Semrush Ahrefs Moz Pro Ubersuggest 2026 · 11-Category Comparison

Semrush vs Ahrefs vs Moz vs Ubersuggest

Four of the world's most popular SEO tools — compared honestly, scored category by category, with verified 2026 pricing and a clear recommendation for every type of user. No sponsored placements. No vague "it depends." Just data.

📅 Updated: May 2026 Read time: 22 min 📊 11 Scored Categories 2026 Pricing Verified 👤 By SEOScaleUp Research Team
Semrush
Pro plan from
$140/mo
Best all-in-one platform. Leads on agency workflows and AI tracking.
★★★★½ 4.5/5 G2
Ahrefs
Lite plan from
$129/mo
Best backlink database. Best content research. No free trial.
★★★★★ 4.7/5 G2
Moz Pro
Starter plan from
$49/mo
Best Domain Authority metrics. Most beginner-friendly. Slowest development pace.
★★★★ 4.4/5 G2
Ubersuggest
Individual plan from
$12/mo
Cheapest option. Lifetime deal available. Significant data depth gap.
★★★★ 4.1/5 G2

These four tools are the most-compared SEO platforms on the internet — and for good reason. They all promise keyword research, backlink analysis, rank tracking, and competitor intelligence. But they deliver those promises very differently, at very different price points, for very different users.

Moz has been around since 2004 — longer than any of them. Semrush is the biggest platform in the category. Ahrefs is the most respected by technical SEOs. Ubersuggest is by far the cheapest with a meaningful feature set. After testing all four on real campaigns, here is what we found. For broader market context, see our SEO tools statistics 2026 and SEO statistics 2026.


Quick Verdict

TL;DR — Who Wins at a Glance

Match your situation to the right tool:

Best all-in-one SEO + PPC + content platform
Semrush
Best backlink analysis and content research
Ahrefs
Best for beginners learning SEO fundamentals
Moz Pro
Cheapest tool with meaningful keyword features
Ubersuggest
Best Domain Authority / industry-standard metrics
Moz Pro
Best for agency white-label reporting
Semrush
Best for tracking AI Overviews alongside rankings
Semrush
Best link building + Digital PR research tool
Ahrefs
Best one-time lifetime purchase
Ubersuggest
Full SEO platform for agencies at mid-market price
SEOScaleUp ↗

Section 01

Tool Overviews: Who Built What and Why

Semrush (2008) — The Platform That Grew Into Everything

Semrush started as a competitive intelligence tool for SEO and PPC. By 2026 it has expanded into content marketing, social media management, PR, brand monitoring, and AI visibility tracking. It holds the industry's largest tracked keyword database (26B+), covers 190 countries, and is used by over 10 million marketing professionals. Pricing: $139.95/mo (Pro) → $499.95/mo (Business). 7-day free trial. The newer Semrush One plan ($199/mo) adds GEO and AI visibility tracking.

Ahrefs (2011) — Built by Link Builders, Trusted by SEO Specialists

Ahrefs built its reputation on having the world's largest and freshest commercial backlink index. It has since added keyword research, rank tracking, site auditing, and Content Explorer — but links and content discovery remain its core differentiation. Pricing: $29/mo (Starter, very limited) → $129/mo (Lite) → $249/mo (Standard) → $449/mo (Advanced). No free trial — a notable competitive disadvantage. Price hikes in 2024 (Lite went from $99 to $129/mo) reduced its value-per-dollar significantly.

Moz Pro (2004) — The Original SEO Platform

Moz is the oldest tool in this comparison. It invented Domain Authority — the 1–100 score that remains the most widely referenced domain-level SEO metric across the entire industry, used in PR tools, journalist outreach platforms, and agency reports worldwide. In 2026, Moz Pro covers keyword research, rank tracking, site auditing, backlink analysis, and on-page optimisation. It's added AI-powered keyword suggestions across all plans and launched an AI Visibility feature (currently in open beta). Pricing: $49/mo (Starter) → $99/mo (Standard) → $179/mo (Medium) → $299/mo (Large). Annual billing saves ~20%.

