Best SEO Software 2021

Moz Alternatives & Competitors

Are you thinking about purchasing a Moz subscription? Before making your decision, it's best to learn about the top Moz competitors. The six best alternatives are listed below, along with details on their features and pricing.
- August 11, 2020

Moz is one of the most popular search marketing tools. Over 500,000 businesses use it to improve their online search campaigns and manage business listing data.

Before making the purchase, it's best to understand how Moz compares to the top alternatives. We share Moz's top competitors below, along with a detailed look at their features and pricing. To fully understand Moz, you can also read our in-depth Moz review.

Table of Contents

Moz Features

The Moz platform has numerous tools and reports built to support online marketers. The seven most important features that Moz offers are described in the table below.

FeatureDescription
Keyword ResearchMarketers use keyword research to identify high volume, low difficulty keywords to target with content & paid ads.
Suggested KeywordsWhen one keyword is added to Moz, it returns a set of related keywords to investigate.
Competitor Search TrafficWith Moz, you can get estimates of your competitors' online search traffic.
Keyword Rank TrackingMarketers use Moz to track their organic keyword rankings in Google SERPs.
Backlink MonitoringMoz allows you to see the backlinks that point to any website.
Website SEO AuditMoz's crawler can be used to identify the top technical SEO issues on any website.
Business Listing ManagementMoz Local can be used to manage business listing data in top online directories.

Moz Competitor Overview: Pricing & Features

Moz is a highly popular SEO solution that is good for those just getting started with online search marketing. However, there are cheaper competitors that offer similar functionality, and similarly priced competitors that offer a broader set of tools.

Moz Pro pricing starts at $99 per month. This makes it more expensive than alternatives like SpyFu, Serpstat, SE Ranking. This also means Moz Pro costs roughly the same as the more robust SEMrush and Ahrefs. To manage business listings, you must purchase Moz Local for an additional $129 per year.

The Moz platform includes most of the core features found in competitors. The three tools Moz does not offer are:

  • The ability to do keyword gap analyses
  • Information about competitors' marketing funnels outside of the search channel
  • Competitive information about other websites' paid search terms and advertisements used
Moz vs. competitors: price and features comparison table

Moz Alternatives

There are dozens of online marketing tools in the market. The six Moz alternatives that you should evaluate are below. Each solution is ranked by its features, pricing, and usability.

The top Moz alternatives are:

  • SEMrush
  • Ahrefs
  • SpyFu
  • Serpstat
  • SE Ranking
  • KWFinder

#1: SEMrush

SEMrush is our top overall pick in the search software category. This is because it offers the widest range of features at an affordable price. If you're active in all types of search marketing – SEO, paid search ads, content marketing – then it's worth taking a strong look at SEMrush.

You'll prefer Moz if:

  • You want a more basic solution with a easier learning curve
  • You prefer using the Moz interface
  • You want the ability to check specific keyword rankings at any time
You'll prefer SEMrush if:

  • You want do keyword research using keyword gap analyses
  • You want to analyze competitors' complete traffic funnels
  • You want a best-in-class keyword rank tracking tool
Semrush

Semrush

Best Overall SEO Software
Rating: 96
Starting Price: $119.95 per month

Semrush is the best all-in-one search software tool for keyword research, competitive analysis, position tracking, and more. It will save you hours finding new high-volume keywords to target in paid and organic search, give you visibility into your competitors' online marketing tactics, and help you monitor your website's SEO performance.

Pros:
  • Keyword research tool to discover popular search terms for paid campaigns & high-volume keywords to target with SEO
  • Competitive analysis tool to identify your top competitors & spy on their online marketing tactics
  • Excellent keyword rank tracking tool to monitor how well your site is ranking on Google over time
Cons:
  • DeepCrawl and Screaming Frog are superior for on-page SEO auditing
  • Ahrefs is slightly better for backlink analysis
  • More expensive than free tools like Google's Ads Keyword Planner

#2: Ahrefs

Ahrefs is another fantastic all-in-one SEO platform. It competes head-to-head with SEMrush for the best overall tool, and Ahrefs is the best solution for backlink analysis. If you're a content marketer or backlink builder, you'll want to compare Ahrefs to Moz.

You'll prefer Moz if:

  • You want a more basic solution with a easier learning curve
  • You want a solution to manage your business listings
  • You want the ability to check specific keyword rankings at any time
You'll prefer Ahrefs if:

  • Your priority is content marketing and backlink analysis
  • You want do keyword research using keyword gap analyses
  • You don't need a solution to manage business listings
Ahrefs

Ahrefs

Best for Backlink Analysis
Rating: 95
Starting Price: $99 per month

Ahrefs is a powerful all-in-one SEO search software tool that can be used for backlink analysis, keyword research, competitive research, SEO audits and more. It is the best solution for content marketers that are focused on generating backlinks.

Pros:
  • Excellent for backlink analysis
  • Keyword tool helps you keep track of your rankings for various keywords over time
  • Competitive analysis features allow you to see other websites' best performing pages by backlinks and traffic
Cons:
  • Organic search traffic estimates may not be accurate, but this is true for most SEO tools
  • Keyword rank tracker updated less frequently than SEMrush
  • Does not provide traffic analytics for competing domains

#3: SpyFu

SpyFu is another popular online search software. It specializes in keyword research and competitive analysis. If these are your needs, then you might prefer saving $60+ per month with SpyFu over Moz.

