Ahrefs vs KWFinder:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Ahrefs had more branded searches than KWFinder among keyword research tools worldwide. Ahrefs had about 352,000 branded searches, while KWFinder had 5,400. Ahrefs made up 18.2% of all keyword research tool searches we track, and KWFinder accounted for 0.28%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about keyword research tools, Ahrefs appeared in four of the five answers and KWFinder in three. Ahrefs was mentioned before KWFinder in every answer that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Ahrefs, about 65 searches for every 1 for KWFinder
Who does AI mention more?
Ahrefs, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, KWFinder in 3
Who does AI recommend more?
Ahrefs, named ahead of KWFinder in 4 of 4 answers
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Top keyword research tools in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Ahrefs was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. KWFinder was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Ahrefs was listed before KWFinder in every answer that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Semrush1st
Google Keyword Planner2nd- Ahrefs3rd
KWFinder4th
Ubersuggest5th
AnswerThePublic6th
Moz–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Semrush5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Google Keyword Planner5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Ahrefs4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Ubersuggest3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- KWFinder3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- AnswerThePublic2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Moz0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about keyword research tools
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which keyword research tool should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best keyword research tools?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best keyword research tool for search optimisation?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“keyword research tools”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“seo keyword tool”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Ahrefs or KWFinder more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Ahrefs and KWFinder by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven keyword research tools we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Ahrefs, KWFinder. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Semrush | Google Keyword Planner | Ahrefs | Ubersuggest | AnswerThePublic | Moz | KWFinder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 35.9% | 18.7% | 21.6% | 10.6% | 7.1% | 5.8% | 0.42% |
| Nov 2025 | 37.9% | 17.1% | 18.5% | 11% | 9% | 6% | 0.44% |
| Dec 2025 | 38.5% | 17.3% | 15.8% | 11.2% | 9.2% | 7.5% | 0.45% |
| Jan 2026 | 33.5% | 17.3% | 20.5% | 12% | 9.8% | 6.6% | 0.39% |
| Feb 2026 | 34.7% | 17.9% | 21.2% | 10.1% | 10.1% | 5.5% | 0.41% |
| Mar 2026 | 52.9% | 12.6% | 15.8% | 8.7% | 5.8% | 3.9% | 0.23% |
| Apr 2026 | 38.6% | 15.3% | 20.8% | 10.6% | 8.6% | 5.8% | 0.28% |
| May 2026 | 34.9% | 17.2% | 23.3% | 9.7% | 8% | 6.5% | 0.26% |
| Jun 2026 | 37.3% | 16.8% | 20.7% | 10% | 8.2% | 6.7% | 0.27% |
| Jul 2026 | 34.7% | 19.7% | 24.4% | 7.9% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 0.26% |
| Aug 2026 | 38.5% | 17.7% | 20.7% | 8.7% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 0.28% |
| Sep 2026 | 43.3% | 18.4% | 18.2% | 8.5% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 0.28% |
How has the Ahrefs and KWFinder comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Ahrefs was ahead of KWFinder in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Ahrefs’ share of searches among keyword research tools worldwide moved from 21.6% to 18.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 505K to 352K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, KWFinder’s share of searches among keyword research tools worldwide moved from 0.42% to 0.28%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 9.9K to 5.4K.
How did search popularity change for keyword research tools worldwide in September 2026?
3 changes
In September 2026, Google Keyword Planner overtook Ahrefs to rank 2nd among keyword research tools worldwide, with 18.4% of the searches.
In September 2026, Ahrefs lost share of searches among keyword research tools worldwide, from 20.7% to 18.2%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for KWFinder worldwide fell 45.5% over 12 measured months, from 9.9K to 5.4K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Ahrefs’ and KWFinder’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.
Other head-to-heads among keyword research tools
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