{ "data": { "a": { "slug": "moz-api", "name": "Moz API", "vendor": "SEOmoz, Inc.", "vendorUrl": "https://moz.com", "kind": "http-api", "category": "seo", "summary": "Moz API is a hosted JSON-RPC 2.0 service for SEO data from Moz's link and keyword indexes. It returns Domain Authority, backlinks, keyword metrics, ranking keywords and search results, with a beta MCP server for AI clients.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/moz-api", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/moz-api.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/moz-api.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/moz-api.json", "license": "Proprietary service under the Moz API General Conditions (effective 12 August 2026 for new subscribers). Displaying Moz data to others requires attribution under the API legal page", "transports": [ "http", "streamable-http" ], "remoteUrl": "https://api.moz.com/jsonrpc", "packages": [], "auth": "api-key", "authNotes": "Self-serve. A person signs up at moz.com with a credit card, then creates a token in the API dashboard. Each account holds up to five tokens, which can be deleted, and every request sends one in the `x-moz-token` header. No scopes or read-only tokens were found in the reviewed documentation. The beta MCP server at https://api.moz.com/mcp/v1/data accepts OAuth (authorisation code with PKCE, dynamic client registration, one scope named `mcp`) or the same token as a Bearer header, and is limited to account owners.", "pricing": "freemium", "pricingNotes": "Free plan of 50 rows a month at one request every ten seconds, which needs a valid credit card. Paid plans run from $20 a month for 3,000 rows to $500 for 500,000, with overage from $5 per 1,000 rows down to $10 per 10,000. Over 4 million rows a month is quoted by sales. There is no sandbox, though `quota.lookup`, `test.ping` and `test.ping.async` cost no rows (checked 2026-10-08).", "priceSummary": "$20 / mo", "where": "hosted", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the API docs, the pricing page or the product page (checked 2026-10-08).", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": null, "popularity": { "githubStars": null, "npmWeekly": null, "pypiWeekly": null, "asOf": "2026-10-08" }, "docsUrl": "https://moz.com/api/docs", "capabilities": [ "seo.keywords", "seo.backlinks", "seo.serp", "seo.rankings" ], "tags": [ "hosted", "json-rpc", "api-key", "freemium", "mcp", "oauth", "backlinks", "keywords", "closed-source" ], "lastRelease": "2026-08-14", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 45.3, "grade": "E", "agentReady": false, "rank": 571, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 629, "categoryRank": 6, "methodology": "0.4", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 74, "maintenance": 28, "payments": 20, "reliability": 42, "schema": 50, "security": 38, "transparency": 59 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-10-08" }, "negative": 0, "verdict": "The JSON-RPC API documents every error code, its rate limits and the row cost of each method, and failed validation uses no quota. No working status page, SLA, machine-readable spec or official SDK was found. Tokens carry no scopes, and the free plan needs a credit card.", "bestFor": "Agents that need Domain Authority, backlink lists, link intersects, keyword volume and difficulty, search intent and ranking keywords at a low entry price, on a read-only data set.", "strengths": [ "Error reference lists 13 codes, each with HTTP status, a machine-readable `data.issue` and the parameter at fault", "Edge rate limits are published with numbers, and per-method 429 responses carry `Retry-After`", "Each method page states its row cost, and validation and quota checks run before any rows are used", "List methods take a `limit`, a paging token, sort keys and named filters", "Public plan prices from $20 a month for 3,000 rows, with per-row overage prices" ], "weaknesses": [ "No working public status page was found, and moz.statuspage.io reports the Moz Status page as inactive", "No downloadable OpenAPI or OpenRPC file, no llms.txt and no official SDK in the reviewed documentation", "Tokens have no scopes or read-only mode, and one token works on both the Data and Local MCP endpoints", "The free plan of 50 rows a month requires a valid credit card", "security.txt expired on 8 October 2026 (UTC), and its policy, acknowledgements and PGP key links return 404" ], "agentNotes": [ "Send a request `id` of at least 24 characters (letters, numbers and hyphens). A UUID works. Shorter ids are rejected with -32654.", "Stop on a 401. Ten 401 or 403 responses in five minutes block the caller for 30 minutes.", "On 429 with code -32658 wait the `Retry-After` seconds. On code -32650 no wait time is given, so back off exponentially.", "Call `quota.lookup` (free) before large pulls. List methods charge one row per result, and `limit` is capped at 50 on link lists.", "Poll `async.call.lookup` for `data.keyword.serp.generate`, and collect the result within 20 seconds of first seeing it complete." ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 0, "avgRating": 0, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "E", "methodology": "0.4", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 45.3 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 74, "maintenance": 28, "payments": 20, "reliability": 42, "schema": 50, "security": 38, "transparency": 39 }, "provenanceScore": 79 }, "connect": { "http": "curl -X POST https://api.moz.com/jsonrpc -H \"x-moz-token: $MOZ_TOKEN\" -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" -d '{\"jsonrpc\":\"2.0\",\"id\":\"01a0458f-a14f-7254-aa11-7c6cb734e3f2\",\"method\":\"quota.lookup\",\"params\":{\"data\":{\"path\":\"api.limits.data.rows\"}}}'", "claudeCode": "claude mcp add moz-mcp-v1-data https://api.moz.com/mcp/v1/data --transport http --header \"Authorization: Bearer $YOUR_MOZ_TOKEN\" --scope user" }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/seo.keywords", "tool": "https://letme.dev/moz-api" }, "area": "web-data", "unitPrices": [ { "item": "Free plan", "unit": "month", "usd": 0, "note": "50 rows a month, one request every ten seconds, credit card required" }, { "item": "Starter Medium", "unit": "month", "usd": 20, "note": "3,000 rows, no overage, plus 150 beta rows" }, { "item": "Starter Large", "unit": "month", "usd": 75, "note": "15,000 rows, plus 750 beta rows" }, { "item": "Growth Small", "unit": "month", "usd": 125, "note": "50,000 rows, plus 3,500 beta rows" }, { "item": "Growth Medium", "unit": "month", "usd": 250, "note": "120,000 rows, plus 8,400 beta rows" }, { "item": "Growth Large", "unit": "month", "usd": 500, "note": "500,000 rows, plus 35,000 beta rows" }, { "item": "Overage row, Starter Large", "unit": "record", "usd": 0.005, "note": "$5 per 1,000 rows" }, { "item": "Overage row, Growth Small", "unit": "record", "usd": 0.0025, "note": "$25 per 10,000 rows" }, { "item": "Overage row, Growth Medium", "unit": "record", "usd": 0.002, "note": "$20 per 10,000 rows" }, { "item": "Overage row, Growth Large", "unit": "record", "usd": 0.001, "note": "$10 per 10,000 rows" } ], "provenance": { "legalEntity": "SEOmoz, Inc.", "domain": "moz.com", "domainRegistered": "1998-04-29", "endpointOnVendorDomain": true, "terms": "https://moz.com/api-general-conditions", "privacy": "https://moz.com/privacy-policy", "statusPage": "", "changelog": "https://moz.com/whats-new/archive", "securityTxt": "expired", "checked": "2026-10-08", "notes": [ "The API General Conditions name SEOMOZ, INC., a Delaware corporation, as the contracting party. The site footer reads SEOMoz, Inc., a Ziff Davis company, and the terms of use give 360 Park Ave. S., 17th Floor, New York, NY 10010 for notices.", "The API answers at https://api.moz.com/jsonrpc and the MCP server at https://api.moz.com/mcp/v1/data, both on moz.com.", "moz.com/.well-known/security.txt gives a contact address and `Expiration: 2026-10-07T22:45:48-07:00`, about three hours before our fetch at 08:42 UTC on 8 October 2026. Its Policy, Acknowledgements and Encryption links (moz.com/security-policy, /hall-of-fame, /pgp-key.txt) return 404.", "moz.statuspage.io redirects to a page saying the Moz Status page is inactive and visible only to team members. status.moz.com and health.moz.com did not connect from our network.", "The changelog is Moz's product updates archive, which covers all products. The newest Moz API entry is the MCP server beta of 14 August 2026.", "RDAP for moz.com gives a registration date of 1998-04-29 and expiry in 2029.", "The privacy policy is effective 8 April 2025 and says Moz is owned by Ziff Davis, Inc. and takes part in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework." ], "score": 79 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/moz-api.json", "live": { "slug": "moz-api", "probe": { "target": "https://api.moz.com/jsonrpc", "method": "get", "lastAt": "2026-10-08T17:36:40.661011426Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 404, "lastMs": 168, "authRequired": false, "uptime24h": 100, "uptime30d": 100, "p50ms24h": 164, "p95ms24h": 393, "samples24h": 25, "samples30d": 25, "days": [ { "date": "2026-10-08", "probes": 25, "ok": 25 } ] }, "securityTxt": { "url": "https://moz.com/.well-known/security.txt", "state": "valid", "checkedAt": "2026-10-08T15:38:29.983500854Z" }, "updatedAt": "2026-10-08T17:36:40.661011426Z" } }, "answer": "Semrush API + MCP scores 53.1 (D) on agent readiness against Moz API's 45.3 (E), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Moz API leads on reliability.", "b": { "slug": "semrush", "name": "Semrush API + MCP", "vendor": "Semrush Inc. (an Adobe company)", "vendorUrl": "https://www.semrush.com", "kind": "http-api", "category": "seo", "summary": "Semrush is a search marketing data platform, owned by Adobe since April 2026. Agents reach its keyword, backlink, ranking and traffic data through REST APIs with API keys or a hosted MCP server that spends the same API units.