Semrush vs Ahrefs vs Moz (2026)
A full rebuild — the prior version of this page was corrupted with leaked automation output and had nothing usable to extract. Semrush is the most comprehensive all-in-one platform (Pro $139.95/mo, Guru $249.95/mo, Business $499.95/mo) — worth noting Adobe's pending $1.9B acquisition, expected to close around now. Ahrefs has the strongest backlink data (Lite $129/mo through Enterprise $1,499/mo) with no free trial. Moz is the most affordable entry point (Starter $49/mo) but the smallest feature set at the top end.
Find yourself first
Marketers choosing their first SEO tool
Weighing all-in-one breadth against specialized backlink depth and cost.
Link builders and outreach teams
Needing the deepest, most accurate backlink index available.
Content marketers
Wanting a bundled content toolkit alongside keyword research.
Agencies managing multiple clients
Evaluating per-seat costs and multi-project limits across tiers.
Freelancers and solo SEOs
Wanting the most affordable entry point without sacrificing core data.
Anyone checking current 2026 pricing
All three vendors have multiple tiers and pricing structures worth verifying.
The 10-second answer
Semrush
Pro $139.95/mo, Guru $249.95/mo, Business $499.95/mo (all ~17% cheaper annual). Limited free plan + 7-day trial. New Semrush One bundle ($199/mo) adds AI visibility tracking. Pending Adobe acquisition worth watching.
$139.95 → $249.95 → $499.95/moAhrefs
Starter $29/mo, Lite $129/mo, Standard $249/mo, Advanced $449/mo, Enterprise $1,499/mo. No free trial — free Webmaster Tools for verified site owners only. Largest, most accurate backlink index.
$29 → $129 → $249/moMoz
Starter $49/mo, Standard $99/mo, Medium $179/mo, Large $299/mo (all ~20% cheaper annual). 7-day free trial. Smallest feature set of the three at the top end, but cheapest way in.
$49 → $99 → $179/moMatch your situation
| Your situation | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You want one tool that does everything — SEO, content, PPC, social | Semrush | Broadest feature set of the three, especially at Guru and above. |
| Backlink analysis and link building are your priority | Ahrefs | Widely regarded as having the largest, most accurate backlink index. |
| You're a freelancer or solo SEO on a tight budget | Moz Starter $49 or Ahrefs Starter $29 | Cheapest genuine entry points among the three. |
| Content marketing tools matter alongside keyword research | Semrush Guru $249.95 | Bundles Content Marketing Toolkit, historical data, and SEO Writing Assistant. |
| You need API access | Semrush Business $499.95 or Ahrefs Standard $249 | Ahrefs includes API access from Standard; Semrush requires the top Business tier. |
| You want to test before committing | Semrush (free + 7-day trial) or Moz (7-day trial) | Ahrefs offers no free trial on any paid plan. |
| You're tracking AI search visibility alongside classic SEO | Semrush One $199/mo | New bundle combining SEO Toolkit with AI Visibility Toolkit. |
| You run a large agency with 10+ client sites | Ahrefs Advanced $449 or Semrush Business $499.95 | Both scale project/keyword limits significantly beyond mid-tier plans. |
What will your SEO stack actually cost?
All three price by tier rather than by seat. Pick a billing term, then select a plan for each tool to compare monthly cost.
⚠️ Ahrefs charges extra for additional users ($40-$100/mo per seat depending on tier); Semrush and Moz seat policies vary by plan. Figures shown are base plan cost only.
The numbers that matter
announced Nov 2025, expected to close H1 2026
SEO Toolkit + AI Visibility Toolkit combined
Semrush and Moz both offer 7-day trials
per additional user beyond plan minimum
across Semrush, Ahrefs, and Moz alike
Three platforms, three specialties
Semrush — Most Comprehensive, Now Pending an Adobe Acquisition
$139.95 → $249.95 → $499.95/moSemrush remains the most comprehensive digital marketing platform of the three — SEO, PPC, content marketing, social media, and now AI visibility tracking all live under one roof. Pro ($139.95/mo) covers core keyword and competitor research for solo practitioners; Guru ($249.95/mo) adds the Content Marketing Toolkit and historical data; Business ($499.95/mo) adds API access and Share of Voice tracking for agencies at scale.
- Broadest feature set — SEO, PPC, content, social, and AI visibility in one platform
- Guru's Content Marketing Toolkit bundles tools that would cost $100-200/mo separately
- Limited free plan plus a 7-day trial, unlike Ahrefs
- New Semrush One bundle ($199/mo) combines classic SEO with AI search visibility
- Guru's per-additional-user cost is steep — nearly $1,000/mo for 10 users vs Pro's ~$545
- API access requires the top Business tier ($499.95/mo)
- Pending Adobe acquisition ($1.9B, expected H1 2026 close) creates pricing uncertainty
- Content Toolkit and historical data are locked behind Guru, not available on Pro
Ahrefs — Best Backlink Data, No Free Trial
$29 → $129 → $249/moAhrefs is widely regarded as having the largest and most accurate backlink index in the industry, making it the preferred tool for link builders and technical SEOs. The credit-based system (500 credits/mo on Lite, 3,000 on Standard, 10,000 on Advanced) meters every search, export, and crawl. Notably, Ahrefs offers no free trial on any paid plan — the closest option is free Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for your own verified domains.
