Ahrefs vs Moz (2026): Prices, Limits and Which to Pick
Short answer: pick Ahrefs if backlink and competitor research is the core of your work and you want the most keyword and link data per seat. Lite is $129 a month (or $1,290 a year), and its tracked-keyword and research limits are higher than Moz's at every tier. Pick Moz Pro if you are a small team, want a free trial, or care about tracking AI search. Standard is $99 a month ($79 billed yearly), the Medium and Large plans include 2 and 3 users, and even Standard tracks 150 AI prompts across ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode, where Ahrefs Lite tracks 5. On a tight budget, Ahrefs' $29 Starter is the cheapest paid way in. Moz's entry plan is $49.
TheToolsVerse read both pricing pages on 25 October 2026 and asked five AI assistants the same question twice. Asked which is better, 4 of 5 favoured Ahrefs. Asked about a small business, only 1 of 5 did.
Ahrefs vs Moz at a glance
| Ahrefs | Moz Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An SEO and "AI marketing" platform built on Ahrefs' own web index: Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker, Brand Radar | An SEO suite with Keyword Explorer, Link Explorer, Site Crawl and rank tracking, home of the Domain Authority metric |
| Free option | Ahrefs Free: limited Site Explorer and Site Audit for sites you verify | A free Moz Community account: limited MozBar, Keyword Explorer and Link Explorer |
| Free trial | None ("We never run discounts") | 7 days, on the Medium plan |
| Cheapest paid plan | Starter $29 a month (monthly only) | Starter $49 a month, for one website |
| Main plans (monthly) | Lite $129 · Standard $249 · Advanced $449 · Enterprise $1,499 | Standard $99 · Medium $179 · Large $299 |
| Yearly billing | 10 months' price for 12: $1,290 · $2,490 · $4,490 a year | 20% off: $79 · $143 · $239 a month ("billed for your first year") |
| Users included | 1 on every main plan; extra users $40, $60 or $80 a month | 1, 2 or 3; extra seats $49 a month on any plan |
| Refunds | "Ahrefs does not issue refunds in general" | Cancel or change plans "at any time — no questions asked" |
Prices as printed on ahrefs.com/pricing and moz.com/products/pro/pricing on 25 October 2026, in US dollars. Ahrefs' yearly totals come from the price data on its pricing page, which advertises "save up to 17%". Moz's 7-day trial is stated on its Medium-plan sign-up page.
The core difference: more data per seat, or more seats and guidance
Ahrefs sells data depth. Even Lite includes Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker, API and MCP access, and 750 tracked keywords. From Standard up, report credits are unlimited. The catch is that every main plan includes one user, extra users cost $40 to $80 a month each, and there is no trial.
Moz sells an approachable suite. Its plans include more people (2 users on Medium, 3 on Large), a 7-day trial, and the metric many clients already quote, Domain Authority. Its limits are tighter, though. Standard allows 300 tracked keywords and 150 keyword queries a month, and Moz sells more in blocks: $20 a month per 200 extra keywords, $10 per 10,000 extra keyword queries.
"Ahrefs is the tool you buy when one person needs to know everything about the links. Moz is the tool you buy when three people need to agree on what to fix next. Price the seats before you price the plan."
Entry plans side by side: Ahrefs Lite vs Moz Standard
| Ahrefs Lite | Moz Pro Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $129 | $99 |
| Billed yearly | $1,290 a year | $79 a month, $950 for the first year |
| Users | 1 (up to 2 more at $40 each) | 1 (more at $49 each) |
| Sites | 5 unverified projects, unlimited verified | 3 campaigns |
| Tracked keywords | 750, updated weekly | 300 |
| Site crawl | 100,000 crawl credits a month | 100,000 pages a week |
| Research allowance | 1,000 report credits per user a month | 150 keyword queries and 5,000 backlink queries a month |
| History | 6 months | Not stated on the pricing page |
| AI-search tracking | 5 prompts, checked daily (150 checks a month) | 150 prompts on ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode, checked weekly, with 3 AI visibility dashboards |
The research rows are not like for like, because Ahrefs counts credits and Moz counts queries. The rest of the table is clear enough: Ahrefs gives you more keywords and more room to research, while Moz gives you a lower price and a much wider view of AI answers.
