Foglift
SEO + AI Search Comparison
Foglift vs Ahrefs: 2026 Comparison
Ahrefs is the SEO benchmark, with 35 trillion backlinks indexed and 28.7B keywords across 217 locations, the deepest backlink graph outside Google. To cover AI search you also need its Brand Radar AI Visibility Index add-on, priced at $398/mo for Select Platforms or $699/mo for All Platforms, on top of a $129/mo Lite plan, putting the realistic combined cost between $527/mo and $828/mo (with optional Custom Prompts add-ons from $50/mo if you need more than 2,500 monthly checks). Foglift bundles SEO + GEO + AEO scoring natively from the free tier up, with a $49/mo Launch plan that includes Claude, Gemini, AI Mode, and Google AI Overviews coverage and no per-platform fees.
Choose Foglift if you need:
- ✓AI-powered action plans and content briefs in plain English, not just dashboards or content-grading add-ons
- ✓Combined SEO + GEO + AEO in a single 30-second scan
- ✓Claude coverage included (Brand Radar still does not track Claude as of 2026-05-03)
- ✓AI Crawler Tracker — see GPTBot/ClaudeBot/PerplexityBot hits (Ahrefs doesn't offer this)
- ✓API, CLI, MCP server included on every paid tier, not a separate per-credit plan
- ✓Native AI search readiness from the free tier — $0–$49/mo vs Ahrefs' $527–$828/mo combined cost (Lite + Brand Radar Select or All Platforms), no separate AI Visibility Index add-on
Choose Ahrefs if you need:
- ✓Deep backlink analysis at scale (35T external backlinks, 493.9B vetted domains)
- ✓Keyword research depth (28.7B filtered keywords across 217 locations)
- ✓Full site crawls and rank tracking at agency/enterprise scale
- ✓An established AI Visibility Index database (381M+ monthly prompts tracked) trusted by SEO leaders like Aleyda Solis (Orainti) for AI Share of Voice and citation gap analysis
- ✓Grok and Microsoft Copilot tracking specifically (Foglift doesn't track either today; Brand Radar added Grok in 2026)
- ✓YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit visibility tracking (Brand Radar free beta, 2026-05-03)
- ✓Budget for the AI Visibility Index add-on ($398–$699/mo) on top of base plan
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Foglift | Ahrefs |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free ($0) | $29/mo (Starter, limited) — full SEO from $129/mo (Lite); AI search coverage requires Brand Radar AI Visibility Index add-on ($398/mo Select platforms or $699/mo All platforms) |
| Free Scan / Audit | Yes — instant unified SEO + GEO + AEO, no signup | Free AI Visibility Checker (top-of-funnel only); 7-day Lite trial |
| Tagline / Scale Claim | AI search optimization platform | 35 trillion live backlinks; 28.7B keywords across 217 locations; 381M+ monthly AI prompts tracked (ahrefs.com/big-data) |
| Native AI Search (no add-on) | Yes — included from Free tier up | No — Brand Radar AI Visibility Index is a separate add-on on top of any base plan |
| AI Engines Tracked | ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, Google AI Overviews | ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, Grok (7 engines via Brand Radar; ahrefs.com/brand-radar accessed 2026-05-03) |
| Claude Coverage | Included on all plans | Not tracked by Brand Radar (verified live 2026-05-03) |
| Grok Coverage | Not yet | Tracked by Brand Radar as of 2026 (added since prior reconcile; verified live 2026-05-03) |
| GEO Score | Yes — 8-dimension structural readiness score | Not surfaced as a single composite score; Site Audit flags some GEO issues |
| AEO Content Score | Yes — 8-dimension breakdown | No (AI Content Helper grades content quality, sold separately via Content Kit from $99/mo) |
| AI Crawler Tracker | Yes — GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended, etc. | No |
