Moz Pro vs Semrush
Vignesh Sampath
Last updated on
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The short answer
Moz Pro and Semrush are both mature SEO platforms that cover keyword research, rank tracking, backlink analysis, and site audits. The honest split is scope and price: Moz Pro is a focused, affordable SEO tool with the industry’s most-cited domain authority metric and a clean interface that works well for solo practitioners and SEO-only teams. Semrush is a full-stack marketing intelligence platform with the largest mainstream keyword database, daily rank tracking at every tier, built-in PPC competitor research, and 55+ integrated tools that span content, social, and competitive intelligence. One is cheaper and simpler; the other does far more and costs accordingly.
If you need solid keyword research, rank tracking, backlink analysis, and audits at a $39/mo entry point (annual), value Domain Authority as a client-reporting metric, and do not run PPC campaigns that require competitor ad intelligence, Moz Pro is the cleaner, cheaper choice for SEO-only workflows.
If you run SEO and PPC together, need the largest keyword database (27 to 29 billion keywords), want daily rank tracking at entry tier, or need dedicated AI Overview and LLM visibility tracking, Semrush’s broader platform justifies the higher entry price of $117.33/mo (annual Pro). Budget for Guru ($208.33/mo) to unlock content tools and historical data.
At a glance
| Moz Pro | Semrush | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded / Vendor | Moz (moz.com) — founded 2004 | Semrush (semrush.com) — founded 2008 |
| Category | SEO platform (organic only) | Digital marketing intelligence (SEO + PPC + content + competitive) |
| Starting price | ~$39/mo (Starter, annual) | ~$117.33/mo (Pro, annual) |
| Public rating | 4.3/5 G2 (606 reviews) | 4.5/5 G2 (3,434 reviews) |
| Best for | SEO-only teams, solo practitioners, local SEO via Moz Local | Integrated SEO + PPC, agencies, AI visibility tracking |
Vendor profile
Moz Pro
Moz was founded in 2004 by Rand Fishkin and Gillian Muessig in Seattle as SEOmoz, one of the earliest dedicated SEO software companies. It rebranded to Moz in 2013 and has focused on organic SEO tooling ever since. Its Domain Authority (DA) metric became the industry standard for evaluating link quality, and it is still the most widely cited proprietary SEO metric across agencies and marketers. Moz Pro covers keyword research, rank tracking, site auditing, and backlink analysis. It does not include PPC research or content marketing tools at any tier. Moz Local is a separate product for local listing management. Vendor status (public or private) was not confirmed from primary sources as of June 2026; verify at moz.com/about.
- Vendor
- Moz (moz.com)
- Founded
- 2004 (as SEOmoz; rebranded Moz 2013)
- HQ
- Seattle, Washington, USA
- Platform
- Web app (SaaS)
- Pricing model
- Tiered annual or monthly; per-seat and per-campaign add-ons
- Starting price
- ~$39/mo (Starter, billed yearly)
- Public rating
- 4.3/5 G2 (606 reviews); 4.5/5 Capterra (~349 reviews)
Semrush
Semrush was founded in 2008 by Oleg Shchegolev and Dmitry Melnikov in St. Petersburg as Seodigger, rebranding to Semrush in 2010. The company relocated its headquarters to Boston in 2017 and went public on the NYSE (ticker: SEMR) in March 2021. It has grown into the broadest mainstream digital marketing intelligence platform, covering SEO, PPC, content, social, and competitive intelligence across 55+ integrated tools. Its keyword database at 27 to 29 billion keywords across 142 geographic databases is the largest among mainstream SEO platforms. In the G2 Spring 2026 reports, Semrush ranked number one in six categories and received four Best Software Awards.
