Ahrefs vs Frase
A detailed comparison to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
Ahrefs
All-in-one SEO toolset with the largest backlink database
Frase
AI content research and SEO writing in one workflow
| Feature | Ahrefs | Frase |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Free Trial |
| Starting Price | $129/mo | $15/mo |
| Rating | 4.7/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Free Trial | No | 5 days |
| Founded | 2010 | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Singapore | United States |
| Site Explorer | ✓ | ✗ |
| Keywords Explorer | ✓ | ✗ |
| Site Audit | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rank Tracker | ✓ | ✗ |
| Content Explorer | ✓ | ✗ |
| Competitive Analysis | ✓ | ✗ |
| SERP Analysis | ✓ | ✗ |
| Free Webmaster Tools | ✓ | ✗ |
| SERP Research | ✗ | ✓ |
| AI Content Briefs | ✗ | ✓ |
| AI Writer | ✗ | ✓ |
| Content Optimization | ✗ | ✓ |
| Question Research | ✗ | ✓ |
| Topic Scoring | ✗ | ✓ |
| Google Docs Add-on | ✗ | ✓ |
| Content Analytics | ✗ | ✓ |
Ahrefs Pros
- ✓ Largest and most accurate backlink database
- ✓ Excellent keyword difficulty scoring
- ✓ Content Explorer finds link-worthy topics
- ✓ Site Audit is thorough and actionable
- ✓ Free Webmaster Tools for basic access
Ahrefs Cons
- ✗ No public affiliate program
- ✗ Expensive for solo marketers
- ✗ Steeper learning curve than some competitors
Frase Pros
- ✓ Combines research and writing in one tool
- ✓ Automated content briefs save hours
- ✓ Affordable compared to Clearscope and Surfer
- ✓ Question research from People Also Ask
- ✓ AI writer produces decent first drafts
Frase Cons
- ✗ AI writing quality below Jasper for marketing copy
- ✗ Content editor less polished than Surfer SEO
- ✗ Limited integrations
Pricing Comparison
Ahrefs Plans
5 projects · 750 tracked keywords · 6 months history
20 projects · 2,000 tracked keywords · 2 years history
50 projects · 5,000 tracked keywords · Unlimited history
100 projects · 10,000 tracked keywords · API access
Frase Plans
4 articles/mo · SERP research · Content editor
30 articles/mo · AI writer (4,000 words) · Keyword research
Unlimited articles · Unlimited AI words · 3 users · Google Search Console integration
Use Cases
| Use Case | Ahrefs | Frase |
|---|---|---|
| Backlink profile analysis and link building | ✓ | — |
| Keyword research with accurate difficulty scores | ✓ | — |
| Content gap analysis | ✓ | — |
| Rank tracking and SERP monitoring | ✓ | — |
| Competitor traffic estimation | ✓ | — |
| SERP-based content research and briefs | — | ✓ |
| AI content drafting with SEO optimization | — | ✓ |
| Question research from People Also Ask | — | ✓ |
| Content optimization scoring | — | ✓ |
| Competitor content analysis | — | ✓ |
When to Choose
Choose Ahrefs if…
SEO professionals who prioritize backlink analysis and competitive research
Read full Ahrefs review →Choose Frase if…
Content marketers who want research-to-publish efficiency in one tool
Read full Frase review →Our Verdict
Ahrefs
Ahrefs remains the gold standard for backlink analysis and link building research, with a crawl rate and index freshness that no competitor consistently matches. It is the ideal choice for SEO professionals and agencies whose strategies revolve around link acquisition and competitive backlink gap analysis. The platform has broadened significantly — keyword research, site audits, and rank tracking are all now competitive with Semrush — but its core differentiator is still link data quality. The main drawbacks are the premium pricing (starting at $129/mo with no free trial) and a steeper learning curve for beginners. For teams that need broader marketing capabilities like PPC research or social media management, Semrush may be the better all-in-one option. But for pure SEO work with a focus on link intelligence, Ahrefs is the top recommendation.
Frase
Frase delivers the strongest value proposition in the content optimization space, particularly for budget-conscious teams. At $15/mo for the Solo plan, it undercuts Clearscope ($189/mo) and Surfer SEO ($99/mo) by a wide margin while covering the core research-to-writing workflow. The automated content briefs are a genuine time-saver, condensing what typically takes 1-2 hours of manual SERP analysis into minutes. The AI writing quality is serviceable for first drafts but falls short of dedicated AI writers like Jasper for polished marketing copy. Similarly, the content editor's optimization scoring, while useful, is less refined than Surfer SEO's NLP-driven analysis. The ideal use case is for content teams that need to produce a high volume of SEO-focused articles efficiently and are willing to do a final editing pass. Not the best choice if your priority is premium copywriting quality or advanced content optimization metrics.
Integrations
Ahrefs
Frase
Green badges indicate shared integrations.