SEO tools used to be exclusive to the realm of big internet-focused businesses, but times have changed. Paying attention to SEO is inevitable for anyone who wants to make sure that internet users actually find their website. Since there are so many websites vying for readership, keyword tools, rank checkers, and other related software are becoming more and more important.
Fortunately, the tools you need don’t usually come separately. You have a broad selection to choose from if you’re looking to succeed in the SEO game. Here’s a look at two of the most popular SEO suites available: Mangools and Ahrefs.
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Mangools vs Ahrefs Comparison Chart
| Brand | Mangools | Ahrefs |
 |  | |
| Price | Check Price at Mangools.com | Check Price at Ahrefs.com |
| Features | Keyword finder, SERP checker, rank checker, site profiler, link miner | Site explorer, keywords explorer, site audit, rank tracker, content explorer |
| Main Demographic | Small businesses and blogs | Small to medium-sized businesses and blogs |
| Browser Extension | Firefox, Chrome | Firefox, Chrome |
| Platform | Web-based | Web-based |
| Google Analytics Integration? | No | No |
| Free Trial? | Yes (10 days) | No (7-day trial for $7) |
User Interface
Mangools balances aesthetics and practicality, while Ahrefs lays it all out on the table.
The team behind Mangools takes an aggressive approach to promoting itself as an easier-to-use alternative to more established competitors. It makes sense, then, that they’ve put the work in to strike a balance between the functionality and aesthetics of the five tools included in their bundle. All the sections are clearly marked, so using the tools are as intuitive as they can be. This means that even those with only basic SEO knowledge can easily use Mangools for their websites.
Ahrefs is more oriented towards users who are serious about making their sites data-driven. It’s apparent in how their tools are organized: everything is just as easily accessible as on Mangools, but everything is way different once you get where you want to be. A quick comparison of the Ahrefs Keyword Explorer above and Mangools’ KWFinder tells you all you need to know.
Ahrefs shows how many backlinks you need for a specific keyword, relevant location-based info, how much of the cost-per-click is organic or paid, and a lot of other data while you’re still only on its Overview page. While Ahrefs isn’t necessarily cluttered, it does put more on one page compared to Mangools. This kind of view may cause newer users to get lost in the sea of SEO info.
Tools
Ahrefs proves why it’s an SEO institution, but Mangools doesn’t lag behind either.
User-friendliness remains one of Mangools main priorities beyond just its aesthetics. The Mangools suite is divided into five tools: KWFinder, SERPChecker, SERPWatcher, LinkMiner, and SiteProfiler (seen above). They all do their jobs: user reviews on Mangools’ KWFinder note that it can generate related keywords that don’t just rely on what you input. The SERPChecker shows you if online readers would see your site right away by providing a snapshot of the first page results within the tool. SERPWatcher, LinkMiner, and SiteProfiler are straightforward in its functions, helping Mangools users gauge their competition without being overloaded with information.
Ahrefs is more thorough in comparison. Each page within the tools includes everything that the user may need to know. The site auditor highlights what things can be optimized, the keyword finder returns the most keyword suggestions out of all SEO tools on the market, and its backlink checker boasts one of the most extensive link indexes online. Keyword searches can be narrowed down to the country level, making sure that Ahrefs users can target their audience more efficiently.
Pricing Tiers
Mangools prices its suite lower, while Ahrefs offers more flexibility in choosing the plan for you.
Between the two SEO tool providers, only Mangools provides a short free trial for anyone curious about their services. They emphasize that their trial is no-strings-attached: it’s free for 10 days and requires no credit card information from the customer. If you find that you like Mangools enough to buy a subscription, their pricing scheme is divided into three tiers: Basic, Premium, and Agency. Basic accounts have limited keyword suggestions per search, daily tracked keywords, and can’t log in simultaneously on more than one device. Premium and Agency subscriptions have extended capabilities, but are more expensive as a result. However, if you find that you don’t like Mangools after availing of it, they have a 48-hour money back guarantee.
While Ahrefs’ trial isn’t free, it is still affordable at only $7 for a 7 day trial. Their price plan has more tier choices than Mangools. Customers can choose from their Lite, Standard, Advanced, and Agency plans. The Lite and Standard tiers are for single users, while small to medium-sized businesses might benefit more from choosing the Advanced plan or the Agency plan. The higher-tier choices provide for more users, more active projects, longer data retention, and access to their complete index of backlinks dating to 2013, both live and lost.
Ahrefs is significantly pricier than Mangools. However, it does justify its higher price with its more advanced capabilities and its own link database.
Customer Support
Both help educate newer users and have live support, though response times may differ.
Since there are bound to be users who are only beginning to learn the SEO ropes, both Ahrefs and Mangools share resources on the topic. Mangools has a separate page for knowledge sharing, while Ahrefs has an educational blog called Ahrefs Academy. Both contain essential information regarding SEO basics, but differ in how they choose to deliver it.
Mangools’ approach is more modular, with separate articles for different topics and even a glossary of common SEO terms. On the other hand, Ahrefs Academy acts like a real school of SEO: it is divided into courses on how to blog for businesses and how to specifically use Ahrefs for marketing. Videos and an outline of each course are available on their website.
For customers, both Mangools and Ahrefs have the usual customer support channels available. Employees are easily contactable while using the tools through the chat feature. They answer questions or link you to relevant articles or FAQ entries. However, consistency does seem to be a problem for both services since, despite their 24/7 customer support claim, some users online say that they receive slow responses from time to time.
Verdict
Mangools suits beginners better, but Ahrefs still makes sure you get your money’s worth.
Ahrefs has tools that are more comprehensive in their functions. Though the price is steeper when compared to Mangools, it’s still fairly priced for what it offers and isn’t significantly more expensive than other well-known SEO tool providers. Between the two, Ahrefs is the better choice if you want more data at your fingertips. If you’re running a medium-sized business or looking to expand your small business or blog, you can think about the money you put into Ahrefs as a good investment.
If you’re just starting to learn about SEO, go with Mangools. The UI is friendly and Mangools takes advantage of it by neatly organizing your data. It also doesn’t hurt that Mangools is cheaper than other SEO tool suites. For beginner SEO explorers and small businesses starting to expand their online presence, Mangools is a well-suited choice.