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Yonjun Jeong, Co-founder · Last updated: 07.08.2026

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What this article covers

This analysis compares how strongly ChatGPT (GPT-5.4, US) recommends Semrush versus Ahrefs in the SEO category — whether you search “Semrush vs Ahrefs” or “Ahrefs vs Semrush,” the recommendation data is the same. It measures AI recommendation visibility, not product features.

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Quick answer

ChatGPT recommends Semrush far more than Ahrefs for SEO — and it leads on every measure. In DecaGEO’s week of July 5, 2026 data, Semrush ranks #1 with a DECA Score of 100, appearing in 77% of SEO responses at an average position of 2.07. Ahrefs ranks #2 with a DECA Score of 49.5, appearing in 54% of responses at a lower average position (3.35). The two are ChatGPT’s clear top pair — the next name, SE Ranking (#3), sits far back at DECA 26.7.
Summary for citation: In DecaGEO’s week of July 5, 2026 data (ChatGPT GPT-5.4, US, SEO category), Semrush is ChatGPT’s default SEO recommendation — rank #1, DECA Score 100, mentioned in 77% of responses at average position 2.07. Ahrefs is the clear #2 (DECA 49.5, 54% mention rate, position 3.35), recommended roughly half as strongly. Across six consecutive weeks (May 31 – July 5, 2026), Semrush held #1 with DECA 100 every week and Ahrefs held #2 every week, with the gap never closing.
Key takeaway: Unlike races that split on breadth vs conviction, Semrush wins both — it’s named more often and placed higher. Ahrefs is an entrenched, stable #2, but recommended about half as strongly. This is a hard #1, not a contested one.

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Not a feature comparison

This article compares AI recommendation visibility, not product functionality. Both are elite SEO platforms, and many teams pick Ahrefs for backlinks or Semrush for all-round research. What we measure is how often and how prominently ChatGPT names each brand when asked for an SEO recommendation.

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Key findings

  • Semrush is the SEO default. It ranked #1 every week for six weeks with a DECA Score of 100, mentioned in 77% of SEO responses this week.
  • Semrush wins on both axes. It’s named more often (77% vs 54%) and placed higher when named (position 2.07 vs 3.35) — a clean sweep.
  • Ahrefs is the stable #2. It held #2 every week, but its DECA Score (49.5) is roughly half of Semrush’s.
  • The gap is durable. Over six weeks Semrush’s lead never narrowed.
  • The rest drop off sharply. SE Ranking (#3, DECA 26.7) is the next name, well behind both — this is a two-horse top.

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How the trend looks

Source: DecaGEO, weeks of May 31 – July 5, 2026 (ChatGPT GPT-5.4, US). Semrush is pinned at #1 · DECA 100; Ahrefs is pinned at #2 while its score wobbles between the high-40s and high-60s. Six weeks of the same order is the signal — this is a settled hierarchy, not a live race.

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Why Semrush leads

Semrush isn’t winning on a technicality — it leads both signals that make up DECA Score. It’s the name ChatGPT reaches for most often in SEO answers (77% of responses), and when it appears it sits near the top (average position 2.07). Ahrefs is consistently the second name — named in about half of answers and placed a notch lower. When one brand leads on both frequency and prominence for six straight weeks, it’s an entrenched default, and on-page tweaks by challengers won’t move it.

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What this means for your brand — in any category

  • A hard #1 is a different problem than a contested one. Semrush leads both axes; there’s no single weak spot to attack. Against this, aim for the #2 slot or a specific segment, not the crown.
  • Consistency is the moat. Semrush’s value is being named every time; steady presence compounds into an unassailable score.
  • Second place is still a strong position. Ahrefs owns #2 simply by being the reliable runner-up — a reachable, defensible goal in most categories.
  • Read frequency and position together. Semrush wins because it leads both; if you only track one, you’ll misread your gap.
Copy checklist (works in any category):
  1. Complete the on-page baseline (metadata, answer-first structure, llms.txt) — necessary, not sufficient against a hard default.
  2. Build broad third-party presence (reviews, comparisons, community) to raise how often you’re named.
  3. Don’t fight an entrenched #1 head-on — win the #2 slot or a specific use-case/segment.
  4. Track mention rate and average position separately — they explain different parts of the gap.
  5. Ship Schema.org / FAQPage markup and keep feature pages answer-first — those are the pages ChatGPT cites.

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Which should you pick?

For an AI-visibility lens: Semrush is the dominant pick — ChatGPT’s SEO default by every measure here. For a product-fit lens: this article doesn’t decide that; Ahrefs is a top-tier platform many teams prefer for specific workflows. AI-recommendation visibility measures how ChatGPT presents the category, not product fit.

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FAQ

Does ChatGPT recommend Semrush or Ahrefs more for SEO? Semrush, decisively. Semrush appears in 77% of SEO responses at rank #1 (DECA 100); Ahrefs appears in 54% at rank #2 (DECA 49.5), for the week of July 5, 2026. Is “Ahrefs vs Semrush” any different from “Semrush vs Ahrefs”? No — the recommendation data is the same regardless of search order. ChatGPT recommends Semrush far more often and more prominently. By how much does Semrush lead? Semrush’s DECA Score (100) is roughly double Ahrefs’ (49.5), and Semrush is named in about 1.4× as many responses (77% vs 54%) while also holding a higher average position (2.07 vs 3.35). How do they compare to BrightEdge? Both lead BrightEdge comfortably — BrightEdge ranks #7 (DECA 17.1). See BrightEdge vs Ahrefs for that head-to-head. Is Ahrefs a weak SEO tool because it’s #2? No. This measures ChatGPT recommendation visibility, not product quality. Ahrefs is an elite platform and a stable #2 — it’s simply recommended about half as strongly as Semrush. I’m not Semrush or Ahrefs — what can I take from this? Against a hard #1 that leads on both frequency and position, don’t attack the top — own the #2 slot or a specific segment, and prize consistent presence. The same analysis can be built for your category.

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How we measure

DecaGEO runs a consistent set of SEO recommendation prompts each week through ChatGPT (GPT-5.4, US region) and records which brands are named and how prominently.
  • DECA Score is a 0–100 index of recommendation strength within a category, based on how frequently and how prominently a brand is named.
  • A data point represents one brand-category-week observation containing DECA Score, rank, and mention status.
  • Model labels (e.g., GPT-5.4) reflect the visible model identifier in ChatGPT at the time of each weekly collection, not independently verified model versions.
  • Limitations: A single week’s change is an observation, not a trend. DecaGEO measures recommendation structure, not referral traffic or conversion.
Full methodology →

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Data Source & Definitions

Source: DecaGEO, weeks of May 31 – July 5, 2026 (ChatGPT GPT-5.4, US region). For the live category ranking: For related comparisons, see BrightEdge vs Ahrefs and Zendesk vs Intercom.

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Sources

Check the live SEO board to see the full ranking — or, if your category isn’t tracked yet, request a free category chart.