Surfer SEO vs Ahrefs: Which SEO Tool Should You Choose?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for businesses to succeed online.
With so many SEO tools available in the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. In this article, we’ll compare two popular SEO tools – Surfer SEO and Ahrefs – to help you make an informed decision.
Written by
- Redaction Team
- Digital Marketing, SEO
Table of Contents
Affiliate Disclosure: Some links of products or services will send you to partner websites where we might get a commission by recommending their product & service.
Surfer SEO and Ahrefs: An Overview
Skyrocket your organic traffic with Surfer.
Surfer SEO is an on-page SEO tool that helps you optimize your content for search engines. It offers features like keyword research, content editor, and on-page optimization tool. Surfer SEO’s key features include the ability to analyze the first page of search results for a target keyword and provide suggestions to optimize your content for that keyword.
On the other hand, Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO tool that provides information related to backlinks, organic traffic, and keywords. Ahrefs offers features like site explorer, keyword explorer, and rank tracker. Ahrefs is primarily used for off-page SEO analysis, including backlink analysis and competitor research.
Surfer SEO vs Ahrefs: Key Features
- Pricing Plans: Surfer SEO's pricing starts at $29 per month, while Ahrefs' pricing starts at $99 per month. Both tools offer a range of pricing plans to fit different business needs.
- Keyword Research: Surfer SEO's keyword research tool provides a list of keywords and their search volume, keyword difficulty score, and other metrics. Ahrefs' keyword explorer provides similar information, but it also offers a feature that shows the search volume for a keyword in different countries.
- Content Editor: Surfer SEO's content editor allows you to create new content and optimize existing content directly inside the editor. Ahrefs does not offer a content editor.
- Serp Analyzer: Surfer SEO's Serp Analyzer allows you to analyze the first page of search results for a target keyword and provides suggestions to optimize your content for that keyword. Ahrefs' site explorer provides a similar feature, but it is not as in-depth as Surfer SEO's Serp Analyzer.
- Backlink Analysis: Ahrefs' site explorer tool provides detailed information about backlinks, including the sites that link to your competitors. Surfer SEO does not offer a backlink analysis tool.
Surfer SEO vs Ahrefs: Pricing Plans
Surfer SEO Basic Plan
$
59
Monthly
-
Perfect for small business owners, bloggers or people with low SEO needs
When it comes to pricing, both Surfer SEO and Ahrefs offer multiple pricing plans to choose from.
Surfer SEO offers three pricing plans: Basic, Pro, and Business. The Basic plan costs $59 per month and allows for 10 article optimizations per month, while the Pro plan costs $119 per month and allows for 30 article optimizations per month. The Business plan costs $239 per month and allows for 70 articles per month.
On the other hand, Ahrefs offers four pricing plans: Lite, Standard, Advanced, and Agency. The Lite plan costs $99 per month, the Standard plan costs $199 per month, the Advanced plan costs $399 per month, and the Agency plan is custom-priced. Each plan comes with different limits on features such as keywords, site audits, and backlink analysis.
Overall, both tools offer competitive pricing plans depending on your needs and budget. However, Surfer SEO’s pricing plans may be more suitable for small businesses or individuals who require on-page optimization, while Ahrefs may be a better fit for larger organizations or agencies who require a comprehensive SEO suite.
Keyword Research Tool
Keyword research is a crucial aspect of SEO, and both Surfer SEO and Ahrefs offer robust keyword research tools.
Surfer SEO’s keyword research tool provides a list of keywords and their search volume, keyword difficulty score, and other metrics. Surfer SEO also provides a list of related keywords that you can use in your content to optimize it for search engines.
Ahrefs’ keyword explorer provides similar information, but it also offers a feature that shows the search volume for a keyword in different countries. Ahrefs also provides a list of keyword suggestions based on your target keyword, as well as a keyword difficulty score that helps you understand how difficult it is to rank for a particular keyword.
Content Editor
Surfer SEO’s content editor is a powerful tool that allows you to create new content and optimize existing content directly inside the editor. Surfer SEO’s content editor provides suggestions for optimizing your content based on the target keyword, including the recommended word count, headings, and other on-page optimization factors.