The AI-search gap (the row most comparisons skip)
Both vendors now sell AI visibility, and they size it very differently:
- Moz: every Pro plan tracks prompts across ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode, with 150, 300 or 600 prompts checked weekly. That comes with AI sentiment analysis, citation data and prompt suggestions, and extra prompts cost $50 per 100.
- Ahrefs: the main plans track 5, 10 or 20 prompts daily (150, 300 or 600 checks a month), where one check is one prompt on one platform in one location. For more, Ahrefs sells prompt packages at $50, $100 and $250 a month, or Brand Radar AI from $199 a month for researching any brand across its database of 505 million+ prompts.
So if you want to watch how AI assistants answer your questions, Moz Standard covers 150 prompts for $99 a month. If you want to research how AI talks about a market, Ahrefs' Brand Radar is the bigger instrument, and the more expensive one.
What five AI assistants recommend (TheToolsVerse panel, 25 October 2026)
We asked ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Mode, Perplexity and Claude "Ahrefs vs Moz, which is better?" and "Should I use Ahrefs or Moz Pro for SEO for a small business?" from a US location. That made 10 answers.
| Finding | Answers |
|---|---|
| "Which is better?": favoured Ahrefs | 4 of 5 (the fifth said neither is universally better) |
| "For a small business?": favoured Ahrefs | 1 of 5 (2 said Moz, 2 said it depends) |
| Called Moz the cheaper or budget option | 8 of 10 |
| Mentioned Ahrefs' $29 Starter plan | 3 of 10 |
| Mentioned AI-search tracking at all | 2 of 10 |
| Used the current name of Ahrefs' free tier, "Ahrefs Free" | 1 of 10 (3 still called it Webmaster Tools) |
| Got a free-trial fact wrong | 2 of 10 (a "30-day" Moz trial; a trial "of each") |
The verdict flips with one phrase. Ask which tool is better and the assistants answer for SEO professionals: Ahrefs. Add "small business" and they answer for budget and ease of use: Moz, or "it depends". Both answers are reasonable. Our quarrel is with the details. Moz's trial is 7 days, not 30. Ahrefs has no trial at all. And the cheapest paid plan of the two, Ahrefs Starter at $29, came up in only 3 answers.
Method: ChatGPT and Gemini were read through their web interfaces, Google AI Mode from its live results, and Perplexity (sonar) and Claude (with web search) through their APIs. Answers vary between runs, so treat this as a snapshot of 25 October 2026.
Ahrefs: data depth
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Higher tracked-keyword limits than Moz at every tier: 750, 2,000 and 5,000
- +Unlimited report credits from Standard ($249) up
- +API and MCP access on every main plan
- +A $29 Starter plan with Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit and Rank Tracker
- +Brand Radar AI for researching any brand across 505 million+ AI prompts, from $199 a month
Cons
- −No free trial and no discounts; refunds are generally not issued
- −One user on every main plan; extra users cost $40, $60 or $80 a month each
- −Lite tracks only 5 AI prompts, with deeper AI tracking sold separately
- −Starter is tight: 50 tracked keywords, 200 credits, 1 month of history, no exports, renewed monthly only
- −Rank Tracker updates weekly on every plan
Moz Pro: the approachable suite
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Cheaper main plans: $99, $179 and $299, or 20% less billed yearly
- +2 users on Medium and 3 on Large; extra seats $49 a month
- +A 7-day free trial on Medium, plus free MozBar, Keyword Explorer and Link Explorer access with a community account
- +AI visibility tracking on every Pro plan: 150 to 600 prompts across ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode
- +Domain Authority and Brand Authority, the metrics many clients already ask for
Cons
- −Standard allows only 150 keyword queries and 300 tracked keywords a month
- −Lower tracked-keyword limits than Ahrefs at every tier
- −Yearly prices are described as billed for your first year
- −Limits grow through paid add-ons: $10 per campaign, $20 per 200 keywords, $15 per 50,000 pages crawled
- −No API or MCP access listed on the Pro plans (Moz sells its API separately)
What it really costs, by team size
| Your team | Ahrefs | Moz Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person, one site, light use | Starter $29 a month (monthly only) | Starter $49 a month |
| 1 person, serious research | Lite $129 ($1,290 a year) | Standard $99 ($79 billed yearly) |
| 2 people | Lite + 1 user = $169 a month | Medium $179 a month, 2 users included |
| 3 people | Lite + 2 users = $209 a month (Lite's maximum) | Large $299 a month, 3 users included |
| 3 people, more data | Standard + 2 users = $369 a month | Large $299 a month |
Seat pricing changes the picture. For one person Moz is $30 a month cheaper. For two people the prices are close, $169 against $179. For three, Ahrefs Lite is cheaper, but it caps you at 750 tracked keywords, while Moz Large gives you 3,000.
