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Last updated: October 29, 2026
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Ahrefs vs Moz (2027): Prices, Data and Which SEO Tool to Pick
Choose Ahrefs if backlink research or cheap keyword research is your priority: Starter costs $29 a month and the full toolkit, Lite, $129 a month, with annual billing saving up to 17%. Choose Moz Pro if you want a beginner-friendly suite with AI search visibility tracking at a lower full-toolkit price: Standard costs $99 a month, or $79 paid yearly, and Medium $179 ($143 yearly) with a free trial. On yearly billing, Moz Standard is the cheaper full toolkit; Ahrefs Starter is the cheapest way to start.
- Ahrefs: Starter $29/month; Lite $129; Standard $249; Advanced $449; annual billing saves up to 17%.
- Moz Pro: Standard $99 ($79 yearly); Medium $179 ($143 yearly); Large $299 ($239 yearly).
- Free options: Ahrefs Free for your own site; Moz free tools (MozBar, limited Keyword and Link Explorer).
- Trial: Ahrefs offers a Starter trial; Moz offers a free trial (Medium).
- Moz Standard: 1 user, 3 sites, 300 tracked keywords. Moz Medium: 2 users, 10 sites, 1,500 keywords.
Ahrefs vs Moz at a glance
| Ahrefs | Moz Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid entry | Starter $29/month | Standard $99 ($79 yearly) |
| Full toolkit entry | Lite $129/month | Standard $99 ($79 yearly) |
| Most popular tier | Standard $249 | Medium $179 ($143 yearly) |
| Top published tier | Advanced $449 | Large $299 ($239 yearly) |
| Yearly saving | Up to 17% | 20% |
| Free option | Ahrefs Free (your own site) | MozBar and limited free research |
| Known for | Backlink index, keyword data | Domain Authority, beginner-friendly suite, AI visibility |
Pricing compared
Entry level
Ahrefs Starter at $29 a month is the cheapest regular keyword research among major SEO tools. Moz has no plan that cheap; its free tools cover occasional checks.
Full toolkit
Moz Pro Standard costs $99 a month, or $79 paid yearly. Ahrefs Lite costs $129 a month; at its maximum 17% annual saving, about $107. On yearly billing, Moz is about $28 a month cheaper, but Standard includes only 1 user and 300 tracked keywords.
| Plan | Monthly | Per year (monthly billing) | Per year (yearly billing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moz Standard | $99 | $1,188 | $948 |
| Ahrefs Lite | $129 | $1,548 | from about $1,285 |
| Moz Medium | $179 | $2,148 | $1,716 |
| Ahrefs Standard | $249 | $2,988 | from about $2,480 |
| Moz Large | $299 | $3,588 | $2,868 |
| Ahrefs Advanced | $449 | $5,388 | from about $4,472 |
Higher tiers
Ahrefs Standard ($249) and Advanced ($449) target agencies and in-house teams with heavy research needs. Moz Medium ($179) and Large ($299) add users, sites, tracked keywords and AI visibility quotas.
Which tool is better for what?
| Need | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest regular keyword research | Ahrefs | Starter at $29 |
| Backlink research | Ahrefs | Its backlink index is its best-known strength |
| Cheapest full toolkit on yearly billing | Moz | Standard at $79 |
| A beginner-friendly interface and metrics | Moz | Domain Authority and guided tools |
| AI search visibility tracking | Moz | Included on every Pro plan |
| Free checks of your own site | Ahrefs | Ahrefs Free |
Data and metrics
Both tools estimate keyword volumes, difficulty and traffic, and both crawl the web for backlinks. Ahrefs is widely used for backlink analysis and content research. Moz created Domain Authority, one of the best-known metrics for comparing sites, and now tracks how brands appear in AI answers on GPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode. Neither tool's estimates are perfect; compare them with Google Search Console for your own site.
Three real-world scenarios
A blogger publishing weekly
Keyword ideas are the main need. Ahrefs Starter at $29 a month ($348 a year) is the cheapest regular option.
A small business doing SEO in-house
One site, a few hundred keywords and a monthly audit: Moz Standard at $79 a month (paid yearly) covers it. Choose Ahrefs Lite if backlink research matters more.
