Head-to-head · Compared on price and strengths
Ahrefs vs Moz: the $129 vs $99 decision
Short answer
Pick Ahrefs if backlink depth and link-gap analysis are central to your work: Lite costs $129 a month. Pick Moz if you specifically need Domain Authority, still the most recognized third-party authority score, or want the gentler dashboard for someone newer to SEO: Standard costs $99. Moz is meaningfully cheaper at every comparable tier; Ahrefs' index is larger and fresher. Most solo users need neither at full price: see Ahrefs alternatives and Moz Pro alternatives first.
Pricing, plan by plan
| Tier | Ahrefs | Moz Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Limited entry | $29 StarterNo annual discount | $49 Starter$39 billed annually, 1 site |
| Main entry | $129 Lite~$108 billed annually | $99 Standard$79 billed annually |
| Middle | $249 Standard~$208 billed annually | $179 Medium$143 billed annually · "most popular" |
| Upper | $449 Advanced | $299 Large$239 billed annually |
| Free for your own sites | Ahrefs Webmaster Tools | Free trial only, no free tier |
Monthly billing, single user, checked against each vendor's own pricing page in September 2026. Moz restructured Moz Pro into four tiers (Starter, Standard, Medium and Large), since some older comparisons were written; if you find a Moz price outside this range, it is likely describing an old plan.
Unlike Ahrefs against Semrush, price is a real differentiator here: Moz undercuts Ahrefs by 20–35% at every comparable tier. What you are weighing is not cost so much as index depth and which authority metric you need to keep reporting.
Where each is genuinely stronger
| Job | Stronger | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Backlink index size and freshness | Ahrefs | Widely regarded as larger and updated more often |
| A recognized third-party authority score | Moz | Domain Authority is the number most clients already know by name |
| Onboarding for SEO beginners | Moz | Guided tips, Moz Academy and a simpler dashboard |
| Price at every comparable tier | Moz | 20–35% cheaper than the equivalent Ahrefs plan |
| Free starting point for your own site | Ahrefs | Webmaster Tools gives audit and backlink data for verified sites; Moz has none |
| Keyword research and rank tracking | Close | Both are mature; Ahrefs' crawl and export limits run higher |
Choose Ahrefs if…
- Link building, digital PR or link-gap analysis is part of your weekly work.
- You want to start free on your own site with Webmaster Tools and upgrade only if you outgrow it.
- You do not need a third-party authority score that clients already recognize.
Choose Moz if…
- You or your clients specifically reference Domain Authority in reports: switching tools resets that baseline.
- You are newer to SEO and want the gentlest onboarding of the incumbents.
- Budget matters and you do not need Ahrefs' index depth: Moz Standard is $30 a month cheaper than Ahrefs Lite.
- You already run the separate Moz Local product for citations and want research under the same account.
Consider neither if…
You are one person with one site, and what you actually open each week is keyword research, rank tracking and an audit. That is the part of both products that is cheapest to buy elsewhere: KeySearch covers it from $24 a month (built on Moz's own licensed data, ironically), and Mangools from $29.90 billed annually. The full ranking is in the cheapest SEO tools that work.
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And if the real goal of the subscription is a blog that publishes consistently, neither tool is the bottleneck: writing time is. That is the job GrowGanic is built for: it researches, writes, scores and publishes articles for $99 a month, with no backlink index and no authority score, and a free tier that gives you one article without a card. Try the free tier (affiliate link) before assuming you need a research suite.
The verdict
| If you are… | Pick |
|---|---|
| Doing link building or digital PR | Ahrefs |
| Reporting Domain Authority to clients | Moz Pro |
| New to SEO and want the easiest dashboard | Moz Pro |
| Starting on your own site with no budget | Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free) |
| One site, mostly keywords and tracking | Neither: a cheaper tool |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ahrefs or Moz cheaper?
Moz is cheaper at every comparable paid tier: Standard is $99 a month against $129 for Ahrefs Lite, Medium is $179 against $249 for Ahrefs Standard, and Large is $299 against $449 for Ahrefs Advanced. Ahrefs also has a $29 Starter plan with no direct Moz equivalent.
Is Ahrefs better than Moz for backlinks?
Ahrefs is generally regarded as having the larger, fresher backlink index and is the usual choice when link-gap analysis is the core of the work. Moz's index is smaller, but Domain Authority remains the most widely recognized third-party authority score in the industry.
What is the difference between Domain Authority and Domain Rating?
Domain Authority (Moz) is a predictive score modelled on how well a site tends to rank. Domain Rating (Ahrefs) is a descriptive score of a site's link equity based on Ahrefs' own index. Neither is used by Google, and the numbers are not interchangeable between tools.
Do I need both Ahrefs and Moz?
Almost never. They overlap heavily on keyword research, rank tracking and site audits. The narrow case is an agency that must keep reporting Domain Authority to a client while doing real link-building work in Ahrefs. Otherwise, pick one.
Related
Moz Pro alternatives
What replaces a $99 Standard seat.
Ahrefs alternatives
Free, cheapest and closest match.
Ahrefs vs Semrush
The other incumbent match-up.
How to improve domain authority
Moz's score is not a ranking factor. What to improve instead.
Last reviewed . Prices and plan structures are re-checked monthly. Spotted one out of date? Tell me.