SEO tool comparison

Semrush vs Moz Pro

Semrush and Moz Pro are both established SEO suites with very different focuses.

Semrush ($139.95/mo entry) is a broad marketing toolkit covering SEO, PPC, content, and social. Moz Pro ($99/mo entry) is narrower and SEO-focused, with its widely-cited Domain Authority metric and the free MozBar extension as standout features.

Semrush wins on toolkit breadth and modern UI; Moz wins on focus, the DA score that clients still ask for, and the strongest free educational community in SEO. Choose Semrush for multi-channel marketing teams; choose Moz Pro for traditional SEO consultancy work where DA reporting matters.

At a glance

S
Semrush
All-in-one marketing toolkit covering SEO, ads, content, and social
Free

Limited free account (10 daily queries)

Paid plans

Pro $139.95/mo · Guru $249.95/mo · Business $499.95/mo

M
Moz Pro
SEO software for smarter marketing — keyword research, rank tracking, and link analysis
Free

30-day free trial · Free MozBar browser extension

Paid plans

Standard $99/mo · Medium $179/mo · Large $299/mo · Premium $599/mo

The differences that matter

Key differences.

Where Semrush and Moz Pro actually diverge, and which one each difference favors for your workflow.

Toolkit scope

Semrush bundles SEO with PPC research, content marketing, social media, and listing management. Moz Pro is SEO-only — keyword research, rank tracking, site crawls, and Link Explorer.

If your job spans multiple marketing channels, Semrush is the broader fit. If you only do SEO and prefer a focused tool, Moz Pro is leaner.

Authority metrics

Moz's Domain Authority (DA, 0–100) is the most widely-cited third-party authority metric in SEO. Many SEO consultants still report DA to clients, and DA appears as a column in countless other tools and dashboards.

Semrush has its own Authority Score, which is comparable but less broadly adopted. For SEO professionals whose work culture revolves around DA, that alone can decide the tool.

Pricing

Moz Pro Standard is $99/mo; Semrush Pro is $139.95/mo. Moz remains cheaper at the entry tier by ~$40/mo.

At the top end, Moz Premium ($599/mo) and Semrush Business ($499.95/mo) are roughly comparable. The price-to-feature trade-off favors Semrush if you'll use the broader toolkit; Moz if you only need the SEO core.

MozBar and the Moz community

Moz publishes MozBar, a free browser extension that overlays DA, PA, and on-page data on any SERP — used daily by tens of thousands of SEOs. Moz Academy and the Moz Q&A forum are among the strongest free SEO education resources in the industry.

Semrush has its own SEO Toolbar and academy, but the community gravitational pull is still with Moz.

Backlink analysis

Both have proprietary backlink indexes. Moz's Link Explorer is solid and tightly tied to DA scoring. Semrush's index is larger in raw scale (~43T links) and integrated with the broader competitive intelligence stack.

Neither is the industry leader on backlinks (that's Ahrefs), but both are adequate for most workflows.

Rank tracking

Semrush Pro supports daily rank tracking on Pro+ projects with location and device targeting. Moz Standard refreshes weekly; daily tracking unlocks at Medium ($179/mo).

For agencies tracking client rankings closely, Semrush has the edge at the entry tier; Moz catches up at higher plans.

Feature breakdown

Feature by feature.

Feature
Semrush
From $139.95/mo
Moz Pro
From $99/mo
Entry price
$139.95/mo
$99/mo
Mid-tier price
$249.95/mo (Guru)
$179/mo (Medium)
Top-tier price
$499.95/mo (Business)
$599/mo (Premium)
Keyword research
Yes
Yes
Rank tracking (entry plan)
Daily
Weekly
Tracked keywords (entry plan)
500
300
Backlink analysis
Yes
Link Explorer
Authority metric
Authority Score (0–100)
Domain Authority (DA, 0–100)
Browser extension
SEO Toolbar
MozBar (widely used)
PPC / paid search tools
Yes
No
Social media management
Yes
No
Content marketing tools
Yes
No
Site audit / on-page crawl
20k pages on Pro
Up to 1.5M pages on Premium
Free education
Semrush Academy
Moz Academy (industry leader)
Team seats included
1 (extras at $45/mo)
1 (extras at $59/mo)

Features and pricing are based on each tool's public site at the time of writing. Verify on semrush.com and moz.com/products/pro.

