Ahrefs vs Moz 2026: Backlink Depth vs Domain Authority at a Cheaper Entry
Quick verdict: Ahrefs is our overall pick for Ahrefs vs Moz.
Ahrefs (4.5/5) wins on backlink index depth and crawler activity. Moz (4.2/5) wins on price - the $99/mo entry is cheaper than Ahrefs' $129/mo Lite, and Domain Authority remains the most-cited link metric.
| Tool | Rating | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs Best overall Best for teams | 4.5/5 | $129/mo (Lite, monthly) | Ahrefs is a backlink-driven SEO platform pairing the world's second-most active crawler wi… |
| Moz | 4.2/5 | $99/mo (Standard, monthly) | Moz Pro is a long-established SEO suite focused on Domain Authority metrics, keyword track… |
Bottom line: Ahrefs earns 4.5/5 and wins on backlink depth - the second-most active crawler and a 10+ year web-scale index. Moz earns 4.2/5 and is the cheaper entry at $99/mo Standard (vs Ahrefs Lite $129/mo), with Domain Authority still the most-cited link metric in SEO. The 2026 AI push landed on both - Ahrefs on 5-20 tracked AI prompts by tier, Moz on AI Visibility Dashboards on every tier. Pick Ahrefs for backlink depth and AI-prompt tracking; pick Moz for the cheaper entry and the Domain Authority benchmark. Neither is free - Ahrefs has a capped free tier (no credit pool) and Moz is 14-day trial only.
Pricing and details
Ahrefs · 4.5/5
$29 Starter (1 month only, then converts to Lite) · $129/mo (Lite, monthly)
Priced by credit pool and user seat. Lite: 5 projects / 750 tracked keywords / 100K crawl credits / 1 user (+2 seats at $40/mo each). Standard: 20 projects / 2000 keywords / 500K credits / 1 user (+5 at $60/mo). Advanced: 50 projects / 5000 keywords / 1.5M credits / 1 user (+10 at $80/mo). API and MCP access on all tiers. Ahrefs Free is a capped free tier with no credit pool.
Lite ~$119/mo / Standard ~$229/mo / Advanced ~$409/mo (billed annually, save up to 17%)
Ahrefs is a backlink-driven SEO platform pairing the world's second-most active crawler with rank tracking, keyword research, site audits and AI visibility monitoring, priced by credit pool and user seat.
Score breakdown
Pros
- Deepest backlink index of the cluster - 10+ years of web-scale data, second-most active crawler
- AI visibility dashboard and 5-20 tracked AI prompts on every tier (2026 add-on, no extra cost)
- Clean credit-pool system: pay for what you crawl, API and MCP on all tiers
- Site Explorer and Keywords Explorer remain the benchmark UX for competitor teardown
Cons
- $29 Starter is a 1-month trial only - it converts to $129/mo Lite after 30 days
- Credit-pool pricing: a heavy site audit burns through the 100K Lite credits fast
- No free plan - Ahrefs Free is a capped version with no credit pool
Pricing verified 2026-09-20
Moz · 4.2/5
14-day free trial (Medium tier) · $99/mo (Standard, monthly)
Priced by user seats and tracked sites/keywords. Standard: 1 user / 3 sites / 300 keywords / 400K pages crawled. Medium: 2 users / 10 sites / 1500 keywords / 2M pages. Large: 3 users / 25 sites / 3000 keywords / 5M pages. All tiers include AI Visibility Dashboard, 4 tracked AI models. Enterprise at $49/mo for single-site individual use. No free plan.
Standard $79/mo ($950/yr) / Medium $143/mo ($1719/yr) / Large $239/mo ($2868/yr)
Moz Pro is a long-established SEO suite focused on Domain Authority metrics, keyword tracking, site audits and backlink research, now with AI Overviews tracking and AI Visibility Dashboards on every tier.
Score breakdown
Pros
- Domain Authority is the most-cited link metric in SEO - reliable backlink index and crawl depth
- Cheapest entry of the big three: $99/mo Standard (vs Ahrefs $129, Semrush $139)
- 2026 AI push: AI Visibility Dashboard, AI Overviews, 4 tracked AI models on every tier
- 14-day trial on Medium tier; enterprise plan at $49/mo for single-site individual use
Cons
- Backlink index depth trails Ahrefs - fewer domains and newer data on some link types
- No free plan - 14-day trial only
- Standard tier caps at 3 sites / 300 keywords; agencies need Medium or Large
Pricing verified 2026-09-20
Frequently asked questions
Which is better overall, Ahrefs or Moz?
Ahrefs is our overall pick (4.5/5 vs 4.2/5). Ahrefs (4.5/5) wins on backlink index depth and crawler activity. Moz (4.2/5) wins on price - the $99/mo entry is cheaper than Ahrefs' $129/mo Lite, and Domain Authority remains the most-cited link metric.
Do Ahrefs and Moz offer free plans?
Neither advertises a free plan; check current trial terms before committing.
What does Ahrefs cost?
$129/mo (Lite, monthly) — Priced by credit pool and user seat. Lite: 5 projects / 750 tracked keywords / 100K crawl credits / 1 user (+2 seats at $40/mo each). Standard: 20 projects / 2000 keywords / 500K credits / 1 user (+5 at $60/mo). Advanced: 50 projects / 5000 keywords / 1.5M credits / 1 user (+10 at $80/mo). API and MCP access on all tiers. Ahrefs Free is a capped free tier with no credit pool. Prices were last verified on 2026-09-20.