Last updated: 12 July 2026
Changelog: first published 12 July 2026, all pricing and feature claims checked against vendor pages that day.
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For most UK businesses in 2026, Semrush is the better buy than Moz Pro, but not for everyone. Semrush wins on data depth: a far larger keyword database, a 43 trillion link backlink index (its own claim), a 140 plus check site audit and built in AI visibility tracking, from $139 (about £102) a month on the SEO plan. Moz Pro earns its place at the other end: a gentler learning curve, the familiar Domain Authority metric and Moz Local for listings, from $49 (about £36) a month (or $39, about £29, a month billed annually). If you want one platform to run real SEO work, pick Semrush. If you want a calm, beginner friendly tool and you already trust Domain Authority, Moz still makes sense. Prices verified July 2026.
Is Moz Pro still worth it in 2026?
Moz Pro is still worth it for a specific reader: a beginner or a small in house marketer who values a gentle learning curve and clear guidance over raw data depth. Its interface explains itself, its keyword and rank tracking cover the basics well, and Domain Authority remains the most widely quoted third party authority metric in the industry, which matters if your clients or colleagues already talk in DA. Where Moz struggles is depth. Its keyword and backlink databases are smaller than Semrush’s, and the entry plan’s data limits arrive quickly once you are doing serious competitor work. So the honest answer is yes, if you want guided simplicity, and no, if you want the deepest possible data for the money. We would not move a data hungry agency onto Moz, but we would happily point a nervous first timer there.
Semrush vs Moz Pro: the quick comparison
Here is the shape of the decision before the detail. Semrush is the broad, deep platform built for people who will use competitor research and keyword work every week. Moz Pro is the friendlier, lighter tool built for people who want the essentials without the overwhelm. The table below sets the two side by side on the things that actually change the buying decision, using pricing verified in July 2026. Read it as a starting point, not a verdict: which one is right depends on how much data you need and how comfortable you are with a busier interface.
| Factor | Semrush | Moz Pro |
|---|
| Entry price (monthly) | $139 (about £102) (SEO plan) | $49 (about £36) (Starter) |
| Entry price (annual, per month) | $117.33 (about £86) | $39 (about £29) |
| Authority metric | Authority Score (0 to 100) | Domain Authority (0 to 100) |
| Keyword database | Very large | Smaller |
| Backlink index | 43 trillion links (vendor claim) | Smaller than Semrush |
| Site audit | 140+ checks, JS rendering on higher tiers | Basic crawl and site checks |
| Local SEO | Add on plus Map Rank Tracker | Moz Local (listings management) |
| AI visibility tracking | Yes (AI Visibility Toolkit) | Not a core feature |
| Free trial | 7 days (card required) | Higher tiers only |
| Learning curve | Steeper | Gentle |
Domain Authority vs Authority Score vs Domain Rating
This is the comparison that confuses people most, so here is the plain version. Domain Authority (DA) is Moz’s 0 to 100 estimate of how likely a site is to rank, based mainly on its backlink profile. Authority Score (AS) is Semrush’s equivalent 0 to 100 metric, which blends backlink data with organic traffic and other signals. Domain Rating (DR) is Ahrefs’ 0 to 100 measure, focused on backlink strength. The single most important thing to understand: none of these is a Google metric. Google does not publish a public authority score, and it has said as much. These numbers are third party estimates, useful for comparing sites against their competitors within the same tool, but meaningless when compared across tools. A DA of 40 and an AS of 40 are not the same thing.
| Metric | Tool | Scale | What it mainly measures |
|---|
| Domain Authority (DA) | Moz | 0 to 100 | Backlink based ranking likelihood |
| Authority Score (AS) | Semrush | 0 to 100 | Backlinks plus traffic and other signals |
| Domain Rating (DR) | Ahrefs | 0 to 100 | Backlink profile strength |
The practical rule: pick one tool, track its metric over time, and never compare your DA to a competitor’s DR. The trend inside one tool tells you something. The cross tool comparison tells you nothing.
Which is better for keyword research?
Semrush is the stronger keyword research tool, and it is not especially close. Its keyword database is larger, its Keyword Magic Tool surfaces deeper long tail clusters, and its filters (intent, difficulty, question modifiers) are more granular than Moz’s Keyword Explorer. For a UK business that means more usable British keywords, more accurate grouping and fewer gaps when you research a niche. Moz’s Keyword Explorer is perfectly competent for surface level research and it presents difficulty and opportunity clearly, which beginners appreciate, but it will run out of depth before Semrush does. If keyword research is the main job you are buying a tool for, that alone tilts the decision toward Semrush. Our Semrush review covers the keyword modules in detail, and our guide to the Semrush Keyword Magic Tool shows the filters most people miss.
Which is better for local SEO?
