Brandwave

Ahrefs vs WriterZen:Which is more popular?

In September 2026, Ahrefs had more branded searches than WriterZen among AI SEO tools worldwide. Ahrefs had about 301,000 branded searches, while WriterZen had 880. Ahrefs made up 30.7% of all AI SEO tool searches we track, and WriterZen accounted for 0.09%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about AI SEO tools, Ahrefs appeared in three of the five answers and WriterZen in none.

Among AI SEO tools worldwide in September 2026

Who do people search for more?

Ahrefs, about 342 searches for every 1 for WriterZen

Ahrefs 301K searchesWriterZen 880 searches

Who does AI mention more?

Ahrefs, mentioned in 3 of 5 answers, WriterZen in 0

Ahrefs in 3 of 5WriterZen in 0 of 5

Who does AI recommend more?

Ahrefs, the only one of the two named

Ahrefs first in 3WriterZen never named

Follow Ahrefs vs WriterZen and get free monthly updates on what changed

By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy

Track your brand against a rival →

Top AI SEO tools in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Ahrefs was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. WriterZen did not appear in any of the five answers.

Most recommended by AI

Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.

  1. Surfer1st
  2. Semrush2nd
  3. Clearscope3rd
  4. Frase4th
  5. Ahrefs5th
  6. MarketMuse6th
  7. Screaming Frog7th
  8. WriterZen–

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
  • Surfer5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Frase4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Clearscope4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Ahrefs3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Screaming Frog2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • MarketMuse1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • WriterZen0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers

See every answer about AI SEO tools

5 answers

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 20, 2026.

Is Ahrefs or WriterZen more popular in search?

This chart shows how often people search Google for Ahrefs and WriterZen by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight AI SEO tools we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.

Ahrefs and WriterZen among AI SEO tools worldwide, by month

Share of searches by month for Ahrefs, WriterZen. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of searches table
MonthSemrushAhrefsFraseClearscopeMarketMuseWriterZenScreaming FrogSurfer
Oct 202563.9%35%0.16%0.45%0.36%0.12%<0.01%<0.01%
Nov 202568.4%30.6%0.17%0.39%0.32%0.16%<0.01%<0.01%
Dec 202572.3%26.4%0.17%0.41%0.42%0.2%<0.01%<0.01%
Jan 202663.8%34.9%0.22%0.44%0.53%0.15%<0.01%<0.01%
Feb 202664%35%0.22%0.37%0.3%0.12%<0.01%<0.01%
Mar 202668.4%30.6%0.17%0.39%0.32%0.11%<0.01%<0.01%
Apr 202668.5%30.6%0.19%0.32%0.26%0.13%<0.01%<0.01%
May 202664%35%0.37%0.3%0.24%0.12%<0.01%<0.01%
Jun 202668.4%30.6%0.33%0.31%0.2%0.13%<0.01%<0.01%
Jul 202668.5%30.6%0.35%0.26%0.17%0.1%<0.01%<0.01%
Aug 202668.5%30.6%0.28%0.26%0.17%0.1%<0.01%<0.01%
Sep 202668.6%30.7%0.25%0.21%0.17%0.09%<0.01%<0.01%

How has the Ahrefs and WriterZen comparison changed over the last 12 months?

3 findings
  • Ahrefs was ahead of WriterZen in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Ahrefs’ share of searches among AI SEO tools worldwide moved from 35% to 30.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 450K to 301K.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, WriterZen’s share of searches among AI SEO tools worldwide moved from 0.12% to 0.09%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.6K to 880.

How did search popularity change for AI SEO tools worldwide in September 2026?

2 changes

  1. Estimated monthly branded searches for WriterZen worldwide fell 45% over 12 measured months, from 1.6K to 880 in September 2026.

  2. Estimated monthly branded searches for Ahrefs worldwide fell 33.1% over 12 measured months, from 450K to 301K in September 2026.

How are branded searches counted?

2 search terms

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Ahrefs’ and WriterZen’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

1 branded search term

  • ahrefs

WriterZen

1 branded search term

  • writerzen

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

Other head-to-heads among AI SEO tools

Creator with pink hair and a pink jacket

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.

Start free