KeywordNumbers
Back to Blog
SEO Tools Comparison

Affordable Moz Alternative: Smarter SEO Tools That Won’t Gut Your Budget

Graham HolmesSeptember 14, 20267 min read
Print / Save as PDFInsider
Affordable Moz Alternative: Smarter SEO Tools That Won’t Gut Your Budget

Free ebook: The Free SEO Stack

Keyword research without paying for Ahrefs — the complete guide. Read it online or download the PDF.

100% free · No spam · Unsubscribe any time

Ever looked at your Moz bill, sighed, and thought: there has to be a better way? You’re not alone. Today, we’re diving into affordable Moz alternatives—tools that get the job done without making your wallet weep. We’ll break down what Moz does, why you might want a swap, and give you a side-by-side of the best budget-friendly options out there. Plus, we’ll show you how some free tools (including a few from KeywordNumbers) can fill the gap for SEOs, marketers, and site owners everywhere.

Why Look for a Moz Alternative?

Here’s what most people miss: Moz is solid, but its pricing feels more like champagne on a beer budget—especially if you’re running a small agency, freelance, or just starting out. Maybe you love the keyword research, but can’t stomach the monthly fee. Or perhaps you’ve outgrown Moz’s feature set and want something sharper (without the cost of a small car).

Whatever your reason, you’re not stuck. There are SEO tools out there that do 80-90% of what Moz does—for less. Sometimes for free. Let’s take a closer look.

What Does Moz Actually Do? (And Why Should You Care?)

Moz is like the Swiss Army knife of SEO. It handles:

  • Keyword research
  • Site audits
  • Backlink analysis
  • Rank tracking
  • On-page optimisation
  • It does a lot of things well, but none of them are exclusive. Think of Moz as the trusted brand of ketchup—it’s everywhere, but sometimes you just need a good, cheap squeezy bottle that gets the chips dipped.

    The Best Affordable Moz Alternatives (2024 Edition)

    Here’s a table for the comparison lovers. We’ve included price, free options, and standout features. All prices are in equivalent USD/month, but most tools accept GBP, EUR, AUD, CAD, and others.

    ToolStarts AtFree PlanKey Features
    KeywordNumbersFreeYesKeyword research, SERP analysis, calculators
    Ubersuggest$29/moYesKeyword ideas, audits, domain analysis
    Mangools (KWFinder)$29.90/moYes (trial)Easy KW research, SERP/SEO metrics
    SERanking$44/moYes (trial)Rank tracking, site audits, backlinks
    SEOptimer$19/moYes (trial)On-page audit, reporting
    Ahrefs Webmaster ToolsFreeYesSite audit, backlinks
    SEObilityFree/PaidYesAll-in-one SEO suite

    Worked Example: Finding the Best Value for Your Needs

    Let’s say you’re running a small blog, and you want to research 100 keywords a month and audit your site for technical fixes.

  • Moz Pro: $99/mo — unlimited keyword research, site audits
  • Ubersuggest: $29/mo — 150 daily searches, site audits
  • KeywordNumbers: Free — unlimited keyword research, free on-page calculators
  • Ahrefs Webmaster Tools: Free — limited to site audit and backlink analysis, no keyword tool
  • If you only need keyword research and basic audits, you could save $99/mo (that’s roughly £78, €91, or AU$150 a month) just by switching to a combination of KeywordNumbers’ free keyword research tool and Ahrefs Webmaster Tools. That’s a lot of takeaway curry, or, if you’re feeling healthy, several months’ supply of quinoa. The choice is yours.

    Pros and Cons of Moz Alternatives

    Not every tool is a perfect doppelganger. Here’s where the main contenders shine—and where they, let’s say, dull a bit.

