Moz vs Ahrefs: Which is Better? Head-to-Head Comparison

Last Updated on March 31, 2025 by Ewen Finser

Moz and Ahrefs are two of the most popular all-in-one SEO platforms on the market, but which one is better? 

To find out, I pitted Moz vs. Ahrefs against one another in a head-to-head battle, looking at how each one fared in terms of essential criteria such as data and data analysis, features, cost, and all-round usability.

Which one came out on top? 

Moz vs. Ahrefs – The Main Differences 

• Moz costs less than Ahrefs, but Ahrefs plans cover more sites and have higher tracking and crawling allowances than Moz. 

• Ahrefs provides high-level data analysis upfront, whereas Moz provides basic insights upfront and then lets you dive into the details if you need to.

• Both offer useful tools to improve your content, but only Moz provides simple, actionable advice. Ahrefs simply gives you a content editor which is tricky to figure out.

The Bottom Line: 

With its affordable pricing and beginner-friendly simplicity, Moz is the best all-in-one SEO platform for small businesses, freelancers, and solo entrepreneurs. 

However, Ahrefs’ more detailed dashboards and advanced data analysis may still appeal to large and growing agencies or seasoned SEO veterans who need in-depth insights and greater control over their SEO strategy

Moz vs. Ahrefs: Head-to-Head Comparison 

1. Data and Dashboards 

Dashboards are the cornerstone of any SEO platform, Moz and Ahrefs included, so it makes sense to start our head-to-head battle here. 

After all, when you look at the way both platforms present their data, you quickly get a good idea of what it’s like to use each one. 

Take the Moz Domain Overview for example. 

Type in any domain, and you get a nice, simple breakdown of the website’s main subject, and its Domain, Brand, and Page authority scores. 

While this data is presented in a nice, neat, and easy-to-understand format, you’re not necessarily getting the most valuable metrics upfront. 

Look at it this way: 

Nine times out of ten, if you’re running a domain search on an SEO tool, you’ll already have a good idea of what the website is about, either because you own it or because it’s one of your competitors. 

Now, the Authority scores certainly have their uses, but only when compared alongside other key metrics, for example, to determine how you’re faring against a rival website in search rankings for particular keywords.

Meanwhile, the Ahrefs Site Explorer gives you much more meaningful data right from the beginning, with insightful metrics relating to your backlink profile and both organic and paid search that you can actually do something about. 

Still, that doesn’t make Ahrefs a clear winner here. It really depends on what you’re looking for. 

For example, if you like to keep things simple, you’ll probably like Moz much more.

Take a look at the screenshot above which shows Moz’s interactive chart tracking authority scores over time. It’s clean, it’s straightforward. You know exactly what you’re looking at and what this data means.

Now, take a look at the screenshot below. 

This shows Ahrefs’ version of an interactive performance-over-time chart tracking the comparable metrics. 

On the one hand, I love that Ahrefs fills the timeline with details of notable updates to both your site and Google’s search algorithms. 

This makes it relatively easy to determine how each update impacts your performance. However, it’s nowhere near as easy to understand, especially when you dive in to get more information about the site updates registered on the timeline.

Seriously, what am I even looking at here?

It’s the same wherever you go on either platform.

For example, compare the Competitor Analysis results from Moz in the screenshot above, to the ones produced by Ahrefs in the screenshot below.

Moz may not be as visually dynamic as Ahrefs, nor does it provide as much data up front. However, it’s much easier for those with limited SEO experience to get their head around, and it’s certainly much easier to pick out a single competitor and get a more detailed one-on-one comparison. 

The long and short of it here is that if you want beginner-friendly simplicity, Moz is a winner, while Ahrefs triumphs at presenting more advanced metrics upfront, even if it takes a little longer to decipher.

2. Features and Functions 

Moz and Ahrefs are both fairly evenly matched in terms of the number of features they offer. 

Both provide straightforward tools for essential SEO tasks such as: 

• Keyword research 
• Backlink profile building
• Tracking search rankings.

Neither is any more difficult than the other, so it’s tough to say which one wins this round. For the most part, it all comes back to data presentation. 

Here’s an example:

Moz vs. Ahrefs for Keyword Research

If you’re doing keyword research, would you rather:

A. Get a simple breakdown of the most essential details about that keyword, then explore other insights like keyword suggestions at your leisure, like you do with Moz?

Or;

B. Get smacked in the face with a whole ton of data all at once on a very busy dashboard as is the case with Ahrefs?

There’s not necessarily a right answer here. 

I can certainly see the appeal of getting an at-a-glance look at everything, and there’s no denying that Ahrefs’ keyword research results are incredibly valuable.

Yet personally, I find Moz not only less overwhelming but more useful. 

If I just want to get a quick idea of whether a search term is worth targeting, and how to target it, Moz tells me that right away, whereas Ahrefs takes a little longer to figure out. 

Content Improvement Features

I’ve spent a lot of time with the features of both platforms, and the only time they differ significantly in terms of function and outcome is the way each one helps you to improve your existing content. 

To begin with, both platforms do this in a similar way – enter a specific URL from your website and the keyword you’re trying to target with it.

On Ahrefs, the AI Content Helper tool presents you with a copy of your article and a whole bunch of different recommendations and data that’s designed to help you improve your content but actually makes it difficult to figure out precisely what you’re supposed to do. 

On Moz, things are much simpler. 

Here, the Page Grader tool tells you not only exactly what you’re doing wrong, but, more importantly, it also tells you precisely what you should do about it.

Now, your opinion may vary, but I actually find that much more helpful. 

3. Pricing 

Comparing Moz to Ahrefs in terms of pricing is a difficult one because Moz costs less but Ahrefs offers more. 

In the long run, Moz works out to be the best value-for-money deal for solo entrepreneurs and small businesses.

You can get a basic starter plan covering 1 user and one tracked site for $470 per year, or a similar 1 user plan with 3 tracked sites for $950. 

Both offer keyword tracking and page crawling budgets that should be more than enough for anyone considering plans at this level.

Meanwhile, Ahrefs’ starter plans cost $1,290 p/y, but this allows you to track up to five sites and has a bigger crawl and keyword tracking budget. 

This is pretty much par for the course with all available plans.

For example, the most sites you can track with Moz is 25, and that’s on their highest-priced plan at $2,868 p/y. However, Ahrefs has a 50-site plan for $4,490.

With that in mind, it’s fair to say that Ahrefs is a better value for money for growing agencies and large-scale businesses. 

Which is Better – Moz or Ahrefs? My Final Verdict 

Having put Moz and Ahrefs through their paces, I’m convinced that neither is necessarily better than the other. It’s just that each one is better at meeting the needs of a specific type of user. 

Yes, if you’re a growing SEO agency or a high-level SEO professional who needs incredibly advanced data analysis and you don’t mind paying extra for it, then Ahrefs is certainly worth a look. 

However, if you’re a small business or a solo entrepreneur managing just a handful of websites, then you’ll find that Moz is not only more affordable but also much easier to use, all without compromising on accurate, insightful data and useful features. 

Still undecided? Consider taking advantage of Moz’s free trial or Ahrefs’ limited free features to see which one fits your workflow best.