Signal-by-signal breakdown
| Signal | Ahrefs | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Signal Score (overall) | 90.2 | 91.3 ✓ |
| Citation Score | 93 | 94 ✓ |
| Trust Score | 91 | 92 ✓ |
| Entity Strength | 92 | 93 ✓ |
| Coverage Score | 89 | 90 ✓ |
| Source Diversity | 88 | 89 ✓ |
| Consistency | 89 | 90 ✓ |
| Freshness | 86 | 88 ✓ |
| Expert Mentions | 85 | 87 ✓ |
Ahrefs- Starting price
- $129/mo
- Founded
- 2011
- HQ
- Singapore
- Category rank
- #2
Semrush- Starting price
- $139.95/mo
- Founded
- 2008
- HQ
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Category rank
- #1
Which should you choose?
Choose Ahrefs if…
- →SEOs who prioritize backlink analysis
- →Teams doing serious keyword and content research
- →Agencies auditing competitor link profiles
Choose Semrush if…
- →Agencies managing SEO across many clients
- →Content teams planning and optimizing at scale
- →Marketers doing deep competitive research
Frequently asked questions
Which has better AI visibility, Ahrefs or Semrush?
Ahrefs and Semrush are closely matched, scoring 90.2 and 91.3 on the Top Citation Signal Score. Semrush holds a narrow edge.
What is Ahrefs's AI visibility score?
Ahrefs has a Top Citation Signal Score of 90.2 out of 100 (Signal Leader), measured across seo tools buyer questions in AI answers.
What is Semrush's AI visibility score?
Semrush has a Top Citation Signal Score of 91.3 out of 100 (Signal Leader), measured across seo tools buyer questions in AI answers.
How is Ahrefs vs Semrush measured for AI visibility?
Both brands are scored on Top Citation Signal's eight signals — citation, trust, entity strength, coverage, source diversity, consistency, freshness, and expert mentions — from real answers given by AI engines with live web search. The comparison is independent and not pay-to-play.
How does your brand score?
See exactly how AI engines cite and recommend your business — the same way we scored Ahrefs and Semrush. Free to start with a Google sign-in.
More seo tools comparisons
Want a head-to-head we haven't built yet? Ask us to create it — free, and usually live within days.