An agency with 10 client sites
Moz Medium ($143 a month yearly) covers 10 sites and 1,500 keywords. Ahrefs Standard ($249) offers deeper research; compare with SE Ranking for cheaper rank tracking.
Try Ahrefs Starter → Keyword research from $29 a month · Affiliate link
Hidden costs and limits to check
- Moz Standard's limits: 1 user, 3 sites, 300 tracked keywords.
- Ahrefs' plan jumps: Starter ($29) to Lite ($129).
- Usage limits on reports and credits differ by plan on both tools.
- Yearly commitments lock you in for 12 months.
Cheaper alternatives to both
| Tool | Entry price | Why consider it |
|---|---|---|
| SE Ranking | Core $103.20/month (annual) | 2,000 tracked keywords |
| Semrush | Free plan; SEO $117.33/month (annual) | Broadest toolkit, 7-day trial |
| Google Search Console | Free | Your site's real search data |
See Moz pricing, Ahrefs pricing, Semrush vs Moz and Ahrefs alternatives.
How to choose in 5 steps
- Write down your main task: keyword ideas, backlinks, rank tracking or AI visibility.
- Count sites and keywords you'll track.
- Use free options first: Ahrefs Free and Moz's free tools.
- Trial both with your real domain and three competitors.
- Keep one and switch to yearly billing after two months.
Terms explained
- Domain Authority (DA): Moz's score for a site's ranking strength.
- Domain Rating (DR): Ahrefs' equivalent metric.
- Backlink index: the database of links a tool has found.
- Tracked keyword: a keyword whose rank is checked regularly.
- AI visibility: how often your brand appears in AI-generated answers.
Ease of use
Moz is designed for marketers who are not SEO specialists: its guided keyword and link tools, clear metrics and on-page recommendations make it easy to learn. Ahrefs is also approachable but shows more data on every screen, which experienced SEOs appreciate and beginners can find overwhelming at first. If several non-specialists will use the tool, Moz's learning curve is gentler.
Our verdict
Ahrefs wins on entry price and backlinks: Starter at $29 is the cheapest way to do regular keyword research, and its link data is the reason many SEOs choose it. Moz wins on full-toolkit price and ease: Standard at $79 a month (paid yearly) is cheaper than Ahrefs Lite, beginner-friendly, and includes AI visibility tracking. For a small business starting SEO, Moz Medium's free trial is a good first test; for link-focused work, choose Ahrefs.
How we compiled this page
We checked Moz's official pricing page on October 30, 2026 and Ahrefs' on October 29, 2026. Ahrefs doesn't publish annual prices, so annual figures apply its stated maximum 17% saving.
FAQ
Is Ahrefs better than Moz?
Ahrefs is often preferred for backlink research and has a cheaper $29 Starter plan. Moz is more beginner-friendly and cheaper for a full toolkit on yearly billing.
Which is cheaper, Ahrefs or Moz?
Ahrefs Starter ($29) is the cheapest entry. For a full toolkit, Moz Standard ($79 paid yearly) is cheaper than Ahrefs Lite ($129 a month).
Does Moz have a free trial?
Yes, a free trial on the Medium plan when we checked.
Is Domain Authority the same as Domain Rating?
No. Domain Authority is Moz's metric; Domain Rating is Ahrefs'. Both estimate a site's link strength but use different data.
Can I use both Ahrefs and Moz?
Yes, but small teams rarely need both. Test both, keep one.
Which is better for beginners?
Moz, thanks to its guided interface and free tools.
Which has better rank tracking?
Both track rankings. Moz caps tracked keywords at 300, 1,500 or 3,000 by plan; check Ahrefs' tracked-keyword limits for the plan you'd buy. For heavy rank tracking, SE Ranking is cheaper per keyword.
Who should choose which
Choose Ahrefs if you build links, research competitors' backlinks, or need cheap keyword research on Starter. Choose Moz if you want a full toolkit at the lowest yearly price, a gentle learning curve, Domain Authority reporting and AI visibility tracking in the same plan. Choose neither if your main job is daily rank tracking for many keywords: SE Ranking Core tracks 2,000 keywords for $103.20 a month on annual billing.
Sources
moz.com/products/pro/pricing, checked October 30, 2026, and ahrefs.com/pricing, checked October 29, 2026.
Related
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