How to Use Ahrefs SEO Toolbar for Free (2025 Guide)

Ahrefs is one of the most trusted names in the SEO world. While its full platform is paid, you can still access a lot of useful features for free using the Ahrefs SEO Toolbar Chrome extension.

In this guide, SoftwareBhai.com shows you how to use Ahrefs SEO Toolbar for free to analyze backlinks, keywords, and website authority directly from your browser.

Step 1: Install the Ahrefs SEO Toolbar

Go to the Ahrefs SEO Toolbar page in the Chrome Web Store and click Add to Chrome.

After installation, you’ll see an Ahrefs icon in your Chrome toolbar. You can use it without a paid subscription — just sign in with a free Ahrefs account.

Step 2: Check SEO Metrics Instantly

Once enabled, visit any webpage or search result on Google. The toolbar automatically displays useful SEO metrics such as:

  • DR (Domain Rating): Overall authority of the website.
  • UR (URL Rating): Page-level strength based on backlinks.
  • Backlinks: Number of backlinks pointing to the page.
  • Referring Domains: Unique websites linking to the page.

Even the free version gives you enough data to compare websites and understand link strength.

Step 3: Analyze Competitor Backlinks

Open any website or article from your competitors. The Ahrefs toolbar shows how many backlinks and referring domains they have.

This helps you find potential link opportunities or identify which pages attract the most backlinks in your niche.

Step 4: Perform Keyword Research

The Ahrefs SEO Toolbar also integrates with Google’s search results. When you search a keyword, it displays keyword metrics like:

  • Search volume trends
  • Keyword difficulty (KD)
  • Clicks and CPC data

While the free version has limited data, it’s enough to get keyword ideas and understand competition levels.

Step 5: Use On-Page SEO Checker

When you open any webpage, click the Ahrefs icon. It gives a quick on-page SEO report including:

  • Title tag and meta description
  • Word count and heading structure
  • Canonical tags and meta robots data

This helps you quickly identify optimization gaps on your own or competitors’ pages.

Step 6: Combine Ahrefs Toolbar with MozBar

For better SEO insights, use Ahrefs SEO Toolbar together with MozBar. Ahrefs shows link metrics, while MozBar gives DA/PA insights — a perfect combo for keyword and backlink analysis.

Final Thoughts

The Ahrefs SEO Toolbar is one of the most powerful Chrome extensions for analyzing backlinks, keywords, and on-page SEO — even without a paid plan. It’s a must-have tool for every blogger, marketer, and web developer in 2025.

Explore more Chrome extensions and SEO resources in our Google Chrome Browser section at SoftwareBhai.com.