Research method: We reviewed official pricing, product, help, legal and security materials on July 16, 2026. Prices, features, limits and availability can change, so verify the checkout and official documentation before purchase.
Scope: This is an official-source decision guide. We did not run a reproducible comparative test, so it does not rank data accuracy, usability or results.
Advertising disclosure: At publication, this article contains no affiliate links. Any future affiliate links will be identified near the link and under our disclosure policy. Affiliate disclosure
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Bottom line: start with free monitoring for owned sites and expand into competitor and backlink research
Ahrefs
Ahrefs provides free features for verified sites and paid plans that expand unverified-site, keyword and competitor research. A free account includes Site Explorer, Site Audit and Web Analytics for eligible owned sites; Lite and above expand competitor analysis, exports, alerts and custom prompts.
- Free account
- For verified sites
- Lite
- $129/mo
- Rank tracking
- 750 keywords on Lite
- Site Audit
- 5,000 crawls/mo per verified project on Free
Advantages confirmed from official sources
- Owned sites can start with a free verified project
- Free access includes Site Explorer, Site Audit and Web Analytics within stated limits
- Lite lists five projects, 750 tracked keywords and 100,000 crawl credits
- Backlink, competitor, organic and AI-search research are available in one platform
Constraints to confirm before purchase
- Free access mainly centers on sites whose ownership can be verified
- Unverified-site research and large exports require paid-plan and credit checks
- Additional users and pay-as-you-go data can create extra charges
- SEO metrics and traffic estimates are Ahrefs data, not first-party measurements
Plans, pricing and principal limits
| Plan | Official terms | Primary use | Check before purchase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | For verified sites; Site Explorer shows up to 1,000 backlinks and keywords at a time; Site Audit provides 5,000 crawl credits per project monthly | Owned-site monitoring | Ownership verification required |
| Starter | Official help lists 200 credits, one unverified project and 50 Rank Tracker keywords | Entry point for unverified sites and keyword research | Check export and feature limits |
| Lite | $129/mo; 5 projects, 6 months history, 750 tracked keywords, 5 prompts, 100,000 crawl credits | Small businesses and personal projects | Additional users cost extra |
| Standard | $249/mo; 20 projects, 2 years history, 2,000 tracked keywords, 10 prompts, 500,000 crawl credits | Freelance SEOs and consultants | Review unlimited-credit and other limits |
| Advanced | $449/mo; more tools and data | Lean in-house marketing teams | Review detailed limits and extras |
Prices, taxes, currencies, discounts and limits can vary by region and purchase date. Treat the official pricing page and checkout as authoritative.
Main capabilities confirmed in official sources
Owned sites
- Verified projects
- Core Site Explorer reports
- Site Audit
- Web Analytics
Competitors and backlinks
- Organic and AI search
- Backlink profiles
- Top pages and keywords
- Paid-search research
Keywords and rankings
- Keywords Explorer
- Rank Tracker
- Location and history
- SERP and competitor views
Operations and extensions
- Alerts
- Report Builder
- Custom prompts
- API and extra data on eligible plans
When it may fit
Suitable when
You want free monitoring for owned sites and the option to expand into competitor sites, backlinks, keywords, rankings and historical data.
Consider alternatives when
You need one dashboard for many marketing channels, want high-volume unverified-site research at no cost, or prefer simpler fixed usage limits.
Frequently asked questions
Does Ahrefs have a free plan?
A free account is available for verified sites, with Site Explorer, Site Audit, Web Analytics and other tools subject to limits.
What is a verified project?
A site whose ownership is confirmed through methods such as Google Search Console, an HTML file, DNS TXT or a meta tag. Ahrefs states that verified projects can be used free.
What are the Lite price and key limits?
The pricing page lists $129 per month, five projects, six months of history, 750 tracked keywords, 100,000 crawl credits and one included user.
Official sources reviewed
- Ahrefs — Plans & pricingPaid-plan prices and limits
- Ahrefs — Free tools and featuresFree-account tools and limits
- Ahrefs — Plan differencesFree, Starter, Lite and higher tiers
- Ahrefs — Site ExplorerCompetitor, search, AI, backlink and paid-traffic research
- Ahrefs — Security MeasuresOperational and vendor security measures
- Ahrefs — Privacy PolicyPersonal-data processing