| Product | Ideal for | Price from | Free version | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw pay-as-you-go SEO data at scale | See website | Yes | Visit | |
| Comprehensive Ahrefs API replacement | $50 per month | Yes | Visit | |
| Domain Authority and link metrics via API | $20 per month | Yes | Visit | |
| Historical backlink and trust flow data | $49.99 per month | No | Visit | |
| Enterprise clickstream and market data | $549 per month | No | Visit | |
| Competitor and PPC history via API | $79 per month | No | Visit | |
| Real-time SERP data via API | See website | Yes | Visit | |
| Affordable audit and ranking data | See website | Free trial | Visit |
We compared official feature pages, pricing pages, app store listings, privacy policies and public reviews to build this list for alternatives to ahrefs api. Every option below exists and works today, and each one earns its place for a different kind of reader.

Ideal for: Raw pay-as-you-go SEO data at scale

Here is the short version. DataForSEO suits engineering teams building custom tools, with modular APIs and consumption-only billing. It fits readers who want raw pay-as-you-go seo data at scale, and its published feature set matches that promise rather than trying to cover every possible use case at once. When we weighed it against the rest of this list, the balance of price, scope and support stood out for that group. The price picture is see website, with a free plan status of yes. Non-technical teams will miss a dashboard, so use it only when developers own the pipeline. Before you sign up, check the current plan limits on the official site, because caps on users, usage or features are where most buyers get surprised after the first month.

Ideal for: Comprehensive Ahrefs API replacement

Start here if you want the safe default. SE Ranking API is the closest comprehensive replacement, pairing a dashboard with APIs for rank, audit, keyword and backlink data. It fits readers who want comprehensive ahrefs api replacement, and its published feature set matches that promise rather than trying to cover every possible use case at once. When we weighed it against the rest of this list, the balance of price, scope and support stood out for that group. The price picture is $50 per month, with a free plan status of yes. Check whether pay-as-you-go or a plan fits your volume, since the two models suit different usage patterns. Before you sign up, check the current plan limits on the official site, because caps on users, usage or features are where most buyers get surprised after the first month.

Ideal for: Domain Authority and link metrics via API

This one suits a specific kind of reader. Moz API suits teams that need Domain Authority programmatically, at the lowest entry price in this list. It fits readers who want domain authority and link metrics via api, and its published feature set matches that promise rather than trying to cover every possible use case at once. When we weighed it against the rest of this list, the balance of price, scope and support stood out for that group. The price picture is $20 per month, with a free plan status of yes. Teams that need full keyword and audit APIs should pair it with another provider or choose SE Ranking. Before you sign up, check the current plan limits on the official site, because caps on users, usage or features are where most buyers get surprised after the first month.

Ideal for: Historical backlink and trust flow data
Consider this if the top picks do not fit. Majestic suits link forensics and historical audits, with Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics no rival matches. It fits readers who want historical backlink and trust flow data, and its published feature set matches that promise rather than trying to cover every possible use case at once. When we weighed it against the rest of this list, the balance of price, scope and support stood out for that group. The price picture is $49.99 per month, with a free plan status of no. Keyword-focused teams will need a second API, so judge it on link depth, not breadth. Before you sign up, check the current plan limits on the official site, because caps on users, usage or features are where most buyers get surprised after the first month.

Ideal for: Enterprise clickstream and market data
A strong option for a narrower need. Semrush API suits enterprises that need clickstream market data and long history. It fits readers who want enterprise clickstream and market data, and its published feature set matches that promise rather than trying to cover every possible use case at once. When we weighed it against the rest of this list, the balance of price, scope and support stood out for that group. The price picture is $549 per month, with a free plan status of no. Small teams should not pay the enterprise entry price when DataForSEO or SE Ranking cover their endpoints. Before you sign up, check the current plan limits on the official site, because caps on users, usage or features are where most buyers get surprised after the first month.

Ideal for: Competitor and PPC history via API
Worth a close look before you decide. SpyFu suits teams whose main API job is competitor and PPC history. It fits readers who want competitor and ppc history via api, and its published feature set matches that promise rather than trying to cover every possible use case at once. When we weighed it against the rest of this list, the balance of price, scope and support stood out for that group. The price picture is $79 per month, with a free plan status of no. As a general SEO API it is thinner than DataForSEO or SE Ranking, so use it for its strength. Before you sign up, check the current plan limits on the official site, because caps on users, usage or features are where most buyers get surprised after the first month.

Ideal for: Real-time SERP data via API
This belongs on the shortlist for a reason. SerpApi suits teams that need real search results fast, with simple JSON and broad engine coverage. It fits readers who want real-time serp data via api, and its published feature set matches that promise rather than trying to cover every possible use case at once. When we weighed it against the rest of this list, the balance of price, scope and support stood out for that group. The price picture is see website, with a free plan status of yes. It covers SERP data only, so pair it with a keyword or backlink API for a full pipeline. Before you sign up, check the current plan limits on the official site, because caps on users, usage or features are where most buyers get surprised after the first month.

Ideal for: Affordable audit and ranking data
Do not overlook this one. Seobility suits small teams that need audit and ranking data at a lower price. It fits readers who want affordable audit and ranking data, and its published feature set matches that promise rather than trying to cover every possible use case at once. When we weighed it against the rest of this list, the balance of price, scope and support stood out for that group. The price picture is see website, with a free plan status of free trial. Large-scale backlink work needs a bigger index, so check coverage for your market first. Before you sign up, check the current plan limits on the official site, because caps on users, usage or features are where most buyers get surprised after the first month.
We started from official feature pages and pricing pages, then checked app store listings, privacy policies and public reviews to confirm each product still works and still fits the topic. Products that could not be verified, or that only partly matched the topic, were left out, even when they were well known. We favoured a mix of established leaders and strong smaller options, and we weighted price transparency, a usable free tier or trial, and honest limits more heavily than marketing claims. No product on this list paid for its place, and our pick for most people is the one we would suggest to a friend with ordinary needs and an ordinary budget.
Start with the endpoints you actually call, because a provider that covers backlinks but not keywords will break half your pipeline. Next, check the billing model: pay-as-you-go suits spiky or experimental use, while a plan suits steady volume, and the cheapest headline can cost more at your real call count. Then check data freshness and history, since rank tracking needs daily data while link forensics needs years of history. Finally, test with a sandbox or free tier on your real queries, and compare the JSON fields you use, not the marketing endpoint count. Also check rate limits, uptime and support, since an API that throttles at peak breaks production. Document your migration: map each Ahrefs endpoint to its replacement, run both in parallel for a cycle, and keep the old pipeline until the new numbers match. The best alternative is the one that covers your endpoints at a predictable price, with data your team trusts.
SE Ranking API is the best comprehensive replacement, DataForSEO is best for raw pay-as-you-go scale, Moz API is best for Domain Authority, and Majestic is best for historical link data.
DataForSEO offers trial credits, Moz API offers a free tier with limited rows, and Google PageSpeed Insights is free for performance data. Full SEO APIs usually need a paid plan or credits.
DataForSEO uses pay-as-you-go credits from a 50 dollar minimum deposit, with SERP calls from about 0.0006 dollars per task. Costs scale with call volume and endpoint.
Moz API starts near 20 dollars a month, SE Ranking API offers pay-as-you-go from 50 dollars, and DataForSEO charges per call. The cheapest option depends on your call volume.
Yes, Semrush API access requires higher-tier plans, starting near the Advanced tier, with API units billed on top. It suits enterprises that need its clickstream and historical data.