Decision guide

Which one fits you?

SChoose Semrush if…

  • Your role spans SEO, PPC, content, and social media
  • You need daily rank tracking out of the box at the entry tier
  • You want PPC keyword research and ad-copy intelligence built in
  • Local SEO and listing management are part of your service offering
  • You manage many projects and Semrush's project limits work for your scale

MChoose Moz Pro if…

  • Your clients or stakeholders specifically request Domain Authority reporting
  • You're an SEO consultant working with traditional SEO workflows
  • You use MozBar daily and rely on its on-page overlays
  • Moz Academy and the community are part of how you learn and skill up
  • You only need core SEO features and don't want to pay for unused toolkit
Third option to consider

A leaner, cheaper alternative.

Semrush and Moz Pro are both excellent — but they are priced for marketing teams with real budgets. If you're a solo founder, indie hacker, or small team that only needs the core SEO research tools (keyword research, rank tracking, organic keywords, keyword gap, site audits), Reachavo is a great alternative — with daily rank refreshes, up to 5 team seats, and lots more.

Starts at
$19/mo
Annual saves 20%
Rank refresh
Daily
From the $49 Growth plan
Team seats
Up to 5
Included on Scale ($99/mo)
FAQ

Common questions.

Which is better, Semrush or Moz?+

It depends on scope. Semrush is better for marketing teams that need SEO plus PPC, content, and social tools in one place. Moz Pro is better for SEO-focused consultants and small teams, especially those who report Domain Authority to clients or rely on the MozBar extension. Semrush has the broader toolkit; Moz has the more focused workflow and the more widely-cited authority metric.

Is Semrush or Moz cheaper?+

Moz Pro is cheaper at the entry tier — $99/mo Standard vs Semrush Pro at $139.95/mo. At top tiers the gap closes (Moz Premium $599 vs Semrush Business $499.95). If you only need SEO features, Moz delivers more for less. If you'll use Semrush's PPC, content, or social modules, the price gap narrows because Moz can't replace them.

Is Moz's Domain Authority better than Semrush's Authority Score?+

Neither is endorsed by Google — both are proprietary metrics. Domain Authority (DA) is more widely cited in the SEO industry and appears as a standard column in many other tools, so reporting DA to clients is often expected. Semrush's Authority Score is functionally similar but less broadly recognized. For comparative tracking within either tool, both work fine.

Does Moz Pro do everything Semrush does?+

No. Moz Pro is SEO-only — it doesn't include PPC research, social media tools, content marketing modules, or listing management. If those matter to you, Semrush is the more complete suite. If you only need keyword research, rank tracking, site audits, and link analysis, Moz Pro covers the core well at a lower price.

Which has better keyword data?+

Semrush has a larger keyword database with stronger PPC-side metrics (CPC, competition density, ad copy data). Moz's keyword tool is competent but smaller in raw scale. For organic-only research, both are adequate; for blended SEO/PPC research, Semrush has the edge.

Are there cheaper alternatives to Semrush and Moz?+

Yes. Reachavo offers core SEO research (keyword research, rank tracking, site audits, organic keywords, keyword gap analysis) starting at $19/mo, with daily rank refreshes on the $49 Growth plan — but it doesn't include backlink analysis or Domain Authority scoring. Ubersuggest and SE Ranking also sit in the $30–60/mo range. The right alternative depends on which features you actually use most.

Can I use both Semrush and Moz?+

Some agencies do — Semrush for the broader marketing intelligence, Moz Pro specifically for DA reporting and MozBar. It's not uncommon for client deliverables to include DA scores even if the underlying analysis is done in Semrush. Total bill is steep though (~$240/mo combined at entry tiers).

Want to evaluate
a third option?

Reachavo offers the core SEO research stack at a fraction of Semrush or Moz Pro's price. 7-day free trial. No credit card to start.