# Moz alternatives You want to keep shipping and still see what moves the needle in search. This page shows when to move on from Moz, what Moz still does well, and the alternatives by need. It ends with a free path you can set up today. Updated 2026-09-14 · Source: https://porteur.ai/alternatives/moz-alternatives ## When to move from Moz Move when links and ranks are your core work and you need deeper data or a broader suite. The common triggers are link index depth, rank tracking needs and extra modules like ads or content. - You need a larger backlink index to judge prospects and find gaps. - You want rank tracking by device and location with more flexible reporting. - You want one place for keyword research, site audit, and competitive gaps. - You run search and paid together and want the ads view as well. If your use is light and you value DA as a shared yardstick with partners, staying on Moz can be fine. If you are growing link outreach or paid search, look at the tools below. ## What Moz still does well Moz has long-standing education. The MozBar browser extension is free and useful for quick page checks. Domain Authority, DA, is a 0 to 100 relative, logarithmic score that many teams recognise. That shared language helps outreach. Moz Pro bundles Keyword Explorer, Link Explorer, Site Crawl, Rank Tracking and On-Page Grader. Moz Local serves local businesses. If you run a shop with many listings, that may be your reason to stay with Moz for local while using another suite for research. > Rule: DA is Moz’s score, not Google’s. Treat DA, DR and any authority score as relative, not a target. ## If backlinks drive your work Pick Ahrefs when link research is your main lever. It is known for its backlink index and Site Explorer. You get Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker and Content Explorer with it, which keeps your stack simple. Ahrefs’ Domain Rating, DR, runs 0 to 100 and is link based. Use it the way you use DA, as a rough filter. In practice, you will shortlist prospects in Site Explorer, check topical fit, then pitch. If you live in link-only work and want topic-level scores, Majestic is also solid. It runs its own link index and provides Trust Flow, Citation Flow and Topical Trust Flow, with a Site Explorer. It is a link tool only, no keyword research or audits, so you will pair it with other tools. A fixed workflow: export your /guides/ URLs, plug each into Ahrefs’ Site Explorer, filter referring domains by DR and relevance, then prioritise those matching your topics. Replace a slow, vague list from a small index with a focused, higher-yield queue. ## If you need a broad suite beyond SEO Pick Semrush when you want search plus advertising and content modules in one place. Its suite covers Keyword Magic Tool, Position Tracking, Site Audit, Backlink Analytics and competitive research, with extra modules for ads and content. Authority Score gives you a domain-level gauge for comparisons. This fits a small team running SEO and PPC together. You can pull a rival’s search and paid picture, plan keywords, audit the site and track ranks without jumping tools. If you will never touch ads, a lighter suite may suit you better. ## If you want a full suite on a tighter budget Pick SE Ranking when you need rank tracking, a website audit, keyword and competitive research and backlink checks in one tool. It also has on-page checks and agency features. It is often chosen as the affordable full suite compared to the two big suites. A simple setup: track your core terms in its rank tracker, crawl the site each week, and use keyword research to expand a /blog/ plan. You get enough breadth to run SEO for a SaaS or a store without paying for modules you do not need. ## The free path most small sites can run Start with Google Search Console. It is free and shows search performance, indexing, sitemaps, Core Web Vitals and enhancements for your own site. It is pre click. Use it as your source of truth for queries, pages, impressions, clicks and positions. Add Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for your verified site. You get Site Audit and Site Explorer on your own domain for free. This gives you crawl issues and a view of your backlinks without paying for a full suite on day one. Use Bing Webmaster Tools for an extra backlink and keyword view and IndexNow. It is free. Pair this with Google Analytics 4 for post click sessions and conversions. The two never reconcile exactly, so compare trends, not totals. For keyword ideas, try Ubersuggest’s free tier for a start. AnswerThePublic and AlsoAsked help you see questions around a term. For volumes on the