Ahrefs Affiliate Program
ClosedSEO platform with no affiliate program: its affiliate URLs return 404 and Ahrefs says it has no plans to relaunch one.
Quick answer
No. Ahrefs pays no affiliate commission and runs no affiliate program; ahrefs.com/affiliate and ahrefs.com/affiliates both return a 404 page. Its own blog says it has no plans to relaunch one, and archived copies of ahrefs.com show the earlier program carried a closure notice by December 2012.
Closed. Ahrefs' affiliate URLs return 404, and its blog says old affiliate links no longer work. CMO Tim Soulo writes that Ahrefs chose personalised deals with the few affiliates who generated most leads instead of keeping an open program.
At a glance
- Status
- Closed
- Commission
- No affiliate commission is paid
- Category
- SEO
About Ahrefs
Ahrefs sells SEO software covering backlink analysis, keyword research, rank tracking and site audits. It has no affiliate program. Archived copies show ahrefs.com carried a 2Checkout-based affiliate page from at least September 2011, with a closure notice added in December 2012. After that, the /affiliate URL said in December 2015 that Ahrefs planned to launch a program in 2016, then showed a 'Coming Soon' page into early 2019 before redirecting to the homepage from March 2019. Today ahrefs.com/affiliate and ahrefs.com/affiliates both return 404.
Pros and limitations
Limitations
- ahrefs.com/affiliate and ahrefs.com/affiliates both return 404, so there is nowhere to sign up
- Affiliate links to Ahrefs in older articles no longer work, per Ahrefs' own blog
- Ahrefs publishes no terms for the personalised partner deals that replaced its program
Program change history
Recorded changes to this program's terms. Older values are kept so you can see the direction of travel.
status activeclosed
An archived copy of ahrefs.com carries the notice "We close our affiliate program" by December 2012. Ahrefs has since said it has no plans to relaunch a program.
Source
Editor's notes
Archived copies of ahrefs.com show a closure notice added between 4 and 12 December 2012, then a December 2015 page saying Ahrefs planned to launch a program in 2016, and a "Coming Soon" page that gave way to a homepage redirect in March 2019. Ahrefs' 2023 blog post says the program existed "around five years ago", which does not match those archived pages; this record follows the archive.
Sources and verification
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Frequently asked questions
Does Ahrefs have an affiliate program in 2026?
No. Both affiliate URLs on ahrefs.com return a 404 page, and Ahrefs' blog post on the subject says it has no plans to relaunch a program. An Ahrefs affiliate link in an older article no longer pays.
Why did Ahrefs close its affiliate program?
Tim Soulo, Ahrefs' CMO, gives two reasons on its blog. Supporting affiliates through changes of payment processor, new packages and add-ons created technical debt on the billing side, and 3% of affiliates generated 90% of leads, so Ahrefs chose personalised deals with that small group instead.
When did Ahrefs close its affiliate program?
Archived copies of ahrefs.com/affiliate.php show the closure notice first appearing between 4 and 12 December 2012; it told partners they would keep earning on subscribers already referred. Ahrefs' 2023 blog post places the old program 'around five years ago', which does not match those archived pages.
What should I promote instead of Ahrefs?
One of the open SEO-tool programs listed as alternatives on this page. Content ranking for 'Ahrefs affiliate program' cannot earn through Ahrefs itself.
Open alternatives to Ahrefs
Open programs in the same category. Each row shows the one published term that differs most in the affiliate's favour.
