In the competitive world of search engine optimization (SEO), having the right tools at your disposal can make all the difference. Two of the most prominent names in the industry are Moz Pro and Ahrefs. Both offer powerful features for keyword research, backlink analysis, and technical SEO auditing. But which one is truly superior? This comprehensive comparison delves into the core functionalities, strengths, and limitations of each platform to help you make an informed decision for your SEO strategy.
Core features comparison: moz pro vs ahrefs
At their core, both Moz Pro and Ahrefs aim to provide users with comprehensive SEO insights. However, their approaches and specialities differ in subtle yet significant ways. Moz Pro, with its longstanding reputation in the SEO community, offers a user-friendly interface and places a strong emphasis on on-page optimization. Ahrefs, on the other hand, is renowned for its extensive backlink database and powerful keyword research capabilities.
One key difference lies in their data update frequency. Ahrefs boasts more frequent updates to its vast database, which can be crucial for staying on top of rapidly changing search landscapes. Moz Pro, while not as frequent in its updates, compensates with its intuitive design and comprehensive educational resources.
Keyword research capabilities
Keyword research forms the foundation of any successful SEO strategy, and both Moz Pro and Ahrefs offer robust tools for this purpose. Let’s examine how each platform approaches this critical aspect of SEO.
Moz’s keyword explorer: metrics and functionality
Moz’s Keyword Explorer provides users with a range of valuable metrics, including search volume, difficulty, and organic click-through rate (CTR). One standout feature is the Priority score , which combines volume, difficulty, and organic CTR to help users quickly identify high-potential keywords.
The tool also offers a SERP Analysis feature, allowing users to dive deep into the current search engine results page (SERP) for any given keyword. This helps in understanding the competitive landscape and identifying opportunities for content creation.
Ahrefs’ keywords explorer: data sources and accuracy
Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer is known for its vast database and accurate search volume estimates. The tool pulls data from multiple sources, including Google Keyword Planner and clickstream data, to provide a comprehensive view of keyword performance.
One of Ahrefs’ unique features is the Clicks metric, which estimates the number of clicks a keyword receives in search results. This can be particularly useful in identifying keywords that may have high search volume but low click-through rates due to SERP features like featured snippets.
Long-tail keyword discovery: tool-specific approaches
Long-tail keywords are often less competitive and can drive highly targeted traffic. Both tools offer capabilities for discovering these valuable phrases, but their approaches differ:
- Moz Pro uses a topic-based approach, grouping related keywords together to help users identify relevant long-tail variations.
- Ahrefs provides a more extensive list of keyword ideas, including questions, prepositions, and comparisons, which can be excellent sources of long-tail keywords.
- Both tools offer keyword suggestions based on your seed keywords, but Ahrefs typically generates a larger volume of ideas.
Keyword difficulty scores: methodology differences
Understanding keyword difficulty is crucial for prioritizing your SEO efforts. Moz Pro and Ahrefs each have their own methodology for calculating this metric:
Moz’s Keyword Difficulty score is based on the Page Authority (PA) of the top-ranking pages for a given keyword. It provides a percentage score, with higher percentages indicating greater difficulty.
Ahrefs’ Keyword Difficulty score considers the number of referring domains to the top-ranking pages. It uses a scale of 0-100, with higher numbers indicating greater difficulty. Ahrefs also provides an estimate of the number of backlinks needed to rank in the top 10 for a keyword.
While both approaches have merit, Ahrefs’ method of considering referring domains can provide a more actionable insight for link building strategies.
Backlink analysis and link building
Backlinks remain a crucial factor in search engine rankings, and both Moz Pro and Ahrefs offer powerful tools for analyzing and building backlink profiles. Let’s compare their offerings in this area.
Moz’s link explorer vs ahrefs’ site explorer
Moz’s Link Explorer provides a comprehensive view of a site’s backlink profile, including metrics like Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA). The tool allows users to filter backlinks by various criteria, such as link type, anchor text, and spam score.
Ahrefs’ Site Explorer is renowned for its extensive backlink database. It offers a range of metrics, including Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR). Ahrefs is particularly praised for its ability to discover new backlinks quickly, often ahead of its competitors.
