How To Get Ahrefs For Free

ByJames Oliver

Can I use Ahrefs for free?

It’s a common question. They used to offer a $7 trial for 7 days. Those days are long gone. 

But there’s an alternative. 

Two in fact. 

Ahrefs Free SEO Tools

You can find it here: https://ahrefs.com/free-seo-tools

My favorite free tools are: website authority, backlinks, and broken links.

You can get the most out of these by copying the data straight to a google sheet. 

The worthy mention is Sasha’s approach using a bookmarklet. 

To do this, copy and paste the URL into a new bookmark’s URL field.

1. Once the links appear, click the bookmark.

2. The program will copy the clean data to the clipboard. 

3. Paste into Sheets

This simple bookmarklet lets you transfer data to a spreadsheet, streamlining the process.

Ahrefs Webmaster Tools

Ahrefs offers a free tool called Ahrefs Webmaster Tools. It also offers a WordPress plugin useful for auditing your site.

The free version of Ahrefs is a lite variant of the full tool.

You sign up and link it to your Google Search Console data.

AWT lets you see Domain Rating (DR), backlinks, traffic, and keywords.

It’s awesome to optimize your own site. But it doesn’t let you check competitors’ data or do keyword research. 

Key Features and Tips:

  • Rank Tracker: Not built for this. Yet, you can see where your ranking for keywords. For a more dynamic tracking, consider SERProbot.

  • Backlink Analysis: Learn about the types and sources of backlinks your site has.

  • Broken Backlink Checker: Check both inbound and outbound broken links for better site health. Note: You need to go to the ‘Best by Links’ tab. 

  • Referring Domains: Pay attention to the number of unique domains linking to your site. It’s a crucial metric, often more telling than the sheer number of backlinks.

  • Anchor Text Analysis: Ensure your anchor texts are diverse and relevant.

  • Keyword Analysis: Identify keywords where your site ranks close to the top. These represent opportunities for quick wins.

Use Query Hunter to optimize that content. You can also see what keywords have a featured snippet to optimize to win those. 

  • Top Organic Competitor Map: Use Ahrefs’ maps to compare your site against close competitors. The comparison is based on keywords and traffic.

  • Opportunity Tab: This section helps you identify areas for improvement in your site’s SEO strategy.

Extra Tools and Strategies:

Use data-driven link building techniques to boost keyword rankings.

Target keywords in the top 10.

Final Words on the Free Ahrefs

The free version of Ahrefs has its limitations. However, it still offers valuable insights, especially for those new to SEO.

For more extensive features, consider upgrading or exploring alternatives like SEMrush.

Remember, consistent monitoring and strategic improvements are key to SEO success. 

Happy optimizing!