results page, use Keywords Everywhere. Treat these as idea sources, then validate with Search Console once you have traffic. For speed checks, PageSpeed Insights runs Lighthouse and shows Chrome UX Report field data. If you need waterfalls, GTmetrix and WebPageTest give deeper traces. Fix LCP to 2.5 seconds, CLS to 0.1, and INP to 200 ms on your key templates. > Warning: Similarweb estimates traffic for any site. It is not a keyword or audit tool for your own site, and small sites see rough estimates. ## Rank tracking choices and how to switch Moz Pro has Rank Tracking. If ranks are your weekly report, you can move to Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker, Semrush Position Tracking or SE Ranking’s rank tracking. All support the core need: track terms to pages over time. 1. **Export your Moz tracked keywords** Pull the list with tags and the landing pages you intend for each query. 2. **Create projects in the new tool** Match search engines, device and locations. Set the same tags for continuity. 3. **Import or add the keywords** Split brand and non brand. Add your target URL to spot cannibalisation. 4. **Sanity check with Search Console** Cross check tracked terms with your actual queries and add any winners you missed. A fixed result looks like this: your /pricing page set as the target for “yourproduct pricing”, ranks tracked weekly, alerts on big shifts, and a Search Console chart to explain real clicks. ## Translating metrics: DA, DR and Authority Score Expect different numbers across tools. DA is Moz’s score. DR is Ahrefs’ score. Authority Score is Semrush’s score. None is Google’s metric. All run 0 to 100 and are relative to their own indexes. - Do not map DA 40 to DR 40 as equal. Compare within one tool at a time. - Use scores to sort long lists, then do a manual fit check. - Track your own domain’s trend in one tool so you do not chase the number. ## Crawling and audits if you leave Moz Crawl If you drop Moz Site Crawl, you still need a crawler. Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a desktop crawler for Windows, macOS and Linux. The free version crawls up to 500 URLs. The licence unlocks unlimited crawls, custom extraction, scheduling and API connections. It produces tables you interpret yourself. Sitebulb is a desktop crawler for Windows and macOS with a cloud version. It is known for explained audit hints with priorities and visual crawl maps. If you want guidance instead of raw tables, try it. You can still use Semrush, Ahrefs or SE Ranking site audits for regular crawls on top. A fixed page after a first crawl: /guides/getting-started with a unique title under 60 characters, a meta description of 120 to 155 characters, fixed internal links from /blog/, and images compressed. No more orphaned child pages. ## Local businesses and Moz Local If you depend on listings, Moz Local serves local businesses. Keep it if it fits your workflow. For the rest of SEO work, you can still choose a different suite for research, ranks and audits. Separate local listings from your keyword and link stack so you do not switch the whole thing for one need. ## The tools compared ### Ahrefs A broad SEO suite with depth in backlinks and competitive research. (ahrefs.com) Good at: Large backlink index and Site Explorer; Keywords Explorer for ideas and volumes; Site Audit for technical checks; Rank Tracker and Content Explorer. Choose it when Choose when link research is your main lever and you want one tool for research, audit and tracking. Not for: Not for paid ads modules or teams that only need a light, guided crawler. ### Semrush A wide suite that covers SEO plus advertising and content modules. (semrush.com) Good at: Keyword Magic Tool and competitive research; Position Tracking and Site Audit; Backlink Analytics; Advertising and content modules in one place. Choose it when Choose when you run SEO and PPC together and want one platform across them. Not for: Not for teams that want only backlinks or a minimal toolset. ### SE Ranking An all in one SEO platform often chosen as the affordable full suite. (seranking.com) Good at: Rank tracking across locations; Website audit with issues list; Keyword and competitive research; Backlinks and on page checks. Choose it when Choose when you need the core suite for a SaaS or store without the cost of the largest suites. Not for: Not for teams that need deep ads modules or the very largest link index. ### Google Search Console Free, pre click truth for your own site: queries, pages, indexing and enhancements. (search.google.com/search-console) Good at: Search Performance report with queries and pages; Indexing, sitemaps and URL inspection; Core Web Vitals and enhancements. Choose it when Choose always, even if you buy a suite. It is your source of truth for your own clicks and impressions. Not for: Not for competitor research, keyword volumes for others or paid ads. ### Porteur A growth report you buy once from a URL, with a free check first. (porteur.com) Good at: Reads your site, nearby searches and rivals from a URL; Shows three findings from the free check; Later connects Search Console and analytics when you choose. Choose it when Choose when you want a focused report on what to fix and ship next, not another dashboard. Not for: Not for daily rank tracking or running PPC campaigns. **Verdict.