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Free Alternatives to Ahrefs

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Free replacement verdicts

Ahrefs logo

Free Alternatives to Ahrefs

Zero-cost replacements grouped by fit, tradeoffs, pricing friction, and platform access. Use this list to test Ahrefs before paying for another subscription.

Switching from Ahrefs doesn't have to cost a thing. We've curated 4 free-tier alternatives that cover similar workflows, from APIs & Data Feeds to App & Website Traffic and beyond. Each pick below is framed by fit, caveats, and access friction so you can trial replacements without opening your wallet.

Visit AhrefsAll alternativesTool details

Disclosure: outbound links may include affiliate or sponsor links

Which Alternative Should You Use?

Similarweb logo

Similarweb

Closest replacement

Best for: Investors and operators researching digital businesses through website traffic, app usage, keyword demand, and competitive benchmarks.

  • Similarweb best matches the base workflow on research reports, AI research workspace, and charting and technical analysis.
  • Similarweb also has a free plan, so you can try it without paying. Free-plan limits: Free website/app snapshots are limited.

Watch for: Modeled data, not reported financials: Traffic, app, keyword, and company estimates are proxy signals and need validation against filings, disclosures, and other datasets.

View Similarweb plans
DetailsCompare
Semrush logo

Semrush

Best workflow fit

Best for: Investors and operators using SEO, paid search, web traffic, and AI visibility as alternative data for digital businesses.

  • Semrush best matches the base workflow on AI agent data access, research reports, and AI research workspace.
  • Semrush also has a free plan, so you can try it without paying. Free-plan limits: Signup required. Credit card required. Free account and paid-plan trials are limited.

Watch for: Marketing platform, not investing software: Semrush does not provide portfolio tracking, valuation models, broker execution, or official company fundamentals.

View Semrush pricing
DetailsCompare
Sensor Tower logo

Sensor Tower

Strong runner-up

Best for: Investors and operators researching app, web, ad, gaming, and audience trends as alternative data.

  • Sensor Tower best matches the base workflow on research reports, AI research workspace, and charting and technical analysis.
  • Sensor Tower also has a free plan, so you can try it without paying. Free-plan limits: Public reports and selected tools are free.

Watch for: Sales-led enterprise pricing: Sensor Tower states that pricing is customized. There is no public self-serve price table for the commercial platform.

Request Sensor Tower demo
DetailsCompare
Google Trends logo

Google Trends

Strong runner-up

Best for: Investors and operators using search interest as a free demand, attention, or event-monitoring proxy.

  • Google Trends best matches the base workflow on market monitoring, financial data API, and research reports.
  • Google Trends also has a free plan, so you can try it without paying. Free-plan limits: Google Trends web UI is free.

Watch for: Relative index, not absolute demand: Google Trends normalizes sampled search interest to a 0-100 scale, so it does not provide exact search volumes.

Open Google Trends
DetailsCompare

Detailed Alternatives

I want to

Free tiers first, then the lowest starting price.

1
Google Trends logo
Partial replacement

Google Trends

Bottom line: Investors and operators using search interest as a free demand, attention, or event-monitoring proxy.

Keep

No shared workflows named.

Gain

  • Data Visualizations
  • News
  • Newsletters

Lose

  • App & Website Traffic
  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • API access

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on AI agent data access, AI research workspace, and portfolio tracking.
  • Free-plan limits: Google Trends web UI is free. BigQuery public dataset access is subject to Google Cloud free-tier/sandbox limits. Official Trends API access is not generally available.
  • Relative index, not absolute demand: Google Trends normalizes sampled search interest to a 0-100 scale, so it does not provide exact search volumes.
Cost
Free, no signup

Free onlyno paid tier

$29/mo less than Ahrefs

Fit
Partial replacement
Open Google TrendsCompare
Full review and details
2
Similarweb logo
Closest replacement

Similarweb

Tested by us

Bottom line: Investors and operators researching digital businesses through website traffic, app usage, keyword demand, and competitive benchmarks.