Before you pay for either
Ahrefs Free and a Moz Community account both show you real data on your own site at no cost. Use them for a week alongside Google Search Console. If you find yourself researching competitors, Ahrefs is your tool. If you want guidance on what to fix and someone to share it with, take Moz's 7-day Medium trial.
Which one should you pick?
- You build links or research competitors every week: Ahrefs.
- You are one person on a tight budget: Ahrefs Starter at $29, if 50 tracked keywords is enough. Otherwise, Moz Standard.
- You are a small team that needs 2–3 seats and guidance: Moz Pro Medium or Large.
- You want to track how AI assistants answer about your business: Moz Pro. Every plan includes prompt tracking across three AI engines.
- Your clients ask for Domain Authority: Moz Pro.
- You need API or MCP access: Ahrefs. Every main plan includes both.
TheToolsVerse keeps full listings for Ahrefs and Moz Pro, updated with these figures. Not sure either fits? Compare Ahrefs alternatives, SE Ranking or Mangools, or read how we track AI citations with DataForSEO.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ahrefs better than Moz?
For backlink and competitor research, 4 of the 5 AI assistants we asked said yes, and the limits back them up: Ahrefs has higher limits and unlimited report credits from Standard up. For a small team that wants seats, guidance and AI-search tracking at a lower price, Moz Pro is the better fit.
Does Ahrefs have a free trial?
No. Ahrefs' pricing page says "We never run discounts" and offers no trial. Website owners can use Ahrefs Free, formerly Ahrefs Webmaster Tools, for limited Site Explorer and Site Audit access on sites they verify.
How long is the Moz Pro free trial?
Seven days, on the Medium plan ($179 a month), according to Moz's sign-up page on 25 October 2026. One of the AI answers we collected said 30 days.
What is the cheapest Ahrefs plan?
Starter, at $29 a month. Ahrefs' help centre lists 50 tracked keywords, 200 credits a month, 1 month of history and no exports, and says it can only be renewed monthly. The main plans start with Lite at $129.
How much does Moz Pro cost in 2026?
Moz's pricing page listed Standard at $99 a month ($79 billed yearly), Medium at $179 ($143) and Large at $299 ($239), plus a $49 entry plan for individuals managing one website. Extra user seats are $49 a month on any plan.
Do Ahrefs and Moz track AI search?
Both do. Moz Pro tracks 150, 300 or 600 prompts weekly across ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode, depending on the plan. Ahrefs' main plans track 5, 10 or 20 prompts daily, and it sells prompt packages from $50 a month and Brand Radar AI from $199 a month for deeper research.
Final verdict
Ahrefs and Moz are both mature SEO suites, and the difference is what you pay for. With Ahrefs you pay for data: more tracked keywords, unlimited credits from Standard, API and MCP access, and the backlink research the AI answers we collected rated highest. With Moz you pay for access: more people per plan, a trial, guided workflows, and a far wider view of AI answers at the entry price.
Pick by who will use it. One researcher digging into links and competitors: Ahrefs. A small team that needs to share the work and watch AI search: Moz Pro.
Compare more SEO tools
SEO and AI-visibility tools with prices read from the vendors, on TheToolsVerse.
Explore SEO toolsArticle by Sohail Akhtar, Founder of TheToolsVerse. Read on 25 October 2026 from ahrefs.com/pricing, Ahrefs' help article "About Ahrefs Starter plan", ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools, moz.com/products/pro/pricing and Moz's free-trial sign-up page. AI-assistant answers collected by TheToolsVerse on 25 October 2026.
Neither Ahrefs nor Moz paid for this comparison. TheToolsVerse takes part in Semrush's creator programme; Semrush is not part of this comparison. This article was drafted with the help of Claude, an Anthropic model, and every fact was checked against the vendors' own pages. How paid placements work.
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