Indie Alternatives

All alternatives › Ahrefs

Indie alternatives to Ahrefs

7 products made by independent developers and small teams that do what Ahrefs does, 4 of them with a free plan. Free and open-source options come first.

At a glance

ProductPriceOpen sourceSelf-hostPlatforms
SerpBearFreeYesYesSelf-hosted, API
SerpstatFree plan––Web
SpyFuFree plan––Web
UbersuggestFree plan––Web
LowFruitsPaid––Web
MangoolsPaid––Web
SE RankingPaid––Web

The alternatives

1. SerpBear

Open-source self-hosted keyword rank tracker

A free, open-source app for tracking your keyword positions on Google with email notifications. Runs on your own server.

Free · Self-hosted, API · Website ↗

2. Serpstat

SEO platform for keyword research, rank tracking and site audits

A growth-hacking SEO tool offering keyword and competitor research, backlink analysis, rank tracking and technical site audits.

Free plan · Web · Website ↗

3. SpyFu

Research competitors' SEO keywords and Google Ads

A competitor research tool that reveals the keywords competitors rank for and buy on Google Ads, plus historical ad copy and backlink data.

Free plan · Web · Website ↗

4. Ubersuggest

Keyword ideas, site audits and SEO metrics

An SEO tool for keyword suggestions, search volume, content ideas, backlink data and site audits, aimed at small businesses and bloggers.

Free plan · Web · Website ↗

5. LowFruits

Find low-competition keywords you can rank for

A keyword research tool that analyzes SERPs to surface low-competition keywords where weak sites rank. Built for bloggers and niche site owners.

Paid · Web · Website ↗

6. Mangools

Beginner-friendly SEO tools: keywords, SERPs, backlinks

A suite of SEO tools including KWFinder for keyword research, SERP analysis, rank tracking and backlink lookup. Aimed at bloggers, marketers and small businesses.

Paid · Web · Website ↗

7. SE Ranking

All-in-one SEO platform for rank tracking, audits and keyword research

An SEO platform with rank tracking, keyword research, website audits, backlink analysis and competitor research for agencies and businesses.

Paid · Web · Website ↗

Questions

Is there a free alternative to Ahrefs?

Yes. 4 of the 7 indie alternatives listed here have a free plan or are free: SerpBear, Serpstat, SpyFu and Ubersuggest.

Is there an open-source alternative to Ahrefs?

SerpBear is open source.

Can I self-host an alternative to Ahrefs?

Yes: SerpBear can run on your own server.

What makes these alternatives to Ahrefs “indie”?

They are built by independent developers or small teams rather than large companies. Each one is listed because it does the same core job as Ahrefs.

Ask your AI instead

Add Indie Alternatives to ChatGPT, Claude or Cursor and ask “a cheaper Ahrefs alternative that works on my Mac” in your own words, with your budget and platform. Set it up

Related

Browse: SEO · Marketing

Made one? List your product, it's free.