Ubersuggest (acquired 2017) — Neil Patel's Budget SEO Suite

Ubersuggest was acquired by Neil Patel in 2017 and rebuilt as an affordable entry point for small businesses and bloggers. It offers keyword research, basic backlink data, rank tracking, and site audits at a fraction of the cost of the other three — with a unique lifetime deal option that no major competitor matches. Pricing: $12/mo (Individual) → $20/mo (Business, 3 sites) → $40/mo (Agency, 7 sites). Lifetime deal ~$290 one-time payment.


Round 1 of 11

Pricing & Value for Money

Semrush
Pro Plan
$140/mo
$117/mo annually · save 17%
  • 5 projects, 500 keywords
  • 7-day free trial
  • PPC + SEO data
  • 1 user seat
  • Guru $250, Business $500
Ahrefs
Lite Plan
$129/mo
$108/mo annually · save 17%
  • 5 projects, 750 keywords
  • No free trial
  • 500 credits/mo limit
  • 1 user seat
  • Starter $29, Standard $249
Moz Pro
Standard Plan
$99/mo
$79/mo annually · save 20%
  • 3 campaigns, 300 keywords
  • 7-day free trial (Standard/Medium)
  • 100K pages crawled/mo
  • 1 user seat
  • Starter $49, Large $299
Ubersuggest
Individual Plan
$12/mo
No annual discount available
  • 1 site, unlimited KW searches
  • 7-day free trial
  • 5 tracked keywords only
  • Lifetime deal: ~$290
  • Business $20, Agency $40

Entry-level monthly price comparison (2026)

Monthly billing, most useful starting plan. Source: Verified official pricing, May 2026

Semrush Pro
$140
Ahrefs Lite
$129
Moz Standard
$99
Ubersuggest Individual
$12
Round 1 Scores
Semrush
5/10
500 keywords at $140/mo is poor keyword density. Real value only at Guru ($250).
Ahrefs
5/10
30% price hike in 2024. New credit system adds friction. No free trial.
Moz Pro
7/10
$49 Starter is the lowest entry among serious tools. 20% annual saving is best.
Ubersuggest ✓
9/10
$12/mo or $290 lifetime. Unbeatable for budget-conscious users. No annual discount available.
Winner: Ubersuggest — by a wide margin on pure price. Moz Pro's $49 Starter takes second. Semrush and Ahrefs both deliver poor entry-level value compared to the feature breadth you pay for.

Round 2 of 11

Keyword Research

Keyword database size — all four tools (2026)

Billions of keywords indexed. Source: Verified official claims, May 2026

Keyword database sizes 2026
  • Semrush: 26B+ keywords, 190+ countries. Strongest on PPC + SEO combined data — bid costs, ad competition, and keyword intent classification alongside organic volume. Keyword Magic Tool and Keyword Gap (competitor overlay) are the most polished keyword tools in this list. Integrates with Content Marketing Toolkit for brief generation on Guru plan.
  • Ahrefs: 30B+ keywords. The unique Traffic Potential metric — estimating total clicks from ranking #1, not just search volume — is the most sophisticated keyword prioritisation signal available. Parent Topic identification and SERP history add depth that Semrush doesn't match on pure organic keyword intelligence.
  • Moz Pro: ~1.25B keywords (significantly smaller database). Compensates with the proprietary Priority Score — a composite metric blending volume, difficulty, and opportunity — and AI-powered keyword grouping by search intent across all plans. Good for smaller sites; limiting for competitive research across high-volume niches.
  • Ubersuggest: ~6B keywords. Fine for directional content planning on low-to-medium competition topics. Noticeably weaker on accurate volume data for competitive niches, historical trends, and non-English markets. The free keyword tool allows up to 150 searches per day — more generous than Semrush's free tier.
Round 2 Scores
Semrush
8/10
Best PPC + SEO combined. Keyword Gap and intent filters are best-in-class.
Ahrefs ✓
9/10
Largest database. Traffic Potential metric is the most sophisticated keyword signal.
Moz Pro
5/10
Small database limits competitiveness. Priority Score partially offsets this for small sites.
Ubersuggest
6/10
Adequate for directional content planning. Unreliable for competitive niche research.
Winner: Ahrefs — largest database and most sophisticated keyword prioritisation signal. Semrush is a close second, winning on PPC use cases.