- Vendor
- Semrush Holdings, Inc. (semrush.com)
- Founded
- 2008 (as Seodigger; rebranded Semrush 2010)
- HQ
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Platform
- Web app (SaaS); publicly traded NYSE: SEMR
- Pricing model
- Tiered annual or monthly; modular add-ons (AI Visibility, Local, Agency kit)
- Starting price
- ~$117.33/mo (Pro, billed yearly)
- Public rating
- 4.5/5 G2 (3,434 reviews)
Pricing: what you'll actually pay
Pricing is cross-verified from third-party sources (marketerschoice.com, bloggerspassion.com) as of June 2026. Moz’s and Semrush’s own pricing pages blocked automated verification; treat figures as reported and confirm directly at moz.com/pricing and semrush.com/pricing before purchase.
| Moz Pro | Semrush | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (annual) | ~$39/mo (Starter) | ~$117.33/mo (Pro) |
| Starting price (monthly) | ~$49/mo (Starter) | ~$139.95/mo (Pro) |
| Typical operating range | $79 to $143/mo (Standard to Medium, annual) | $208.33 to $416.66/mo (Guru to Business, annual) |
| Full-capability tier | Large — $239/mo annual, $299/mo monthly | Business — $416.66/mo annual, $499.95/mo monthly |
| Content tools included | None at any tier | Guru ($208.33/mo annual) and above only |
| Historical data | Unverified per tier | Guru tier and above only |
| Free plan | No | Yes (limits unverified — verify live) |
| Free trial | 7 days (Standard/Medium only; card required) | 7 days (all plans; card required; auto-bills day 7) |
| Pricing model | Tiered; extra seats $49/mo; extra campaigns $10/mo | Tiered; extra seats $45 to $100/mo; AI Visibility add-on $99/mo per domain |
Capability comparison
Both platforms cover the SEO core: keyword research, rank tracking, backlink analysis, and site auditing. The gaps appear on PPC research, content tools, AI visibility, and how deep each tier goes on audit scale and data freshness. Moz Pro wins on price and Domain Authority; Semrush wins on breadth, database size, and daily tracking at every tier.
| Service | Moz Pro | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword research | ✓ (~1.25B keywords, reported — verify at moz.com) | ✓ (27 to 29B keywords, 142 geographic DBs) |
| Daily rank tracking | Partial (weekly on Starter/Standard; daily on Medium/Large) | ✓ (all tiers) |
| Technical site audit | ✓ (core checks) | ✓ (130+ checks, Core Web Vitals) |
| Backlink analysis | ✓ (Link Explorer, DA/PA) | ✓ (43 to 51T links, 390M referring domains, daily crawl) |
| Domain Authority (DA) metric | ✓ (industry standard) | ✕ (uses Authority Score — less adopted) |
| PPC competitor research | ✕ | ✓ (all tiers) |
| Content marketing toolkit | ✕ | Partial (Guru tier and above only) |
| AI visibility tracking | Partial (beta, limited platforms) | ✓ (dedicated toolkit — add-on or Semrush One bundle) |
| Local SEO | Partial (Moz Local — separate product) | Partial (add-on toolkit, $30/mo per location) |
| Social media tools | ✕ | ✓ |
| Historical data | Unverified per tier — verify at moz.com/pricing | Guru tier and above only |
| API access | Unverified — verify at moz.com/products/api | Business tier only |
| Free plan | ✕ | ✓ (limits unverified — verify live) |
| Free trial | 7 days, Standard/Medium only (card required) | 7 days, all plans (card required; auto-bills after day 7) |
Decision matrix - who fits which side
| Criterion | Moz Pro | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable entry for SEO-only teams | ✓ | – |
| Domain Authority as a reporting metric | ✓ | ✕ |
| Daily rank tracking at entry tier | ✕ | ✓ |
| Largest keyword database (27 to 29B keywords) | ✕ | ✓ |
| PPC competitor research at every tier | ✕ | ✓ |
| AI visibility tracking (AI Overviews, LLMs) | – | ✓ |
| Content marketing toolkit built in | ✕ | – |
| Local SEO via a purpose-built product | ✓ | – |
| Free plan available | ✕ | ✓ |
| Deepest verified G2 review pool | – | ✓ |
Check = clear edge. Dash = capable but not the stronger pick. Cross = outside the model.
