How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- DataForSEO is the best pure API alternative, built for developers with pay-per-use pricing and deep SEO data.
- Semrush offers the largest all-round dataset, with 29 billion keywords and 43 trillion backlinks.
- Majestic is the best API for backlink quality analysis, with Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics.
- SE Ranking is the best value API for agencies, with an API add-on from $149 a month and 300,000 credits on Growth.
- Serpstat is the most cost-effective API data provider, with data reselling welcomed.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Semrush | Teams that want the largest all-round SEO dataset via API | See website | Free trial |
 Majestic | Backlink quality analysis with Trust Flow and Citation Flow | See website | See website |
 Serpstat | Cost-effective API data with reselling allowed | See website | Free access |
 SE Ranking | Agencies that want API value with clear credit pricing | $149/month API add-on | 14-day trial |
 Mangools | Simple, affordable SEO data for smaller teams | See website | Free mini tools |
 DataForSEO | Developers building SEO software on a pure API | See website | Free trial |
 Bright Data | SERP and web data collection at scale | See website | See website |
 Moz | Domain authority metrics and SEO data | See website | See website |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best alternatives to ahrefs api
#1Semrush
Best for: Teams that want the largest all-round SEO dataset via API4.4/5 on
G2 (4,035 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit semrush.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Semrush is the leading platform to grow and measure brand visibility, from search results to AI answers, and its API gives developers access to that scale. The platform's dataset covers 29 billion keywords, 43 trillion backlinks, 808 million domain profiles, 142 geo databases, and 317 million plus LLM prompts, making it the broadest Ahrefs API alternative here.
Beyond traditional SEO, Semrush One covers AI visibility, tracking prompt-level visibility and AI market share against competitors, plus site audits, backlink analysis, rankings, traffic potential, and technical audits. Recent news includes Adobe completing its acquisition of Semrush, direct data access inside ChatGPT, and a partnership with Lovable that embeds Semrush data into the app builder.
Pricing is not shown plainly on the homepage, and API access depends on your plan, so check the API tier before committing. For teams that want one dataset for SEO, AI visibility, and competitive intelligence, Semrush is the strongest all-round alternative.
What we like- 29 billion keywords, 43 trillion backlinks, 808 million domain profiles, 142 geo databases, AI visibility data, free trial
Watch out for- Pricing not shown plainly on the homepage, API access varies by plan, enterprise scale can be costly
#2Majestic
Best for: Backlink quality analysis with Trust Flow and Citation Flow4.3/5 on
G2 (73 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit majestic.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planSee website
Majestic is the home of backlink analysis, and its API is explicitly built for agencies, SEO specialists, and consultancies that want to build bespoke apps on its massive datasets. The homepage calls it an industry-leading API, with a connector library and extensive documentation that get you up and running in minutes, plus tools to generate, manage, and remove multiple API keys for security.
The metrics are what make Majestic special. Trust Flow represents the quality of backlinks to a URL, Citation Flow reflects the quantity of links, Visibility Flow helps find editorial-style links rather than directory-style links, and Topical Trust Flow scores a site against over 800 categories for topical relevance. An exclusive Author Explorer adds a new way to discover and inspect web authors, their authority, and their backlinks.
The trade-off is scope: Majestic is a backlink specialist, not a full SEO suite with keyword research and rank tracking at Semrush's depth. Pricing is not shown plainly on the homepage. For developers whose main need is backlink data and link quality metrics, Majestic's API is the best alternative to Ahrefs.
What we like- Industry-leading API with connector library, Trust Flow, Citation Flow, Visibility Flow, and Topical Trust Flow, multiple API keys, extensive documentation
Watch out for- Pricing not shown plainly on the homepage, backlink-focused rather than full SEO suite, interface feels technical
#3Serpstat
Best for: Cost-effective API data with reselling allowed4.6/5 on
G2 (464 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit serpstat.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree access
Serpstat is a marketing tool for SEO and content tasks that positions its API as the most cost-effective API SEO data provider, with a dedicated solutions and integration team, easy and transparent documentation, and data reselling welcomed. That last point matters: if you build tools for clients or resell data, Serpstat explicitly supports it.
The dataset is large: 1.50 billion domains, 8.62 billion keywords, 529 billion backlinks, 5.6 billion keyword suggestions, 230 countries, and 2.21 billion Google SERPs. The platform itself covers competitor analysis, site audits with prioritized fixes, keyword research with difficulty, volume, and CPC, and rank tracking on mobile and desktop across 230 Google-supported countries.
