Ahrefs vs SE Ranking: data against client reports
Ahrefs and SE Ranking meet at a surprisingly close price: 119 €/month for Ahrefs Lite, 109 €/month for SE Ranking Core, or 87.20 €/month on annual payment. At this level, the choice isn't about tariff but about what you produce with the tool.
Ahrefs sells raw data and a link index no one matches. SE Ranking sells a production tool for agencies: white-label reports, multiple seats, very high-frequency rank tracking, all designed to show a client.
Pricing checked in July 2026 on official sites, both in euros. Watch SE Ranking options, billed separately.
 Ahrefs |  SE Ranking | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ⭐ 4.6 / 5 | ⭐ 4.3 / 5 |
| Category | Marketing & SEO | Marketing & SEO |
| Pricing model | Paid | Paid |
| From | Starter from €27/month (competitor research only); Lite from €119/month; Standard €229/month; Advanced €419/month | Core from €109/month (€87.20/month annual); Growth €235/month (€188/month annual) |
| Ease of use | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| French interface | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Website | Visit → | Visit → |
The detail, criterion by criterion
Real entry price
Lite at 119 €/month: 5 projects, 750 tracked keywords, 1 user. No commitment.
Core at 109 €/month, or 87.20 €/month annually (20% saving): 10 projects, 2,000 keyword checks per day, 1 management seat. 14-day trial with no card required.
Backlink index
The most complete and freshest index on the market, with in-house AhrefsBot. That's the reason for the subscription.
Decent backlink base for tracking a profile and spotting lost links, but far behind Ahrefs in coverage. For serious link building, that's not the tool.
Rank tracking
750 keywords on the Lite plan, daily update. Decent, but it's the quota that saturates fastest on Ahrefs.
2,000 checks per day on Core, 5,000 on Growth, with tracking by engine, device and geography down to city level. That's historically SE Ranking's best module.
Client reports and white-label
Clean exports, but no white-label report ready to send. An agency reassembles its deliverables elsewhere.
White-label reports included from the Core plan, guest report links on Growth, Agency Pack module at 59 €/month option. That's what agencies come looking for.
Included users
One user only on Lite, Standard and Advanced. Each extra seat charges, which weighs heavy on a team.
1 seat on Core, 3 on Growth (235 €/month, 188 € annually). A small team hits sharing faster and cheaper.
Options billed separately
The API is included only on the Enterprise plan at 1,394 €/month with annual commitment.
API optional at 39 €/month, AI search tracking at 63.20 €/month annually, Agency Pack at 59 €/month. The 87.20 € entry price can double quickly.
Choose Ahrefs if…
You do link building, you analyse competitor link profiles, you need the most reliable and freshest data. One user, expert use: Ahrefs remains the reference and nothing truly replaces it on this ground.
Choose SE Ranking if…
You're an agency or freelancer who must deliver reports to clients, track many keywords locally and share access with two or three people. SE Ranking costs less and produces the deliverable by itself.
Our verdict
At nearly identical price, these two serve different jobs. If your value is analysis, take Ahrefs: its link index alone justifies the subscription and you won't find it anywhere else at this level.
If your value is production and reporting, take SE Ranking: white-label reports, shared seats and local rank tracking will save you more billable time than Ahrefs' index depth.
One caution on SE Ranking: the entry price includes neither the API nor AI search tracking nor the agency pack. Add up the options you actually need before comparing to Ahrefs' 119 €/month, or the comparison is skewed.
Frequently asked questions
Is SE Ranking cheaper than Ahrefs?
On the entry price, yes: 87.20 €/month annually against 119 €/month for Ahrefs Lite. But SE Ranking bills separately for the API (39 €/month), AI search tracking and the agency pack. Depending on options, the gap flips.
Is SE Ranking available in French?
Yes, the interface and support exist in French, and rank tracking handles French engines and geographies down to city level. That's a real argument against Ahrefs, whose interface stays in English.
Which to pick for an agency?
SE Ranking in most cases: white-label reports included, three seats on the Growth plan, guest report links for clients. Ahrefs becomes essential once your offer includes link building, as no other link index stands up to the comparison.
We look at what you actually need and tell you which one to set up (or a third that fits better).
Ask us →