You'll prefer Moz if:

  • You want to run website SEO audits
  • You want a solution to manage your business listings
  • You want the ability to check specific keyword rankings at any time
You'll prefer SpyFu if:

  • You want to perform advanced keyword research
  • You want to see competitors' paid search ads
  • You want to save $60+ per month
SpyFu
Rating: 88
Starting Price: $39 per month

SpyFu is a keyword research and competitive intelligence tool that is used by digital marketers to improve their performance in online search. More specifically, SpyFu can be used to identify the most profitable search terms in your competitors' paid and organic search campaigns.

Pros:
  • Robust tool for finding new keywords to use in paid and organic search programs
  • Competitive analysis tool makes it easy to discover your top online competitors
  • Database has over 13 years of Google data
Cons:
  • Keyword research tool lacks some information found in more expensive alternatives like SEMrush
  • Very basic keyword rank tracking capabilities
  • Not ideal for backlink analysis or site audits

#4: Serpstat

Serpstat is another popular all-in-one SEO solution. It has most of the same features found in the other solutions, but is slightly less powerful. In return, monthly subscriptions of Serpstat start at $69 per month.

You'll prefer Moz if:

  • You want a solution to manage your business listings
  • You want the ability to check specific keyword rankings at any time
  • You prefer a more tested, mature solution
You'll prefer Serpstat if:

  • You want do keyword research using keyword gap analyses
  • You want to see competitors' paid search ads
  • You want to save $30+ per month
Serpstat
Rating: 80
Starting Price: $69 per month

Serpstat is an all-in-one search tool used by over 250,000 marketers to improve their performance in online search. With features like keyword research, backlink analysis, rank tracking, and site auditing, you can optimize your search efforts and maximize your website's traffic and visibility. If price and an ability to track a high volume of keywords is paramount, then Serpstat is an excellent option.

Pros:
  • Includes all major features for keyword research, backlink analysis, rank tracking, and site auditing
  • Competitive analysis feature allows you to discover and analyze your top competitors’ keywords and backlinks
  • Serpstat’s entry plan allows you to track 15,000 keywords vs. 500 keywords in SEMrush
  • About 30% cheaper than Ahrefs and SEMrush
Cons:
  • Backlink analysis reports return a fraction of the data compared to Ahrefs and SEMrush
  • Data visualization for the keyword rank tracker is somewhat confusing
  • Customer support is offline after 2PM EST, but generally responds to ticket in one business day

#5: SE Ranking

SE Ranking is most similar to Serpstat. Both are newer all-in-one search software platforms that are less robust, but more affordable than alternatives. At $39 per month, SE Ranking is tied with SpyFu for the cheapest subscription of all the tools in this list.

You'll prefer Moz if:

  • You want a solution to manage your business listings
  • You want the ability to check specific keyword rankings at any time
  • You prefer a more tested, mature solution
You'll prefer SE Ranking if:

  • You want do keyword research using keyword gap analyses
  • You want to see competitors' paid search ads
  • You want to save $60+ per month
SE Ranking
Rating: 80
Starting Price: $31 per month

SE Ranking is a cloud-based, all-in-one SEO platform used by over 25,000 businesses to improve their online search performance. It includes features that support keyword research and ranking, backlink analysis, competitive analysis and site auditing. It is an ideal solution for smaller companies and businesses on a budget

Pros:
  • $39 entry plan is significantly cheaper than alternatives
  • Comes with all the must-have features that you need to support your online marketing efforts
  • Simpler and less intimidating interface than alternatives
Cons:
  • Keyword and backlink databases are not as large as competitors
  • Missing more advanced features found in tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush
  • Reports are not as comprehensive as in alternatives

#6: KWFinder

KWFinder is a basic SEO solution that focuses specifically on keyword research. It has a simpler, easier to navigate interface compared to the more advanced solutions in this list. The KWFinder subscription includes access to other tools offered by Mangools for keyword rank tracking, SEO audits and SEO insights.

You'll prefer Moz if:

  • You need a solution to run SEO audits on your website
  • You want a tool to manage your business information in online directories
  • You prefer having one solution for all of your search needs
You'll prefer KWFinder if:

  • You only want to perform basic keyword research
  • You find KWFinder easier to use
  • You like other tools offered by Mangools
KWFinder
Rating: 78
Starting Price: $49 per month

KWFinder is an intuitive keyword research tool developed by Mangools that is a great for conducting basic & slightly advanced keyword research. It's a popular alternative to other options on the market, such as Moz and Long Tail Pro, due to its focus on simplicity and its ability to identify long tail keywords that are easy to rank for. KWFinder is a good option at the lower pricing tiers.

Pros:
  • Presents all relevant information needed for keyword analysis in one convenient location
  • Helpful in identifying long tail keywords that are easier to rank for
  • Offers additional SEO tools, including a free browser extension
Cons:
  • Doesn’t support competitor keyword research
  • Lookup and search result restrictions can be restricting
  • Does not include a keyword gap analysis tool

Bottom Line

Moz is used by over 500,000 businesses. The platform includes all the major tools that marketers need to grow their online search channel. While it does offer some unique features, we believe that most potential customers would be happy spending the same amount of money on SpyFu, Serpstat or SE Ranking – or paying $99 per month for SEMrush or Ahrefs.

If you can afford the $99 per month budget we recommend researching SEMrush and Ahrefs. If you're looking for the most affordable solution, consider SpyFu, Serpstat and SE Ranking.

Bruce Hogan

Bruce Hogan is Co-founder & CEO of SoftwarePundit. He leads the team's research and publishes content about software products and trends. Bruce has experience investing at multi-billion dollar private equity firms, leading teams at venture-backed technology companies, and launching new businesses. You can connect with Bruce on LinkedIn.

Bruce is an expert in several software categories including:

  • Dental software
  • Mental health software
  • SEO software
  • Social media software

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