SEO tool comparisons

These guides put two tools side by side for the same buyer: a small agency or freelancer deciding between them. Each one compares published prices, projects, tracked keywords, seats, trials and refund terms from the vendor pages, with the date we checked, then says which tool fits which situation.

By The ToolsByJob Desk. AI-assisted research. We have not tested these tools hands-on yet. 3 guides, last checked .

All comparisons guides

What every comparison covers

  • Side by side table of entry and mid plans, using list prices and limits from vendor pages.
  • Decision table that maps common situations to one tool.
  • Cost scenarios for realistic client counts and keyword totals.
  • Pros and cons drawn from vendor pages and docs, not from hands-on testing.

Reading the numbers fairly

Vendors count limits differently. Semrush counts websites, SE Ranking counts projects, and Mangools counts tracked keywords and daily lookups. Some prices are shown billed annually and some monthly, so each guide states which one it uses. At the entry level, SE Ranking Core and Ahrefs Lite are both $129 USD a month on monthly billing, but SE Ranking Core lists 2,000 tracked keywords and Ahrefs Lite lists 750 (vendor pages, Oct 16, 2026).

Not sure which pair to compare?

Start from the job in the jobs guides, such as rank tracking for small agencies, or from the tool you want to replace in the alternatives guides.