How popular isAhrefs?
In September 2026, people searched for Ahrefs by name about 900 times in New Zealand, a 32.3% decrease from the previous year. These searches made up 23.3% of all New Zealand SEO tool searches, placing Ahrefs second out of six tools. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about SEO tools, Ahrefs appeared in four of the five answers and was the second most recommended of the six.
Ahrefs is the second most searched of 6 competitors and the second most recommended in AI answers.
SemrushShare of searches 52.2%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
AhrefsShare of searches 23.3%Mentioned in 4 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd
Screaming FrogShare of searches 8.5%Mentioned in 3 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 3rd
UbersuggestShare of searches 8.5%Mentioned in 0 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations –
SE RankingShare of searches 6.7%Mentioned in 4 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 4th
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Top SEO 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. Ahrefs is the second most recommended of the six.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Semrush1st
- Ahrefs2nd
- Screaming Frog3rd
- SE Ranking4th
Moz Pro5th- Ubersuggest–
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
- Ahrefs4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- SE Ranking4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Screaming Frog3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Moz Pro1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Ubersuggest0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about SEO tools
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which SEO tool should I use in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best SEO tools in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best SEO tool in New Zealand for a marketing team?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best seo tool”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“technical seo tool”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Which SEO tools compete with Ahrefs?
Share of searches by month for Semrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, Ubersuggest, SE Ranking. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Semrush | Ahrefs | Screaming Frog | Ubersuggest | SE Ranking | Moz Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 45.4% | 28.2% | 7.2% | 12.7% | 5.5% | 0.85% |
| Nov 2025 | 51.8% | 19% | 8.6% | 13% | 6.8% | 0.78% |
| Dec 2025 | 51.7% | 22.1% | 8.1% | 12.2% | 5.2% | 0.74% |
| Jan 2026 | 53.5% | 23.5% | 7% | 10.4% | 4.4% | 1% |
| Feb 2026 | 51.4% | 25.4% | 7% | 9.7% | 5.2% | 1.2% |
| Mar 2026 | 53% | 20.6% | 7.3% | 12.1% | 5.3% | 1.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 51.1% | 22.3% | 8.2% | 12.2% | 5.2% | 0.99% |
| May 2026 | 49.4% | 23.9% | 7.7% | 11.2% | 6.1% | 1.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 49.9% | 21.3% | 9.6% | 12% | 6.2% | 0.96% |
| Jul 2026 | 55.2% | 23.2% | 7% | 8.3% | 5.5% | 0.78% |
| Aug 2026 | 50.2% | 24.9% | 8.3% | 9.8% | 6.3% | 0.49% |
| Sep 2026 | 52.2% | 23.3% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 6.7% | 0.78% |
| Rank | Brand | Share of searches | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 52.2% | 2K | -1.9% | +2 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 23.3% | 900 | -11.8% | -1.6 points | |
| 3, moved from 4th to 3rd | 8.5% | 330 | -2.9% | +0.2 pointsmoved from 4th to 3rd | |
| 4, moved from 3rd to 4th | 8.5% | 330 | -17.5% | -1.2 pointsmoved from 3rd to 4th | |
| 5, held 5th | 6.7% | 260 | 0% | +0.4 points | |
| 6, held 6th | 0.78% | 30 | +50% | +0.3 points |
1.
Semrush52.2%
Held 1st. 2K estimated branded searches, -1.9% vs prior month. Share +2 points.
2.
Ahrefs23.3%
Held 2nd. 900 estimated branded searches, -11.8% vs prior month. Share -1.6 points.
8.5%
Moved from 4th to 3rd. 330 estimated branded searches, -2.9% vs prior month. Share +0.2 points.
8.5%
Moved from 3rd to 4th. 330 estimated branded searches, -17.5% vs prior month. Share -1.2 points.
6.7%
Held 5th. 260 estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +0.4 points.
6.
Moz Pro0.78%
Held 6th. 30 estimated branded searches, +50% vs prior month. Share +0.3 points.
Compare popularity between Ahrefs and its closest rivals
Every comparison with Ahrefs
6 comparisons
How has branded search demand for Ahrefs changed in New Zealand over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Ahrefs in New Zealand fell from 1.3K to 900.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Ahrefs’ share of searches among SEO tools in New Zealand decreased from 28.2% to 23.3%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Ahrefs’ share of searches among SEO tools in New Zealand peaked at 28.2% in October 2025 and was lowest at 19% in November 2025.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand SEO tools in September 2026?
5 changes
In September 2026, Semrush gained share of searches among SEO tools in New Zealand, from 50.2% to 52.2%.
In September 2026, Ahrefs lost share of searches among SEO tools in New Zealand, from 24.9% to 23.3%.
In September 2026, Ubersuggest lost share of searches among SEO tools in New Zealand, from 9.8% to 8.5%.
In September 2026, Screaming Frog rose from 4th to 3rd among SEO tools in New Zealand.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Moz Pro in New Zealand fell 25% over 12 measured months, from 40 to 30 in September 2026.
How are Ahrefs’ branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Ahrefs’ name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
- ahrefs
- ahrefs backlink
- ahrefs keyword research
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Where does Ahrefs compete?
| Competitor set | Rank | Share of searches | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEO rank tracking platforms | 3rd of 7 | 16.8% | Show ranking |
| SEO tools | 2nd of 6 | 23.3% | Shown above |
Is Ahrefs your brand?
Put your own campaigns, spend and outcomes next to this demand line, so you can see which of your marketing lined up with the movements above.