Ahrefs vs Ranktracker

by Gralio Feb 19, 2025

Ahrefs and Ranktracker both cater to businesses seeking improved search engine rankings, but target different needs and budgets. Ahrefs is a comprehensive suite for in-depth SEO analysis and competitor research, while Ranktracker offers a more focused and affordable approach to rank tracking and keyword research. Mid-sized businesses should consider their budget and required features when choosing between the two.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 1552 reviews and 60 websites, saving 9 hours, 7 minutes of reading.

Ahrefs

Website LinkedIn Twitter

Ranktracker

Website LinkedIn Twitter

About

Ahrefs is a suite of online tools designed to improve a website's search engine ranking and visibility. It provides data and insights on competitors, keywords, backlinks, and website content. Businesses use Ahrefs to research competitor strategies, discover relevant keywords, find link-building opportunities, audit their website for SEO issues, and track their ranking progress against competitors. Ahrefs is known for its large database and focus on data accuracy for marketing professionals.

Ranktracker is a cloud-based SEO tool that helps businesses improve their search engine rankings. It offers a suite of features including keyword research, competitor analysis, and rank tracking. Ranktracker allows you to monitor your website's ranking position for chosen keywords across multiple search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. It also helps identify technical SEO errors on your website and provides recommendations to fix them. Ranktracker is designed for both small businesses and large agencies looking to improve their online visibility and get more traffic.

Summary

Main difference

Ahrefs offers a broader suite of SEO tools with a larger data set, focusing on in-depth analysis and competitor research. Ranktracker provides a more streamlined approach to rank tracking and keyword research, emphasizing simplicity and affordability.

Relative strengths of Ahrefs (compared to Ranktracker)

More comprehensive SEO toolset with features like backlink analysis and content auditing.
Larger data set and more accurate reporting for in-depth analysis.
Stronger competitor analysis capabilities for identifying opportunities and threats.

Relative weaknesses of Ahrefs (compared to Ranktracker)

Significantly more expensive, potentially exceeding budget constraints for mid-sized businesses.
More complex interface may require a steeper learning curve.
Negative customer feedback regarding pricing changes and customer support.

What companies are using Ahrefs and Ranktracker?

No data

Who is using Ahrefs and Ranktracker?

Olesia Krilyshyn

Sales Acceleration Specialist at Reply.io

Gaetano Di Nardi

Growth Advisor for B2B SaaS Companies

Connor Gillivan

SEO expert; 7x Founder (Exit in 2019)

Jake Ward

SEO expert; 150K LinkedIn followers

Andrew Charlton

SEO Consultant, Founder of SEO tool companies

Show all 13 stacks

No data

Who should use Ahrefs VS. Ranktracker

Ahrefs is a powerful SEO tool suite that helps businesses improve their website ranking and online visibility. Businesses use Ahrefs to research competitor strategies, discover relevant keywords, and find link-building opportunities. Users praise its in-depth backlink analysis and comprehensive keyword research tools. However, some users find the pricing high and customer support slow.

Ranktracker is a cloud-based SEO tool ideal for marketing professionals and agencies seeking to elevate their SEO strategies. While praised for its keyword research, competitor analysis, and user-friendly interface, users have raised serious concerns regarding unethical billing practices related to lifetime deals. Consider alternatives if honoring commitments is a top priority.

Best for small, medium, and enterprise businesses.
Ideal for E-commerce, Software, IT & Telecommunications, and Marketing & Advertising.

Best for small businesses and marketing agencies.
Ideal for E-commerce, Education, Media, Marketing, and Software companies.

Ahrefs and Ranktracker features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Competitor Playbooks

Not supported

Ahrefs does not directly support creating competitor playbooks.

Not supported

RankTracker doesn't directly support creating comprehensive competitor playbooks.
Competitor Analysis

Partially supported

Ahrefs provides insights into competitor keywords and content strategies, but not technologies or customer base.

Partially supported

RankTracker provides competitor analysis, focusing on SEO and keyword targeting, but not sales, marketing strategies, technologies, or customer base.
SEO rank tracking

Supported

Ahrefs supports SEO rank tracking with features for keywords, search engines, locations, and devices.

Supported

Ranktracker tracks website rankings for target keywords across search engines and locations on desktop and mobile devices.
Ahrefs integration

Supported

Ahrefs integrates with other SEO tools and its own components.

Not supported

Ranktracker does not integrate with Ahrefs.
SEO Tool Integration

Supported

Ahrefs supports integration with other SEO tools, including direct integration with Surfer SEO.

Partially supported

Ranktracker integrates with other SEO tools via its SEO SpyGlass tool, but Ahrefs and SurferSEO are not specifically mentioned.
Competitor insights

Supported

Ahrefs allows you to analyze competitor SEO performance and strategies through features like competitor identification, detailed SEO metrics analysis, website structure and content analysis, technical SEO analysis, and long-term monitoring.

Partially supported

Ranktracker provides competitor insights indirectly via SERP Checker, Backlink Checker, and Rank Tracker.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

-0.96

Strongly negative sentiment

-1

Strongly negative sentiment
Customer Service

-0.86

Strongly negative sentiment

-1

Strongly negative sentiment
Ease of Use

+0.44

Rather positive sentiment

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment
Reliability and Performance

+0.24

Neutral sentiment

-0.76

Strongly negative sentiment
Ease of Implementation

+0

Neutral sentiment

No data
Scalability

-0.6

Rather negative sentiment

No data

Ahrefs and Ranktracker Pricing

No data

User sentiment

Strongly negative

-0.96

We couldn't find a pricing page for Ahrefs.

