Head to head
Ahrefs vs Moz Pro: the answer changes with your headcount
On sticker price this looks settled. Ahrefs opens at $29 a month, Moz Pro at $99. Then you count logins, and the gap closes fast.
Quick verdict
- Working alone: Ahrefs. Starter at $29 a month undercuts Moz Pro Standard at $99, and you never touch the seat question.
- Two or three people needing access: Moz Pro. Medium bundles 2 users at $179 and Large bundles 3 at $299. Ahrefs plans list 1 user.
- Link research is the core job: Ahrefs, on reputation rather than on any index figure we could verify.
- Learning SEO from scratch: Moz, whose simpler headline metrics and free library are the reason it keeps that audience.
What we confirmed, and when
Every figure below came off the vendor's own pricing page on 4 September 2026. Software pricing moves, so treat the date as part of the data.
| Ahrefs | Moz Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan | Starter, $29/mo | Standard, $99/mo |
| Seats at entry | Plans list 1 user | 1 user |
| Mid tier | Lite and Standard sit between Starter and Advanced | Medium, $179/mo, 2 users |
| Higher tier | Advanced, $129/mo | Large, $299/mo, 3 users |
| Seat policy | Seats not bundled into listed plans | Extra seats bundled as you move up tiers |
Check them yourself:Ahrefs pricingandMoz Pro pricing. Tell us if either has moved.
What we could not confirm
Backlink index size is the figure both vendors have historically competed on, and it is the one most comparison articles quote. Neither states a current number on its pricing page. The figures circulating elsewhere are undated, so we leave the row out.
Crawl limits, keyword database size, and rank tracking frequency vary by tier in ways neither pricing page sets out plainly. We could not read them cleanly, so they are absent rather than estimated.
We believe seat policy is the most underrated line in this comparison and the most ignored. Two logins turn a $70 monthly gap into something close to parity, and no spec sheet showing index sizes will tell you that.
Who should pick which
Pick Ahrefs if
- One person uses the tool.
- Backlink and competitor research is most of the work.
- You want the lowest entry price of the two.
Pick Moz Pro if
- Two or three people need their own login.
- You want simpler headline metrics while learning.
- Bundled seats matter more to you than index depth.
Pick neither if
- Your budget is under $29 a month. Keysearch and Mangools cover keyword research for less, and we compare them at Keysearch vs Mangools.
- AI citation tracking is the goal. See our comparison by use case.
Questions people ask
Is Ahrefs or Moz Pro cheaper?
Ahrefs, at the entry point. Ahrefs Starter is $29 a month against $99 a month for Moz Pro Standard, checked on 4 September 2026. The comparison changes once you need more than one login.
Which one is better for a team?
Moz Pro, on seat economics. Its Medium tier includes 2 users at $179 a month and Large includes 3 at $299. Ahrefs plans list 1 user. For a three-person team the bundled seats close most of the price gap.
Which has better backlink data?
Both make competing claims about index size and neither states a current figure plainly on its pricing page, so we do not publish one. Ahrefs built its reputation on link research, and that reputation is the honest answer rather than a number we cannot verify.
Is Moz Pro easier for beginners?
Moz has long positioned itself that way, with simpler headline metrics like Domain Authority and a large free learning library. Whether the interface suits you is a judgement, not a measurement.
Do either help with AI search visibility?
Ahrefs sells AI visibility tracking through Brand Radar. Moz Pro is focused on traditional search. If getting cited inside ChatGPT or Google AI answers is the priority, neither is built primarily for that job.
Did RankJudge test these tools?
No. We read both vendor pricing pages on 4 September 2026 and published only what was legible there. We run no proprietary benchmarks and never claim to.
Neither one fits?
Nine business situations, one honest pick each, runners-up named.
See all nineHow this page was made
Both vendor pricing pages were read directly on 4 September 2026 and only figures legible on those pages appear above. Nothing here comes from our own testing, because RankJudge runs none. RankJudge earns no affiliate commission on either of these two tools.Our affiliate disclosure covers how we make money.