Keep

  • App & Website Traffic
  • APIs & Data Feeds

Gain

  • Sheets / Excel Add-ins
  • Data Visualizations

Lose

No missing capabilities listed.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market monitoring, financial data API, and AI agent data access.
  • Free-plan limits: Free website/app snapshots are limited. Self-service packages and trials are referenced for individuals, entrepreneurs, and small teams, but current package pages do not expose public prices. Business, enterprise, API, and module-heavy workflows require sales/custom pricing.
  • Modeled data, not reported financials: Traffic, app, keyword, and company estimates are proxy signals and need validation against filings, disclosures, and other datasets.
Cost
Free, no signup

Free • Contact for pricing

Fit
Partial replacement
View Similarweb plansCompare
Full review and details
3
Sensor Tower logo
Partial replacement

Sensor Tower

Bottom line: Investors and operators researching app, web, ad, gaming, and audience trends as alternative data.

Keep

  • App & Website Traffic
  • APIs & Data Feeds

Gain

No additional capabilities listed.

Lose

No missing capabilities listed.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market monitoring, financial data API, and AI agent data access.
  • Free-plan limits: Public reports and selected tools are free. Commercial access requires demo/sales engagement. Pricing is customized by customer, module, geography, and access needs.
  • Sales-led enterprise pricing: Sensor Tower states that pricing is customized. There is no public self-serve price table for the commercial platform.
Cost
Free, no signup

Free • Contact for pricing

Fit
Partial replacement
Request Sensor Tower demoCompare
Full review and details
4
Semrush logo
SemrushBest workflow fit
4
Semrush logo
Best workflow fit

Semrush

Bottom line: Investors and operators using SEO, paid search, web traffic, and AI visibility as alternative data for digital businesses.

Keep

  • App & Website Traffic
  • APIs & Data Feeds

Gain

  • Sheets / Excel Add-ins
  • Blogs

Lose

No missing capabilities listed.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market monitoring, financial data API, and charting and technical analysis.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required. Credit card required. Free account and paid-plan trials are limited.
  • Marketing platform, not investing software: Semrush does not provide portfolio tracking, valuation models, broker execution, or official company fundamentals.
Cost
Free, card required

$139/moto go paid

$110/mo more than Ahrefs

Fit
Partial replacement
View Semrush pricingCompare
Full review and details

What This Shortlist Tells You

Similarweb is the closest drop-in replacement with overlapping coverage in App & Website Traffic and APIs & Data Feeds while adding Sheets / Excel Add-ins and Data Visualizations coverage and Website traffic and engagement analytics, including keyword research, referral sources, and a free traffic checker tool. and API V5 is live in REST and Batch modes with one key across both endpoint families, multi-metric requests in a single API call, standardized responses, and documented MCP + AI support. features (workflow overlap ~100%).

Every pick keeps a free tier; start with Similarweb, Semrush, and Sensor Tower to road-test Ahrefs workflows without paying up front.

Need mobile access? Semrush bring phone-ready workflows that Ahrefs lacks.

Round out your stack with new coverage areas like Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Data Visualizations, Blogs, and News.

Coverage Snapshot

Where alternatives already align

Most shared categories across the top matches.

APIs & Data Feeds×3App & Website Traffic×3

New angles introduced

Categories the alternatives add beyond Ahrefs.

Data Visualizations+2Sheets / Excel Add-ins+2Blogs+1News+1Newsletters+1

Free Access & Pricing

Free to start

All 4

All 4 have a standing free tier, not a trial.

Paid plans from

$139/mo

Semrush is the cheapest paid upgrade. Ahrefs starts at $29/mo.

Mobile app

1 of 4

1 add a mobile app that Ahrefs lacks.

API access

3 of 4

3 expose an API or data feed, usually on a paid plan.

Hands-on tested

1 of 4

1 tested hands-on. 0 are analyst picks.

Coverage overlap

75%

Average share of Ahrefs categories each alternative covers.

Free Alternatives FAQ

What are the best free alternatives to Ahrefs?

Similarweb, Semrush, and Sensor Tower cover the most Ahrefs workflows without a paid plan, in that order.

Do these picks stay permanently free?

Yes. Every tool listed has a standing free tier, not a trial. Expect caps on exports, seats, or history once you use it heavily.

Which Ahrefs workflows stay covered on the free plan?

The free plans cover App & Website Traffic and APIs & Data Feeds. Core Ahrefs workflows in those areas do not need a paid upgrade.

What extra coverage do the free alternatives add?

The free alternatives add Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Data Visualizations, Blogs, News, and Newsletters, which Ahrefs does not cover.

Where might I still rely on Ahrefs?

App & Website Traffic and APIs & Data Feeds stay with Ahrefs. Keep it for those tasks, or budget for a paid plan elsewhere if they matter.

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Feedback

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.