- Best-in-class backlink index — the standard reference for link building
- Standard tier includes 150,000 API units/month built in; Semrush requires its top tier
- Advanced tier's 3-user pricing ($449/mo = $150/person) beats buying separate Standard accounts
- New Starter tier ($29/mo) offers a genuine low-cost entry point
- No free trial on any paid plan — a real barrier to first-time evaluation
- Credit system can be confusing — searches, exports, and crawls all consume differently
- Extra seats cost $40-100/mo depending on tier — expensive for growing teams
- The jump from Advanced ($449) to Enterprise ($1,499) is more than 3x — no middle ground
Moz — Cheapest Entry, Smallest Feature Set at Scale
$49 → $99 → $179/moMoz Pro remains the most affordable of the three at every comparable tier, and its Domain Authority metric is still widely recognized in the SEO industry despite being a proprietary Moz metric rather than an official Google ranking factor. Standard ($99/mo, or $79/mo annual) is where Moz becomes genuinely useful — three tracked sites, 300 keywords, and unlimited scheduled reports. Medium ($179/mo) is Moz's most popular and full-value tier.
- Cheapest entry and mid-tier pricing of the three platforms
- 7-day free trial available on every paid plan
- Domain Authority remains a widely recognized (if proprietary) SEO benchmark metric
- Flexible upgrades/downgrades mid-billing-cycle with prorated billing
- Standard's 150 keyword queries/month ceiling is hit quickly by active content teams
- Smallest feature depth of the three at the top (Large) tier
- At the Large tier, compare carefully against Semrush Guru — the pricing gap narrows significantly
- Smaller, less comprehensive backlink index than Ahrefs
Strengths at a glance
| Criteria | Semrush | Ahrefs | Moz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall feature breadth | Best — SEO, PPC, content, social, AI | SEO-focused, deep not broad | SEO-focused, smaller feature set |
| Backlink data quality | Strong | Best — largest, most accurate index | Adequate, smaller index |
| Entry price | $139.95/mo (Pro) | Best — $29/mo (Starter) | $49/mo (Starter) |
| Free trial | Limited free plan + 7-day trial | None — Webmaster Tools only | 7-day trial, all plans |
| Content marketing tools | Best — bundled from Guru | Content Explorer, less content-focused | Basic content tools |
| API access | Business tier only ($499.95/mo) | Best — included from Standard ($249/mo) | Higher tiers only |
🟢 STRONG · 🟠 ACCEPTABLE WITH CAVEATS · 🔴 WEAK / WATCH OUT
Feature by feature
| Feature | Semrush | Ahrefs | Moz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan/trial | ⚡ Limited free plan + 7-day trial | ✗ None — free Webmaster Tools only | ✓ 7-day trial, all paid plans |
| Entry paid price | Pro $139.95/mo | ✓ Starter $29/mo — cheapest | Starter $49/mo |
| Mid tier | Guru $249.95/mo — content toolkit, historical data | Standard $249/mo — 3,000 credits, API access | Standard $99/mo ($79 annual) |
| Top public tier | Business $499.95/mo — API access, Share of Voice | Advanced $449/mo — 10,000 credits | Large $299/mo ($239 annual) |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | $1,499/mo (annual only) | Custom pricing above Large |
| Backlink index quality | ⚡ Strong | ✓ Best — industry standard | ⚡ Adequate |
| Content marketing tools | ✓ Best — bundled from Guru | ⚡ Content Explorer | ⚡ Basic |
| API access included from | Business ($499.95/mo) | ✓ Standard ($249/mo) | Higher tiers only |
Every plan, verified
Ahrefs pricing was confirmed directly against ahrefs.com/pricing as recently as July 3, 2026. Semrush and Moz figures reflect strong, consistent agreement across 8+ independent sources each.
