Backlink index scope and export limits matter more than the cheapest entry amount.
Majestic is worth evaluating for a specifically defined backlink investigation; Ahrefs bundles broader research but its Starter plan is constrained. Ahrefs’s adult-content restriction must be resolved before any intended workflow, and Majestic permission is also unverified. This comparison assigns no data-quality winner. [1] [4] [2] [5]
| THE DETAILSFind your fit. | MajesticRead research review | AhrefsView profile |
|---|---|---|
| Main role | Backlink research using Site Explorer and the Fresh Index; Historic Index is included in Pro. [1] | Site and keyword research, technical site audits and rank tracking. [2] |
| Free entry | Free signup and tools are offered. The first-purchase Lite/Pro seven-day refund requires a support request; it is not a free trial. [1] [3] | Free account for verified sites; its help table lists 5,000 crawl credits per verified project per month. [2] |
| Paid entry · monthly billing | Lite: US$49.99/month or US$499.99 every 12 months. Pro: US$99.99/month. Prices exclude VAT. [1] | Starter: US$29/month in the USD help table. Monthly renewal only; Lite is listed at US$129/month. [2] |
| Included limits to notice | Lite: one user, 5,000 Site Explorer rows per search and one million analysis units. Pro adds Historic Index and raw exports. Limits use different units from tracked keywords. [1] | Starter: 200 monthly credits, 50 tracked keywords and no report exports. Additional users and credits cannot be purchased on Starter. [2] |
| Adult-business eligibility | Contributions and interactive services cannot promote sexually explicit material. Permission for the intended adult-business research workflow was not established. [4] | Its Content Policy explicitly prohibits adult content. ATN has not verified an exception for the intended workflow. [5] |
| Affiliate status | An older official developer page says no traditional affiliate program and describes case-by-case OpenApps partnerships. Current public cash commission terms are unverified. [6] | Official June 2023 statement says the public program was discontinued. No replacement program was verified. [7] |
| Decision pointATN assessment | A defined backlink investigation where index history and report allowances matter more than bundling unrelated tools. Confirm intended use first. [1] [4] | Resolve the content-policy restriction first; a cheaper entry plan is not useful if the work is ineligible. [5] [2] |
Published entry plans have different scopes and allowances. Prices are dated snapshots; confirm currency, billing term, taxes and add-ons. Customer-use policies and affiliate-promotion rules are separate. This comparison does not establish permission for an adult-business workflow or prove research accuracy.
Majestic puts Historic Index and raw exports in Pro. Write down whether a current backlink view or historical investigation is required before comparing subscription prices. An index’s presence does not prove its completeness for a particular site. [1]
Ahrefs Starter uses monthly credits and limits tracked keywords; Majestic lists analysis units and per-search rows. Define the reports and exports you need instead of interpreting a larger numerical allowance as greater usable capacity. [2] [1]
Majestic’s first-purchase refund requires an application to support. Ahrefs’s free account is scoped to verified sites. Neither removes content rules, and neither old affiliate-program statement establishes a current ATN commission. [3] [1] [2] [5] [6] [7]
Research based · No hands-on testing or numeric scores · Direct links, no affiliate tracking. Our editorial standards
Browse SEO resourcesA readable Starter quote and an unresolved bundle price do not settle eligibility or useful capacity.
Read comparisonBUILD / SEO research suitesChoose between a defined backlink investigation and a project-based SEO workload.
Read comparisonBUILD / SEO research suitesA backlink-focused plan and a five-tool research bundle need different evaluation questions.
Read comparisonBUILD / SEO research suitesCompare focused backlink research with a broader project and keyword workflow.
Read comparisonBUILD / SEO research suitesEligibility comes first; the low-priced Starter plan and Core bundle are not equivalent packages.
Read comparisonBUILD / SEO research suitesCompare ongoing free access, a timed trial and paid research allowances in their original units.
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