    KeywordNumbers (Free)

  • Pros: 100% free, simple interface, keyword research, on-page calculators (like word counters and character counters), no credit card faff.
  • Cons: No backlink data, no full-blown site audit.
  • Ubersuggest

  • Pros: Cheap, covers most Moz basics, nice rank tracking.
  • Cons: Some data limits, interface can feel crowded.
  • Mangools

  • Pros: Gorgeous UI, strong keyword data, good for beginners.
  • Cons: No in-depth site audit, daily limits.
  • SEObility

  • Pros: Generous free plan, checks on-page issues, simple reports.
  • Cons: Advanced features require upgrade, backlink data not as deep.
  • How to Pick the Right Moz Alternative

    Choosing your tool is a bit like picking pizza toppings: everyone says they want “everything,” but too many options and you end up with pineapple and regret. Here’s how to slice it:

  • Define your must-haves. Need backlink data? Or is keyword research your bread and butter?
  • Set your budget. Don’t pay for features you’ll never use.
  • Test the free versions. Most tools offer a free tier or a trial—use it!
  • Check support and updates. Nothing worse than a tool that goes stale, or help that takes a fortnight to reply.
  • Questions People Are Actually Asking

    What is a choice among available alternatives?

    It’s simply picking from a menu of options that can all do the job. In the world of SEO tools, your “choice among alternatives” is picking the one that fits your budget, needs, and workflow. No tool is one-size-fits-all—think of it like trainers: comfortable for some, a toe-pincher for others.

    Is there a truly free Moz alternative?

    Yes, though with limits. KeywordNumbers offers completely free keyword research and on-page tools—no catches, no card details. For site audits and backlinks, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools and SEObility’s free plan have you covered. The trade-off: you’ll need to stitch together a couple of free tools rather than having an all-in-one dashboard.

    How do Moz alternatives compare for keyword research?

    Most alternatives (like Ubersuggest, Mangools, and KeywordNumbers) offer similar keyword suggestions, difficulty scores, and SERP analysis. Moz’s data is solid, but you can get 80% of the insight for 10% of the cost—or less—if you’re willing to use two tools instead of one.

    Are cheaper SEO tools accurate?

    Generally, yes—especially for keyword research and site audits. No tool is perfect (including Moz), but most reputable alternatives pull data from similar sources. For mission-critical backlink analysis, higher-tier paid tools still have the edge, but for most users, the affordable options are more than accurate enough.

    Can you combine free tools for a full Moz replacement?

    Absolutely. Use KeywordNumbers for keyword research and content tools, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for site audits, and SEObility for on-page checks. With a little copy-paste elbow grease, you’ll cover almost every Moz feature without spending a penny.

    What’s the best Moz alternative for small agencies?

    If you’re running multiple sites, consider Ubersuggest or SE Ranking: both are affordable, offer agency-friendly features (like reporting), and handle keyword research, audits, and tracking in one place—without the Moz price tag.

    Do Moz alternatives offer a domain authority metric?

    Most do, but they’ll call it something different (like “Domain Rating” in Ahrefs or “Authority Score” in SEMrush). The numbers aren’t identical, but they give a very similar sense of a site’s overall SEO strength.

    Conclusion: Get More SEO for Less

    Moz is a classic, but you’re not chained to it. Today’s affordable Moz alternatives give you serious SEO muscle—often for free or a fraction of the price. Whether you’re after keyword research, site audits, or just a quick character counter to tidy up your meta descriptions, there’s a smarter way to get the job done.

    Ready to save some cash and sharpen your SEO? Dive into KeywordNumbers’ free SEO tools and see how much you can do without spending a penny.

    Free tools to put this into practice

    Reading is one thing — testing your own pages is what moves the needle. Here are the free KeywordNumbers tools that pair best with this guide:

  • Keyword Search Volume Checker — see estimated monthly searches, trends and seasonality for any keyword.
  • AI Keyword Ideas — generate fresh, related keyword ideas around your topic in seconds.
  • Keyword Density Checker — check how often your target terms appear so your content reads naturally.
  • Page Speed Analyser — test how fast a page loads and see exactly what is slowing it down.
  • Meta Tag Analyser — audit every meta tag on a page in one click.
  • Every one of our free SEO tools is genuinely free to use, with no sign-up required.

    Try the Comparison Tool

    Good news — there's now a free tool for exactly this. Give our Comparison Tool a go and put this guide straight into practice.

    Free ebook: The Free SEO Stack

    Keyword research without paying for Ahrefs — the complete guide. Read it online or download the PDF.

    • Which free tools replace Ahrefs, SEMrush & Moz
    • Step-by-step keyword research workflow
    • How to find content gaps without paying a penny
    • The exact stack KeywordNumbers is built on

    100% free · No spam · Unsubscribe any time

    Ready to research your keywords?

    Try our free keyword tools — no signup required.