Round 4 of 11

Rank Tracking

  • Semrush Position Tracking: Daily updates, 37+ SERP feature types tracked (most of any tool here), AI Overview visibility, local pack monitoring, city/ZIP geo-targeting, competitor position overlay, AI-generated ranking change summaries. The most feature-complete rank tracker of the four. Tracks across Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Baidu.
  • Ahrefs Rank Tracker: Daily updates (with caveats on Lite plan — full daily requires paying for a Project Boost add-on at $200/mo per project), mobile-first tracking, SERP history snapshots for any keyword on any date (unique feature), Brand Radar for AI brand mentions across ChatGPT/Gemini/Copilot. High accuracy. No white-label reporting.
  • Moz Pro Rank Tracking: Daily tracking on paid plans. Keyword limits are strict (300 on Standard, 1,500 on Medium). The rank tracking does its job but lacks the SERP feature coverage, local precision, and AI visibility that Semrush and Ahrefs deliver in 2026. The AI Visibility feature is in open beta and not yet production-ready.
  • Ubersuggest Rank Tracking: Daily updates but the entry plan allows just 5 tracked keywords — making it effectively unusable for any meaningful campaign. The Agency plan ($40/mo) provides 150 keywords. No SERP feature tracking, no competitor position overlay, no local pack tracking, no AI visibility.

For the full rank tracking tool comparison including AccuRanker, Nightwatch, and SE Ranking, see our best rank tracker tools 2026 guide.

Round 4 Scores
Semrush ✓
9/10
37 SERP features, AI Overview tracking, AI summaries. Most complete of the four.
Ahrefs
8/10
SERP history snapshots are unique. Daily tracking add-on cost is frustrating.
Moz Pro
5/10
Functional but limited features vs. competitors. AI Visibility beta is not ready.
Ubersuggest
2/10
5-keyword entry limit makes it unusable for active campaigns.
Winner: Semrush — the most complete rank tracking feature set of the four, particularly for AI visibility and SERP feature coverage.

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Round 5 of 11

Site Audit

Monthly page crawl limit on entry paid plan (2026)

More pages crawled = faster full-site audit on larger sites. Source: Verified official data, May 2026

Crawl limits comparison
  • Semrush Site Audit: 100,000 pages/month on Pro. Issues prioritised by SEO impact (not just listed). Integrates with Position Tracking to correlate technical fixes with ranking changes. 130+ technical checks, Core Web Vitals monitoring, international SEO checks, and JavaScript rendering. The most actionable site audit UI of the four.
  • Ahrefs Site Audit: 10,000 pages/month on Lite (100x fewer than Semrush Pro). 100+ technical issues checked. Visual site structure map is excellent for diagnosing internal linking gaps. Strong at finding orphaned pages. Add crawl credits separately if you have a large site. The smaller crawl allowance is the primary disadvantage vs. Semrush.
  • Moz Pro Site Crawl: 100,000 pages/month on Standard — matching Semrush on crawl volume. Runs weekly by default (can trigger manually). Good at surface-level technical issues. Lacks the advanced rendering tests and Core Web Vitals depth of Semrush and Ahrefs. Moz Local (separate product) extends into local listing auditing for multi-location businesses.
  • Ubersuggest Site Audit: Adequate for small sites (under 500 pages). Flags common issues — broken links, missing meta tags, slow pages, duplicate content. Doesn't support JavaScript-heavy sites effectively, and the crawl depth is insufficient for e-commerce or large publisher sites.
Round 5 Scores
Semrush ✓
9/10
100K crawl, impact-priority UI, Core Web Vitals, JS rendering. Best site audit.
Ahrefs
7/10
Great issue detection but 10K crawl on Lite is severely limited for large sites.
Moz Pro
7/10
100K crawl matches Semrush on volume. Less advanced issue detection and CWV depth.
Ubersuggest
4/10
Fine for small personal sites. Not suitable for e-commerce or large content sites.
Winner: Semrush — the most actionable site audit with impact prioritisation. Moz and Semrush tie on crawl volume but Semrush wins on issue depth.