No data

User sentiment

Strongly negative

-1

See full Pricing page

Ahrefs and Ranktracker review insights

1414 reviews analysed from and

Users love

In-depth backlink analysis is consistently praised by users.
Keyword research tools offer comprehensive data, including search volume and difficulty.
Site audit tool is very helpful in identifying and fixing technical SEO issues.
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools is a valuable free resource.

Keyword research and competitor analysis features are praised.
User-friendly interface.
Provides valuable insights for SEO strategies.
Offers a good overview of website rankings.
Some users find the rank tracking to be accurate.

Users dislike

The pricing is very high and not very transparent.
The "Lite" plan is too limited, many key features are not included.
Users are reporting being moved off legacy plans to more expensive plans with no warning.
Customer support is slow and sometimes unhelpful.

Lifetime deal users are being blocked from accessing their accounts unless they pay an additional yearly fee.
The company does not honor lifetime deals purchased through AppSumo.
Customer support is unresponsive and unhelpful regarding the lifetime deal issue.
Users are unable to access their data after being locked out of their accounts.
The founder, Felix Rose-Collins, is accused of deceptive and unethical business practices.

Ahrefs and Ranktracker Ratings

G2

4.5/5

(550)
Capterra

4.7/5

(520)
TrustPilot

1.8/5

(81)
Glassdoor

4.9/5

(11)

G2

2.8/5

(137)
Capterra

4.1/5

(218)

Company health

Employee growth

No data

98% increase in the last year

Web traffic

11% increase in the last quarter

No data

Financing

No data

How do Ahrefs' backlink analysis and Ranktracker's keyword research compare?

Ahrefs is consistently praised for its in-depth backlink analysis, while Ranktracker is known for its keyword research and competitor analysis features. While both tools offer keyword research, Ahrefs' focus on backlinks may be more valuable for users prioritizing link-building strategies, whereas Ranktracker's keyword tools may be more appealing to those focused on content optimization and competitor research.

Which product best integrates with existing SEO tool workflows?

Ahrefs better integrates with existing SEO tool workflows due to its direct integration with Surfer SEO. While both tools offer various SEO functionalities, Ahrefs' explicit integration with another SEO tool demonstrates a greater capacity for streamlined workflows compared to Ranktracker, which lacks mention of any specific integrations.

What are the advantages of Ahrefs?

Ahrefs is known for its comprehensive and accurate data, particularly in backlink analysis and keyword research, which are highly praised by users. It also offers a valuable free resource in Ahrefs Webmaster Tools. While expensive, its in-depth SEO auditing and competitor analysis capabilities make it a powerful tool for serious SEO professionals and marketers.

What are the disadvantages of Ahrefs?

Ahrefs' main disadvantages are its high price and lack of pricing transparency, which are frequent complaints from users. Users also report slow and sometimes unhelpful customer support. Additionally, the limited functionality of the "Lite" plan pushes users towards more expensive options. Some users have reported being moved from legacy plans to more costly options without warning.

Alternatives to Ahrefs and Ranktracker

Semrush

Semrush is an online visibility and marketing platform that helps businesses improve their online presence. It offers a wide range of tools for SEO, content marketing, competitor analysis, social media management, and paid advertising. With a massive database, Semrush provides insights into keywords, backlinks, website traffic, and competitor strategies, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions to enhance their online visibility and achieve marketing goals. Many Fortune 500 companies utilize Semrush's comprehensive suite of digital marketing tools.

SE Ranking

SE Ranking is an all-in-one SEO software suite designed to help businesses improve their search engine rankings. It offers a wide range of tools, including keyword research, competitor analysis, website audits, backlink monitoring, and rank tracking. SE Ranking is known for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive set of features, making it suitable for both SEO beginners and experienced professionals. It aims to provide actionable insights and data-driven recommendations to optimize website content, improve visibility, and attract more organic traffic.

Similarweb

Similarweb is like a giant spyglass for the internet. It helps you understand what people are doing online, so you can make smarter decisions for your own website and marketing. Want to know who your competitors are online? Similarweb shows you. Want to see which websites are sending traffic to your competitors (so you can try to get them to send traffic to you)? Similarweb shows you that too. You can even see what keywords people are using to find your competitors, and which online ads are working best for them. Basically, if you want to know how your website stacks up against the competition and find new opportunities to grow online, Similarweb gives you the information to do it.

Serpstat

Serpstat is an all-in-one SEO toolkit designed to give businesses a competitive edge online. It helps you track your website's performance in search engines, analyze competitors, research valuable keywords, and develop an effective content strategy. Serpstat offers tools to audit your website, identify technical issues, and track your progress over time. Its features include competitor analysis, keyword research, content creation and analysis, and search engine results page (SERP) tracking. Serpstat is used by businesses of all sizes who want to improve their online visibility and attract more customers.

Dragon Metrics

Dragon Metrics is a global SEO software platform designed to help businesses improve their search engine rankings. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including rank tracking, competitor analysis, reporting, and technical SEO auditing. Dragon Metrics is known for its in-depth data, user-friendly interface, and global coverage, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes looking to boost their online visibility. It promises simplified reporting, clear insights, and ultimately, better rankings.

Moz Pro

Moz Pro is a suite of SEO tools designed to improve your website's visibility on search engines. It offers features such as keyword research, competitor analysis, site auditing, and rank tracking, all within a single platform. Moz Pro aims to help businesses of all sizes understand their website's SEO performance, identify areas for improvement, and track their progress over time. It is known for its user-friendly interface and educational resources.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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