SE Ranking vs Semrush vs Ahrefs: entry plans side by side
SE Ranking Core and the Semrush SEO plan update rankings daily, and Ahrefs Lite updates them weekly. SE Ranking Core and Ahrefs Lite both cost $129 a month billed monthly, as read on 7 October 2026; Semrush's page showed no US-dollar price that day.
| Criterion | SE Ranking Core | Semrush SEO plan | Ahrefs Lite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price billed monthly | $129 a month | Price on Semrush's page | $129 a month |
| Price billed annually | $103.20 a month | Semrush says annual billing saves up to 17% | $108 a month ($1,290 a year) |
| Sites and keywords | 10 projects, 2,000 keyword pairs | 5 websites, 500 keywords | 5 projects, 750 keywords |
| Rank updates | Daily | Daily | Weekly |
| Trial | 14 days, no card required | Seven days, card required | None; Ahrefs Free for site owners |
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Start an SE Ranking trial →Rank tracking: daily on two, weekly on one
Standard rankings in SE Ranking are checked once a day, on a schedule that cannot be changed. Semrush's SEO plan lists 500 keywords to track daily. Ahrefs updates its Rank Tracker weekly on every plan.
The units differ. SE Ranking counts each keyword on each search engine as one pair, so 30 keywords on 2 engines use 60 of Core's 2,000. Ahrefs counts tracked keywords, 750 on Lite, and includes 1 user, with 2 more at $40 a month each. Core allows 10 projects, each one website with its own rankings, competitors and audits, and 1 manager seat, against 5 projects or websites on each rival entry plan.
What each entry plan costs in US dollars
Billed annually, SE Ranking Core is $103.20 a month, paid upfront for the year, and Ahrefs Lite is $108 a month, or $1,290 a year. SE Ranking's figures come from its FAQ page and the 5 October 2026 capture of its US pricing page.
Semrush says annual billing saves up to 17%; its price is on Semrush's page.
Search volume: where Semrush and Ahrefs lead
SE Ranking's own FAQ says its search volume figures currently trail both Semrush and Ahrefs. A team that buys a tool mainly for search volume data should choose between those two.
Between Semrush and Ahrefs alone, both are research suites. Semrush updates rankings daily and has a free plan, while Ahrefs updates weekly and has no trial. Do I need Semrush and Ahrefs for SEO covers whether to pay for both.
Free plans, trials and who should pick which
Semrush has a free plan limited to one website and 10 tracked keywords. Its seven-day trial needs a card, with a nominal charge refunded at once. Ahrefs has no trial and runs no discounts, but offers Ahrefs Free to website owners. Of the three, only SE Ranking gives 14 days without a card. SE Ranking has no permanent free plan.
- SE Ranking Core for 10 projects checked daily. See SE Ranking vs Ahrefs.
- Semrush for a free plan on one website, or daily updates in a research suite. See SE Ranking vs Semrush.
- Ahrefs for search volume data that SE Ranking says it trails.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.
Try SE Ranking, no card needed →Sources used for this page
The facts above come from the pages below, read on 7 October 2026. We have not used these products hands-on. Prices and terms change, so confirm them on the vendor's site before you buy.
- SE Ranking FAQ — Vendor documentation · seranking.com · read 7 October 2026
- SE Ranking pricing page — Vendor pricing page · seranking.com · read 7 October 2026
- SE Ranking pricing page, US capture of 5 October 2026 (Internet Archive) — Vendor pricing page · web.archive.org · read 7 October 2026
- SE Ranking help center: Rankings tool overview — Vendor documentation · help.seranking.com · read 7 October 2026
- Semrush pricing page — Vendor pricing page · semrush.com · read 7 October 2026
- Ahrefs pricing page — Vendor pricing page · ahrefs.com · read 7 October 2026