Smartly vs Ahrefs: Which AI Marketing tool is Best in 2025?

All these tools Smartly , Ahrefs offer flexible pricing models suitable for digital marketers, content strategists seeking AI-powered solutions to enhance their AI Marketing efforts.

Smartly

Starting from
custom

Ahrefs

Starting from
$129/month
Pricing Model:
  • Lite - $129/month
  • Standard - $249/month
  • Advanced - $449/month
  • Enterprise - $1499/month
  • Starter - $29/month
  • Webmaster Tools - Free

These AI tools are among the best AI Marketing tools available in 2025. For digital marketers, content strategists, tools like Smartly , Ahrefs help streamline the AI Marketing process by offering AI-powered features.

What is Smartly?

Smartly, founded in 2013 by Kristo Ovaska and Tuomo Riekko in Helsinki, Finland, is a cutting-edge AI-powered advertising platform for performance that unifies creative, media, and analytics to streamline digital advertising. Managing over $5 billion in ad spend for 700+ brands like Nike and Uber, Smartly leverages generative AI to produce 1 billion creative variants daily, enhancing campaigns across Meta, TikTok, Google, and more. Its cross-channel ad automation for brands delivers 3.3x faster campaign setup and up to 5.5x return on ad spend, making it a top choice for enterprise-level marketing.

What is Ahrefs?

Launched in 2010 by Dmytro Gerasymenko, Ahrefs is a leading all-in-one SEO and digital marketing platform designed to deliver actionable data for businesses, marketers, and agencies. Initially focused on backlink analysis, it has evolved into a robust suite supporting SEO, content marketing, PPC, and competitor research. Boasting a database with over 11 billion keywords and 400 billion indexed pages, Ahrefs empowers users to enhance website performance, monitor rankings, and outrank global competitors. Trusted by 44% of Fortune 500 companies, it’s a top choice for data-driven marketing strategies.

Smartly
(4.5/5)
  • Accuracy and Reliability:
    4.6
  • Cost-Efficiency:
    4.5
  • Customization and Flexibility:
    4.8
  • Data Privacy and Security:
    4.7
  • Ease of Use:
    4.6
  • Functionality and Features:
    4.4
  • Integration Capabilities:
    4.2
  • Performance and Speed:
    4.3
  • Support and Resources:
    4.8
Ahrefs
(4.5/5)
  • Accuracy and Reliability:
    4.7
  • Cost-Efficiency:
    4.5
  • Customization and Flexibility:
    4.8
  • Data Privacy and Security:
    4.6
  • Ease of Use:
    4.4
  • Functionality and Features:
    4.5
  • Integration Capabilities:
    4.6
  • Performance and Speed:
    4.2
  • Support and Resources:
    4.5
Smartly
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Ahrefs
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Smartly

Pros

3.3x faster campaign setup.

5.5x ROAS with predictive AI.

Seamless Meta and TikTok integrations.

1 billion daily creative variants.

28% lower CPA with analytics.

Cons

Steep learning curve for beginners.

Slow chat support response.

1 billion daily creative variants.

28% lower CPA with analytics.

Ahrefs

Pros

Industry-leading backlink and keyword data accuracy

Comprehensive tools for SEO

content

and PPC

User-friendly interface with advanced AI features

Global support with data from 170+ countries

Trusted by 44% of Fortune 500 companies

Cons

Premium pricing for advanced plans

Limited free tier functionality

The credit-based system may confuse beginners

If you're looking for other AI Marketing tools for digital marketers, content strategists, you can also explore M1-project, Nichesss, Kore.ai, Vsub, Build Chatbot, Gizzmo, AdCreative.AI, 2short AI, Murf.ai, KeywordSearch, Brandfy, Powerdrill, which are highly rated in 2025.

Smartly
  • Smartly
  • Helsinki, Finland
Ahrefs
  • Ahrefs
  • Singapore