Ahrefs does not offer a content editor. However, Ahrefs provides a feature called “Content Explorer,” which allows you to search for popular content creation related to your target keyword. This feature can help you get ideas for creating new content or optimizing existing content.
SEO Content On-page Optimization Tool
On-page optimization is an essential aspect of SEO, and mainly Surfer SEO offer their own on-page optimization tools.
Surfer SEO offers a powerful on-page optimization tool that allows you to analyze your content and make sure it’s optimized for your target keyword. This tool offers suggestions on things like the optimal length of the content, heading structure, keyword usage, and more.
With Surfer SEO’s content editor, you can see how your content compares to top-ranking pages for your target keyword. You can also get recommendations on how to improve your content to better match the ranking pages.
Backlink Analysis
Everything you need to rank higher
Backlinks are an essential factor for SEO experts, and mainly Ahrefs offer tools to help you analyze your backlinks.
Ahrefs provides a comprehensive backlink analysis tool, Site Explorer, which allows you to see all the backlinks to your site and your competitor’s sites. You can see the number of backlinks, referring domains, and the authority of the linking domains.
The tool also provides information related to the anchor text used in the backlinks, the countries where the links are coming from, and the pages on your site that are being linked to.
SEO Strategies
When it comes to SEO strategies, both Surfer SEO and Ahrefs offer different approaches to optimizing your website for search engines.
Surfer SEO’s approach is focused on on-page optimization, providing you with a list of recommended changes to make to your content based on a specific keyword. This includes suggestions for keyword usage, content length, and meta tags, among others.
On the other hand, Ahrefs takes a more comprehensive approach to SEO, providing information on backlinks, organic traffic, and keywords. This allows you to create a more holistic SEO strategy that includes both on-page and off-page optimization.
Ultimately, the best SEO strategy will depend on your specific needs and goals. If you’re looking to optimize your existing content for specific keywords, Surfer SEO may be the better choice. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive SEO suite that includes backlink analysis and keyword research, Ahrefs may be a better fit.
Ahrefs vs Surfer SEO: Comparison with Other Search Engine Optimization Tools (Semrush, Moz, Mangools)
Surfer SEO and Ahrefs are both popular SEO tools in the market, but how do they compare to other popular SEO tools like SEMrush and Moz?
Compared to SEMrush, Surfer SEO offers more powerful on-page optimization tools, while SEMrush provides more comprehensive information on backlinks and site authority. Moz, on the other hand, focuses more on off-page optimization and provides tools for backlink analysis and link building. Mangools offer as well an overall SEO software for different areas like keyword research, link building and rank tracking.
When compared to these other SEO tools, Surfer SEO and Ahrefs site explorer both offer unique features that set them apart from the competition. Surfer SEO’s content editor and optimization tools provide a unique approach to on-page optimization, making it an excellent choice for businesses focused on improving their existing content. Ahrefs, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive suite of tools for backlink analysis, including its site explorer and rank tracker, making it a top choice for businesses focused on building high-quality backlinks.
When it comes to pricing, Surfer SEO a bit less and Ahrefs are priced similarly to their competitors. SEMrush and Moz also offer multiple pricing plans, with different features included in each tier. Ultimately, the best fit for your business will depend on your specific needs and budget.
Final Thoughts of the SEO Tools
In conclusion, both Surfer SEO and Ahrefs are powerful SEO tools that offer unique features to improve your business’s SEO campaigns. Surfer SEO shines in its on-page optimization tools, particularly with its content editor and chrome extension, making it an excellent choice for businesses looking to improve their existing content. Ahrefs provides valuable insights into backlink analysis, making it an ideal tool for businesses focused on building high-quality backlinks.
When comparing Surfer SEO vs Ahrefs, both tools offer unique advantages and are suited for different purposes. Surfer SEO is great for optimizing existing content, while Ahrefs is ideal for backlink analysis and building. Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on the specific needs of your business and your budget. Consider evaluating both tools through their free trials or demos to determine which one will help you get the most out of your SEO campaigns.
More about SEO