Domain authority (moz) vs domain rating (ahrefs)
Both Moz and Ahrefs have developed their own metrics for assessing the overall strength of a domain:
Moz’s Domain Authority (DA) is a score from 1 to 100 that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages (SERPs). It’s calculated using machine learning algorithms that consider multiple factors, including linking root domains and the number of total links.
Ahrefs’ Domain Rating (DR) is also scored from 0 to 100 and represents the strength of a website’s backlink profile compared to others in the Ahrefs database. It’s based primarily on the number and quality of backlinks pointing to the domain.
While both metrics serve similar purposes, it’s important to note that they are not directly comparable due to differences in calculation methods and data sources.
Link intersect and gap analysis tools
Both platforms offer tools to identify link building opportunities by comparing your site’s backlink profile with those of your competitors:
Moz Pro’s Link Intersect tool allows you to find sites that link to your competitors but not to you, presenting potential outreach targets. The tool is straightforward to use and provides clear, actionable insights.
Ahrefs’ Link Intersect feature is more flexible, allowing you to compare up to five competitor domains at once. It also provides more detailed information about each linking domain, including its DR and the number of referring domains it has.
Historical backlink data and link velocity
Understanding how a site’s backlink profile has evolved over time can provide valuable insights into its SEO strategy. Both Moz Pro and Ahrefs offer historical data, but with some differences:
Moz Pro provides historical data on link metrics, allowing you to track changes in Domain Authority and other key metrics over time. However, its historical backlink data is somewhat limited compared to Ahrefs.
Ahrefs excels in providing detailed historical backlink data, including a link velocity chart that shows how quickly a site is gaining or losing backlinks. This can be particularly useful for identifying sudden spikes in link acquisition that might indicate manipulative link building practices.
On-page SEO and technical auditing
On-page optimization and technical SEO are crucial for ensuring that search engines can crawl, understand, and rank your content effectively. Both Moz Pro and Ahrefs offer tools for auditing and improving these aspects of your site.
Moz pro’s page optimization score
Moz Pro’s On-Page Grader provides a Page Optimization Score for individual pages, offering specific recommendations for improvement. This tool analyzes various on-page factors, including:
- Title tag optimization
- Meta description length and relevance
- Header tag usage
- Keyword placement and density
- Internal linking structure
The Page Optimization Score is particularly useful for content creators and SEO specialists looking to fine-tune their on-page optimization efforts.
Ahrefs’ site audit: crawl report and health score
Ahrefs’ Site Audit tool provides a comprehensive crawl report and an overall Health Score for your website. The tool identifies a wide range of technical SEO issues, including:
HTML issues, broken links, redirect chains, robots.txt configuration problems, and slow-loading pages. Ahrefs’ Site Audit also provides actionable recommendations for fixing identified issues, prioritized by their potential impact on your site’s SEO performance.
Schema markup and structured data validation
Structured data helps search engines understand the content and context of your pages, potentially leading to rich snippets in search results. Both tools offer some level of structured data analysis:
Moz Pro’s Site Crawl feature can identify some structured data issues, but its capabilities in this area are somewhat limited compared to specialized schema markup tools.
Ahrefs’ Site Audit includes a structured data report that identifies errors and warnings in your schema markup. However, for in-depth schema validation and testing, you may still need to rely on Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool or Schema.org’s Validator.
Mobile-friendliness and core web vitals analysis
With mobile-first indexing and the introduction of Core Web Vitals as ranking factors, assessing your site’s mobile performance is more crucial than ever. Here’s how Moz Pro and Ahrefs address these aspects:
Moz Pro’s Site Crawl identifies mobile usability issues, such as small font sizes or touch elements that are too close together. However, its analysis of Core Web Vitals is somewhat limited.
Ahrefs’ Site Audit includes a Performance report that covers Core Web Vitals metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). It also provides recommendations for improving these metrics.
While both tools offer valuable insights into mobile performance, for the most comprehensive analysis of Core Web Vitals, you may need to supplement their data with Google’s PageSpeed Insights or Chrome User Experience Report.
