FocalScore vs Ahrefs
Checked : the Ahrefs Webmaster Tools and Site Audit facts on this page were read on official Ahrefs pages, and FocalScore's come from our own code. Prices and plans change; the sources are listed at the end of the page.
Ahrefs runs a very large backlink and keyword database — 35 trillion historical backlinks and 28.7 billion keywords, by its own count. Its free Ahrefs Webmaster Tools gives the owner of a verified site a Site Audit and a view of its own backlinks; the paid plans add competitor research, larger crawls and, as an add-on, AI brand tracking.
FocalScore does not try to compete on data. It is an audit for the owner: 395 checks on up to 25 pages covering whether the site converts visitors, ranks in search and can be read by AI, with every fix explained.
At a glance
| Question | Ahrefs | FocalScore |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for your own verified sites. Starter $29 a month; full plans from $129 (Lite) to $1,499 a month (Enterprise). | Free report: $0. AI Advanced Report: $49, one-time. Agency: $99 a month for up to 25 client sites. |
| What you get free | Ahrefs Webmaster Tools: Site Audit and your own backlinks and keywords for sites you verify, with 5,000 crawl credits a month per project. | Your score with no signup; the complete page-by-page report with every fix after an email signup. No card. |
| Pages per audit | 5,000 crawl credits a month per project free; 100,000 to 1.5 million a month on paid plans. | Up to 25 pages per scan. |
| What it checks | 170+ technical and on-page SEO issues, with JavaScript rendering, Core Web Vitals and structured-data validation. | 395 checks across 9 categories: Conversion & messaging, Trust & credibility, Content quality, AI readiness, Search, Speed, Mobile, Accessibility and Security & privacy. |
| Whether AI assistants mention you | Yes, with Brand Radar: brand mentions across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Copilot, Gemini and Claude. An add-on from $199 a month. | In the $49 report: real buyer questions put to ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Claude, recording whether you were named and who was named instead. A one-time reading, not ongoing tracking. |
| Keyword research and Google rankings | Yes: a database of 28.7 billion keywords across 217 locations. | No keyword research tool. The $49 report includes a one-time snapshot of where you rank on Google for the searches new customers make, and who outranks you. |
| Backlinks | Yes: an index of 35 trillion historical backlinks, by Ahrefs' count. Your own verified site's backlinks are free. | Paid report only, on purpose: backlink data comes from a paid data provider, and the free scan never calls one. The $49 report lists which sites link to yours, read once. No backlink index of our own. |
| Setup | A free account and proof you own the site (Google Search Console, a DNS record, an HTML file or a meta tag). Web-based. | Nothing to install and no site verification. Works on any platform. |
| Ongoing monitoring | Yes: scheduled and always-on site audits. | Not yet: Monitor (monthly re-audits, $19 a month) is coming soon and not on sale. A free re-scan shows where you stand. |
What Ahrefs does better
- Backlinks: a 35-trillion-link index, and your own site's links free in Webmaster Tools.
- Keyword and competitor research across 28.7 billion keywords.
- Crawl scale and depth: JavaScript rendering and crawl credits in the millions on paid plans.
- AI brand tracking over time across six assistants and AI search features, where FocalScore's paid report takes one reading.
- A generous free tier for anyone who can verify their site.
Choose Ahrefs if…
- You want to know who links to you, and to your competitors, and how that changes.
- You are investing in content and need keyword research.
- You can verify your site and want a free technical SEO crawl with recurring audits.
Choose FocalScore if…
- You want an answer without creating an account or verifying ownership: the score appears when the scan finishes, and you can scan any site, including a competitor's.
- You own a small business and want to know why the website isn't bringing in enquiries — not only whether it is technically sound. 77 of the 395 checks are about conversion and trust.
- You want every problem explained in plain English, with the exact fix, rather than an issue list written for an SEO specialist.
- You want one report that covers converting visitors, ranking in search and being readable by AI assistants, for free, with an optional $49 one-time report instead of a subscription.
- You want to know whether ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Claude recommend you for a buyer's question, as a one-time $49 report rather than a monthly add-on.
You can also use both: Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for a free view of your backlinks and a technical crawl, and FocalScore for whether your pages turn visitors into customers and are ready for AI assistants.
Questions
Is Ahrefs Webmaster Tools really free?
Yes, for websites you can prove you own. It includes Site Audit and your own backlinks and keywords, with 5,000 crawl credits a month per project and up to 1,000 backlinks and keywords shown at once, according to Ahrefs. Competitor research and larger crawls need a paid plan.
Does FocalScore show my backlinks?
Only in the $49 report, as a one-time list of the sites linking to yours from a third-party data provider. FocalScore has no backlink index of its own; for backlink research Ahrefs is the better tool.
Does Ahrefs check AI visibility?
Yes, with Brand Radar, an add-on from $199 a month that tracks brand mentions across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Copilot, Gemini and Claude. FocalScore's $49 report asks ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Claude real buyer questions once and records who was recommended instead of you.
Do I need to verify my site to use FocalScore?
No. Enter any public website address. The score needs no signup; the full report is unlocked with an email address.
Sources
Checked October 2026 on official Ahrefs pages. If something here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
- Ahrefs pricing: https://ahrefs.com/pricing
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools: https://ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools
- Ahrefs Site Audit: https://ahrefs.com/site-audit
- Ahrefs Brand Radar: https://ahrefs.com/brand-radar
- Ahrefs data sizes: https://ahrefs.com/big-data
- Verifying a site in Ahrefs Webmaster Tools: https://help.ahrefs.com/en/articles/1431155-what-is-ahrefs-webmaster-tools-awt
Ahrefs is a trademark of its owner. FocalScore is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ahrefs. Product names are used only to identify the products compared. All comparisons →