---
title: "Ahrefs MCP for keyword and competitor research | SEO Skill"
description: "Use your own Ahrefs API key in Claude, ChatGPT, Codex or Cursor through a free hosted MCP. Keyword metrics, ranked keywords, SERPs, competitors and backlinks beside your Search Console data."
canonical: "https://seoskill.dev/integrations/ahrefs"
language: "en"
---

# Ahrefs MCP for keyword research

Add your Ahrefs API key and your agent can check keywords, competitors and backlinks next to your own clicks and impressions.

[Get started free](https://seoskill.dev/account)

Run it in a terminal, then sign in with Google.

Or run it on your machine

Installs the CLI, signs you in and adds the skill to your agents. Site crawls and Bing data run this way, on your own machine. A crawl fetches many pages, and Bing blocks our hosted server.

## Questions you can ask it

Ask the way you would ask a colleague. Your agent picks the tool and reads your Ahrefs data before it answers.

-   ### What keywords does example.org rank for that I don't?

    Ranked keywords for the competitor, which your agent can set against your own Search Console queries.

-   ### Which sites compete with mine?

    Competitors: domains that rank for the same keywords, each with its Domain Rating.

-   ### Who links to this competitor?

    Backlinks: the referring domains for a domain or URL.

-   ### How hard is this keyword?

    Keyword metrics with volume, keyword difficulty and cost per click.

## Tools your agent gets

The SEO Skill tools that read Ahrefs. Your agent calls them for you.

-   ### Keyword metrics, ranked keywords, SERPs, competitors and backlinks.

    `seo_research`

## Connect Ahrefs

What you need, and how to read what comes back.

[Research docs](https://seoskill.dev/docs/research)

-   ### What you need

    An Ahrefs API key from a plan that includes API access. Ahrefs counts each request against your units.

-   ### Add your Ahrefs key

    Sign in with Google first, then save your API key under Keys on your account page. Clients that send headers can pass it with each request instead.

-   ### Read it with its limits

    Ahrefs numbers are estimates from its own index. They stay separate from your first-party data.

## Ahrefs in your AI client

Setup steps for Ahrefs in each client.

[

### Claude Code

One command in your terminal.

Ahrefs in Claude Code](https://seoskill.dev/integrations/ahrefs/claude-code)[

### Claude

A custom connector, added once for web, desktop and mobile.

Ahrefs in Claude](https://seoskill.dev/integrations/ahrefs/claude)[

### ChatGPT

A custom MCP server added from Plugins.

Ahrefs in ChatGPT](https://seoskill.dev/integrations/ahrefs/chatgpt)[

### Codex

Two commands in your terminal.

Ahrefs in Codex](https://seoskill.dev/integrations/ahrefs/codex)[

### Cursor

One entry in mcp.json.

Ahrefs in Cursor](https://seoskill.dev/integrations/ahrefs/cursor)[

### VS Code

The Add Server command, or one entry in .mcp.json.

Ahrefs in VS Code](https://seoskill.dev/integrations/ahrefs/vs-code)[

### Gemini CLI

One command in your terminal.

Ahrefs in Gemini CLI](https://seoskill.dev/integrations/ahrefs/gemini-cli)[

### Windsurf

Two commands, or one entry in mcp\_config.json.

Ahrefs in Windsurf](https://seoskill.dev/integrations/ahrefs/windsurf)[

### Le Chat

A custom MCP connector.

Ahrefs in Le Chat](https://seoskill.dev/integrations/ahrefs/le-chat)

## Questions about the Ahrefs MCP