VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 19, 2025

Head-to-head

Ahrefs vs Calcbench comparison

Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.

Quick takeaways

Ahrefs adds App & Website Traffic coverage that Calcbench skips.

Calcbench includes Financials, Improved Filings, Flags, Management Compensation, Acquisitions, Ticker Changes, Data APIs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Blogs, and Regulatory Filings Monitoring categories that Ahrefs omits.

Ahrefs highlights: Comprehensive toolkit: Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker, Content Explorer, and Web Analytics., Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free) provides a lighter version of Site Explorer and Site Audit, plus Web Analytics for verified sites., and Looker Studio connectors available for Site Explorer, Rank Tracker, and Site Audit — reserved for Advanced and above..

Calcbench is known for: As‑reported financials with drill‑through ‘Trace to source’ into the filing; multi‑company time‑series and standardized metrics., Interactive disclosures/footnotes search across 10‑K/10‑Q (and other docs); segment & geographic breakouts., and Earnings press‑release data within minutes of wire: GAAP, non‑GAAP, guidance, KPIs; model‑ready via Excel or API..

Ahrefs logo

Ahrefs

ahrefs.com

Hands-on review

A leading SEO and web-traffic intelligence suite. The free Ahrefs Webmaster Tools unlocks limited access to Site Explorer, Site Audit, and Web Analytics for verified sites, while full platform plans expand into deep backlink, keyword, and content analysis. Higher-tier subscriptions govern credits, export limits, historical data windows, and API access.

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free
Subscription

Quick highlights

  • Comprehensive toolkit: Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker, Content Explorer, and Web Analytics.
  • Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free) provides a lighter version of Site Explorer and Site Audit, plus Web Analytics for verified sites.
  • Looker Studio connectors available for Site Explorer, Rank Tracker, and Site Audit — reserved for Advanced and above.
  • Automated email alerts for new or lost backlinks, keyword changes, and web mentions, with flexible delivery options.
  • API v3 is included with Enterprise plans (with limited test queries available to all users).

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Calcbench logo

Calcbench

calcbench.com

SEC-filings and earnings‑release data platform built for analysts. Coverage includes as‑reported financial statements, footnotes/disclosures text, segments & breakouts, earnings press‑release numerics (incl. non‑GAAP and guidance), proxies, 8‑Ks, and SEC comment letters. ‘Trace’ any number back to the source filing. Point‑in‑time fundamentals with publication timestamps are available for backtests. Excel (Windows) add‑in is full‑featured; Office 365 (Mac/Web) and Google Sheets add‑ins are lighter. API access is separate from standard subscriptions.

Platforms

Web
Desktop
API

Pricing

Free
Subscription

Quick highlights

  • As‑reported financials with drill‑through ‘Trace to source’ into the filing; multi‑company time‑series and standardized metrics.
  • Interactive disclosures/footnotes search across 10‑K/10‑Q (and other docs); segment & geographic breakouts.
  • Earnings press‑release data within minutes of wire: GAAP, non‑GAAP, guidance, KPIs; model‑ready via Excel or API.
  • Point‑in‑time fundamentals: standardized metrics stamped with first‑available timestamps to avoid look‑ahead bias.
  • Auditor & auditor‑fee dataset with flags; M&A purchase‑price‑allocation dataset.

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

1 overlap

Both tools cover this research theme.

Where they differ

Ahrefs

Distinct strengths include:

  • Comprehensive toolkit: Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker, Content Explorer, and Web Analytics.
  • Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free) provides a lighter version of Site Explorer and Site Audit, plus Web Analytics for verified sites.
  • Looker Studio connectors available for Site Explorer, Rank Tracker, and Site Audit — reserved for Advanced and above.
  • Automated email alerts for new or lost backlinks, keyword changes, and web mentions, with flexible delivery options.

Calcbench

Distinct strengths include:

  • As‑reported financials with drill‑through ‘Trace to source’ into the filing; multi‑company time‑series and standardized metrics.
  • Interactive disclosures/footnotes search across 10‑K/10‑Q (and other docs); segment & geographic breakouts.
  • Earnings press‑release data within minutes of wire: GAAP, non‑GAAP, guidance, KPIs; model‑ready via Excel or API.
  • Point‑in‑time fundamentals: standardized metrics stamped with first‑available timestamps to avoid look‑ahead bias.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeAhrefsCalcbench
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: APIs & SDKs

Unique: App & Website Traffic

Shared: APIs & SDKs

Unique: Financials, Improved Filings, Flags, Management Compensation, Acquisitions, Ticker Changes, Data APIs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Blogs, Regulatory Filings Monitoring

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Other

Stocks

Experience levels

Who each product is built for

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Platforms

Where you can access the product

Web, API

Web, Desktop, API

Pricing

High-level pricing models

Free, Subscription

Free, Subscription

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • Comprehensive toolkit: Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker, Content Explorer, and Web Analytics.
  • Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free) provides a lighter version of Site Explorer and Site Audit, plus Web Analytics for verified sites.
  • Looker Studio connectors available for Site Explorer, Rank Tracker, and Site Audit — reserved for Advanced and above.
  • Automated email alerts for new or lost backlinks, keyword changes, and web mentions, with flexible delivery options.
  • API v3 is included with Enterprise plans (with limited test queries available to all users).
  • Enterprise also adds SSO, two-factor authentication, and higher data allowances.

Unique

  • As‑reported financials with drill‑through ‘Trace to source’ into the filing; multi‑company time‑series and standardized metrics.
  • Interactive disclosures/footnotes search across 10‑K/10‑Q (and other docs); segment & geographic breakouts.
  • Earnings press‑release data within minutes of wire: GAAP, non‑GAAP, guidance, KPIs; model‑ready via Excel or API.
  • Point‑in‑time fundamentals: standardized metrics stamped with first‑available timestamps to avoid look‑ahead bias.
  • Auditor & auditor‑fee dataset with flags; M&A purchase‑price‑allocation dataset.
  • Excel add‑in (Windows, full), Office 365 add‑in (Mac/Web, limited), and Google Sheets add‑on; Python API client.
Tested

Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat

Yes

Not yet

Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

Standard listing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do Ahrefs and Calcbench both support?

Both platforms cover APIs & SDKs workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Do Ahrefs and Calcbench require subscriptions?

Both Ahrefs and Calcbench keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.

How can you access Ahrefs and Calcbench?

Both Ahrefs and Calcbench prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.

What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?

Ahrefs differentiates itself with Comprehensive toolkit: Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker, Content Explorer, and Web Analytics., Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free) provides a lighter version of Site Explorer and Site Audit, plus Web Analytics for verified sites., and Looker Studio connectors available for Site Explorer, Rank Tracker, and Site Audit — reserved for Advanced and above., whereas Calcbench stands out for As‑reported financials with drill‑through ‘Trace to source’ into the filing; multi‑company time‑series and standardized metrics., Interactive disclosures/footnotes search across 10‑K/10‑Q (and other docs); segment & geographic breakouts., and Earnings press‑release data within minutes of wire: GAAP, non‑GAAP, guidance, KPIs; model‑ready via Excel or API..

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.