Is there actually a free alternative to Majestic that's worth using?

For your own site? Google Search Console shows you exactly which links Google actually counts—which is more valuable than any third-party estimate. It's the only 'tool' that sees what Google sees. For competitor analysis, free tiers of Ahrefs Webmaster Tools and Semrush exist but are so limited they're essentially demos. Here's my honest take: if you can't afford $99/month for proper tools, you're not ready for client work. You cannot credibly sell authority building services while relying on free tools that serious agencies abandoned years ago. Invest in the tools or invest in a different career path.

Should I care more about Trust Flow or Domain Rating?

You should care about neither as primary metrics. Both are third-party guesses about how Google might evaluate authority, and both are wrong with uncomfortable frequency. That said, if forced to choose: Trust Flow is better for spam detection (the TF/CF ratio reveals manipulation instantly), while Domain Rating correlates better with actual ranking ability. I use TF when vetting link sources for quality. I use DR when estimating a site's competitive power. But the metric that actually matters? Whether the site ranks for relevant keywords and receives real organic traffic. A TF10 site with 50,000 monthly visitors will move the needle more than a TF50 site that Google has clearly chosen to ignore.

Can Semrush replace Majestic entirely?

For 85% of agencies, yes—and it should. Semrush's link database has caught up dramatically, its Authority Score functions similarly to TF and DR, and it bundles keyword research, content tools, and PPC intelligence that Majestic will never offer. The only scenarios where Majestic remains essential: deep historical link analysis (Semrush's data doesn't go back as far), advanced PBN detection (Majestic's visualization tools are still superior), and bulk API access for custom tools (Majestic is more economical at scale). If you're running a generalist agency and can only afford one subscription, Semrush provides more business value than Majestic. I still maintain both, but I'm increasingly using Majestic for edge cases rather than daily operations.

Why do you say cold outreach is dead if these tools enable prospecting?

Because the tools that enable prospecting enable it for everyone. Every agency running Ahrefs or Majestic generates the same broken link lists, the same competitor gap analyses, the same 'I noticed your site' emails. When 10,000 SEOs send nearly identical outreach powered by identical tools, response rates collapse toward zero. I use these tools for defense, not offense. Ahrefs monitors my clients' backlink profiles for sudden drops that might indicate problems. Majestic verifies the quality of links my content naturally attracts. But for acquisition? I create assets—tools, research, definitive guides—that generate inbound interest. The Authority Flywheel doesn't require outreach because the content does the work. These tools help me understand the landscape. They don't replace the need to build something worth linking to.

Majestic SEO: The World's Best Tool for Answering Questions Nobody's Asking

How I wasted 3 years obsessing over Trust Flow before realizing clients pay for rankings, not metrics.

Updated February 2026

Executive Verdict

Winner: Majestic SEO

Here's the uncomfortable truth I wish someone told me in 2016: [Majestic is a museum](/comparison/seo-powersuite-alternative). A spectacular, meticulously organized museum of the internet's [link history](/comparison/onsite-vs-offsite-seo). But you can't build a business giving clients tours of a museum. Ahrefs is a weapon. It shows you where money flows, which content prints traffic, and exactly which competitors are vulnerable. Majestic tells you a site has 50,000 backlinks. Ahrefs tells you those links drive $0 in traffic value — meaning someone bought them from Fiverr. One tool impresses SEO nerds at conferences. The other closes $10k/month retainers. I use Majestic for exactly one scenario now: [verifying a domain](/comparison/seo-frog-alternative) wasn't a casino spam farm before I buy it. Everything else? Ahrefs runs the show.

Majestic SEO

Best for:

Ahrefs

Best for:

Martial Notarangelo

Founder, AuthoritySpecialist.com

Updated: February 2026

I spent I spent over 8 years. over 8 years. Here's why I now use it for exactly one thing — and why why runs my entire why Ahrefs runs my entire .. runs my entire [authority-building operation](/industry/advanced).

DETAILED COMPARISON

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

2 wins for Majestic SEO • 2 wins for Ahrefs • 1 ties

Feature

Majestic SEO

Ahrefs

Winner

Link Index Freshness

The speed at which the tool spots your wins (or your competitor's).