Competitive analysis and rank tracking
Understanding your position in the competitive landscape is crucial for developing an effective SEO strategy. Both Moz Pro and Ahrefs offer tools for tracking your rankings and analyzing your competitors’ performance.
SERP feature tracking: moz vs ahrefs approaches
As search engine results pages (SERPs) become increasingly complex, tracking SERP features has become an important aspect of SEO. Both tools offer capabilities in this area:
Moz Pro’s Rank Tracker monitors a wide range of SERP features, including featured snippets, local packs, and image carousels. It provides detailed information on which features appear for your tracked keywords and whether your site is capturing any of these valuable positions.
Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker also monitors SERP features, with a particular strength in tracking featured snippets. It provides historical data on SERP feature appearances, allowing you to track changes over time and identify opportunities for optimization.
Share of voice metrics and visibility scores
Both Moz Pro and Ahrefs offer metrics that aim to quantify your overall visibility in search results:
Moz Pro uses a Visibility metric, which estimates the percentage of clicks your site receives for your tracked keywords. This metric takes into account your ranking positions and the estimated click-through rates for those positions.
Ahrefs provides a Visibility percentage as well, but also offers a Traffic Share metric. This estimates the percentage of traffic your site receives compared to all other sites ranking for your tracked keywords, providing a more comprehensive view of your market share in organic search.
Local SEO pack tracking capabilities
For businesses targeting local markets, tracking performance in local search results is crucial. Both tools offer some capabilities in this area:
Moz Pro, with its roots in local SEO through Moz Local, provides robust local pack tracking. It allows you to monitor your performance in local 3-packs and provides insights into local ranking factors.
Ahrefs’ local SEO capabilities are more limited. While it can track rankings for localized keywords, it doesn’t provide the same depth of local pack analysis as Moz Pro.
Competitor discovery and benchmarking tools
Identifying and analyzing your true SEO competitors is crucial for developing an effective strategy. Both Moz Pro and Ahrefs offer tools for competitor discovery and analysis:
Moz Pro’s Competitor Overview report identifies your top competitors based on keyword overlap and provides a comparison of key metrics like Domain Authority and ranking distributions.
Ahrefs’ Competing Domains report in Site Explorer provides a more extensive list of competitors, ranked by the number of common keywords. It also offers a Content Gap analysis tool, which helps you identify keywords that your competitors rank for but you don’t.
Reporting and data visualization
The ability to present SEO data in a clear, actionable format is crucial for both in-house teams and agencies. Let’s compare how Moz Pro and Ahrefs handle reporting and data visualization.
Custom dashboard creation in moz pro
Moz Pro offers a flexible custom dashboard feature that allows users to create personalized views of their SEO data. You can select from a wide range of widgets covering various aspects of SEO performance, including:
- Ranking distributions
- Search visibility trends
- Top-performing pages
- Link metrics over time
- Site crawl issues
These customizable dashboards make it easy to focus on the metrics that matter most to your specific SEO goals and to present this data in a visually appealing format.
Ahrefs’ content explorer and content gap analysis
While Ahrefs doesn’t offer the same level of dashboard customization as Moz Pro, it excels in content-focused reporting through its Content Explorer tool. This feature allows you to:
Analyze top-performing content in your niche, identify content gaps in your strategy, and discover potential topics for new content creation. The Content Gap analysis tool is particularly useful for identifying keyword opportunities that your competitors are targeting but you’re not.
API access and data export options
For users who need to integrate SEO data into their own systems or perform advanced analyses, both Moz Pro and Ahrefs offer API access and data export options:
Moz Pro provides API access to most of its data, allowing developers to pull information on links, rankings, and other metrics into custom applications or dashboards. Data can also be exported in CSV format for further analysis in spreadsheet software.
Ahrefs also offers comprehensive API access, with endpoints for retrieving data on backlinks, keywords, content, and more. Like Moz, Ahrefs allows data export in CSV format, enabling users to perform custom analyses or integrate data into their own reporting systems.