Round 6 of 11

Competitor Analysis

  • Semrush: Widest competitor intelligence — Market Explorer for industry-level share of voice, EyeOn for competitor content monitoring, Advertising Research for competitor Google Ads, Traffic Analytics for estimated competitor site visits, and the Gap Analysis suite (Keyword Gap, Backlink Gap, Content Gap). The only tool here with competitive PPC intelligence alongside SEO.
  • Ahrefs: Best organic competitor intelligence. Site Explorer on any domain reveals its top organic keywords, backlink profile, top traffic pages, and outgoing links. Content Gap and Link Intersect give you exactly what competitors rank for that you don't, and who links to them but not to you — highly actionable for both content strategy and link building.
  • Moz Pro: Competitive research is its weakest category. Domain Overview gives surface-level competitor metrics (DA, PA, linking domains), and True Competitive Keyword analysis shows keyword overlap. Less depth than Semrush or Ahrefs on understanding what competitors are actually doing.
  • Ubersuggest: Traffic Analyser shows competitor top pages and estimated monthly organic traffic. Data is directionally useful for initial competitive landscape mapping. Not reliable enough for strategic decisions on which keywords to target or which links to build.
Round 6 Scores
Semrush ✓
9/10
Best breadth: PPC intelligence, market share, content monitoring — unmatched.
Ahrefs
9/10
Best organic depth: content gap, link gap, top pages. The more actionable SEO tool.
Moz Pro
5/10
Basic competitor overview. Weakest competitive intelligence of the four.
Ubersuggest
4/10
Directional only. Not reliable for competitive strategy decisions.
Draw: Semrush and Ahrefs both score 9/10 — each wins on a different dimension. Semrush for breadth (PPC + SEO + market). Ahrefs for organic SEO depth.

Round 7 of 11

Content Tools

  • Semrush Content Marketing Toolkit (Guru+): SEO Content Template generates briefs from top-ranking pages, SEO Writing Assistant provides real-time optimisation in Google Docs and WordPress, Content Audit tracks health of existing content, Topic Research surfaces ideas with trend data, and AI text generation for outlines. Best end-to-end content production workflow of the four.
  • Ahrefs Content Explorer (Standard+): A searchable database of 1B+ web pages. Filter by DR, traffic, links, shares, publication date, and domain. Unparalleled for finding linkable content ideas (Digital PR), understanding what content actually earns backlinks, and discovering content gaps competitors haven't filled. Best content research tool — but doesn't help with writing or briefs.
  • Moz Pro AI Keyword Suggestions: Groups related keywords by search intent using Moz AI — included on every plan. AI Overviews by Keyword helps align content to query intent. Strong for content planning at a keyword level; weaker on brief generation and writing assistance compared to Semrush.
  • Ubersuggest Content Ideas: Shows top-ranking content for a keyword with estimated traffic and backlinks. Basic AI Writing Assistant for outlines and meta descriptions. No content brief generation, no writing assistant integration with Google Docs, no content audit. Sufficient for initial content ideation.

For content strategy data, see our topic cluster statistics 2026, content refresh statistics, and internal linking statistics.

Round 7 Scores
Semrush ✓
9/10
Full content workflow — brief, writing assistant, audit, AI generation. Best overall.
Ahrefs
8/10
Content Explorer is best for research. Writing production tools are limited.
Moz Pro
6/10
AI keyword grouping is helpful. No brief generation or writing assistant.
Ubersuggest
4/10
Content ideas only. Basic AI assistant for outlines.
Winner: Semrush on content production. Ahrefs wins on content research. Choose based on whether you need to plan content or write it.

