Explore free alternatives to Ahrefs for keyword research, backlink analysis, site audits, and rank tracking, including free plans and open-source tools.
Ahrefs is an SEO and digital marketing platform used for keyword research, backlink analysis, technical site audits, rank tracking, competitor research, and broader search visibility monitoring. It is widely used by marketers, publishers, agencies, and SEO professionals to improve organic performance. Ahrefs also offers free tools and webmaster features, while its broader platform now extends into AI search and content visibility analysis.
18 alternatives
Highlights
Best for: Best for basic free keyword ideas and simple traffic/competitor snapshots.
Ubersuggest is an SEO tool focused on keyword research, competitor insights, site audits, and rank tracking. Its free access is mainly useful for basic keyword ideas, quick domain snapshots, and light SEO research without needing a larger all-in-one suite.
Highlights
Best for: Best for trying keyword research and SEO tools without a credit card.
Mangools is an SEO suite built around keyword research, SERP analysis, backlink checking, and rank tracking. Its free access is mainly helpful for trying these tools without a credit card, especially for users who want a simple interface and light research access.
Highlights
Best for: Best for your own organic keyword and page performance data from Google Search.
Google Search Console is a free tool for site owners to monitor search performance, indexing, crawl issues, Core Web Vitals, and keyword visibility in Google. It is best for understanding how your own website performs in Google Search.
Highlights
Best for: Best for free site audits and organic search/backlink insights for your own verified site.
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools gives free access for verified websites to site auditing, traffic insights, top pages, keywords, and backlinks. It is one of the closest free Ahrefs options for checking your own site’s technical SEO and search performance.
Highlights
Best for: Best for self-hosted SEO management and rank tracking if you want an open-source setup.
SEO Panel is a free, open-source SEO control panel that you can install on your own server. It includes tools like SERP tracking, sitemap generation, and website auditing, making it a practical option for users who want a self-hosted SEO dashboard.
Highlights
Best for: Best for free technical SEO audits and quick issue spotting.
SEOmator is an SEO audit tool that offers a free audit experience for analyzing technical SEO, on-page issues, content quality, and some off-page signals. It is best for quickly spotting website problems and getting an overall SEO health snapshot.
Highlights
Best for: Best for finding new keyword ideas and search estimates.
Google Keyword Planner is Google’s free keyword research tool for search campaigns. It helps you find keyword ideas, related terms, search estimates, and budget insights, which makes it useful for early-stage keyword discovery and planning.
Highlights
Best for: Best for free all-in-one webmaster SEO tasks like backlinks, keyword research, and site scans for verified sites.
Bing Webmaster Tools is a free webmaster platform that helps you improve your site’s visibility in Bing with reports, keyword tools, backlink data, and site scans. It works best for managing and reviewing SEO data for your verified website.
Highlights
Best for: Best for topic trend discovery and keyword popularity over time.
Google Trends is a free research tool that shows search interest by time, location, and popularity. It is especially useful for spotting rising topics, comparing keyword interest, and finding seasonal demand patterns before creating content.
Highlights
Best for: Best for testing a limited free account/trial for broader SEO research, not for long-term free use.
Semrush is a broad SEO and marketing platform that offers keyword research, site audits, competitor analysis, and visibility tools. In free mode, it is mainly useful for limited testing and small checks rather than as a full-time free Ahrefs replacement.
Highlights
Best for: Best for quick free SEO checks and backlink checks.
Seobility offers free SEO tools such as a backlink checker and SEO checker for quick website analysis. It is a useful free Ahrefs alternative when you want simple backlink overviews or a fast page-level SEO review without using a more complex platform.
Highlights
Best for: Best for self-hosted technical SEO auditing.
SEOnaut is an open-source SEO auditing tool designed to scan websites and generate reports on issues that may affect search rankings. It is best suited to users who want a self-hosted technical SEO checker with a developer-friendly, open-source setup.
Highlights
Best for: Best for desktop-based SEO work like audits, rank checks, and backlink tracking with free-version limits.
SEO PowerSuite Free is a desktop SEO software bundle with free-forever access for evaluation. It covers rankings, keyword research, website audits, and backlink analysis, making it useful for users who want downloadable SEO software instead of a browser-only tool.
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Best for: Best for quick keyword research directly inside Google search results.
Keyword Surfer is a free Chrome extension that shows search volume and keyword ideas directly inside Google search results. It is best for quick keyword research while browsing, without needing to open a separate SEO tool or dashboard.
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Best for: Best for self-hosted keyword rank tracking.
SerpBear is an open-source search engine position tracking app for monitoring keyword rankings in Google. It is mainly useful for self-hosted rank tracking, alerts, and simple SEO reporting, especially if you want control over your own setup.
Highlights
Best for: Best for duplicate content and broken-link checks on your own site.
Siteliner is a free website analysis tool focused on duplicate content, broken links, redirects, internal page strength, and related on-site issues. It is especially useful for auditing your own site and finding content duplication or structural problems fast.
Highlights
Best for: Best for free authority metrics via MozBar, especially quick Domain Authority/Page Authority checks.
Moz’s most accessible free offering here is MozBar, a browser extension that gives community users access to Domain Authority and Page Authority with limited monthly usage. It is best for quick authority checks and lightweight page research inside the browser.
Highlights
Best for: Best for manual rank checking with its free search simulator, while the main product is trial-based.
Nightwatch’s best free offering is its Search Simulator, which lets you simulate Google searches by location and language without a VPN. It is useful for checking rankings more realistically and comparing what search results look like in different markets.