Strengths & tradeoffs
Both platforms cover the SEO core competently. The real differences are scope, price, and where each tool draws its limits, and each side wins rows the other does not.
| Axis | Moz Pro | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | ~$39/mo annual (Starter) — roughly 3x cheaper at entry | ~$117.33/mo annual (Pro) — higher floor, broader capability |
| Keyword database | ~1.25B keywords (reported; verify at moz.com) | 27 to 29B keywords across 142 geographic databases |
| Rank tracking freshness | Weekly on Starter/Standard; daily on Medium/Large only | Daily at every plan tier |
| PPC research | None at any tier | Included at every tier — unique differentiator |
| Domain authority metric | DA/PA — industry-standard, most-cited link metric | Authority Score — functional but less widely adopted |
| AI visibility tracking | Beta, limited platform coverage | Dedicated toolkit (add-on $99/mo per domain or Semrush One bundle $199/mo) |
| Content tools | Not included at any tier | Guru tier ($208.33/mo) and above only; not in Pro |
| Local SEO | Moz Local (separate purpose-built product) | Add-on toolkit from $30/mo per location |
| Platform breadth | SEO-only (organic) | 55+ tools across SEO, PPC, content, social, competitive |
| Interface accessibility | Frequently cited as clean and beginner-friendly | More complex given breadth; steeper learning curve cited in reviews |
| Vendor stability | Independent; ownership status unverified as of June 2026 | Publicly traded NYSE: SEMR; major data infrastructure investment |
Ratings & track record
| Metric | Moz Pro | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| G2 reviews | 606 | 3,434 |
| Capterra rating | 4.5 / 5 (~349 reviews) | Not extracted — verify live |
| Founded | 2004 | 2008 |
| Publicly traded | Unverified (verify at moz.com/about) | Yes, NYSE: SEMR since March 2021 |
| Notable recognition | DA metric is the industry standard for link quality | G2 #1 in 6 categories, Spring 2026; four G2 Best Software Awards 2026 |
Semrush holds both the higher G2 rating (4.5 vs 4.3) and a much larger review pool (3,434 vs 606), giving its score considerably more statistical depth. Moz Pro’s Capterra rating of 4.5 from roughly 349 reviews is a useful secondary signal, and reviews consistently highlight its cleaner interface and lower learning curve. G2 ratings for both tools were cross-verified via search-result metadata and press releases because G2 pages return 403 to automated fetches; confirm counts are current before relying on them.
Both tools’ data is sourced from publicly available information and third-party cross-checks as of June 2026. Moz’s and Semrush’s own pricing pages blocked automated verification; treat all pricing figures as reported and confirm at moz.com/pricing and semrush.com/pricing before purchase. G2 ratings were cross-verified via search-result metadata; confirm counts live. This comparison is independent; we take no affiliate or referral fees from either vendor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Moz Pro and Semrush?
Is Moz Pro better than Semrush?
Which is cheaper, Moz Pro or Semrush?
Does Moz Pro include PPC competitor research?
Does Semrush include content marketing tools in every plan?
Do Moz Pro and Semrush offer a free plan or trial?
Sources and references
- Moz homepage (accessed June 2026)
- Moz Pro pricing (third-party cross-check, marketerschoice.com) (accessed June 2026)
- Moz free trial terms (bloggerspassion.com) (accessed June 2026)
- Moz company history (encyclopedia.pub) (accessed June 2026)
- Moz Pro backlink database overview (Backlinko hub) (accessed June 2026)
- G2 — Moz Pro reviews (accessed June 2026)
- Semrush homepage (accessed June 2026)
- Semrush pricing (third-party cross-check, marketerschoice.com) (accessed June 2026)
- Semrush vs Moz feature comparison (marketerschoice.com) (accessed June 2026)
- Moz Pro vs Semrush comparison (nexalgrowth.com) (accessed June 2026)
- Semrush statistics and database sizes (stackedreview.com) (accessed June 2026)
- Semrush G2 Spring 2026 recognition (semrush.com) (accessed June 2026)
Want an outside opinion before you commit?
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