The Benefits and Risks of Using a Shared Ahrefs Account

Exploring The Advantages and Disadvantages of Utilizing a Shared Ahrefs Account

In this digital age, where everything is online, Ahrefs has established itself as one of the best tools for marketers, SEO lovers, and digital agencies. Utilizing this multi-purpose platform can drastically improve one’s online visibility through its numerous features such as keyword research, competitor analysis, backlink tracking, and content optimization. As beneficial as it is, the cost can be quite steep for individuals or smaller teams, making shared Ahrefs accounts a more enticing option.

But is it wise to share an Ahrefs account? This blog discusses the advantages, disadvantages, and optimal strategies of using a shared Ahrefs account,so you can understand what information to expect.

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What Is a Shared Ahrefs Account?

As the name implies, a shared Ahrefs account means multiple people are using the same Ahrefs subscription. This can happen in two ways:

Within a Single Organization: Workers from the same marketing or SEO team use a single account for their processes.

Across Multiple Users or Companies: Some people or groups pool together to buy one account, and then manage access through password-sharing services.

While intra-organizational user sharing is commonplace and relatively secure, cross organizational user sharing may pose complications. Now, let us analyze the advantages and disadvantages.

A Higher Level of Savings

Solely agreeing on aligning an Ahrefs account is beneficial to businesses and individuals solely when significant cost savings are realized. Ahrefs charges a minimum of $99 monthly for the Lite plan and a whopping $999 for the Enterprise plan. Such fees may be untenable for individuals and small businesses.

Full access to this powerful resource can be obtained for a fraction of the expense by splitting the cost between multiple users.

Bypass the Financial Burden

Effectively executing an SEO strategy Site also Site Explorer, Keyword Explorer, and rank tracking, requires access to premium features. For a good number of people, those tools are a little pricey on an individual basis, so sharing a subscription harnesses the power of those tools at a lower financial barrier.

For corporations account sharing enhances cooperation and collaboration. Through real-time insights teams can work together over the platform to analyze data, split tasks, strategize, and refine as needed. This ensures that all interdependent actions are executed toward the common objectives.

Breaking Ahrefs’ Reasonable Use Policy
Account sharing amongst users from different companies or individuals is not allowed as per Ahrefs’ Terms of Service. Per policy, every user must have their own unique subscription login details. Allowing access to your account to people outside of your organization is a breach of contract that could result in suspension of the account.

Concurrent User Session Restrictions

Ahrefs imposes restrictions on the number of users accessing an account at the same time. Multiple users logging into an account at the same time may result in them being logged out and disrupt workflows.

As an illustration, you are analyzing your competitor’s backlinks when suddenly you are logged off due to another user from the shared account logging in. Frustrating, is it not?

Potential Organizational Harm

Allowing access to the accounts increases the potential for an organizational security breach. After allowing others to view the credentials, anyone with access can take control of the account and make modifications that will lock the original subscribers out. Private information such as client details can be trapped and revealed when locked out in a digital vault and exposed when accessed by different people.

So too, password-sharing tools obtained from the internet to optimize management could weaken access to crucial details.

Ethical Concerns

Account sharing of Ahrefs accounts among unrelated parties raises ethical problems, particularly for SEO consultants servicing clients. Unauthorized usage contributes to rule-breaking and will negatively impact your personal brand, should reputational damage occur.

Trust has been established between you and the client on the assumption that industry standards will be adhered to. In this case, operating outside terms of service for Ahrefs could erode trust.

Limited Support and Updates

Ahrefs tends to serve customers based on their registration details. Support will be lacking for shared accounts as the primary point of contact for support becomes ambiguous. Equally, if Ahrefs add new updates or additional features to the higher-tier subscriptions, shared account holders will not receive them.

In the case you’re sharing an Ahrefs account at work, here are some recommendations to minimize disruptions associated with compliance.

Use the Multi-User Plan

Ahrefs offers multi-user subscription options in their higher-tier plans. They can obtain unique logins associated with the shared account, eliminating the problem of authorless account sharing.

Since not every team member requires full access to tailoring content or the other tools available in Ahrefs, defining roles enables to guarantee the right level of access control is enforced.

Following the previous example, content creators may only require access to the keyword research sections, whereas managers may need the rank tracking and competitor analysis tools.

Control Account Activity

Access patterns should be monitored for login frequency. Access should align with the team members’ roles and responsibilities. Monitoring within an organization can highlight gaps in productivity, which in turn, will help in optimizing the value derived from the purchase of the subscription.

For small teams or individual users that find the subscription too costly, here are some suggestions:

Restricted Single-User Accounts

Lower-tier plans, such as Ahrefs’ Lite plan, provide a lesser quantity of data than standard plans, which may be sufficient for smaller scale projects. While limited in features, it is acceptable for less complicated SEO needs.

Access to Free Tools

Ahrefs also has some free tools which can be leveraged when starting out, including the Keyword Generator, Backlink Checker, and the Website Authority Checker. Although the functionality offered is basic, these tools still provide some useful information without associated costs.

Competitor Tools

Platforms such as SEMrush and Moz provide comparable features but differ in pricing. It might be useful to evaluate these platforms to find one that best aligns with your budget and requirements.

Seasonal or Short Term Access

If you are working on a specific project or need to conduct a single audit, the tools offered by Ahrefs can be accessed by purchasing a subscription for one or two months. This strategy allows you to obtain premium features for a limited duration while avoiding long-term contracts.

On the surface sharing an Ahrefs account seems to cut costs, but the opposite is true when sharing between unrelated parties due to privacy implications. From the ever-present risk of breaching Ahrefs’ Terms of Service to technical, ethical, and branding concerns, the drawbacks, from an SEO perspective, can severely disrupt workflows and diminish branding crouds.

On the other hand, sharing accounts between members of the same organization is reasonable as long as the group follows the guidelines outlined above.

Leverage the Power of Ahrefs the Right Way

It is better to look for Ahrefs’ pricing plans or free tools that best meet your needs rather than jeopardizing your account with unauthorized sharing. Staying compliant as well as getting the best out of the powerful SEO tool is only possible with making the right choice.

Make the most out of what Ahrefs has to offer today. For more details on their plans and tools, head on to their website.