index is smaller compared to Ahrefs, indicating a difference in their database size.
Winner: Ahrefs
When it comes to backlink analysis, SE Ranking falls short of Ahrefs. Ahrefs has a wider link index and provides a more efficient user experience, with fewer clicks required to get the relevant data.
Technical SEO Audit: Ahrefs vs SE Ranking
Ahrefs and SE Ranking for a comprehensive technical SEO audit
A technical SEO audit involves evaluating the technical aspects of a website to identify any issues or areas for improvement that may be affecting its search engine rankings. Here is a comparison of these SE Ranking vs Ahrefs:
Technical SEO Audit: Ahrefs
The manual technical website audit involves opening the appropriate module and clicking a button. Although it runs in the background, this process takes significantly more time. As an example, the analysis of a site took nearly 40 minutes. When comparing Ahrefs and SE Ranking, the preference leans towards Ahrefs.
While SE Ranking offers a downloadable or email-able informative report with fewer bugs, Ahrefs is deemed less effective in terms of technical audit quality. It only addresses critical errors that impact page performance, leaving many ranking-determining factors unnoticed by its crawler.
Technical SEO Audit: SE Ranking
SE Ranking's site audit tool offers a convenient feature that automatically audits your website when you add a new project. Once the audit is complete, your site's SEO health score is updated in the Projects section. Simply click on the score to access your full SEO audit report.
Along with the health score, you'll also find the number of important and semi-important fixes needed to improve your site's health. The comprehensive site audit report is divided into five sections, which cover health check, pages analysis, meta analysis, content analysis, and links analysis. Take the time to review each section and address any errors.
Winner: SE Ranking
When comparing SE Ranking vs Ahrefs in terms of Technical SEO Audit, SE Ranking stands out as a superior tool. While Ahrefs' Site Audit is primarily useful for addressing basic SEO issues, relying solely on its reports may lead to the misconception that there are no technical SEO problems on your website.
In contrast, SE Ranking conducts a comprehensive analysis of your site, providing you with a comprehensive view of your website's technical SEO health.
Pricing Plans: Ahrefs vs SE Ranking
Evaluate the SE Ranking and Ahrefs price plans
When comparing the pricing plans of SE Ranking vs Ahrefs, there are several factors to consider:
Ahrefs: Pricing Plans
A free trial is not available for Ahrefs, but you can gain 1-week access to their Lite or Standard plan by paying $7.
Lite ($99/month): For small businesses and hobby projects, Lite provides essential data. It includes an SEO Dashboard, Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, SERP comparison, Site Audit, Rank Tracker, and Alerts.
Standard ($179/month): The Standard package is ideal for freelance SEOs and marketing consultants. It includes features like All in Lite, Portfolios, Position history chart, SERP updates, Site Explorer, Competitive Analysis, Alerts, Mentions, Batch Analysis, and Reports sharing.
Advanced ($399/month): The advanced package includes additional tools and knowledge tailored to small marketing teams. It contains all of the basic package's capabilities, such as Site Explorer, Site Audit, Looker Studio, Dashboard folders, and Web Explorer.
Agency ($999/month): The package is ideal for agencies and businesses since it includes advanced functions such as access management, invoice payment, directory listing, an audit log, API, and SSO.
Another option is cheap Ahrefs Group Buy you can try!
SE Ranking: Pricing Plans
A free trial is available for users in 14 days.
Essential ($44.00/month): It is used for freelancers and newbies. There are 10 projects available with only 1 manager seat, but additional seats cost $20 each. Each project has 5 competitors.
Pro ($87.20/month): This plan is suitable for small agencies and teams. You can have an unlimited number of projects and 3 manager seats. Each additional manager seat costs an extra $20. There can be 10 competitors per project.
Business ($191.20/month): This package is suitable for medium-sized agencies and companies. There is no limit on projects, but only 5 manager seats are available. Each additional manager seat costs $20. Each project can have up to 20 competitors.
Winner: SE Ranking
When deciding between SE Ranking vs Ahrefs, SE Ranking is the best option for you. SE Ranking offers more affordable subscriptions with comparable features. Besides, it offers essential features like link building and historical data analysis without any additional charges.
FAQs
Is the SE Ranking accurate?
SE Ranking is a superb SEO tool that has comprehensive capabilities for tracking keyword ranks, researching keywords, assessing rivals, and doing other vital SEO tasks. The platform is notable for its easy access and delivery of exact, complete data.
Is Ahrefs a good SEO tool?
Among SEO tools, Ahrefs stands out for its extensive list of capabilities. By collaborating with several search engines and offering thorough, approachable data for backlink development and keyword research, it distinguishes itself from the competition.
Who owns SE Ranking?
Valery Kurilov founded SE Ranking in 2012 with the goal of enabling users of all skill levels to optimize their websites for SEO.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both SE Ranking vs Ahrefs are powerful tools for optimizing your website's performance. SE Ranking stands out as the top choice when it comes to SEO and PPC functionalities. One key advantage is its ability to offer extensive PPC insights within its keyword research reports.
Moreover, SE Ranking's site audit tool excels in identifying technical SEO issues on your website and offers practical recommendations for resolving them. Besides, it also offers affordability when Ahrefs’ pricing. However, if your focus on link building and the cost is of no concern, then Ahrefs undoubtedly takes the lead in terms of data and precision.
