Surfer SEO vs. Ahrefs: A Complete Explanation and Why You Should Have Both

In the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), digital marketers, content writers, and website owners commonly use two tools: Surfer SEO and Ahrefs. While both are used to help websites rise to the top of Google rankings, they serve different purposes and have distinct strengths. Some concentrate on content, while others concentrate on backlinks, research, and technical website audits.

Surfer SEO functions similarly to a language teacher, assisting you in writing neat, complete, and compliant articles. Ahrefs, on the other hand, functions as a detective, determining the strengths and weaknesses of other websites, where your backlinks originate, and how you rank in comparison to your competitors. Both are important and can be used for different purposes.

What Is Surfer SEO?

Surfer SEO is a tool that helps you write and optimize content so that it appears better on Google. As a result, it focuses on on-page SEO, which refers to everything contained within your writing or website pages. Surfer offers advice on topics such as word count, keywords to include, title structure, and even minor details such as which supporting words to include.

It functions similarly to that of a personal tutor. Surfer will provide you with a score and suggestions while you write your article. For example, if your paragraph is too short, you’ve forgotten to mention important terms, or you haven’t covered a specific subtopic. Surfer accomplishes this by analyzing data from 20-50 other articles that are already highly ranked on Google. As a result, its recommendations are based on what has been demonstrated to be effective.

Furthermore, Surfer also has tools for creating comprehensive content plans, such as what article ideas you need to create to make your website appear expert on a particular topic. They also have AI that can mimic your writing style, so the results are more natural than generic AI.

What Is Ahrefs?

Ahrefs is a much more comprehensive SEO tool. It addresses almost all aspects of SEO, including backlinks, competitors, technical audits, keyword research, PPC monitoring, and domain analysis. That’s why Ahrefs is frequently referred to as an “all-in-one SEO tool.”

Assume you are participating in a race. Ahrefs is similar to having a full map of the arena, knowing who your opponents are, how fast they are, and the best strategies for defeating them. Ahrefs allows you to see what keywords are driving traffic to your competitors’ websites, which backlinks are making them powerful, and what gaps you can exploit.

Ahrefs’ massive backlink database is another factor that contributes to its effectiveness. It is widely regarded as the world’s largest company after Google. Ahrefs is the preferred tool for many SEO professionals because backlinks remain an important ranking factor.

What Surfer SEO Offers

Surfer SEO was created specifically for those who want to write and improve content. So, if you need to write articles, blog posts, landing pages, or other website content, Surfer is the tool for the job.

1. Keyword Research

Surfer conducts keyword research with a focus on content ideas and topic relationships. For instance, if you would like to write about “gaming phones,” Surfer will provide you with related terms such as “cheap gaming phones” and “gaming phones under 2 million,” as well as answers to questions such as “What’s a good gaming phone for Mobile Legend?” This is beneficial for middle school students because the language is simple and can be used to create more detailed articles.

Surfer also organizes keywords based on topic. This allows you to see the big picture of the topic you want to master, rather than just a single keyword. Because you’re covering the topic thoroughly, Google will regard your website as more expert.

Surfer’s keyword research also connects directly to the Content Editor, allowing the keywords it discovers to be automatically recommended as you type. This makes it easier to ensure that your writing is relevant and complete.

2. AI Writing

Surfer’s artificial intelligence is specifically designed for SEO, rather than just writing. Their artificial intelligence can adapt to your writing style. Surfer will mimic your writing style, whether it’s serious, casual, humorous, or formal, after you upload a sample piece.

Surfer’s AI also includes an Auto Optimize feature, which can improve your articles based on competitor information. It will fill in missing information, ensure a more structured structure, and include keywords to improve your article’s Google ranking.

There is also a Coverage Booster feature that detects subtopics that you may have missed when compared to competitors’ articles. So you don’t have to go through each one individually; Surfer does it for you.

3. SERP Analysis

SERP stands for Google Search Results Page. Surfer examines articles that are already highly ranked and searches for patterns. They consider article length, keyword density, heading structure, media usage, and a variety of other factors.

This feature allows you to see what factors contribute to a high-ranked article. The analysis results are displayed with graphs and numbers, making it very easy to understand for beginners. Even middle school students can follow along because of its visual and simple interface.

Read More: Master the 4 Pillars of SEO to Improve Your Rankings in 2025

Surfer also allows you to identify “similarities” between articles. This is significant because Google occasionally prefers articles with a particular style. Surfer will direct you to the content style that is most appropriate for that topic.

4. Content Optimization

This is Surfer’s most widely used feature. In the Content Editor, you can write an article and instantly receive an SEO quality score. Surfer derives this score from an analysis of over 500 SERP factors.

They’ll inform you:

• Which keywords should be added
• How many words would be ideal?
• Recommended headings
• Subtopics that you have not covered
• Using supportive terms
• Visual elements that are suggested

So you no longer have to guess because everything has been made crystal clear. Furthermore, there is a 0.28 correlation between the Surfer score and Google rankings. This means that a higher score increases the likelihood that your article will rank higher.

5. Rank Tracking

You can check your article’s Google ranking every day using this feature. For example, if you are ranked 15 today, your ranking will increase to 7 the following week. Surfer will display a graph of ranking changes, allowing you to track the progress of your article.

Surfer’s rank tracker can also distinguish between primary and supporting keywords, allowing you to determine which are most influential. This is critical for determining which articles require reoptimization. Surfer also provides automatic reports, which eliminates the need to check every day.

6. Internal Linking

An internal link is a link that connects one article on your site to another. This is an important aspect of SEO, but it’s frequently overlooked. Surfer has Auto Internal Links, which finds relevant links based on semantic analysis.