| AI Action Plan / Content Briefs | Yes — plain-English action plans + AI-generated content briefs | AI Content Helper (Content Kit add-on) grades content vs top-ranking pages |
| Combined SEO + GEO + AEO | Yes — single unified scan, three scores | No — SEO (base plan), AI search (Brand Radar), and content optimization (Content Kit) are separate purchases |
| Backlink Analysis | Not yet | Yes — 35 trillion backlinks indexed (the category benchmark) |
| Keyword Research | Not yet | Yes — 28.7B filtered keywords across 217 locations |
| Full Site Crawl | Per-page on-demand | Yes — Site Audit at scale (the industry benchmark) |
| Performance Audit (Core Web Vitals) | Yes — full Core Web Vitals | Limited — surfaced inside Site Audit |
| Security Headers Audit | Yes — 5+ header checks | HTTPS only |
| Accessibility Audit (WCAG) | Yes | No |
| Public REST API | Yes — included on all paid tiers, no per-credit billing | Yes — separate API plan, billed per row/credit (extra cost on top of base) |
| CLI Tool | Yes — npm: foglift-scan | No first-party CLI |
| MCP Server | Yes — first-party (npm: @foglift/mcp) | No first-party MCP |
| Self-Serve Signup | Yes — 30-second scan, no sales call | Yes — Starter/Lite/Standard/Advanced self-serve; Enterprise sales-gated, annual commitment |
| Annual Discount | No annual lock-in required | Yes — ~17% off on annual |
| Time-to-First-Insight | 30 seconds (scan) | Days — onboarding + project setup typical |
| Best Fit | Teams that want native AI search readiness without a per-engine bolt-on | Agencies and enterprises that lead with backlink/keyword research and add AI search as a paid layer |
Pricing Comparison
Foglift
Free (full scan)$0
Launch$49/mo
Growth$129/mo
Enterprise$299/mo
SEO + GEO + AEO included on every plan. API, CLI, MCP on all paid tiers. No add-ons for Claude, Gemini, or AI Mode coverage.
Ahrefs
Starter (limited)$29/mo
Lite$129/mo
Standard$249/mo
Advanced$449/mo
Enterprise (annual)from $1,499/mo
+ Brand Radar AI Visibility Index — Select Platforms$398/mo
+ Brand Radar AI Visibility Index — All Platforms (7 engines, 2,500 checks/mo)$699/mo
+ Custom Prompts add-on (Basic / Growth / Scale)$50 / $100 / $250
Lite + Brand Radar Select (cheaper bundle)$527/mo
Lite + Brand Radar All Platforms (full AI search bundle)$828/mo
~17% off on annual. Brand Radar pricing verified live on ahrefs.com/brand-radar (2026-05-03); the per-engine pricing model from prior reviews has been replaced by a tier-based AI Visibility Index. AI Content Helper is a separate Content Kit add-on from $99/mo. Public API is a separate per-credit plan.
Foglift Launch costs ~91% less than the Ahrefs Lite + Brand Radar Select bundle ($49/mo vs $527/mo) and ~94% less than the Lite + Brand Radar All Platforms bundle ($49/mo vs $828/mo) for the equivalent combined SEO + AI search use case.
The Bottom Line
Foglift is the better choice if AI search readiness is your primary use case rather than a paid bolt-on. Foglift ships native GEO + AEO scoring from the free tier, an AI Crawler Tracker (which Ahrefs doesn't offer at any price), Claude coverage that Brand Radar still doesn't track as of 2026-05-03, and a developer surface (REST API, CLI, MCP server) that's included on every paid tier rather than billed as a separate per-credit API plan.
Ahrefs is the category benchmark for backlink analysis, keyword research, and large-scale technical site auditing. With 35 trillion live external backlinks and 28.7B filtered keywords across 217 locations, it is the deepest backlink graph outside Google. If your team leads with link intelligence and competitive keyword research, Ahrefs Lite at $129/mo earns the seat. The Brand Radar AI Visibility Index add-on now tracks 381M+ monthly AI prompts and added Grok coverage in 2026, extending the Ahrefs workflow into structured AI search visibility tracking endorsed by SEO leaders like Aleyda Solis (Orainti).
