Ahrefs vs SEMrush free keyword tools: exact query and data limits compared

Part of our guide on tools for broken affiliate links

Compare Ahrefs and SEMrush free keyword tools on daily query caps, keyword results, data types, and export options to find the best for content creators.

The differences at a glance

Ahrefs and SEMrush free tools both let you perform keyword research without paying, but their limits differ significantly. Both restrict the number of free keyword queries to roughly 10 per day, which can constrain heavy users.

The main contrast lies in the number of keyword results per query and the type of data shown. Ahrefs gives up to 100 results, suitable for broad research. SEMrush caps results at 10 but shows more varied data per keyword.

Exporting keyword data is disabled in both free versions, meaning you must copy or manually save data if you want to keep it for later.

Number of free keyword queries allowed per day

Both Ahrefs and SEMrush impose a limit of approximately 10 free keyword queries daily for non-paying users. This cap is enforced to encourage upgrades but allows occasional use. Before you commit to anything, it is worth looking at helium 10 tools for research.

You cannot increase queries without subscribing, so plan your free tool usage carefully to avoid hitting the daily limit too early.

If you want more queries, consider batching your research or using multiple free accounts cautiously.

While both tools limit free users to around 10 queries daily, the exact count can fluctuate slightly depending on platform updates or user behavior patterns. For example, SEMrush may occasionally allow 12 queries if some previous ones are not fully utilized, but this is rare and inconsistent. Ahrefs’ limit is more strictly enforced, providing a consistent ceiling. People in this spot often ask about keyword surfer vs ahrefs free as well.

If you find yourself frequently hitting the daily query cap, consider scheduling your keyword research sessions strategically. Prioritize high-impact queries early in the day when you have full capacity, reserving the remaining quota for follow-up checks or new topic ideas that arise. This approach maximizes the usefulness of limited queries.

Some users experiment with clearing browser cache or switching devices, hoping to reset the free query limit, but both tools use account-based or IP-based tracking to enforce limits robustly. This means workarounds like multiple browsers or incognito mode do not reliably increase free daily queries.

How many results per query are shown

Ahrefs free tool displays up to 100 keyword results per query, enabling broader research in one go. This is useful if you want extensive keyword ideas quickly. Before you commit to anything, it is worth looking at product research tools comparison.

SEMrush free tool limits each query to about 10 keyword results only. That means you get fewer ideas at once, which can slow down your brainstorming process.

If you need volume, difficulty, and trends for many keywords, Ahrefs’ higher result count is an edge despite its simpler data per keyword.

Ahrefs’ display of up to 100 results per query covers a wide range of keyword variations, including long-tail keywords and related search terms. For instance, searching “running shoes” might yield core keywords plus dozens of niche variations like “best running shoes for flat feet” or “running shoes sale 2024.” The other half of this decision is scan a paper for plagiarism free and export report.

In contrast, SEMrush’s strict limit of 10 results per query focuses on the most relevant or highest-volume keywords only. This narrower scope can mean missing out on lower-volume but high-conversion long-tail keywords, which are valuable for niche targeting.

To illustrate, if you search “organic skincare” in Ahrefs, you might see 100 keywords ranging from broad to very specific, whereas SEMrush will show only the top 10, such as “organic skincare products” or “organic skincare brands.” This difference shapes how comprehensive your keyword list can become from just one search.

Limits on data types in free versions

Ahrefs free keyword tool shows basic search volume and keyword difficulty but lacks trend data or keyword intent information. Difficulty data helps estimate how hard ranking is for each keyword. Before you commit to anything, it is worth looking at openai api vs anthropic claude for bulk drafting.

SEMrush free tool includes keyword volume, search trends over time, and intent categories (informational, transactional, etc.), but does not show keyword difficulty in free tier.

For content creators wanting to understand seasonal demand and searcher intent, SEMrush provides more actionable metrics at no cost.

If you need to assess competition strength quickly, Ahrefs gives you difficulty scores missing from SEMrush free. Before you commit to anything, it is worth looking at factors affecting automation expenses.