For local SEO the two tools solve different problems, so the honest answer depends on what you need. Moz Local is a genuine strength: it manages your business listings across directories, checks name, address and phone (NAP) consistency, and keeps citations tidy, which is exactly the grind most local businesses want automated. Semrush approaches local differently, with a Local add on and a Map Rank Tracker that shows your ranking on a geographic grid, plus Google Business Profile management on the add on. If your priority is clean, consistent listings across the web, Moz Local is the more focused answer. If your priority is seeing where you rank across a town, postcode by postcode, Semrush’s grid tracking is more useful. Many businesses actually want both jobs done, in which case Semrush plus a dedicated listings service, or Moz plus a separate rank tracker, is the real world setup. Our local SEO checklist covers the fundamentals either tool sits on top of.
Pricing compared: what you actually pay
On sticker price, Moz Pro is cheaper at the entry point and Semrush is more expensive but includes far more. Moz Pro Starter is $49 (about £36) a month, or $39 (about £29) a month billed annually, as of July 2026. Semrush’s entry SEO plan is $139 (about £102) a month, or $117.33 (about £86) a month billed annually. Both bill in US dollars, so UK buyers should budget for exchange rate movement and any VAT added at checkout. The gap looks large until you count what is inside it: Semrush’s plan includes a deeper keyword database, the larger backlink index, the 140 plus check site audit and AI visibility features, where Moz’s cheapest tier is deliberately lighter. For current Moz higher tier pricing, check moz.com directly, as we re verify those figures on a quarterly cycle. Our full Semrush pricing guide breaks the Semrush lineup down plan by plan, including the point where annual billing pays off.
Per persona verdicts
The right choice changes with who you are, so here are our straight recommendations by situation.
- Small business owner doing it yourself: start with Moz Pro Starter if the busier Semrush interface puts you off, or a Semrush trial if you want room to grow. Most owners outgrow Moz’s data limits within a year.
- In house marketer at an SME: Semrush. You will use competitor research and keyword work weekly, and that depth is where Semrush earns the extra money.
- Freelancer or consultant: Semrush, for the client ready breadth and reporting. Moz only if your clients specifically ask for Domain Authority reporting.
- Agency: Semrush, comfortably. Moz Pro’s entry data limits do not scale to multiple clients. See our Semrush alternatives if budget is the deciding factor.
Do not buy Semrush if you only want to watch a handful of rankings and check the odd keyword: you will pay for depth you never open, and the free Google stack plus a cheaper tool will serve you better. Do not buy Moz Pro if you are a data heavy user, an agency, or anyone who needs the largest possible keyword and backlink datasets: you will hit its ceilings and end up paying for a second tool anyway. And do not buy either on the strength of an authority metric alone. Domain Authority and Authority Score are useful trend lines inside one tool, not trophies. Buy the tool whose data depth and interface match how you actually work, then judge it on the keyword, audit and rank tracking jobs you do every week. If neither fits, our SEO tools hub covers the wider field, including SE Ranking, which sits between the two on both price and depth.
Our verdict
Semrush is the better platform for most UK businesses that are serious about SEO, and Moz Pro is the better first tool for beginners who value simplicity over depth. If you will use competitor research, keyword work and site audits regularly, Semrush’s data depth justifies the higher price, and the 7 day trial (card required) lets you test that before committing. If you want a calm, guided tool and you are happy with lighter data, Moz Pro Starter at $49 (about £36) a month is a reasonable, low risk start. For the value option that sits between them on price and depth, read our SE Ranking review, and compare Semrush against its closest rival in Semrush vs Ahrefs. Prices verified July 2026.
See Semrush Plans and Pricing
Frequently asked questions
Is Semrush better than Moz?
For data depth, yes. Semrush has a larger keyword database, a bigger backlink index, a more thorough site audit and AI visibility tracking. Moz Pro is better only on learning curve and, for some readers, the familiarity of Domain Authority. If you want the deepest data for the money, Semrush wins.
Is Domain Authority the same as Authority Score?
No. Domain Authority is Moz’s 0 to 100 metric, Authority Score is Semrush’s, and they are calculated differently. Neither is a Google metric, and you cannot compare a DA number to an AS number. Track one metric inside one tool over time and ignore cross tool comparisons.
Is Moz Pro cheaper than Semrush?
Yes, at the entry point. Moz Pro Starter is $49 (about £36) a month ($39, about £29, annually) as of July 2026, against Semrush’s $139 (about £102) a month ($117.33, about £86, annually). Semrush includes considerably more data and features for the higher price, so compare what is inside each plan, not just the sticker.
Does Moz or Semrush have better local SEO?
They differ. Moz Local is stronger for managing business listings and citation consistency. Semrush is stronger for geographic grid rank tracking through its Map Rank Tracker. Choose by which local job matters more to you, or budget for a dedicated listings tool alongside a rank tracker.
Do Semrush or Moz numbers come from Google?
No. Domain Authority, Authority Score and Ahrefs’ Domain Rating are all third party estimates. Google does not provide a public authority score. These metrics are useful for tracking your own trend and comparing against rivals inside the same tool, not as absolute measures of how Google sees your site.
Which should a beginner choose?
If a busy interface would put you off using the tool at all, start with Moz Pro Starter. If you are comfortable learning a deeper platform and want room to grow, take a Semrush trial instead. The best tool is the one you will actually open every week.