The honest cost comparison for combined SEO + AI search isn't Foglift's $49/mo vs Ahrefs' $129/mo Lite. It's $49/mo vs the $527–$828/mo Lite + Brand Radar bundle that's the realistic entry point if you want AI Visibility Index coverage via Ahrefs (Select Platforms at $398/mo, or All Platforms at $699/mo with 7 engines and 2,500 monthly prompt checks). Custom Prompts add-ons stack on top from $50/mo. Independent testing has also flagged accuracy gaps in Brand Radar mention counts versus actual AI engine output (see sources below); accurate visibility data matters more than monitoring breadth alone.
Best of both worlds: many teams pair them. Use Ahrefs for backlink/keyword/rank-tracking workflows where it leads the category, and Foglift for the optimize-index-monitor-analyze-improve loop on AI search where Ahrefs' coverage is still bolt-on. Foglift Launch ($49/mo) added to an Ahrefs Lite account is cheaper than adding Ahrefs' own Brand Radar bundle at any tier, with Claude coverage Brand Radar doesn't ship and an AI Crawler Tracker no one else does.
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Scan Your Website FreeFrequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Foglift and Ahrefs?
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Ahrefs is the SEO benchmark, with 35 trillion backlinks and 28.7B filtered keywords across 217 locations, the deepest backlink graph outside Google. AI search coverage, however, is sold via the Brand Radar AI Visibility Index add-on ($398/mo Select Platforms or $699/mo All Platforms with 7 engines and 2,500 monthly prompt checks) on top of any base plan, and Brand Radar still does not track Claude as of 2026-05-03 (Grok coverage was added in 2026). Foglift bundles native SEO + GEO + AEO scoring from the free tier, includes Claude coverage, and ships an AI Crawler Tracker Ahrefs doesn't offer.
Is Foglift more affordable than Ahrefs?
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Foglift offers free unlimited Website Audits with no credit card required, and paid monitoring plans start at $49/mo. Ahrefs starts at $129/mo (Lite); AI search coverage requires the Brand Radar AI Visibility Index add-on ($398/mo Select Platforms or $699/mo All Platforms, with optional Custom Prompts add-ons from $50/mo), bringing the realistic combined cost to $527–$828/mo. Foglift includes SEO analysis, AI Readiness scoring, API, CLI, and MCP access on all tiers.
Does Ahrefs offer a free plan?
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No, Ahrefs does not offer a free plan — it starts at $129/mo (Lite); AI search coverage requires the Brand Radar AI Visibility Index add-on ($398/mo Select Platforms or $699/mo All Platforms, with optional Custom Prompts add-ons from $50/mo), bringing the realistic combined cost to $527–$828/mo. Foglift provides free unlimited Website Audits with no credit card and no trial expiration, so you can evaluate your site's SEO and AI Readiness scores before upgrading.
Which is better for SEO and AI search optimization: Foglift or Ahrefs?
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Foglift combines traditional SEO auditing with AI search readiness scoring (GEO) in a single tool — something most competitors, including Ahrefs, do not offer at this price point. If you need to understand how AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini see your website, Foglift is purpose-built for that.
When should I choose Ahrefs over Foglift?
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Consider Ahrefs if you need: 35 trillion live external backlinks (the largest backlink graph outside Google), 28.7B filtered keyword database across 217 locations, full Site Audit at agency/enterprise scale, Brand Radar AI Visibility Index covering 7 engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, Grok) with 381M+ monthly AI prompts tracked and YouTube/TikTok/Reddit visibility (free beta), AI Content Helper via Content Kit, customer endorsements from SEO leaders like Aleyda Solis (Orainti). Ahrefs is a strong choice for those specific use cases. Foglift is the better fit if you want free unlimited scans, combined SEO + GEO analysis, or developer tools (API, CLI, MCP).
How we compare
This comparison evaluates both tools across features, pricing, and AI search optimization capabilities. Our methodology draws on peer-reviewed research into what drives AI engine citations:
- Aggarwal et al., “How Search Engines Integrate AI Overviews,” KDD 2024 — found that structured data and entity clarity improve AI answer extraction rates.
- SE Ranking study of 129,000 domains (2025) — identified referring domains and brand web mentions as the strongest predictors of AI citations.