Free access is available to start, though pricing is not shown plainly on the homepage. For developers and agencies that want affordable API data at scale, especially with reselling in mind, Serpstat is a strong and often overlooked alternative.
What we like- Calls itself the most cost-effective API SEO data provider, data reselling welcomed, 1.50 billion domains, 8.62 billion keywords, 529 billion backlinks, 230 countries
Watch out for- Pricing not shown plainly on the homepage, smaller brand than Semrush, API docs need review for your use case
#4SE Ranking
Best for: Agencies that want API value with clear credit pricing4.7/5 on
G2 (1,606 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit seranking.com
Starting price$149/month API add-on
Free plan14-day trial
SE Ranking is an AI SEO platform trusted by more than 40,000 agencies, and its API story is unusually clear. You can pull search performance and AI visibility data directly into your own tools via API, or query it live inside AI assistants via MCP, with access to rankings, keywords, backlinks, and AI visibility insights and no manual exports.
Pricing is published on the homepage: Core from $103.20 a month, Growth from $223.20 a month with API access and 300,000 credits, and an API add-on from $149 a month, plus AI Search from $71.20 a month and an Agency Pack from $69 a month. A 14-day trial offers full access with no credit card required. The platform's dataset covers 188 country databases, 5.5 billion keywords, and 2.2 billion domain profiles, with AI visibility tracking across 5 major engines.
The trade-off is that API access is an add-on or higher-plan feature rather than included everywhere, and the dataset is smaller than Semrush's. For agencies that want transparent API pricing and credits, SE Ranking is the best value choice here.
What we like- API add-on from $149 a month, Growth plan includes 300,000 API credits, rankings, keywords, backlinks, and AI visibility via API, MCP access, 14-day trial
Watch out for- Core plan from $103.20 a month, API is an add-on not included in base plans, smaller dataset than Semrush
#5Mangools
Best for: Simple, affordable SEO data for smaller teams4.7/5 on
G2 (97 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit mangools.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree mini tools
Mangools is an affordable and easy-to-use SEO toolset, trusted by more than 2.8 million SEO professionals, agencies, and business owners since 2014. Its tools cover keyword research, SERP analysis, rank tracking, backlink checking, and site exploration, with 2.5 billion keywords in the database, 30 million plus SERPs, 45 plus advanced SEO metrics, 65,000 plus city-level locations, and 9.5 trillion backlinks to explore.
The platform's strength is usability. Its clean interface makes SEO insights easy to understand from day one, support comes from people with genuine SEO expertise, and free mini tools including a Google Location Changer, SERP simulator, AI Search Grader, and Reddit Threads Finder require no sign-up. Newer features include AI search grading across ChatGPT and leading AI engines.
Mangools is not a pure API provider like DataForSEO, so developers building heavy API products should check its API limits first, and pricing is not shown plainly on the homepage. For smaller teams that want solid SEO data without enterprise complexity, Mangools offers great value.
What we like- Trusted by more than 2.8 million SEO pros since 2014, 2.5 billion keywords, 9.5 trillion backlinks, 65,000 plus city-level locations, easy to use, free mini tools
Watch out for- API access is limited compared with DataForSEO, smaller feature set than Semrush, pricing not shown plainly on the homepage
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
DataForSEO provides comprehensive SEO and digital marketing data solutions via API, and it is the purest API alternative on this list. Its APIs cover rank tracking, backlink analysis, reputation management, keyword research, and more, with databases offering full access to large proprietary sources of current and historical SEO data.
The model is built for builders: a pay-per-use pricing model saves time and money compared with fixed subscriptions, a graphical interface lets you monitor and control every aspect of data usage, and detailed documentation covers every parameter, field, and function. Support is available 24/7 to walk you through integration, and the company is trusted by more than 750 SEO software companies and agencies, including Samsung, Vodafone, Amazon, Airbnb, and Adobe.
The trade-offs are audience and pricing transparency. DataForSEO is an API product for developers, not a casual SEO dashboard, and pricing is not shown plainly on the homepage. If you are building an SEO tool and need reliable, granular data via API, DataForSEO is the best Ahrefs API alternative available.
What we like- API-first design, pay-per-use pricing, comprehensive SEO, PPC, backlink, and ecommerce data, detailed docs, 24/7 support, trusted by 750 plus SEO software companies
Watch out for- Pricing not shown plainly on the homepage, API-only model suits developers not casual users, learning curve for new API users
#7Bright Data
Best for: SERP and web data collection at scale4.6/5 on
G2 (272 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit brightdata.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planSee website
Bright Data is a web data platform used by developers and companies that need search engine results and web data at scale. Its infrastructure supports SERP collection, proxy networks, and data gathering workflows that feed SEO tools, price monitoring, and market research, making it a useful complement or alternative to traditional SEO APIs when raw search data is the goal.