| Plan | Semrush | Ahrefs | Moz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free/trial | Limited free plan + 7-day trial | ✗ None — free Webmaster Tools only | 7-day free trial, all plans |
| Entry tier | Pro $139.95/mo ($117.33/mo annual) | ✓ Starter $29/mo — cheapest | Starter $49/mo |
| Mid tier | Guru $249.95/mo ($208.33/mo annual) | Lite $129/mo ($108/mo annual) | Standard $99/mo ($79/mo annual) |
| Upper-mid tier | — | Standard $249/mo ($208/mo annual) | Medium $179/mo ($143/mo annual) |
| Top public tier | Business $499.95/mo ($416.66/mo annual) | Advanced $449/mo ($374/mo annual) | Large $299/mo ($239/mo annual) |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | $1,499/mo (annual billing only) | Custom pricing above Large |
| New in 2026 | Semrush One bundle $199/mo (SEO + AI visibility) | Starter tier added at $29/mo | — |
| Watch out for | Pending Adobe acquisition may affect future renewal pricing. | No free trial. Extra seats $40-100/mo by tier. | Standard's 150 keyword queries/mo ceiling hits fast for active teams. |
Choose by fit
Choose Semrush if…
- You want one platform covering SEO, PPC, content, and social
- Content marketing tools (writing assistant, historical data) matter to your workflow
- You want to test with a free plan before committing to a paid tier
- AI search visibility tracking alongside classic SEO is a priority
- You're comfortable monitoring the pending Adobe acquisition for pricing changes
Choose Ahrefs if…
- Backlink analysis and link building are core to your SEO strategy
- You want API access without paying for the top tier
- You're comfortable committing without a free trial first
- You need the most accurate technical SEO and crawl data
- Budget allows for extra-seat costs as your team grows
Choose Moz if…
- Budget is the primary constraint and you want the cheapest genuine entry tier
- You want to test extensively via a 7-day free trial before paying
- Domain Authority as a benchmark metric matters to your reporting
- You manage 2-5 client sites and don't need enterprise-scale limits
- You want flexible mid-cycle upgrades without losing unused billing
Match the tool to your work
All-in-one marketing platform
SemrushSEO, PPC, content, social, and AI visibility together.
Link building / backlinks
AhrefsWidely regarded as the industry's most accurate backlink index.
Tightest budget
Ahrefs Starter $29Cheapest genuine entry point of the three.
Content marketing teams
Semrush GuruContent Marketing Toolkit, historical data, writing assistant.
Want to try before buying
Moz or SemrushBoth offer free trials; Ahrefs offers none.
Agencies needing API access
Ahrefs Standard $249API included from mid-tier, unlike Semrush's top-tier-only access.
Solo SEO / freelancer
Moz Starter $49Affordable entry with a full free trial to test first.
AI search visibility tracking
Semrush One $199New 2026 bundle pairing SEO with AI visibility tools.
What vendors won't lead with
🏢 Semrush's pending Adobe acquisition creates pricing uncertainty
Adobe announced its $1.9B acquisition of Semrush in November 2025, expected to close in H1 2026. Adobe has a documented history of raising prices after acquisitions. If you're signing a new annual contract, confirm renewal pricing in writing rather than assuming today's rate holds.
💳 Ahrefs' extra-seat costs add up fast for growing teams
Additional users cost $40/mo (Lite), $60/mo (Standard), $80/mo (Advanced), or $100/mo (Enterprise) per seat. A 5-person team on Standard pays $249 + (4 × $60) = $489/month just for seats beyond the first.
🚫 Ahrefs offers no free trial on any paid plan
Unlike Semrush and Moz, there's no way to test Ahrefs' full feature set before paying. Free Ahrefs Webmaster Tools only covers your own verified domains, not competitor research or full Site Explorer access.
📊 Moz Standard's keyword query limit is easy to underestimate
Standard includes just 150 keyword queries per month. Teams doing regular competitive research and content gap analysis commonly hit this ceiling within a few months and need to upgrade to Medium.
🔒 Semrush locks content tools and historical data behind Guru
Pro ($139.95/mo) excludes the Content Marketing Toolkit, historical data, and multi-location tracking entirely. If content strategy is core to your SEO work, budget for Guru ($249.95/mo) from the start rather than starting on Pro and immediately needing to upgrade.
📈 Moz Large narrows the pricing gap with Semrush Guru
At the top of Moz's range, the price difference against Semrush Guru shrinks significantly while Semrush offers considerably more tooling for similar money — worth a direct side-by-side before committing to Moz Large.
Quick answers
It depends on your priority. Semrush is the most comprehensive platform, covering SEO, PPC, content, and social in one tool. Ahrefs has the strongest backlink data and is preferred for link building and technical SEO. Moz is the most affordable entry point, best for freelancers and small teams managing a handful of sites. All three offer solid core keyword research and site audit tools.
Semrush offers a limited free account with restricted daily query access across most tools, plus a 7-day free trial that gives full access to paid-tier features. This is more generous than Ahrefs, which offers no free trial at all — only free Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for your own verified domains.
Adobe announced its acquisition of Semrush for $1.9 billion in November 2025, with the deal expected to close in the first half of 2026. Adobe has previously raised prices on companies it has acquired, so current Semrush pricing isn't guaranteed to hold indefinitely — customers signing new annual contracts should confirm renewal terms directly.
No. Ahrefs does not offer a traditional free trial on any paid plan as of 2026. The closest option is free Ahrefs Webmaster Tools, which gives verified site owners limited access to Site Explorer and Site Audit data for their own domains only — not competitor research or the full toolset.
Ahrefs Starter at $29/month is the cheapest genuine paid entry point among the three, though it's a limited tier. For a more full-featured entry plan, Moz Starter ($49/month) or Ahrefs Lite ($129/month) are worth comparing directly against Semrush Pro ($139.95/month) based on which specific features you need.
Ready to choose your SEO platform?
Semrush and Moz both offer free trials. Ahrefs offers free Webmaster Tools for verified site owners.