Keyword Metrics Explorer — Ahrefs Alternative

Explore Google keyword metrics, matching terms, related terms, and suggestions through DataForSEO. Export normalized rows with volume, CPC, available difficulty, intent, endpoint provenance, and provider-cost context. For SEO researchers, each dataset row is one normalized keyword result with its report type, market, source endpoint, and provider-cost context.

Workflow: put the results to work

Choose overview for exact keyword metrics or an idea report for matching, related, or suggested terms. Set the DataForSEO location and language before comparing results, then preserve endpoint and provider-cost provenance. The Actor uses configured DataForSEO access rather than an Ahrefs API key.

Best fit

Use this Actor when an SEO team needs repeatable, budget-bounded Google keyword research inside an Apify workflow. Every persisted row carries its research report, DataForSEO location and language targeting, seed terms, collection time, endpoint, task ID, and provider-cost attribution.

Use the adjacent Keyword Rank Tracker after selecting target terms to measure a domain’s observed Google position. This Actor discovers and evaluates keywords; it does not track a domain’s ranking.

Workflow

1. Add one or more seed keywords, a DataForSEO location code, and a language code.
2. Choose overview for metrics on exact terms, matching_terms for phrases containing the seed, related_terms for searches related to the seed, or search_suggestions for category-based keyword ideas.
3. The Actor removes blanks and duplicates, caps retained seeds, and persists no more than maxResults rows (maximum 100).
4. Each schema-valid row is written and charged as one keyword-explorer-result event. Duplicates and malformed provider rows are never billed.
5. Read the keyword_overview dataset view for prioritization and RUN_SUMMARY for endpoints, provider cost, output count, and terminal outcome.

Quick start and inputs

Input	Purpose
report	overview, matching_terms, related_terms, or search_suggestions.
keywords	One or more seed phrases; blanks and duplicates are removed.
locationCode	DataForSEO numeric market code, such as 2840 for the United States.
languageCode	Language code such as en.
maxResults	Hard persisted-row cap from 1–100; default 50.
maxSeedKeywords	Hard retained-seed cap from 1–10; default 3. Discovery reports can make one provider request per retained seed.

Example: matching terms

{
  "report": "matching_terms",
  "keywords": ["web scraping"],
  "locationCode": 2840,
  "languageCode": "en",
  "maxResults": 25,
  "maxSeedKeywords": 1
}

Example: exact keyword metrics

{
  "report": "overview",
  "keywords": ["web scraping", "data extraction"],
  "locationCode": 2840,
  "languageCode": "en",
  "maxResults": 10,
  "maxSeedKeywords": 2
}

Dataset output

Each row identifies the exact report, locationCode, languageCode, and seedKeywords used. Core fields include:

• keyword, searchVolume, monthlySearches, cpcUsd, competition fields, and, where supplied, keywordDifficulty;
• mainIntent, serpFeatures, and searchVolumeTrend when the selected DataForSEO Labs endpoint supplies them;
• retrievedAt plus provenance with the DataForSEO endpoint, provider task ID, and per-request provider cost.

{
  "runId": "abc123XYZ",
  "report": "matching_terms",
  "keyword": "web scraping tools",
  "locationCode": 2840,
  "languageCode": "en",
  "seedKeywords": ["web scraping"],
  "searchVolume": 1200,
  "keywordDifficulty": 42,
  "mainIntent": "commercial",
  "retrievedAt": "2026-08-10T00:00:00.000Z",
  "provenance": {
    "source": "DataForSEO",
    "endpoint": "dataforseo_labs/google/keyword_suggestions/live",
    "taskId": "provider-task-id",
    "providerCostUsd": 0.01
  }
}

Terminal outcomes

Every terminal path writes both OUTPUT and RUN_SUMMARY.

• COMPLETE: all returned valid rows up to the chosen cap were persisted.
• PARTIAL: at least one row was persisted, but later persistence or provider work could not finish.
• VALID_EMPTY: DataForSEO completed the selected query with no rows.
• INVALID_INPUT: correct the report, keywords, location code, or language code.
• CONFIG_ERROR: configure valid DATAFORSEO_LOGIN and DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD Actor secrets, or resolve account access/balance.
• UPSTREAM_FAILED: DataForSEO exhausted its bounded retries, or returned only rows outside the dataset contract.

API and MCP

curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/khadinakbar~ahrefs-keyword-explorer/runs?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "report": "related_terms",
    "keywords": ["web scraping"],
    "locationCode": 2840,
    "languageCode": "en",
    "maxResults": 25,
    "maxSeedKeywords": 1
  }'

Prompt card for an Apify MCP workflow:

Run khadinakbar/ahrefs-keyword-explorer with matching_terms for web scraping, US location code 2840, language en, and at most 25 rows. Read keyword_overview and RUN_SUMMARY, then report keyword, volume, difficulty when available, intent, provenance, provider cost, and terminal outcome.

Best-results guidance

• Begin with one seed and 10–25 rows to validate targeting and account costs.
• Keep location and language consistent when comparing scheduled research runs.
• Choose overview for known terms, matching_terms for phrase expansion, related_terms for Google related-search expansion, and search_suggestions for category-based keyword ideas.
• Treat volumes, CPC, competition, difficulty, and intent as provider estimates, then combine them with first-party analytics for traffic and conversion decisions.
• Keep provider credentials in encrypted Actor secrets; public task inputs and API examples use only research parameters.

Responsible use and data access

Use DataForSEO credentials from an account you are authorized to access, follow the applicable DataForSEO terms and your organization’s data-access rules, and retain research outputs according to your privacy and compliance obligations. This Actor processes keyword research data rather than personal data.

Source documentation

• DataForSEO Labs Keyword Overview
• DataForSEO Labs Keyword Ideas
• DataForSEO Labs Keyword Suggestions
• DataForSEO Labs Related Keywords

Builder's note

I designed this Actor around DataForSEO Labs because a keyword-research workflow benefits from one credentialed provider that can return both exact Google keyword metrics and Google keyword-discovery data. The Actor preserves a small, explicit row cap, records endpoint provenance and provider cost, and couples the Apify result event to the schema-valid dataset write. Its terminal records keep useful data, valid empty research, account configuration, and upstream availability distinct for downstream workflows.

Pricing and run costs

This Actor uses Pay per event plus Apify platform usage. The Pricing tab lists the current event rates and billing terms.

Event	Billing unit	When it applies
apify-actor-start	Actor Start	Charged when the Actor starts running. Number of events charged depends on Actor memory (one event per GB, minimum one event).
keyword-explorer-result	DataForSEO keyword result	Charged once for each validated DataForSEO keyword row persisted to the dataset. DataForSEO API usage is billed to the configured account separately.

Run cost combines the charged events and Apify platform usage. Review the run charge limit and requested result count before starting.

Independent alternative

This Actor provides the specific workflow described above. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ahrefs; the named product and its trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Connect an AI agent

Use the Apify MCP configurator to choose an available client connection. Inspect this Actor’s current input schema and required credentials before running it.