Ahrefs free tool’s keyword difficulty score ranges typically from 0 to 100, where a higher number indicates tougher competition. For example, a keyword scoring 75 suggests requiring significant SEO effort and backlinks to rank well, while a score of 10 means easier ranking potential.

SEMrush’s trend data shows month-by-month volume changes over the last 12 months, which helps detect seasonality or emerging interest. For instance, the keyword “tax software” peaks between January and April, coinciding with tax season, a pattern visible in SEMrush but absent in Ahrefs free.

Keyword intent classification in SEMrush groups keywords into categories such as informational, navigational, commercial, and transactional, assisting content creators in aligning topics to user intent. If your goal is to boost sales, transactional keywords flagged by SEMrush can be prioritized, an insight not available from Ahrefs free.

Export or save data restrictions in free tiers

Neither Ahrefs nor SEMrush lets free users export keyword data to CSV or Excel formats. This blocks easy offline analysis or integration into content planning spreadsheets.

You can copy-paste data manually but it is time consuming and error-prone for large keyword lists.

Free users who want export must upgrade or rely on manual data collection, which limits productivity.

For serious content creators, this export restriction can be a deciding factor to invest in a subscription or use alternative free tools with export options.

Some users attempt to overcome export limitations by taking screenshots or using browser extensions to scrape visible data. However, these methods are often unreliable, particularly with dynamic or interactive keyword tables, and can break if the tool’s interface changes.

Manual copying of data into spreadsheets is error-prone and inefficient when dealing with large keyword sets. This can lead to incomplete or inconsistent datasets, affecting downstream analysis and content planning quality.

Both platforms offer paid plans with export functionality, but the cost can be prohibitive for hobbyists or small content creators. Alternative free tools with limited export exist, but they typically provide less reliable or comprehensive keyword data, a trade-off to consider.

Practical impact of these limits for content creators

For bloggers and affiliate marketers juggling time, Ahrefs free tool’s 100 results per query lets you generate more keyword ideas faster, reducing busy work.

On the other hand, SEMrush free provides richer insight per keyword, such as intent and trends, helping you pick topics that convert better and match user search behavior.

Neither free tool supports export, so you will spend time manually managing data. The choice depends on whether you value breadth of ideas or depth of keyword insights.

If you find free limits frustrating but want to automate content planning and link management, a WordPress plugin like Ama Affiliate Ultra can help by integrating insights and automating updates.

The 100 results per query in Ahrefs free allow content creators to quickly identify subtopics or related terms that might otherwise require multiple queries in SEMrush, saving time when brainstorming.

Conversely, SEMrush’s richer data, like intent and trend, helps avoid targeting keywords with high volume but poor conversion potential. For example, a keyword with high search volume but informational intent may not generate affiliate sales, a nuance clearer in SEMrush.

Content creators often combine both tools manually: first, gather a broad list of keywords from Ahrefs, then cross-reference with SEMrush to filter by intent and trend. This hybrid approach leverages the strengths of each free tool, compensating for their individual limitations.

Which should you buy?

Buy Ahrefs free tool if you want more keyword suggestions per search and rely on difficulty scores to pick content targets.

Buy SEMrush free tool if you want richer data like trends and search intent to guide content focus, despite fewer keywords.

Neither free tool exports data, so if exporting and automating your affiliate content workflow matters, consider Ama Affiliate Ultra. It automates content updates and link management but requires WordPress and an AI key.

If you are budget-constrained but need both quantity and metrics, use both free tools creatively: start with Ahrefs for ideas, verify trends and intent on SEMrush manually.

• Ahrefs free: most keywords per query, basic metrics
• SEMrush free: fewer keywords, richer keyword details
• Ama Affiliate Ultra: automates content and link tasks, not free but saves manual effort
• Use both free tools together for content ideation and validation

Questions people still ask

Having used both tools extensively, I find Ahrefs free better for large keyword lists, SEMrush free better for deeper keyword insights.