Marketing Skills Directory Ahrefs API v3
$129/mo
API access listed on Lite and higher plans per Ahrefs. Plan-access wording conflicts across Ahrefs pages. Confirm before buying.
No (free test queries only)
API key
API key from Account settings, sent as a bearer token in the Authorization header.
Backlinks and referring domains
Domain Rating
Organic keywords and traffic
Site Explorer data
Pricing checked on 23 Oct 2026 · Pricing page · Docs · Sign up
Description
The Ahrefs API v3 gives programmatic access to Ahrefs data, which is best known for backlinks, referring domains and Domain Rating. It is used for link analysis, competitor research and reporting.
It suits teams that already pay for Ahrefs and want data in their own workflows. Each request costs at least 50 API units, drawn from a monthly allowance shared with the MCP server and Ahrefs Connect.
It is not a cheap pay-per-call option. Row limits per request depend on your plan.
Key endpoints
GET /v3/site-explorer/domain-rating: Domain RatingGET /v3/site-explorer/backlinks-stats: backlink totalsGET /v3/site-explorer/refdomains: referring domainsGET /v3/site-explorer/organic-keywords: organic keywordsGET /v3/keywords-explorer/overview: keyword metricsGET /v3/subscription-info/limits-and-usage: your API units and usage
Example request
curl "https://api.ahrefs.com/v3/site-explorer/refdomains?target=ahrefs.com&mode=domain&limit=5&order_by=refdomains:desc" -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
Tech details
- API style
- REST
- Base URL
- https://api.ahrefs.com
- Rate limits
- 60 requests per minute by default (429 when exceeded). Monthly units: Lite 200,000, Standard 800,000, Advanced 2,000,000. Min 50 units per request.
- Official SDKs
- None official
Use Cases
Backlinks and referring domains
Domain Rating
Organic keywords and traffic
Site Explorer data
Editor’s note What our review found
Editorial research, reviewed 23 Oct 2026. We read the Ahrefs pricing page and the help article on API v3. We did not run live calls. This listing is not an endorsement.
Cost: Ahrefs' pricing page lists Lite $129, Standard $249, Advanced $449 and Enterprise $1,499 a month (Enterprise needs an annual commitment) and says Lite to Advanced include API access. The help article says API v3 is available on Lite and higher, with 200,000 units a month on Lite, 800,000 on Standard and 2,000,000 on Advanced. Max rows per request: 100, 250, 500, unlimited on Enterprise.
Plan wording: the docs say the API is "available on eligible paid plans" and that other plans get free test queries (the docs home says "without an Enterprise plan"). Confirm your plan's API access with Ahrefs before building.
Credentials and data: an API key, sent as a bearer token. Only workspace owners and admins can create keys. Store it in an environment variable or secret manager. The docs say the default limit is 60 requests a minute and each request costs at least 50 units. Units are non-refundable, and free test queries are available for development.