White-label reporting capabilities
For agencies and consultants who need to present SEO data to clients, white-label reporting capabilities are essential. Both tools offer options in this area:
Moz Pro allows users to create custom, white-label reports that can be branded with your company’s logo and color scheme. These reports can be scheduled for automatic delivery to clients on a regular basis.
Ahrefs’ reporting features are somewhat more limited in terms of customization. While you can create and export reports, the white-label options are not as extensive as those offered by Moz Pro. However, Ahrefs does offer a PDF export feature that allows you to save reports in a presentable format for client sharing.
Pricing models and ROI considerations
When choosing between Moz Pro and Ahrefs, pricing and return on investment (ROI) are crucial factors to consider. Both tools offer various subscription tiers to cater to different user needs and budgets.
Subscription tiers and enterprise solutions
Moz Pro offers four main subscription tiers:
- Standard: Ideal for small businesses or individual marketers
- Medium: Suited for growing agencies or mid-sized companies
- Large: Designed for larger agencies or enterprises
- Premium: Offers advanced features and higher limits for power users
Ahrefs similarly provides tiered pricing options:
- Lite: Entry-level plan for beginners or small websites
- Standard: Most popular plan, suitable for most users
- Advanced: For power users and larger teams
- Enterprise: Custom solutions for large organizations
Both platforms offer discounts for annual subscriptions, which can provide significant savings for long-term users. When considering ROI, it’s important to evaluate not just the cost, but also the potential time savings and improved SEO performance that each tool can offer.
Free tools and trial period comparisons
Both Moz and Ahrefs offer free tools and trial periods to help users evaluate their services:
Moz provides a 30-day free trial of Moz Pro, allowing users to explore all features before committing to a subscription. They also offer several free tools, including the MozBar browser extension and a limited version of their Keyword Explorer.
Ahrefs offers a 7-day trial for $7, which gives access to most features. While not free, this low-cost trial allows users to fully experience the platform’s capabilities. Ahrefs also provides some free tools, such as their Backlink Checker and Website Authority Checker.
The longer trial period offered by Moz may be advantageous for users who need more time to evaluate the tool’s effectiveness for their specific needs.
Learning resources and customer support
The value of an SEO tool extends beyond its features to include the support and educational resources provided. Both Moz and Ahrefs excel in this area:
Moz offers an extensive knowledge base, including the Moz Blog, Whiteboard Friday video series, and SEO Learning Center. These resources are highly regarded in the SEO community and provide valuable insights even for non-subscribers. Moz also offers email support and a community Q&A forum.
Ahrefs provides a comprehensive knowledge base, including the Ahrefs Blog, Academy, and YouTube channel. These resources offer in-depth tutorials on using the tool and general SEO best practices. Ahrefs offers email support and maintains an active presence on social media for user engagement.
Both platforms invest heavily in customer education, which can significantly enhance the ROI by helping users maximize the tools’ potential.
Integration ecosystem and third-party compatibility
The ability to integrate SEO tools with other marketing platforms can greatly enhance their value. Here’s how Moz and Ahrefs compare in terms of integrations:
Moz Pro offers integrations with several popular platforms, including:
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Zapier (enabling connections to hundreds of other apps)
Ahrefs also provides integrations, though their ecosystem is somewhat more limited:
- Google Search Console
- WordPress (via plugin)
- Zapier (for connecting to other tools)
Both tools offer API access, allowing developers to create custom integrations and pull data into other systems. This can be particularly valuable for agencies or enterprises with specific reporting or workflow needs.
When evaluating ROI, consider how well each tool can integrate into your existing marketing technology stack. The ability to seamlessly incorporate SEO data into your broader marketing efforts can significantly enhance the tool’s value.
While both Moz and Ahrefs offer robust features and valuable insights, the best choice ultimately depends on your specific needs, budget, and how well the tool aligns with your existing workflows and tech stack.
By carefully considering the pricing models, available resources, and integration capabilities of Moz Pro and Ahrefs, you can make an informed decision that maximizes your SEO investment and drives meaningful results for your business or clients.