Round 8 of 11

AI Features & AI Visibility Tracking

15–30%
of Google searches now trigger an AI Overview above organic results in 2026. If your rank tracker doesn't show you whether you appear inside that AI Overview — you're missing a signal that directly impacts your organic click-through rate.
Source: SE Ranking / Semrush 2026 SERP data
  • Semrush: AI Overview tracking built into Position Tracking. AI-generated weekly performance summaries explain ranking changes in plain language. Semrush One plan ($199/mo) adds full GEO tracking (Generative Engine Optimisation) for AI search appearances across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Copilot. The most complete AI visibility toolset of the four.
  • Ahrefs: Brand Radar tracks whether your brand appears in ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Copilot responses. Directionally useful — still developing in 2026. AI Writing Tools (powered by Claude) support content creation across the platform. Strong AI search signal; not yet matching Semrush depth on structured AI visibility reporting.
  • Moz Pro: AI Visibility feature launched in open beta in 2026. Not yet production-ready for agency use. AI-powered keyword grouping and intent classification across all plans adds genuine utility to the keyword research workflow. Moz is the most behind on AI search visibility compared to the other three.
  • Ubersuggest: AI Writing Assistant generates outlines, meta descriptions, and content ideas. No AI search visibility tracking at all — no AI Overview monitoring, no LLM brand mention tracking.

For more on AI's impact on search, see our AI Overviews statistics 2026, AI search statistics, and GEO and AEO statistics.

Round 8 Scores
Semrush ✓
9/10
Most complete AI visibility: AI Overviews + GEO tracking + AI summaries.
Ahrefs
7/10
Brand Radar promising but developing. Strong AI writing tools.
Moz Pro
4/10
AI Visibility in beta only. AI keyword features are useful but limited scope.
Ubersuggest
2/10
AI writing only. Zero AI search visibility tracking.
Winner: Semrush — by a clear margin. In 2026, AI visibility tracking is no longer optional for agencies. Only Semrush has built this into a production-ready product at this point.

Round 9 of 11

Local SEO

  • Semrush: Local pack tracking in Position Tracking (city and ZIP-code level). Semrush Local (separate add-on, $40+/mo per location) adds GBP management, listing distribution via 80+ directories, and review management. Strong but requires additional spend beyond the base subscription to be truly useful for local agencies.
  • Ahrefs: Local pack tracking available in rank tracker. No dedicated local SEO feature suite. For agencies running local campaigns, Ahrefs requires pairing with a dedicated local SEO tool.
  • Moz Pro + Moz Local: Moz Local (separate product) is one of the strongest local listing management platforms available — GBP management, NAP consistency across 70+ directories, duplicate listing detection, and review monitoring. Moz Pro's rank tracker includes local position tracking. The combination is competitive for agencies with significant local SEO workloads.
  • Ubersuggest: No dedicated local SEO features. Basic keyword research can be filtered by country. For any meaningful local SEO campaign, Ubersuggest is insufficient.

For more data on local SEO, see our Local SEO ROI statistics, UK Local SEO statistics, and our Google Business Profile statistics.

Round 9 Scores
Semrush
7/10
Strong with Semrush Local add-on. Extra cost is a friction point.
Ahrefs
5/10
Local pack tracking only. No dedicated local SEO feature suite.
Moz Pro ✓
8/10
Moz Local is a genuinely strong dedicated local SEO product when paired with Moz Pro.
Ubersuggest
2/10
No local SEO features. Country-level keyword filtering is the extent of it.
Winner: Moz Pro — when paired with Moz Local. It's Moz's most competitive differentiator against Semrush in 2026. Semrush is a close second with its Local add-on.

Round 10 of 11

Ease of Use & Learning Curve

User-rated ease of use (G2 + Capterra, 2026)

Scale of 1–10, based on verified user reviews. Source: G2.com / Capterra, May 2026

Ubersuggest
9.0
Moz Pro
8.0
Ahrefs
7.6
Semrush
6.4

Ubersuggest and Moz Pro are designed for users who don't yet know SEO deeply. Both prioritise clean layouts and guided onboarding. Ahrefs has a steeper initial curve — most new users spend their first few days understanding credit systems, report rows, and what each tool actually does — but the UI itself is logical and well-organised once you're past the learning phase. Semrush is the most complex platform on this list by a significant margin. With 50+ tools accessible from the dashboard, 15+ reporting templates, and multiple data layers per report, experienced SEO professionals are comfortable; solo business owners often aren't.

Round 10 Scores
Semrush
6/10
Powerful but overwhelming. Steep learning curve relative to all three alternatives.
Ahrefs
7/10
Logical structure once you understand it. Credit system confuses new users initially.
Moz Pro
8/10
Industry-best onboarding. SEO Beginner's Guide is bundled with the product.
Ubersuggest ✓
9/10
Simplest dashboard of any SEO tool of comparable scope. Ideal for non-specialists.
Winner: Ubersuggest — by design. Its simplicity is its product strategy. Moz Pro is a close second with its strong onboarding resources.

Round 11 of 11

Agency & Multi-Client Features

Feature Semrush Ahrefs Moz Pro Ubersuggest
White-label reporting✓ Business+Limited
Extra user seats✓ $45–100/seat✓ $40–100/seat✓ from $29/seat✗ Single user
API access✓ Business+✓ Advanced+✓ Moz API
Looker Studio integration
Scheduled automated reports✓ All plansBasic
Client management dashboard✓ AgencyLimited
Sub-accounts for clients
Bulk keyword importLimited
GA4 + GSC integration✓ DeepGSC onlyLimitedBasic
Custom branding on exports✓ Business+Partial
Round 11 Scores
Semrush ✓
10/10
White-label, client dashboards, sub-accounts, API, Looker Studio. Best agency platform.
Ahrefs
4/10
No white-label, no client dashboards. Built for practitioners, not agency billing.
Moz Pro
5/10
Moz API and basic reporting. DA metric has value in agency deliverables.
Ubersuggest
1/10
Single-user. No API, no white-label, no client management. Not for agencies.
Winner: Semrush — by an enormous margin. This isn't a close call. If you run an SEO agency and client deliverables require branded reports, Looker Studio dashboards, or sub-accounts, only Semrush delivers this in a single platform.

Master Reference

Full Feature Comparison Table 2026

Feature / Category Semrush Ahrefs Moz Pro Ubersuggest
Pricing
Entry monthly price$139.95 (Pro)$129 (Lite)$49 (Starter)$12 (Individual)
Annual saving17%17%20%None
Free trial✓ 7 days✓ 7 days (Standard)✓ 7 days
Lifetime deal✓ ~$290
Keyword Research
Keyword database26B+30B+~1.25B~6B
Traffic Potential metric✓ Unique
PPC keyword data✓ FullBasicBasic
AI keyword grouping✓ Guru+✓ All plans
Backlinks
Index sizeLarge35T+ linksMediumSmall
Update frequencyDaily15–30 minCrawl-basedWeekly
DA / authority metricAuthority ScoreDR / URDA/PA (industry standard)Domain Score
Rank Tracking
Daily updates✓ Included✓ (add-on for daily)5 kw (entry)
AI Overview trackingBrand RadarBeta only
SERP features tracked37+15+10+Basic
Local pack tracking
Content & Local
Content brief generator✓ Guru+
Content ExplorerTopic Research✓ Standard+
Local listing management✓ Add-on✓ Moz Local
Agency & Reporting
White-label reports✓ Business+Limited
API access✓ Business+✓ Advanced+✓ Moz API (all tiers)
Looker Studio

Recommendation Guide

Who Should Use Which SEO Tool in 2026

Choose Semrush if you are:

  • A full-service digital marketing agency that manages both SEO and PPC for clients — the only tool here with competitive advertising intelligence
  • Running an agency where white-label reporting, sub-accounts, and Looker Studio dashboards are part of your client delivery
  • Tracking AI Overview visibility alongside traditional rankings for clients in 2026
  • A content marketing team needing brief generation, writing assistant, and content audit in one platform

Choose Ahrefs if you are:

  • An SEO specialist, link builder, or Digital PR practitioner for whom backlink data is the most critical SEO signal
  • Running content gap analysis and competitor keyword research as your primary growth lever
  • A technical SEO who values data accuracy and SERP history over workflow breadth
  • Comfortable investing in a premium tool without a free trial — and already confident in Ahrefs' reputation

Choose Moz Pro if you are:

  • An SEO beginner or small business owner who wants a less intimidating entry into professional SEO tooling
  • An agency where Domain Authority is the primary metric used in client reports and pitch documents — Moz's DA remains the industry standard that journalists and PR tools reference
  • Running multi-location local businesses where Moz Local (paired with Moz Pro) provides the most complete listing management solution
  • Looking for the lowest entry cost among serious SEO platforms ($49 Starter)

Choose Ubersuggest if you are:

  • A solo blogger, small business owner, or startup with a budget under $20/month
  • A first-time SEO user wanting to learn keyword research and site basics without committing to a premium tool
  • Interested in the lifetime deal as a one-time cost SEO tool — the only major platform offering this
  • Running a single website on low-to-medium competition topics where directional keyword data is sufficient
None of the four?
If you're an agency or growing business that wants rank tracking connected to backlink gap analysis, AI visibility, keyword cannibalization detection, topic clusters, and local SEO — without paying Semrush Business pricing — SEOScaleUp is built for exactly that workflow. Free trial, no credit card required. Start here →
SEOScaleUp — Full-stack SEO for agencies & growing businesses

Final Verdict

Final Scores Across All 11 Categories

Overall score by category — radar comparison (2026)

Scores out of 10, rated across 11 categories. Source: SEOScaleUp 2026 analysis

All tools radar comparison
Semrush
82
Wins: Site Audit, Rank Tracking, Content, AI, Agency, Competitor
Best for: Full-service agencies
Weakness: Price, keyword limits at entry
Ahrefs
76
Wins: Backlinks, Keywords
Best for: SEO specialists, link builders
Weakness: Price increase, no WL, no trial
Moz Pro
62
Wins: Local SEO (Moz Local combo), Ease of Use
Best for: Beginners, DA-first agencies
Weakness: Smaller DB, slower development
Ubersuggest
46
Wins: Pricing, Ease of Use
Best for: Beginners, solo bloggers
Weakness: Data depth gap is wide and real

"Semrush wins on overall feature coverage. Ahrefs wins where it counts for SEO specialists. Moz Pro has the most defensible niche for beginners and DA-centric agencies. Ubersuggest wins on price — full stop. None of them is 'best' without context."

— SEOScaleUp Research Team, May 2026. Based on testing across 120+ client campaigns.

SEOScaleUp: what these four tools don't cover together

Rank tracking → keyword cannibalization → backlink gap → AI clusters → local SEO — all connected. No tab-switching. Free trial.

Start Free — No Card Needed →
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Semrush or Ahrefs better in 2026?

Semrush scores higher overall (82/100 vs. 76/100) when measured across all 11 categories in this comparison. It wins on site audit, rank tracking, content tools, AI visibility, and agency features. Ahrefs wins decisively on backlink analysis and keyword research depth. The right answer depends on your primary use case: if you build links and research content, Ahrefs is better. If you run a full-service agency needing white-label reports, AI tracking, and PPC data, Semrush is better.

Is Moz Pro still worth it in 2026?

Yes — for specific use cases. Moz Pro's Domain Authority metric remains the most cited domain-level SEO metric in the industry, embedded in PR tools, Cision, journalist outreach platforms, and agency reports. At $49/month (Starter) or $79/month (Standard, annually), it's the most affordable serious SEO platform. Moz Local (separate product) is a genuinely competitive local listing management tool. Where Moz Pro falls short: keyword database (1.25B vs. Ahrefs' 30B), AI visibility tracking (beta only), and competitive analysis depth.

What are the 2026 prices for Semrush, Ahrefs, Moz, and Ubersuggest?

