Which is better for seo work in 2025 ahrefs or semrush

SEO tools and Reviews Forum
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I’ve been doing SEO for a while now and recently started freelance work. I need to pick a tool for client projects. I’ve used both Ahrefs and Semrush before. I like Semrush for its user-friendly design, but Ahrefs seems to have better features. Where are people leaning towards in 2025? Thanks!

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ahrefs
ahrefs640×665 177 KB

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@Terryanne
Haha, love it.

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@Terryanne
Subtle, right?

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I prefer Ahrefs because it’s great for backlink analysis and precise keyword research. The traffic estimates may not be perfect, but they align well with my Search Console data.

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Saul said:
I prefer Ahrefs because it’s great for backlink analysis and precise keyword research. The traffic estimates may not be perfect, but they align well with my Search Console data.

Try comparing it with Semrush and see.

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@Rocky
I did for my site, and Semrush wasn’t as accurate.

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I personally prefer Ahrefs.

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Kade said:
I personally prefer Ahrefs.

Why?

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Kade said:
I personally prefer Ahrefs.

What plan are you using?

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If you can afford it, having both is nice. I use Ahrefs more because that’s what I’m used to.

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Aries said:
If you can afford it, having both is nice. I use Ahrefs more because that’s what I’m used to.

Why both? What does one have that the other doesn’t?

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Freddie said:

Aries said:
If you can afford it, having both is nice. I use Ahrefs more because that’s what I’m used to.

Why both? What does one have that the other doesn’t?

They give different data. For example, I found a backlink on Semrush that Ahrefs didn’t pick up. Their crawlers differ, so I cross-reference both to get a better idea of what Google might see.

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Aries said:
If you can afford it, having both is nice. I use Ahrefs more because that’s what I’m used to.

Yeah, I think I’m heading in that direction too.

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I use Ahrefs. Nothing against Semrush though.

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I think Ahrefs has a better UI. Semrush feels cluttered with features I don’t need.

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This debate never ends. If you can afford it, use both. It’s like choosing between two action stars in the 90s.

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I use both. It’s not a huge expense if your freelance work is bringing in good traction.

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Jermaine said:
I use both. It’s not a huge expense if your freelance work is bringing in good traction.

Why settle for half the tools when you can have them all?

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Ahrefs.