Dynamic Growth vs Ahrefs Free (Webmaster Tools): An Honest Comparison
Ahrefs Free (formerly Ahrefs Webmaster Tools) gives site owners a free site audit, plus limited backlink and keyword data, for websites they have verified. It is a strong free option, so a fair comparison starts there. Dynamic Growth is a paid tool with a different scope.
Here is where each one fits. Prices and limits were checked on the vendor's own public pages on 22 October 2026 and can change.
At a glance
| Ahrefs Free | Dynamic Growth | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for verified websites | From $29 a month for 10 credits, with a 7 day free trial and 1 free credit |
| Needs ownership proof | Yes, the site must be verified in your account | You enter a website address and choose a service |
| Site audit | Scans for 170+ technical and on-page issues, crawl limit 5,000 credits per project each month | Marketing Audit and SEO Audit, plus a Whole-Site Crawl of up to 100 pages |
| Backlinks and keywords | Yes, up to 1000 of each shown at once | Not offered |
| Beyond SEO | Web analytics included | Tracking checks, page speed, security, AI visibility, competitor comparison and a brand kit |
| Weekly re-checks | Not compared on this page | Weekly Monitoring re-runs the Marketing Audit on up to 5 sites |
| Checking a rival | Needs a verified site | Competitor Comparison works on a rival's public site |
Start with the free tool
If you own your site and are happy to verify it, Ahrefs Free is worth using. Nothing about Dynamic Growth makes it unnecessary.
Dynamic Growth earns its place when you need checks that are outside an SEO audit, when you need to look at a site you cannot verify, or when you want the whole picture as one scored report.
Which to choose
- You own the site, can verify it and want a free technical audit.
- You want backlink and keyword data for your own site at no cost.
- You need to check a site you do not own yet, such as a client or a competitor.
- You want tracking, speed, security and AI visibility checked together.
- You prefer a ranked list of fixes written for a non-specialist.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ahrefs Free really free?
On Ahrefs' public page on 22 October 2026 the free tools were offered for verified websites, with a site audit limit of 5,000 crawl credits per project each month. Check its site for current terms.
Can I use Dynamic Growth on a site I do not own?
You enter a website address and run a service on it. Competitor Comparison is designed for a rival's public site.
Which one should I start with?
If you own the site, try Ahrefs Free first, then use Dynamic Growth for the checks it does not cover. If you do not own the site, start with Dynamic Growth.