Ahrefs vs SE Ranking:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, Ahrefs had more branded searches than SE Ranking among SEO tools worldwide. Ahrefs was estimated to have 302K branded searches compared to SE Ranking’s 49.5K, and held a 22.3% Share of Search versus SE Ranking’s 3.6%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Ahrefs or SE Ranking?
Compare the seo tools teams use. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Ahrefs, SE Ranking. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Semrush | Ahrefs | Ubersuggest | SE Ranking | Moz Pro | Screaming Frog |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 51.8% | 28.2% | 15.2% | 4.6% | 0.18% | <0.01% |
| Nov 2025 | 55.3% | 24.4% | 16.1% | 4% | 0.16% | <0.01% |
| Dec 2025 | 57.8% | 21% | 16.8% | 4.1% | 0.2% | <0.01% |
| Jan 2026 | 50.2% | 27.2% | 18% | 4.4% | 0.22% | <0.01% |
| Feb 2026 | 52% | 28% | 15.2% | 4.6% | 0.24% | <0.01% |
| Mar 2026 | 68.2% | 17.6% | 11.3% | 2.8% | 0.17% | <0.01% |
| Apr 2026 | 56.7% | 23.7% | 15.6% | 3.8% | 0.19% | <0.01% |
| May 2026 | 51.3% | 26.4% | 14.3% | 7.8% | 0.21% | <0.01% |
| Jun 2026 | 57.3% | 23.3% | 15.4% | 3.8% | 0.19% | <0.01% |
| Jul 2026 | 57.9% | 24.7% | 13.3% | 4% | 0.19% | <0.01% |
| Aug 2026 | 59% | 24.3% | 13.3% | 3.3% | 0.16% | <0.01% |
| Sep 2026 | 61.8% | 22.3% | 12.2% | 3.6% | 0.12% | <0.01% |
How has the Ahrefs and SE Ranking comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Ahrefs was ahead of SE Ranking in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Ahrefs’ estimated Share of Search among SEO tools worldwide moved from 28.2% to 22.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 455K to 302K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, SE Ranking’s estimated Share of Search among SEO tools worldwide moved from 4.6% to 3.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 74K to 49.5K.
How did search popularity change for SEO tools worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Ahrefs lost estimated Share of Search among SEO tools worldwide, from 24.3% to 22.3%.

Estimated monthly branded searches for SE Ranking worldwide fell 33.1% over 12 measured months, from 74K to 49.5K in September 2026.
Other head-to-heads among SEO tools
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Ahrefs’ and SE Ranking’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Ahrefs
2 branded search terms
- ahrefs
- ahrefs seo tools
SE Ranking
1 branded search term
- se ranking

Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.