Ahrefs vs Moz
A source-aware comparison of pricing, documented capabilities and workflow fit.
Short answer
- Price: not directly comparable — Ahrefs is from $99/user/mo, Moz is pricing not verified.
- How to start: Ahrefs is from $99/user/mo, Moz is pricing not verified.
- Where they differ: on what we checked they match — both offer public api and sso (saml).
These lines are generated from the pricing we track, not from a paid placement. How we score tools.
What Ahrefs is
Ahrefs is widely considered the gold standard among professional SEOs, boasting the world's second most active web crawler after Google. It is unmatched in backlink analysis and technical SEO research. It can analyze why a competitor is outranking you in seconds and provide a clear roadmap for your own growth. From content marketing to keyword research, every feature is designed to help you make data-backed decisions. It is known for providing some of the most accurate search volume data available outside of Google itself.
What Moz is
Moz provides SEO tooling: rank tracking, site audits, keyword research and its own link index and domain authority metric. Domain Authority remains its most-cited output, useful as a rough comparative signal rather than a target to chase. Its link index and keyword data are smaller than the leading crawlers, which is the trade for a gentler interface and price.
Side by side
What Ahrefs is built to do
- Site Explorer
- Deep dive into the organic traffic and backlink profile of any website on the internet.
- Keywords Explorer
- Analyze difficulty and traffic potential across a massive 7-billion keyword pool.
- Site Audit
- Automatically scan your site for SEO issues and learn how to fix them.
- Rank Tracker
- Daily monitoring of your keyword positions on both desktop and mobile devices.
What Moz is built to do
- Link index and Domain Authority
- Reports referring domains and a comparative authority score.
- Keyword research
- Estimates volume and difficulty for target queries.
- Site crawl
- Audits pages for technical and on-page issues on a schedule.
Choose Ahrefs if
- SEO Agencies, Link Builders, and Data-Driven Marketers.
Choose Moz if
- Small teams doing SEO without a dedicated specialist.
Evidence and freshness
Where a claim on this page comes from a vendor page, it is linked here.
Ahrefs: pros & cons
- Best Backlink Database: Absolutely essential for any serious link-building strategy.
- Content Gap Tool: Find the keywords your competitors rank for but you don't.
- Accurate Volumes: Clickstream data ensures the most realistic traffic estimates.
- Clean UI: Presents complex technical data through highly understandable charts.
- Credit System: Per-action credit deductions can increase the total cost of usage.
- Technical Audit: Site audit features may not be as deep as those in SEMrush.
- No Social Media Tools: Focused strictly on SEO, with no social media monitoring.
Moz: pros & cons
- Domain Authority is widely referenced
- Approachable interface for non-specialists
- Good learning material
- Link index smaller than Ahrefs or Semrush
- Rank tracking limits on lower plans
- Some data updates slowly
Our verdict on Ahrefs
The most reliable tool in the market for backlink research and organic growth strategy.
Our verdict on Moz
Fine as a first SEO tool. Serious link analysis needs a bigger index.