# Open-source alternatives to Ahrefs

> Open-source alternatives to Ahrefs that run locally, allow commercial use and need no paid API include Unlighthouse (site audit; MIT). OpenSEO covers all 5 Ahrefs jobs.

Ahrefs: Paid hosted SEO suite with its own web crawler for backlink analysis, keyword research, rank tracking and site audits. Pricing: Paid plans from Lite at £99/month (UK prices as served; annual billing saves up to 17%) (checked 2026-10-15). Facts checked 2026-10-15.

## Projects

| Project | Jobs | Runs locally | Commercial use | Paid services | Hardware |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [OpenSEO](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/openseo) | keyword-research, rank-tracking, backlink-analysis, site-audit, competitor-analysis | Self-hosted with Docker or on your own Cloudflare account; hosted version also offered | Yes, MIT code (SEO data is bought separately from DataForSEO) | A paid DataForSEO API key is required for all SEO data; OpenRouter key optional for AI prompt suggestions | Not documented |
| [Unlighthouse](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/unlighthouse) | site-audit | Yes, CLI runs on your own machine | Yes, MIT code | None required | Not documented; needs Chrome or a downloaded Chromium |
| [SEOnaut](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/seonaut) | site-audit | Self-hosted web app (Docker or compiled Go binary); hosted version also offered | Yes, MIT code | None required | Not documented |
| [SerpBear](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/serpbear) | rank-tracking, keyword-research | Self-hosted web app (Docker or Node.js) | Yes, MIT code | Needs a SERP scraping API (the working ones listed are paid) or your own proxy IPs; Google Ads and Search Console optional | Not documented |

## Common questions

### Is there a free, open-source alternative to Ahrefs?

Yes. Unlighthouse, SEOnaut and SerpBear are free to download and run on your own computer without paid API keys. Each covers only part of what Ahrefs does, so check which job you need.

### Can I do keyword research locally without an Ahrefs subscription?

Yes, with OpenSEO (MIT) and SerpBear (MIT). Check the hardware notes and licence conditions on each page before you start.

### Can I do rank tracking locally without an Ahrefs subscription?

Yes, with OpenSEO (MIT) and SerpBear (MIT). Check the hardware notes and licence conditions on each page before you start.

### Which Ahrefs alternatives can I use commercially?

Confirmed: OpenSEO, SEOnaut, SerpBear and Unlighthouse. This is not legal advice; read each licence.

### Does any open-source project replace all of Ahrefs?

OpenSEO covers every job we list for Ahrefs.

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Source: RepoQuarry (https://repoquarry.dev/alternatives/ahrefs). Data licence: CC BY 4.0. Quotes are from project documentation and belong to their authors.