The platform suits teams that collect data themselves rather than buying pre-packaged SEO metrics. That flexibility is its strength: you control what you collect, how often, and how you structure it, which fits custom SEO products and large-scale research.
The caveats are scope and verification. Bright Data is more data infrastructure than SEO analytics, so it does not replace Ahrefs-style metrics out of the box, and our homepage check was blocked by policy, so this listing rests on its well-established official address rather than a fresh page read. Pricing was not confirmed on the homepage. For teams that need SERP data at scale, Bright Data remains a major option.
What we like- Large-scale SERP and web data infrastructure, suits developers collecting search data, broad proxy and scraping tools
Watch out for- Homepage check was blocked by policy so listing rests on its established address, pricing not confirmed on the homepage, more infrastructure than SEO analytics
#8
Moz
Best for: Domain authority metrics and SEO data
Visit moz.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planSee website
Moz is one of the longest-running names in SEO, and its Domain Authority metric has become an industry standard for comparing site strength. Its API gives developers access to link data, domain metrics, and keyword data that many SEO tools and reports rely on, making it a natural alternative when Ahrefs API pricing or limits do not fit.
The platform's longevity is its advantage. Moz data appears in countless SEO workflows, its metrics are familiar to clients and stakeholders, and its link index supports competitor analysis and link building research.
The caveats are verification and pricing. Our homepage check for Moz was blocked by policy, so this listing rests on its well-established official address rather than a fresh page read, and pricing was not confirmed on the homepage. API access also varies by plan. For teams that want Domain Authority and familiar Moz metrics via API, it remains a credible alternative.
What we like- Long-running SEO brand, Domain Authority is an industry-standard metric, link and keyword data, widely cited in SEO tools
Watch out for- Homepage check was blocked by policy so listing rests on its established address, pricing not confirmed on the homepage, API tiers vary by plan
How we chose
We compared APIs and platforms genuinely useful as alternatives to the Ahrefs API, with real SEO data access, not just SEO dashboards without an API. We checked each vendor homepage to confirm the product exists and matches its description, and we used published prices where the vendor shows them. Where a vendor does not publish a price, we wrote "See website" rather than guessing. Two homepage checks, Bright Data and Moz, were blocked by policy during our work, so those listings rest on their well-established official addresses rather than fresh page reads, and that gap is reported here rather than hidden. Tools were kept only if they are actively offered and usable for SEO data, not just similar in name.
Pick by what you are building
If you are building an SEO product, start with DataForSEO for pure API data and pay-per-use pricing, and add Majestic if backlink quality is your core need. If you want an all-round platform with an API, Semrush offers the largest dataset, while SE Ranking gives agencies the clearest API credit pricing. If budget matters most, Serpstat's cost-effective API and reselling terms deserve a close look, and Mangools suits smaller teams that want simplicity. Check each API's rate limits, data freshness, and plan tiers before committing, and test with a trial or free tier where available.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Ahrefs API?
DataForSEO is the best pure API alternative for developers, with pay-per-use pricing and deep SEO data. Semrush is the best all-round platform alternative, with the largest dataset. The right choice depends on whether you need raw API data or a full SEO platform.
Is there a free alternative to Ahrefs API?
Serpstat offers free access to start, SE Ranking offers a 14-day trial, Semrush and DataForSEO offer free trials, and Mangools offers free mini tools. No full-featured SEO API is free long term, but trials and free tiers let you test before paying.
Which API has the best backlink data?
Majestic has the best backlink-focused API, with Trust Flow, Citation Flow, Visibility Flow, and Topical Trust Flow. Semrush offers 43 trillion backlinks, and DataForSEO offers a dedicated Backlinks API with fresh and robust data.
How much does an Ahrefs API alternative cost?
It varies widely. SE Ranking's API add-on starts at $149 a month, while DataForSEO uses pay-per-use pricing and Serpstat positions itself as the most cost-effective provider. Most vendors do not publish API prices plainly, so request a quote for your volume.
Can I resell data from these APIs?
Serpstat explicitly welcomes data reselling, which is unusual and valuable for agencies and tool builders. Other vendors have different terms, so check each API's license before reselling data to clients.
Do these APIs cover AI search visibility?
Some do. Semrush tracks AI visibility and prompt-level data, SE Ranking offers AI visibility across 5 major engines, and Mangools includes an AI Search Grader. Majestic and DataForSEO focus more on traditional SEO data, so check AI coverage if it matters to you.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.