# Ahrefs: what it does, who it is for and alternatives > Ahrefs: SEO research for backlinks, keywords and rankings, with AI content helpers and free webmaster tools. Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/ahrefs · Updated 2026-10-20 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com) Updated October 20, 2026 · By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about) SEO research for backlinks, keywords and rankings, with AI content helpers and free webmaster tools. [Marketing & social](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/marketing-social) · Paid Official site: [ahrefs.com](https://ahrefs.com) ## What Ahrefs does Ahrefs lets you study competitor sites, research search terms, audit your own site and track rankings, including inside Google Search Console. Brand Radar shows how often your brand appears in AI chatbot answers, and Ask Ahrefs is a built-in assistant. It connects to WordPress, Cloudflare, Slack, Notion, HubSpot and Google Ads, and offers an SEO MCP and API. ## Who Ahrefs is for - SEO specialists - Content marketers - Marketing managers - Web managers ## Key features - Site Explorer and Keywords Explorer - Site Audit and Rank Tracker - Brand Radar for visibility in AI answers - AI Content Helper and AI Content Grader - Report Builder and dashboards ## Privacy and data Ahrefs says data is encrypted in transit and in database backups but most stored data is not encrypted, and lists training its own machine learning models as a use of data. Source: [Ahrefs’s own page](https://ahrefs.com/legal/privacy-policy). Before you put client data in, check your company’s AI rules and the plan’s data settings. ## Learn Ahrefs free on Stepthrough - Guide: [Semrush alternatives](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/alternatives/semrush) ## Alternatives to Ahrefs Other AI marketing and social media tools in the directory. - [**Buffer**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/buffer) Free plan Schedule posts to every major social network, with an AI assistant for ideas and rewrites. Simple analytics. - [**SocialBee**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/socialbee) Free trial Plan a week of social posts in one sitting with content categories, AI captions and evergreen recycling. - [**Manychat**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/manychat) Free plan Manychat automates Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp DMs, so comments and messages turn into leads and bookings. It has a free plan. It fits small businesses and creators who get the same questions in direct messages again and again. - [**Olum**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/olum) Paid Checks which buyer questions ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Bing and Google's AI answers reply to without naming your business, then drafts fixes such as content and FAQ schema for you to approve. - [**Hootsuite**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/hootsuite) Free trial Social media management for teams: scheduling, inbox, listening and AI-written captions. - [**Later**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/later) Free trial Visual social scheduling for Instagram, TikTok and more, with AI captions and link-in-bio pages. [All 40 AI marketing and social media tools](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/marketing-social) ## Frequently asked questions **What is Ahrefs?** SEO research for backlinks, keywords and rankings, with AI content helpers and free webmaster tools. Ahrefs lets you study competitor sites, research search terms, audit your own site and track rankings, including inside Google Search Console. Brand Radar shows how often your brand appears in AI chatbot answers, and Ask Ahrefs is a built-in assistant. It connects to WordPress, Cloudflare, Slack, Notion, HubSpot and Google Ads, and offers an SEO MCP and API. **Who is Ahrefs for?** Ahrefs fits SEO specialists, content marketers, marketing managers and web managers, and other office teams with the same job to do. **Is Ahrefs free?** Ahrefs is a paid tool. Plans change often, so check the official pricing page before you commit. **What are some alternatives to Ahrefs?** Other AI marketing and social media tools include Buffer, SocialBee, Manychat, Olum and Hootsuite. **Is Ahrefs safe for work data?** Ahrefs says data is encrypted in transit and in database backups but most stored data is not encrypted, and lists training its own machine learning models as a use of data. Check your own company’s rules, and use a business plan with training turned off for client data. ## “Listed on Stepthrough” badge Add this badge to the Ahrefs website, press page or docs. It links to this page, so your visitors can see the listing. Copy the HTML ```text Listed on Stepthrough ``` Checked against Ahrefs’s official site on October 20, 2026: [source 1](https://ahrefs.com), [source 2](https://ahrefs.com/legal/privacy-policy). Spotted something out of date? Email [rbreen@ynteractive.com](mailto:rbreen@ynteractive.com). Listings are free; [submit your AI tool](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/submit). [The full AI tools directory](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools) · [Marketing & social](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/marketing-social) · [Tool comparisons](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare)