Moz launched AI Visibility Dashboard (Beta, Medium+ only)
Semrush has 14-day free trial · Moz has 30-day free trial
Two veteran platforms. Completely different philosophies. Semrush launched in 2008 as a competitive intelligence tool and has since grown into a 27.9-billion-keyword all-in-one marketing suite. Moz, founded in 2004, has stayed focused on pure SEO — and in doing so, created Domain Authority, the single most-cited metric in the entire SEO industry.
In 2026, both tools have added AI enhancements, updated interfaces, and expanded their offerings — but the fundamental gap in data volume, feature breadth, and pricing has not narrowed. This comparison covers every major category with real 2026 data so you can make a clear decision.
Before the feature-by-feature breakdown, here's the bird's-eye view of where each platform stands in 2026 based on real user reviews.
4.5
★★★★½
Semrush
Based on 327 G2/Capterra reviews
4.3
★★★★¼
Moz Pro
Based on 258 G2/Capterra reviews
2008
Semrush founded
Originally as competitive intel tool
2004
Moz founded
Pioneer of Domain Authority metric
55+
Semrush tools
SEO, PPC, content, social, AI
~10
Moz core tools
Focused purely on SEO
10M+
Semrush users
Globally — agencies & enterprise
500K+
Moz Pro subscribers
SMBs & dedicated SEO pros
📌 The Big Picture
Semrush is a full digital marketing platform — SEO, PPC, content, social media, and AI search are all under one roof. Moz Pro is a focused SEO tool with a simpler feature set, lower entry pricing, and the most trusted domain authority metric in the industry. Neither is wrong — they serve different buyers.
Section 02 — Feature Deep-Dive
Keyword Research: Semrush Wins by a Wide Margin
Semrush
vs
Moz Pro
Semrush wins — 22× more keywords, deeper intent filtering
Keyword Database
27.9B
Keyword database — world's largest. Delivers millions of ideas per seed term.
1.25B
Solid fundamentals, but suggestions capped at ~1,000 per query on lower plans.
Keyword Difficulty Accuracy
89%
Correlation to actual ranking difficulty in 2026 testing. Superior for competitive niches.
~70%
Solid but lags Semrush in predictive accuracy. Better for broad trend analysis.
Intent Filtering & AI Overviews
Full
Advanced filters for intent, questions, and AI Overviews visibility built into Keyword Magic Tool.
Basic
Search volume, difficulty, and priority scores available — no AI Overviews visibility filter.
🏆 Semrush Keyword Edge
Semrush's keyword database is 22× larger than Moz's — 27.9 billion versus 1.25 billion. In practice, this means far more long-tail discovery, better localization, and more accurate volume estimates across niche topics. For competitive keyword research in 2026, Semrush is in a different league.
Section 03 — Feature Deep-Dive
Backlink Analysis: Semrush Has the Larger Index
Semrush
vs
Moz Pro
Semrush wins on volume — Moz wins on DA familiarity
Backlink Index Size
43B+
Backlinks indexed. Real-time monitoring with new link & lost link alerts.
Smaller
Smaller index but Domain Authority (DA) is the industry's most widely used link metric.
Authority Metric
Authority Score
Good metric, but less universally recognized than Moz's DA in client reporting contexts.
Domain Authority
The original and most widely cited link authority metric. Industry standard for 15+ years.
Link Building Tools
Full Suite
Link building outreach, prospect discovery, toxic link audits, and automated alerts in one place.
Link Explorer
Solid analysis tool. Link building workflow less automated than Semrush.
💡 Moz's DA Advantage
If your clients or stakeholders use DA as their primary link metric — and most still do — Moz is the only tool that provides the authoritative Domain Authority score. You can approximate DA with other tools, but there's only one source for the original. For link-focused client reporting, this matters.
Section 04 — Feature Deep-Dive
Rank Tracking: Semrush Tracks 10× More Keywords
Semrush
vs
Moz Pro
Semrush wins — 10× more keywords at equivalent price tier
Keywords Per Project (Entry Plan)
500
Daily updates. Tracks SERP features (Featured Snippets, AI Overviews, Local Pack) alongside organic position.
50
Limited to 50 keywords on the Standard plan ($99/mo). More available on higher plans.
Update Frequency
Daily
Daily position updates across all plans with historical trend data.
Weekly
Standard updates weekly. Not ideal for monitoring volatile or competitive keywords.
📊 The Keyword Tracking Gap
At equivalent price points, Semrush tracks 10× more keywords than Moz (500 vs 50 on entry plans) and updates them daily versus weekly. For most SEOs managing active campaigns, Moz's 50-keyword limit on the $49/month plan is a significant constraint.
Section 05 — Feature Deep-Dive
Technical SEO Audits: Semrush Audits Deeper
Semrush
vs
Moz Pro
Semrush wins on depth — Moz's audit is simpler but sufficient for most SMBs
Site Audit Depth
140+ checks
Core Web Vitals, schema markup, crawl budget analysis, hreflang, JavaScript rendering, and more. Scheduled automatic crawls.
~30 checks
Covers the fundamentals — broken links, redirect issues, duplicate content, missing tags. Clear and actionable for beginners.
Crawl Limits (Entry Plan)
100K URLs
Per month on Pro plan. Enterprise plans support millions.
100K pages
Similar crawl limits, but fewer checks per page. Sufficient for most small sites.
Section 06 — 2026 Key Feature
AI Search Visibility: Semrush Leads, Moz in Beta
AI Overviews now appear on 13–30% of Google queries. Tracking your brand's visibility in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews is no longer optional — it's the defining new feature of 2026 SEO tools.
Semrush
vs
Moz Pro
Semrush wins — deeper data, available on more plans
ChatGPT / Perplexity Tracking
Yes
AI Visibility Toolkit tracks brand mentions across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Available from $99/mo add-on or bundled in Semrush One ($199/mo).
Limited
AI Visibility Dashboard launched in 2026 but is in Beta and available only on Medium ($179/mo) and Large ($299/mo) plans.
Google AI Overviews Tracking
Full
Tracks which keywords trigger AI Overviews and whether your pages are cited. Integrated with Keyword Magic Tool.
Basic
Basic keyword intent signals. Full AI Overviews integration expected later in 2026.
🤖 Why AI Visibility Matters in 2026
AI Overviews appear on up to 30% of queries. A brand that ranks #1 organically but isn't cited in AI Overviews is losing a growing share of visible search real estate. Semrush has a clear 6–12 month head start over Moz in AI visibility tracking maturity. Moz's Beta dashboard is promising, but it's not yet feature-complete and is locked behind higher-tier pricing.
Moz has a significant pricing advantage at the entry level — $49/month versus Semrush's $165/month starting price. At mid and high tiers, the gap in features-per-dollar shifts toward Semrush.
Free trial30 daysLonger trial — advantage for testing
💰 Moz Pricing Advantage
At $49/month, Moz's Starter plan is one of the most accessible entry points in professional SEO tooling. For small businesses, solopreneurs, or teams doing basic SEO, it provides real value. However, the Starter plan's 50-keyword rank tracking limit means most professionals will need the $99/month Standard plan or above to do meaningful work.
Feature-by-Feature Score Comparison
SEOScaleUp editorial scoring out of 10 per category — based on 2026 hands-on testing
Head-to-Head: Category Scores (Out of 10)
Based on SEOScaleUp 2026 editorial testing across all major features
Keyword Research
SR
9.5
MZ
6.5
Backlink Analysis
SR
9.0
MZ
7.0
Rank Tracking
SR
9.0
MZ
6.0
Technical SEO Audit
SR
8.5
MZ
7.0
AI Search Visibility
SR
8.5
MZ
4.0
Ease of Use
SR
7.0
MZ
8.5
Value for Money
SR
7.0
MZ
8.5
Section 08 — UX & Support
Ease of Use & Support: Moz Wins for Beginners
Semrush
vs
Moz Pro
Tie — different audiences, different needs
Learning Curve
Steep
55+ tools can overwhelm new users. Takes 1–2 weeks to feel confident navigating the full platform.
Gentle
Clean, focused interface. Most SEOs are productive within hours. Excellent for beginners.
Customer Support
Good
24/7 chat and email support. Large knowledge base. Active community forums and webinars.
Excellent
Widely praised as the best support in SEO tools. Fast response, knowledgeable team, strong community (MozCon).
Free Trial
14 days
Full-feature access. No credit card required to start.
30 days
Longer trial period — better for teams that need more time to evaluate before committing.
"Moz Pro has the best customer support I've encountered in any SEO tool. When something broke during a site audit, their team had a fix within two hours. That kind of service is rare at this price point."
— G2 review, Moz Pro, March 2026
Full Comparison
Complete Feature Comparison Table
Scroll to see full table
Feature
Semrush
Moz Pro
Winner
Keyword database size
27.9 billion
1.25 billion
Semrush
Keywords tracked (entry plan)
500/daily
50/weekly
Semrush
Keyword difficulty accuracy
89% correlation
~70% correlation
Semrush
AI Overviews visibility filter
Yes (Keyword Magic)
No
Semrush
Backlink index size
43B+ links
Smaller
Semrush
Domain Authority metric
Authority Score
Domain Authority (DA)
Moz (original DA)
Technical audit checks
140+
~30
Semrush
AI search visibility tracking
Full (Pro or add-on)
Beta (Medium+ only)
Semrush
PPC research tools
Yes (full)
No
Semrush
Content marketing tools
Yes (SEO Writing Assistant)
Limited
Semrush
Entry-level price
$165/month
$49/month
Moz
Free trial length
14 days
30 days
Moz
Ease of use (beginner)
Moderate
Easy
Moz
Customer support rating
Good
Excellent
Moz
Local SEO tools
Yes (Listing Management)
Yes (Moz Local)
Tie
Social media tools
Yes
No
Semrush
Overall rating (G2/Capterra)
4.5/5 (327 reviews)
4.3/5 (258 reviews)
Semrush (narrowly)
Section 09 — Final Verdict
Who Should Choose Which Tool?
2026 Overall Winner
Semrush wins for most users — but Moz Pro is the right choice for the right buyer.
The Semrush vs Moz 2026 comparison has a clear overall winner for most users — Semrush. The broader feature set, superior keyword tracking limits, PPC research tools, AI visibility toolkit, and content marketing suite make it the more practical choice for marketers and growing businesses. Moz earns its place for SEO specialists, beginners, and small businesses where its simpler interface, lower price, and Domain Authority metric deliver genuine value.
🟠 Choose Semrush if…
You need to track 500+ keywords (not 50)
Competitive intelligence is central to your strategy
You want PPC + SEO in one platform
AI search visibility tracking matters to you
You manage multiple clients or brands
You need content marketing automation built in
You want the deepest keyword database available
You're an agency needing white-label reporting
🔵 Choose Moz Pro if…
You're a beginner or small team new to SEO
Budget is a primary constraint ($49–99/mo)
Domain Authority is your primary reporting metric
You value simplicity over feature breadth
You want the industry's best customer support
Local SEO is your primary use case (Moz Local)
You need a longer evaluation period (30-day trial)
Pure SEO focus — no need for PPC/social tools
✅ Our Recommendation
For most digital marketers and agencies in 2026: start with Semrush. The 14-day free trial gives you enough time to run keyword research, pull a full site audit, analyze competitors, and track rankings — all without a credit card. For small businesses or beginners watching spend: start with Moz Pro's 30-day trial and scale up when the 50-keyword limit feels constraining. For the best all-in-one value that undercuts both: try SEOScaleUp — starting at $49/month with full features included.
Section 10
Semrush vs Moz FAQ — 2026
Is Semrush better than Moz in 2026? −
For most users in 2026, Semrush is the better choice overall. It has a 22× larger keyword database (27.9B vs 1.25B), tracks 10× more keywords at equivalent price points (500 vs 50 on entry plans), has superior AI search visibility tracking, deeper technical audit capabilities, and includes PPC and content marketing tools that Moz doesn't offer. However, Moz Pro is genuinely better in three areas: entry-level pricing ($49 vs $165/month), ease of use for beginners, and Domain Authority — the most widely cited backlink metric in the industry.
How much does Semrush cost vs Moz Pro in 2026? +
Semrush starts at $165/month (Pro plan, annual billing) and goes up to $500/month for Business. Monthly billing adds approximately 17% to these rates. Moz Pro starts at $49/month (Starter plan) and goes up to $299/month for the Large plan. Both offer free trials — Semrush for 14 days and Moz for 30 days. At the entry level, Moz is $116/month cheaper. At the mid tier (Semrush Guru $250 vs Moz Medium $179), Moz remains cheaper but Semrush delivers significantly more features for the price difference.
Does Moz track AI search visibility in 2026? +
Moz launched an AI Visibility Dashboard in 2026, but it's currently in Beta and only available on Medium ($179/month) and Large ($299/month) plans. Semrush has a clear advantage here — both in data depth and availability on lower-tier plans. Semrush's AI Visibility Toolkit (tracking ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews) is available as an add-on from $99/month or bundled in Semrush One ($199/month). For teams prioritizing AI search visibility, Semrush is the more mature choice in 2026.
Which has a better free trial — Semrush or Moz? +
Moz offers a longer free trial — 30 days versus Semrush's 14 days. Both provide full-feature access during the trial period. Semrush's 14 days is sufficient for most users to evaluate the platform through a complete workflow cycle. Moz's 30-day trial gives teams more time to assess value, which is particularly useful for organizations with slower internal evaluation processes. Neither requires a credit card to start.
Can I switch from Moz to Semrush easily? +
Yes — Semrush offers migration assistance for users switching from third-party tools, available on Advanced plans. The main data to transfer is your tracked keyword lists and project configurations. Semrush's import tools make it relatively straightforward to recreate your existing tracking setup. The main adjustment is the learning curve — Semrush has a steeper interface complexity than Moz, so budget a week or two for your team to get comfortable before expecting full productivity.
Is there a better alternative to both Semrush and Moz? +
For pure backlink analysis, Ahrefs outperforms both. For the best value all-in-one platform, SEOScaleUp (starting at $49/month) combines rank tracking, technical auditing, keyword research, content optimization, and AI search visibility — all features included without add-ons or feature-gating. For enterprise technical SEO at massive scale, Botify has no competitor. Screaming Frog ($259/year) remains the gold standard for pure technical crawl depth. Most professionals end up using 2–3 tools — SEOScaleUp or Semrush as the primary platform plus Screaming Frog for deep technical work.
S
SEOScaleUp Editorial Team — May 2026
Data sources: IBTimes.com.au (Feb 2026) · Match-vs.com (Apr 2026) · ThatMarketingBuddy.com (Mar 2026) · BloggersPassion.com (Mar 2026) · Gatilab.com (Mar 2026) · MarketerChoice.com (Apr 2026) · G2 & Capterra user reviews. Pricing verified April–May 2026 from official Semrush.com and Moz.com pricing pages.
Not sure which tool is right? Try SEOScaleUp first.
All-in-one SEO automation — keyword research, rank tracking, technical audits, content optimization, and AI visibility — starting at $49/month. No credit card required.