Moz Pro and Semrush are two of the most established SEO platforms available. Both cover the core SEO toolkit — but they serve different users at different price points. Here’s a thorough comparison.
Quick Verdict
| Moz Pro | Semrush | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Small teams, ease of use | Agencies, data-heavy research |
| Entry price | $49/month | $139.95/month |
| Backlink data | Good | Excellent |
| Keyword data | Good | Excellent |
| Site audit | Good | Excellent |
| UI/UX | Best-in-class | Moderate learning curve |
| Free trial | 30 days | 7 days |
Bottom line: Moz Pro wins on price and usability. Semrush wins on data volume and feature depth. Most small businesses will get more value from Moz Pro; agencies and power users should invest in Semrush.
Pricing Comparison
Moz Pro:
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $49 | ~$39/mo |
| Standard | $99 | ~$79/mo |
| Medium | $179 | ~$143/mo |
| Large | $299 | ~$239/mo |
Semrush:
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | $139.95 | ~$117/mo |
| Guru | $249.95 | ~$208/mo |
| Business | $499.95 | ~$416/mo |
Price gap: Moz Pro Starter ($49) is 65% cheaper than Semrush Pro ($139.95). For solopreneurs and small teams, this is a significant difference.
Keyword Research
Winner: Semrush
Semrush has one of the largest keyword databases with 25+ billion keywords across 140+ countries. It provides:
- Keyword Magic Tool with 20+ billion keywords
- Keyword Gap analysis (compare vs competitors)
- Search intent labels (informational, transactional, navigational)
- CPC data for paid search
Moz Keyword Explorer is solid but has a smaller database. Its Priority score is unique and useful, but it lacks Semrush’s topic cluster tools and keyword gap functionality.
Backlink Analysis
Winner: Semrush (slightly)
Both have large backlink databases, but Semrush consistently finds more links in head-to-head tests:
- Semrush: 43+ trillion backlinks indexed
- Moz: 40+ trillion backlinks indexed
However, Moz’s Domain Authority (DA) remains the most widely used third-party domain metric in the industry. If your outreach team asks for “DA scores,” Moz is the source.
Site Audit
Winner: Semrush
Semrush Site Audit is more comprehensive:
- 140+ technical SEO checks
- Core Web Vitals integration
- Log file analysis
- JavaScript rendering
- HTTPS implementation checks
Moz Site Crawl covers the essentials cleanly but lacks the depth of Semrush’s audit engine. Semrush’s audit reports are also easier to export for client reporting.
Rank Tracking
Winner: Semrush
- Semrush: Daily rank tracking, mobile/desktop, 140+ databases
- Moz: Weekly tracking on lower plans, daily on Medium+
If you track many keywords daily, Semrush’s Guru or Business plans are better equipped.
Ease of Use
Winner: Moz Pro (by far)
Moz Pro has the cleanest UI in the SEO tool market. Onboarding is guided, dashboards are intuitive, and reports are easy to read.
Semrush is powerful but overwhelming. New users often need hours of learning before they get value. The Semrush Academy is helpful, but the interface has a steep initial curve.
Unique Features
Moz Pro unique:
- MozBar (free Chrome extension for instant DA/PA on any page)
- True competitor — Domain Authority is universally recognized
- Spam Score for link quality
- Whiteboard Friday content library
Semrush unique:
- Traffic analytics (estimate any site’s traffic)
- Advertising research (competitor PPC data)
- Social media posting and tracking
- Content Marketing Platform
- .Trends add-on (market intelligence)
- Brand monitoring
Semrush is genuinely a marketing platform, not just an SEO tool. If you run PPC campaigns, Semrush’s advertising research tools are unmatched.
Who Should Choose Each Tool?
Choose Moz Pro if:
- You’re a small business managing 1-3 websites
- You’re new to SEO and want a clean learning curve
- Budget is limited (starting at $49/month)
- You need DA scores for link building outreach
- You want a 30-day free trial before committing
Choose Semrush if:
- You’re an agency managing multiple client accounts
- You run both SEO and PPC campaigns
- You need competitive intelligence and traffic analysis
- You want the most comprehensive keyword and backlink data
- Your team has dedicated SEO professionals who can use advanced features
Summary Table
| Feature | Moz Pro | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $49/mo | $139.95/mo |
| Keyword database | Good | Excellent |
| Backlink database | Good | Excellent |
| Site audit depth | Good | Excellent |
| Rank tracking | Weekly (base) | Daily |
| Ease of use | Excellent | Moderate |
| Advertising data | No | Yes |
| Traffic analytics | No | Yes |
| Free trial | 30 days | 7 days |
| Agency features | Limited | Excellent |
Final Recommendation
If budget is your primary constraint, start with Moz Pro Starter at $49/month. It covers keyword research, backlinks, and site audits at a price that’s hard to beat.
If you’re serious about scaling your SEO or running an agency, invest in Semrush. The higher price delivers proportionally more data and more powerful competitive analysis.
See more: Read the full Moz Pro review or the Semrush review for deeper coverage of each tool.