Majestic's 'Fresh Index' is a lie we all politely accept. It's 90 days of data that sometimes takes 2 weeks to register a viral mention. The Historic Index is genuinely impressive—if you're writing a dissertation on link decay patterns.

Ahrefs catches links within hours. I once secured a Forbes mention at 9 AM and showed the client the Ahrefs alert at lunch. That's not just data—that's ammunition for your next invoice discussion.

Ahrefs

Proprietary Metrics (TF vs DR)

The numbers everyone pretends to understand in sales calls.

Trust Flow and Citation Flow are genuinely clever—the ratio reveals spam instantly. But here's what Majestic won't tell you: I've seen TF50 sites with zero organic traffic. The metric measures link quality in a vacuum, completely divorced from Google's actual behavior.

Domain Rating is absolutely gameable. I know because I've watched clients' competitors inflate it with obvious link schemes. But here's the thing: DR correlates with ranking power in ways TF simply doesn't. It's a flawed metric that accidentally predicts reality.

Tie

Content & Keyword Intelligence

The difference between knowing who links and knowing why it matters.

Majestic's keyword data is... wait, there isn't any. It's like buying a car with no engine and being told 'we specialize in excellent chassis.' You'll need to export everything to another tool just to understand if those beautiful links drive a single visitor.

This is where Ahrefs becomes unfair. I can see a competitor's top 50 pages by traffic, the exact keywords driving revenue, and which content earned links naturally versus which got propped up artificially. In 15 minutes, I have a 6-month content calendar. Majestic would give me... a spreadsheet of URLs.

Ahrefs

Network Visualization

Seeing the skeleton of link schemes and PBN empires.

I'll give credit where it's earned: Majestic's Link Graph is genuinely beautiful for exposing private blog networks. The Neighbourhood Checker showing C-block relationships is the kind of paranoid detail that makes technical audits actually defensible. If you're buying a $50k domain, this visualization might save you from inheriting a penalty.

Ahrefs shows you networks exist. Majestic shows you exactly how they were built, who shares hosting, and which sites are clearly controlled by the same operator. For pure forensic work, Majestic wins this round.

Majestic

Pricing Reality

What you'll actually pay after the first month.

Majestic's Lite plan at $49/month is genuinely accessible for freelancers who just need quick TF checks. The API is reasonably priced for developers. If you're building tools that need raw link data, Majestic is the economical choice.

Ahrefs' credit system is designed by someone who clearly resents power users. Run 10 competitor analyses in a day and watch your credits evaporate. But here's my math: one client closed with an Ahrefs-powered proposal covers 6 months of the subscription. The ROI isn't even a conversation.

Majestic

PROS & CONS

Strengths & Weaknesses

Majestic SEO

()

Pros

Cons

Best For

Penalty recovery specialists, domain investors doing due diligence, and agencies with dedicated technical audit teams.

Ahrefs

()

Pros

Cons

Best For

Revenue-focused agencies, content strategists, competitor analysis, and anyone who needs to justify SEO spend to skeptical stakeholders.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Ahrefs vs Semrush: The Real Cost of 'All-in-One' Tools

Read Comparison

SE Ranking Review: When 'Good Enough' Actually Is

Read Comparison

Majestic SEO: The World's Best Tool for Answering Questions Nobody's Asking

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Strengths & Weaknesses

Pros

Cons

Best For

Pros

Cons

Best For

Frequently Asked Questions

More Comparisons

Ahrefs vs Semrush: The Real Cost of 'All-in-One' Tools

SE Ranking Review: When 'Good Enough' Actually Is

Your Brand Deserves to Be the Answer.

Majestic SEO: The World's Best Tool for Answering Questions Nobody's Asking

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Strengths & Weaknesses

Pros

Cons

Best For

Pros

Cons

Best For

Frequently Asked Questions

More Comparisons

Ahrefs vs Semrush: The Real Cost of 'All-in-One' Tools

SE Ranking Review: When 'Good Enough' Actually Is

Your Brand Deserves to Be the Answer.