This improves the organization and strength of your internal links. Google will find it easier to understand your website if your internal link structure is good. This feature is also linked to Google Search Console, so its suggestions are extremely accurate.

7. Competitor Analysis

Surfers can compare your article to those of more prominent competitors. They demonstrate what your competitors have that you don’t. For instance:

• Your competitor covers 10 subtopics, whereas you only cover 7.
• Your competitor possesses specific statistics.
• Your competitor utilizes more headings.

Using this information, you can improve your article and make it more comprehensive than your competitors.

8. Collaboration

Surfer is ideal for teams because it allows you to share editors with a simple link, much like Google Docs. There is no need to charge for additional users. It supports real-time collaboration, notifications, and comments. It’s ideal for collaborating with authors, editors, and clients.

9. Integration

Surfer works seamlessly with WordPress, Google Docs, and Jasper. So you can work on your articles wherever you want while still getting Surfer’s advice. This integration streamlines the process of researching, writing, optimizing, and publishing.

Read More: Search Engine Basics: How Google Search Works for Beginners

10. Content Audits

Surfer includes a Sites feature that audits your entire website and makes weekly recommendations. This is extremely useful because it shows you which articles are beginning to fall in rankings and require improvement.

They also provide Topical Maps, which show you topics that have not yet been covered but are relevant to your niche.

What Ahrefs Offers

Ahrefs is a more comprehensive solution. It’s similar to an SEO encyclopedia in that you can find almost anything about your own or someone else’s website.

1. Keyword Research

Ahrefs has one of the most extensive keyword databases in the world. They provide information about:

• The volume of searches
• The difficulty of the keywords
• Estimated clicks
• SERP features.
• Ranking history.

This allows you to determine which keywords are difficult to target and which are easy to target. Suitable for large-scale content planning.

2. Keyword Gap Tool

This feature shows you the keywords that your competitors are targeting, but you are not. It’s similar to reviewing your competitors’ homework and determining which ones you should pursue. With this tool, you can develop a more comprehensive content strategy that is tailored to market requirements.

3. SERP Analysis

Ahrefs offers SERP analysis based on domain quality, backlink count, traffic volume, and traffic value. This information is very useful in determining the competitiveness of a keyword. They also show a graph illustrating changes in competitor rankings.

4. Technical SEO

Ahrefs Site Audit can identify technical issues such as:

• Images that are too large
• Slow pages
• 404 errors
• Broken links
• Meta tag issues

The difference is that Ahrefs offers automated solutions for specific technical issues via Cloudflare Workers.

5. AI Content Optimization

Ahrefs does have an AI Content Helper, but it only provides “fact coverage.” As a result, their artificial intelligence uses a language model to determine whether your article contains important facts. However, this approach remains less reliable because the facts that the AI considers important can change.

6. PPC Monitoring

Ahrefs can show you who is advertising for a particular keyword. You can discover:

• What ads they’re running
• Ad text
• Landing pages they’re using
• Ad duration

This is critical for an integrated organic and paid marketing strategy.

7. Backlink Analysis

This is Ahrefs’ best feature. You can see:

• New backlinks
• Lost backlinks
• Domain strength
• Backlink context
• Broken backlinks
• Backlink opportunities

This is very helpful if you want to increase your domain authority.

8. Rank Tracking

The Ahrefs Rank Tracker displays changes in your keyword position across multiple countries, devices, and time periods. It also displays share of voice, which indicates how dominant you are.

9. Competitor Analysis

Ahrefs allows you to easily view your competitors’ traffic sources, top content, backlinks, and overall strategy.

10. Site Audits

Ahrefs’ audit is quite thorough, looking for more than 100 technical website issues. They also prioritize which ones require immediate attention.

Summarized Comparison Between Surfer SEO and Ahrefs

Features	Surfer SEO	Ahrefs
Pricing	$49/month	$129/month
AI Content Optimization	Available	Available
Keyword Research	Available, but limited	More thorough
Keyword Gap Tool	Not available	Available
SERP Feature Tracking	7 types	19 types
Backlink Analysis	Not Available	Available
Technical SEO	Not Available	Available
Rank Tracker	Available as add-ons	Already Included
Competitor Analysis	Available, but limited	More thorough
Internal Linking	Available	Not available
Content Audit	Available every week	Not available, but available for site audit
Integration	With WordPress, Google Docs, etc.	Not Available
Team Collaboration	Available and free	Available, but requires payment

Why Picking the Right Tools Matters

SEO is broad. There are four parts to this process: writing, technical, backlinking, and research. You must first determine which one is required. Surfer is better suited and less expensive if you’re concerned with content. However, Ahrefs is the best option if you’re primarily concerned with competitor analysis and backlinks.

Both of these tools are quite expensive, so make your decision based on your specific requirements. Don’t buy them simply because they’re popular.

The Combination of Surfer SEO and Ahrefs and Why You Should Have Both

If you have the resources, combining the two is the most effective strategy. Ahrefs can help you figure out what to write about and how your competitors are performing. Surfer then assists you in optimizing your content until it is truly ready for ranking.

However, if your budget is limited, you can choose which to use first. Begin with the option that best meets your requirements. If you’re a prolific writer, start with Surfer. If you conduct extensive competitor research, start with Ahrefs.

Conclusion

Ahrefs and Surfer SEO focus on different things. Surfer is particularly good at content optimization, internal linking, and writing. Ahrefs specializes in in-depth research, backlinks, competitor analysis, and technical audits. They can work well together.

It is best to use both if you want to be successful with SEO. If you have a limited budget, choose based on your focus: Content, surfing, research, and backlinks all lead to Ahrefs.