The Ahrefs API is one of the most powerful SEO data sources available — but at $14,990/year (Enterprise plan required), it prices out most startups, freelancers, and small development teams. Fortunately, several alternatives offer programmatic SEO data access at a fraction of the cost.
Ahrefs API: What You Get and What It Costs
Ahrefs restricts API access to its Enterprise plan ($1,499/month billed annually). The API provides access to:
- Backlink data (referring domains, anchor text, new/lost links)
- Organic keyword rankings and traffic estimates
- Domain metrics (Domain Rating, URL Rating)
- Content Explorer data
- Site audit results
For companies already on the Enterprise plan, the API is a valuable addition. For everyone else, the price barrier makes alternatives worth exploring.
Best Ahrefs API Alternatives
1. DataForSEO
DataForSEO is a dedicated SEO data API provider built specifically for developers and agencies who need programmatic access to SEO metrics.
- Data available: SERP data, keyword research, backlink analysis, on-page SEO audit, domain metrics, Google Trends, and more
- Pricing: Pay-per-request model starting at around $0.0001-0.002 per request depending on the endpoint. No minimum commitment.
- Strengths: Flexible pricing scales with usage, comprehensive API documentation, covers most SEO data needs in a single API
- Best for: Developers building SEO tools, agencies automating reporting, startups that need affordable API access
2. SEMrush API
SEMrush offers API access on its Business plan ($499.95/month), significantly cheaper than Ahrefs Enterprise.
- Data available: Keyword analytics, domain analytics, backlink data, advertising data, project-level data
- Pricing: Included with Business plan; API units are consumed per request
- Strengths: Comprehensive keyword and competitive data, well-documented API, extensive historical data
- Best for: Agencies and businesses already using SEMrush who want programmatic access to their data
3. Moz Links API
Moz provides a focused backlink and domain authority API at accessible pricing.
- Data available: Domain Authority, Page Authority, Spam Score, backlink data, anchor text, linking domains
- Pricing: Free tier with 10 queries/month; paid plans from $99/month with higher limits
- Strengths: Domain Authority is an industry-standard metric, straightforward API, free tier for testing
- Best for: Applications that primarily need domain-level authority metrics and basic backlink data
4. SerpAPI / SerpStack
These services provide real-time Google SERP data by scraping search results programmatically.
- Data available: Live SERP results, featured snippets, People Also Ask, local pack, knowledge panels, shopping results
- Pricing: SerpAPI from $75/month (5,000 searches); SerpStack has a free tier
- Strengths: Real-time SERP data rather than estimated metrics, useful for rank tracking and SERP feature monitoring
- Best for: Rank tracking tools, SERP monitoring, competitive SERP analysis
5. Majestic API
Majestic specializes in backlink data with its own proprietary link metrics.
- Data available: Trust Flow, Citation Flow, backlink history, referring domains, anchor text, topical trust flow
- Pricing: API access from $99.99/month (Lite plan); full API on Pro plan at $399.99/month
- Strengths: Deep backlink index, unique Trust Flow metric, historical backlink data going back years
- Best for: Link building tools and applications focused on backlink quality analysis
Comparison Table
| Provider | Starting Price | Best For | Backlinks | Keywords | SERP Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs | $14,990/year | Enterprise teams | Yes (best) | Yes | Yes |
| DataForSEO | Pay-per-use | Developers, startups | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SEMrush | $499.95/month | Agencies | Yes | Yes (best) | Yes |
| Moz | $99/month | DA/PA metrics | Yes | Limited | No |
| SerpAPI | $75/month | SERP monitoring | No | No | Yes (best) |
| Majestic | $99.99/month | Link analysis | Yes | No | No |
How to Choose
- Budget under $100/month: DataForSEO (pay-per-use) or Moz (free tier + $99 plan)
- Need comprehensive data: SEMrush API at $499.95/month covers most needs
- Building a rank tracker: SerpAPI for real-time SERP data
- Backlink-focused tool: Majestic for deep link analysis
- Maximum flexibility: DataForSEO for pay-per-request pricing across multiple data types
For most developers and small teams, DataForSEO offers the best balance of data coverage, pricing flexibility, and API quality. It covers keyword research, backlinks, SERP data, and on-page analysis in a single API — making it the closest all-in-one alternative to Ahrefs at a fraction of the cost.