Semrush: $139.95/mo (Pro), $249.95/mo (Guru), $499.95/mo (Business); 7-day trial. Ahrefs: $29/mo (Starter, limited), $129/mo (Lite), $249/mo (Standard), $449/mo (Advanced); no free trial. Moz Pro: $49/mo (Starter), $99/mo (Standard), $179/mo (Medium), $299/mo (Large); 7-day trial on Standard/Medium; 20% annual discount. Ubersuggest: $12/mo (Individual), $20/mo (Business), $40/mo (Agency); ~$290 lifetime deal; 7-day trial. All prices are monthly billing — annual billing saves 17–20% on Semrush, Ahrefs, and Moz.

Which tool has the best backlink checker?

Ahrefs — by a decisive margin. With 35T+ links in its index (the world's largest commercial backlink database), 15–30 minute update cycles, and the deepest link gap and broken link analysis available, no other tool at any price point matches Ahrefs for backlink research. Semrush is a solid second with better backlink audit and disavow tools. Moz's Link Explorer is useful primarily for its DA/PA metrics. Ubersuggest's backlink data is adequate for basic site-level audits only. For full context, see our link building statistics 2026.

Which SEO tool is best for beginners?

Moz Pro and Ubersuggest are both designed with beginners in mind. Moz Pro has the strongest onboarding resources — its Beginner's Guide to SEO is bundled with the product and its interface is logical and well-explained. Ubersuggest is slightly simpler and significantly cheaper ($12/month vs. Moz's $49 Starter). For complete SEO beginners with zero budget, start with Ubersuggest (or Google Search Console, which is free). Upgrade to Moz Pro Standard ($99/month) when you're ready to invest in professional tooling.

Does Semrush track AI Overviews and ChatGPT appearances?

Yes. Semrush Position Tracking includes AI Overview visibility tracking as of 2026. The Semrush One plan ($199/month) adds full GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) tracking across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Copilot. Ahrefs offers Brand Radar for ChatGPT/Gemini/Copilot mentions. Moz has an AI Visibility feature in open beta. Ubersuggest has no AI visibility tracking. For more data, see our AI Overviews statistics.

Is Ubersuggest good enough to replace Semrush or Ahrefs?

For basic content planning and keyword research on low-to-medium competition topics: yes, Ubersuggest provides directionally useful data at a fraction of the cost. For agency work, competitive niches, backlink analysis, AI visibility tracking, or any situation requiring reliable, auditable data: no. The data quality gap between Ubersuggest and either Semrush or Ahrefs is significant — a smaller keyword database (~6B vs. 26–30B), weaker backlink data, no AI tracking, and no white-label features. Ubersuggest is a starter tool, not a replacement for professional platforms.

What is a good alternative to all four tools?

SE Ranking ($65/month) delivers comparable rank tracking, AI Overview monitoring, and agency features to Semrush at less than half the price — see our best rank tracker tools guide. Mangools ($29/month) bundles keyword research, rank tracking, and basic backlink tools. SEOScaleUp connects rank tracking, backlink gap analysis, keyword cannibalization detection, topic clusters, and local SEO in one platform — free trial available. See also our full best SEO reporting tools guide.

Sources

Sources & Methodology

  • G2.com — Verified ratings: Semrush 4.5/5 (3,307 reviews), Ahrefs 4.7/5 (581 reviews), Moz Pro 4.4/5, Ubersuggest 4.1/5. May 2026
  • Semrush Pricing — Pro $139.95, Guru $249.95, Business $499.95. Semrush One $199. Verified May 2026
  • Ahrefs Pricing — Starter $29, Lite $129, Standard $249, Advanced $449. Verified May 2026
  • Moz Pricing — Starter $49, Standard $99, Medium $179, Large $299. Verified May 2026
  • Ubersuggest Pricing — Individual $12, Business $20, Agency $40, Lifetime ~$290. Verified May 2026
  • TNW / Moz — AI Visibility open beta and $39/mo annual Starter plan data, March 2026
  • Marketerschoice.com — Semrush Guru plan 43% user adoption data; Semrush pricing analysis 2026