CompareAhrefs
Ahrefs alternative for site owners who mostly check rankings
Ahrefs is one of the best all-in-one SEO tools there is, and most of what it costs pays for its backlink index and keyword database. If you run a content site and mostly open Ahrefs to check your rankings and to see which keywords a competitor has that you don't, you're paying $129 a month for two jobs GapDigest does for $19.
Ahrefs and GapDigest compared
| Ahrefs | GapDigest | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid plan | Starter, $29/mo | Starter, $19/mo ($190/yr) |
| Keywords on that plan | 50 tracked keywords | 200 tracked keywords |
| Rank checks | Not listed | Daily |
| Keywords competitors rank for and you don't | Competitor Analysis, from Lite ($129/mo, 750 keywords) | Yes, on every plan: up to 10 per competitor |
| Scheduled competitor email | Not listed | Yes, the weekly report, plus a same-day alert when a competitor passes you or a keyword drops |
| Tells you what to write | AI Content Helper, in the Content Kit add-on; on demand | Yes, on every plan: a post plan or refresh plan for each gap worth writing, 4 to 60 a month |
| Backlink index and full site audit | Yes | No backlink index; a weekly health check of up to 200 of your own site's pages |
| Free plan or trial | Not listed | Free plan: 10 keywords, 1 competitor, no time limit |
Ahrefs figures from help.ahrefs.com and ahrefs.com, checked September 2026. "Not listed" means their pages don't say. Check their site for current prices.
Why site owners switch
Starter's 50 keywords run out once a blog passes about 50 posts, and the competitor analysis that would show you what rivals rank for starts on Lite at $129. GapDigest tracks 200 keywords for $19, emails that competitor list every week with a post plan for each post worth writing, and does both on the free plan too.
When Ahrefs is the better choice
Stay with Ahrefs if you build links, research new niches from its keyword database, or audit sites. GapDigest has no backlink data, and its keyword research goes only as far as what your competitors rank for and what your Search Console shows.
Run the check on your own site
It's the same lookup behind the weekly report, but with a higher cap: your domain against one competitor, up to 20 keywords with searches, difficulty, and intent, five checks a day (the report itself lists up to 10 per competitor).
Ready to track your own keywords? Start free with 10 keywords.