Head to head · SEO tools
SEMrush vs Ahrefs: Market Share & Payment Activity (October 2026)
- Payment-activity rank
- #35
- Spend rank
- #32
- Payment-activity rank
- #48
- Spend rank
- #34
SEMrush accounts for 0.38% of all software purchases on Cledara (#35 overall); Ahrefs holds 0.28% (#48), and has dropped 7 rank positions in the last 12 months.
Quick answer
As of October 2026, SEMrush ranks #35 and Ahrefs #48 in Cledara's software popularity ranking. They account for 0.38% and 0.28% of all software purchases respectively. Over the last 12 months, SEMrush dropped 5 positions and Ahrefs dropped 7 positions, based on real software purchases by companies using Cledara.
Market share over time
Each product's monthly share of all software payment activity on Cledara, so you can see who is gaining ground and when.
View the chart data
| Month | SEMrush | Ahrefs |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2022 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Feb 2022 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Mar 2022 | 0.9% | 0.4% |
| Apr 2022 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| May 2022 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Jun 2022 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Jul 2022 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Aug 2022 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Sep 2022 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Oct 2022 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Nov 2022 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Dec 2022 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Jan 2023 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Feb 2023 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Mar 2023 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Apr 2023 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| May 2023 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Jun 2023 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Jul 2023 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Aug 2023 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Sep 2023 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Oct 2023 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Nov 2023 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Dec 2023 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Jan 2024 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Feb 2024 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Mar 2024 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Apr 2024 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| May 2024 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Jun 2024 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Jul 2024 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Aug 2024 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Sep 2024 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Oct 2024 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Nov 2024 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Dec 2024 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Jan 2025 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Feb 2025 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Mar 2025 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Apr 2025 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| May 2025 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Jun 2025 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Jul 2025 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Aug 2025 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Sep 2025 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Oct 2025 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Nov 2025 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Jan 2026 | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Feb 2026 | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| May 2026 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Jun 2026 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Jul 2026 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Aug 2026 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Sep 2026 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Oct 2026 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
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Spend rank vs payment-activity rank
How many companies pay for both SEMrush and Ahrefs?
of companies paying for SEMrush also pay for Ahrefs
of companies paying for Ahrefs also pay for SEMrush
Each figure is measured from that product’s own buyers across their full payment history, so the two percentages read in opposite directions. A high overlap means the tools are often bought together; a low one means companies tend to pick one.
Which stack does each tool live in?
SEMrush
- Figma 80.3%
- OpenAI 79.1%
- LinkedIn 78.2%
- Adobe 76.1%
- GitHub 68.7%
Ahrefs
- OpenAI 83.6%
- Figma 82.8%
- LinkedIn 78.4%
- Adobe 76.7%
- GitHub 74.1%
What the data shows for SEMrush vs Ahrefs
SEMrush is the more popular of the two, ranking #35 as of October 2026, ahead of Ahrefs at #48. Both lost ground over the past year, but SEMrush held up better: it dropped 5 positions, against 7 positions for Ahrefs. Over the past year, SEMrush's share of all software purchases has fallen from 0.49% to 0.38%, while Ahrefs's has fallen from 0.38% to 0.28%. SEMrush also ranks higher by spend (#32 versus #34), so it leads on both how often companies buy it and how much they pay. By spend, SEMrush takes 0.44% of all software spend and Ahrefs 0.39%. 32.8% of companies paying for Ahrefs also pay for SEMrush, so for many teams this is not an either-or choice. For buyers, the rankings show which product the market is choosing and which has the momentum; pair that with a trial against your own workflows and budget to make the final call.
SEMrush vs Ahrefs: frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, SEMrush or Ahrefs?
SEMrush is more popular: it ranks #35 in Cledara's software popularity ranking, ahead of Ahrefs at #48 as of October 2026. The ranking counts every purchase and renewal over the last 12 months, so it reflects the tool companies keep paying for.
How have SEMrush and Ahrefs changed in popularity?
SEMrush has dropped 5 rank positions in the last 12 months, while Ahrefs dropped 7 positions. That has widened SEMrush's lead over Ahrefs.
Can you use SEMrush and Ahrefs together?
Yes, and many companies do: 22.7% of companies paying for SEMrush also pay for Ahrefs, and 32.8% of companies paying for Ahrefs also pay for SEMrush. For many teams the two are not an either-or choice.
Which is bigger by spend, SEMrush or Ahrefs?
SEMrush ranks higher by spend: SEMrush is #32 and Ahrefs #34. The spend ranking orders every software product by how much companies pay for it over the last 12 months.
Is SEMrush better than Ahrefs for seo tools use cases?
SEMrush is the more popular choice (#35 against #48), and SEMrush wins more of the budget by spend. Use that market signal to shortlist, then trial both against your own seo tools workflows and budget.
How does your company compare?
This page shows the market. Cledara shows how your own software stack and spend compare, and helps you manage every subscription in one place.