** Keep Moz if you rely on Moz Local, like DA as a shared language and your needs are light. Choose Ahrefs if backlink research drives your growth and you want deep link data in one suite. Choose Semrush if you want search and ads together with wide modules. Choose SE Ranking if you need the full SEO suite on a tighter budget. Always run Google Search Console for truth on your own site, and add Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for a free start. ## Questions ### What are the top 3 SEO tools? As of 2026, the broad suites most teams compare are Ahrefs, Semrush and SE Ranking. Each covers keyword research, site audits, backlink data and rank tracking. Choose by your core need: link research, ads plus SEO, or a full suite that is often more affordable. ### Is Moz Local worth it? If your business depends on listings and reviews, Moz Local can be worth it because it serves local businesses. Keep it for that job and use another suite for research and tracking if needed. Separate local from your site’s SEO work so you buy only what you use. ### Does Moz have a free version? The MozBar browser extension is free. Domain Authority is visible in many places as a shared metric. Moz Pro itself is paid. If you need a free base for your own site, start with Google Search Console and Ahrefs Webmaster Tools. ### Is Moz reliable? Moz is reliable for what it is built for: education, DA as a shared metric, and the Moz Pro tools. Its link index is smaller than the largest suites, which is why teams move for deeper link data. Use each tool for the job it is good at, and validate with Search Console. ### What is the best free Moz alternative? There is no one tool that replaces a suite for free. Pair Google Search Console with Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for your own site. Add Bing Webmaster Tools and a desktop crawler like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb for audits. For ideas, use Ubersuggest’s free tier, AnswerThePublic and AlsoAsked. ### How do I move my tracked keywords from Moz? Export your Moz list with tags. Create a project in your new tool with the same locations and devices. Import or add the terms, set target URLs and tags, then cross check with Search Console to catch missing winners. ## Read next - [Semrush vs Moz for a small product site](https://porteur.ai/compare/semrush-vs-moz): Decide between Semrush and Moz for a small product site. What each is built for, what you will actually use, and when neither is needed. - [Ahrefs vs Semrush for a small product site](https://porteur.ai/compare/ahrefs-vs-semrush): Choose Ahrefs if links and Site Explorer matter most, Semrush if you need a broad keyword and marketing suite. Here is how to decide quickly. - [Semrush alternatives, by what you need](https://porteur.ai/alternatives/semrush-alternatives): You likely need one or two jobs, not a suite. Pick Semrush alternatives for keyword research, rank tracking, site audits, links or competitor research. - [Screaming Frog alternatives for a one-person team](https://porteur.ai/alternatives/screaming-frog-alternatives): You need site audits that explain, not just tables. Compare desktop crawlers and hosted audits, and pick what fits your time and skills. - [Competitor keyword analysis by hand, with free data](https://porteur.ai/guides/competitor-keyword-analysis): Choose the right rivals, read their sitemaps, pull free keyword clues, find the gaps, and turn them into pages you can ship this week. - [How to get backlinks for a small product site](https://porteur.ai/guides/how-to-get-backlinks-for-a-small-site): What to build, who to ask and how to measure. A founder’s plan to earn backlinks without spam or spend, with examples and a checklist. Want a short list for your stack. Get a free check from a URL that reads your site, the searches around it and rivals on them in about thirty seconds, and shows three findings whole. Free check: https://porteur.ai/