- Chatoptic correlation study (2025) — demonstrated only a 0.034 correlation between Google rank and ChatGPT citation, confirming AI visibility is an independent channel from traditional SEO.
- Zyppy freshness analysis (2025) — 71% of ChatGPT citations come from 2023–2025 content; pages updated within 30 days see a 3.2× citation lift.
Feature and pricing data is verified against each tool's public website. Last updated April 2026.
Sources & data freshness
Ahrefs feature, pricing, and product-line claims on this page are sourced from Ahrefs' own public website on the dates noted. Brand Radar pricing is now published directly on ahrefs.com/brand-radar as the AI Visibility Index, replacing the per-engine starting price seen in 2026 reviews. AI search behavioral data is sourced from peer-reviewed and industry research. We re-verify the comparison table quarterly and on every major Ahrefs pricing or feature change.
- Ahrefs plan tiers (Starter $29; Lite $129; Standard $249; Advanced $449; Enterprise from $1,499/mo, annual commitment), monthly USD, ~17% annual discount, ahrefs.com/pricing, last verified 2026-05-01 (page heavily client-rendered; no live drift detected on the public tier names since the prior reconcile).
- Ahrefs Brand Radar AI Visibility Index — separate add-on tracking AI search visibility across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, and Grok (7 engines as of 2026-05-03; Grok coverage was added since the prior reconcile). Claude is not tracked. Pricing: Select Platforms $398/mo, All Platforms $699/mo (includes 2,500 monthly prompt checks), with optional Custom Prompts add-ons (Basic $50/mo +2,500 checks; Growth $100/mo +7,000 checks; Scale $250/mo +25,000 checks). Brand Radar AI Visibility Database tracks 381M+ monthly AI prompts (270M+ AI Overviews, 54M+ AI Mode, 14M+ each ChatGPT/Copilot/Gemini/Perplexity) plus YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit visibility tracking (free beta). ahrefs.com/brand-radar, accessed 2026-05-03. Featured customer testimonial on the page: Aleyda Solis, International SEO Consultant and Founder of Orainti.
- Earlier per-engine Brand Radar pricing (“~$199/mo per engine”) referenced by 2026 third-party reviews has been superseded by Ahrefs' restructured tier-based AI Visibility Index pricing as of 2026-05-03. Reviews retained for accuracy-gap context: EWR Digital — Ahrefs Brand Radar Review (2026) and Rankability — Brand Radar Review. EWR Digital's testing reported Brand Radar undercounting AI mentions versus actual engine output (e.g., 3 ChatGPT mentions reported vs ~123 actual).
- Ahrefs scale claims (35 trillion live external backlinks; 28.7T internal backlinks; 493.9B vetted domains; 19.0B content pages indexed; 28.7B filtered keywords across 217 locations; 110B keywords ever seen; 5M pages crawled per minute; 10M new pages discovered every 24 hours; 381M+ monthly AI prompts in the AI Visibility Index; 250M+ search-backed prompts across 6 AI platforms), ahrefs.com/big-data, accessed 2026-05-03 (location count updated from “200+ countries” to “217 locations”; AI Visibility Database scale claims newly surfaced since prior reconcile).
- Ahrefs AI Content Helper — separate Content Kit add-on from $99/mo, ahrefs.com/ai-content-helper, accessed 2026-05-01.
- Ahrefs free AI Visibility Checker (top-of-funnel only), ahrefs.com/ai-visibility-checker, accessed 2026-05-01.
- Aggarwal et al., “How Search Engines Integrate AI Overviews,” KDD 2024 — structured data and entity clarity improve AI answer extraction rates.
- SE Ranking, “A Study of 129,000 Domains: AI Search Citation Predictors,” 2025 — referring domains and brand web mentions are the strongest citation predictors.
- Chatoptic, “ChatGPT Citation Correlation Study,” 2025 — 0.034 correlation between Google rank and ChatGPT citation; AI visibility is an independent channel from traditional SEO.
- Foglift product surface (pricing, AI engine coverage, MCP, CLI, AI Crawler Tracker) verified against the live homepage and /pricing on 2026-05-03.
Last updated: 2026-05-03. Spot a stale data point? Tell us.