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/semrush", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/semrush.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/semrush.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/semrush.json", "license": "Proprietary service under the Semrush terms of service", "transports": [ "http", "streamable-http" ], "remoteUrl": "https://api.semrush.com", "packages": [], "auth": "mixed", "authNotes": "Version 4 methods take an API key in `Authorization: Apikey \u003ckey\u003e`, created in the profile with a read-only or read and write permission and an optional expiry. Version 3 methods take the account's single key as the `key` query parameter. The MCP server signs in by OAuth 2.1 against the user's Semrush account, or takes the API key header. Access is self-serve for a paying account, with no app review. Trends Premium and custom plans go through sales.", "pricing": "paid", "pricingNotes": "Every API needs a paid subscription, and calls spend API units. The Standard API needs the SEO Business plan plus a unit package of 2 to 20 million units, whose prices aren't on a public page. The MCP page says Semrush One Starter and Pro+ and SEO Classic Pro and Guru include 50,000 units. Our request saw plan prices in pounds, from £113 a month for SEO to £444 for Advanced. The free plan (no card, 10 reports a day) has no API units, and the 7-day trial's card requirement wasn't checked.", "priceSummary": "Paid", "where": "hosted", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the developer docs, the MCP page or the pricing page (checked 2026-10-08).", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": 14, "popularity": { "githubStars": null, "npmWeekly": null, "pypiWeekly": null, "asOf": "2026-10-08" }, "docsUrl": "https://developer.semrush.com/api/", "llmsTxt": "https://developer.semrush.com/api/llms.txt", "capabilities": [ "seo.keywords", "seo.backlinks", "seo.rankings", "seo.traffic", "seo.serp" ], "tags": [ "official", "hosted", "mcp", "oauth", "api-key", "llms-txt", "closed-source", "subscription", "usage-units", "bug-bounty", "adobe" ], "lastRelease": "2026-09-04", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 53.1, "grade": "D", "agentReady": false, "rank": 487, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 629, "categoryRank": 3, "methodology": "0.4", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 77, "maintenance": 57, "payments": 17, "reliability": 34, "schema": 70, "security": 54, "transparency": 67 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-10-08" }, "negative": 0, "verdict": "The hosted MCP server exposes 14 tools that load a report's parameters on demand, and version 4 API keys can be read-only, time-limited and revoked. Most reports still sit in version 3, whose single key travels in the URL and can't be revoked. No status page, OpenAPI file or API unit price was found.", "bestFor": "Teams already paying for Semrush who want an agent to pull keyword, backlink, ranking and traffic estimates in one place, mainly through the MCP server.", "strengths": [ "Hosted MCP server at mcp.semrush.com/v2/mcp with OAuth 2.1, dynamic client registration and 14 named tools, limited to reads", "Version 4 keys can be read-only or read and write, carry an expiry, and be revoked. An account can hold up to 100", "Every method page states its cost in API units, and `limit`, `fields` and `filter` cap what a call spends", "llms.txt indexes for the developer site and for each API version, with dated release notes since March 2026", "API Query log records time, IP address, report type and units spent for SEO API and Projects v4 calls, with CSV export" ], "weaknesses": [ "Domain, URL, Trends, Position Tracking and Site Audit reports are version 3 only, where the one key is a URL parameter and can't be revoked", "Version 4 Keyword and Backlinks reports are labelled Early Access, with endpoints, formats and pricing subject to change", "No public status page, SLA terms, OpenAPI file or official SDK found in the reviewed pages", "API unit package prices aren't published, and every API needs a paid subscription", "When units run short, per-line SEO and Trends reports return fewer lines instead of an error" ], "agentNotes": [ "Use the MCP server at https://mcp.semrush.com/v2/mcp where the host supports it. Call a discovery tool, then `get_report_schema`, then `execute_report`", "Set `limit` or `display_limit` on every per-line report. A backlinks row costs 40 to 45 units and a historical keyword row 50", "Check the unit balance before large pulls. A per-line report returns only the lines the balance covers, with no error", "Send the version 4 key as `Authorization: Apikey \u003ckey\u003e`, never as `?key=`. Version 3 accepts only the query parameter, so keep those URLs out of logs", "Stay under 10 requests a second and 10 concurrent requests per account, and retry only when `error.retryable` is true" ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 0, "avgRating": 0, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "D", "methodology": "0.4", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 53.1 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 77, "maintenance": 57, "payments": 17, "reliability": 34, "schema": 70, "security": 54, "transparency": 59 }, "provenanceScore": 75 }, "connect": { "http": "curl -H 'Authorization: Apikey YOUR_API_KEY' \"https://api.semrush.com/apis/v4/keywords/v1/metrics?keyword=seo%20tools\u0026country=US\"", "claudeCode": "claude mcp add semrush https://mcp.semrush.com/v2/mcp -t http", "config": { "mcpServers": { "semrush": { "url": "https://mcp.semrush.com/v2/mcp" } } } }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/seo.keywords", "tool": "https://letme.dev/semrush" }, "area": "web-data", "provenance": { "legalEntity": "Semrush Inc.", "domain": "semrush.com", "domainRegistered": "2008-10-03", "endpointOnVendorDomain": true, "terms": "https://www.semrush.com/company/legal/terms-of-service/", "privacy": "https://www.semrush.com/company/legal/privacy-policy/", "statusPage": "", "changelog": "https://developer.semrush.com/api/v4/introduction/release-notes/", "securityTxt": "none", "checked": "2026-10-08", "notes": [ "The terms of service (last updated 25 August 2026) name Semrush Inc., a Delaware corporation at 800 Boylston Street, Suite 2475, Boston, MA 02199. The site footer reads © 2026 Semrush Holdings and carries an Adobe logo.", "Adobe announced completion of its acquisition of Semrush Holdings, Inc. on 28 April 2026, in a press release on semrush.com. The terms and the privacy policy (last modified 13 October 2025) don't mention Adobe.", "The APIs answer at api.semrush.com and the MCP server at mcp.semrush.com, with OAuth metadata pointing to oauth.semrush.com and api.semrush.com.", "www.semrush.com/.well-known/security.txt returns 404. The security page gives security@semrush.com and links to a HackerOne programme.", "No status page is linked from the developer docs, the home page or the security page. status.semrush.com doesn't resolve in DNS.", "RDAP for semrush.com gives a registration date of 2008-10-03 and MarkMonitor Inc. as registrar." ], "score": 75 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/semrush.json", "live": { "slug": "semrush", "probe": { "target": "https://api.semrush.com", "method": "get", "lastAt": "2026-10-08T17:36:45.121650763Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 400, "lastMs": 130, "authRequired": false, "uptime24h": 100, "uptime30d": 100, "p50ms24h": 133, "p95ms24h": 189, "samples24h": 25, "samples30d": 25, "days": [ { "date": "2026-10-08", "probes": 25, "ok": 25 } ] }, "securityTxt": { "url": "https://semrush.com/.well-known/security.txt", "state": "none", "checkedAt": "2026-10-08T15:39:05.730669338Z" }, "updatedAt": "2026-10-08T17:36:45.121650763Z" } }, "facts": [ { "a": "HTTP API", "b": "HTTP API", "name": "Kind" }, { "a": "SEOmoz, Inc.", "b": "Semrush Inc. (an Adobe company)", "name": "Vendor" }, { "a": "https://api.moz.com/jsonrpc", "b": "https://api.semrush.com", "name": "Hosted endpoint" }, { "a": "HTTP, Streamable HTTP", "b": "HTTP, Streamable HTTP", "name": "Transports" }, { "a": "API key", "b": "OAuth or key", "name": "Auth" }, { "a": "Freemium", "b": "Paid", "name": "Pricing" }, { "a": "no", "b": "no", "name": "x402" }, { "a": "Proprietary service under the Moz API General Conditions (effective 12 August 2026 for new subscribers). Displaying Moz data to others requires attribution under the API legal page", "b": "Proprietary service under the Semrush terms of service", "name": "Licence" }, { "a": "none", "b": "14", "name": "Tools exposed" }, { "a": "no", "b": "yes", "name": "Read-only variant documented" }, { "a": "no", "b": "yes", "name": "llms.txt" }, { "a": "2026-08-14", "b": "2026-09-04", "name": "Last release" }, { "a": "2026-08-12", "b": "2026-08-25", "name": "Terms last updated" }, { "a": "2025-04-08", "b": "2025-10-13", "name": "Privacy policy last updated" }, { "a": "not found in the text", "b": "not found in the text", "name": "Customer content may train models" }, { "a": "not found in the text", "b": "yes", "name": "Terms restrict automated access" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "yes", "name": "Terms restrict benchmarking" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "not found in the text", "name": "Terms or service can change without notice" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "yes", "name": "Arbitration or class-action waiver" } ], "faq": [ { "answer": "Semrush API + MCP scores 53.1 (D) on agent readiness against Moz API's 45.3 (E), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Moz API leads on reliability.", "question": "Which is better for AI agents, Moz API or Semrush API + MCP?" }, { "answer": "Moz API needs an API key. Semrush API + MCP takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in.", "question": "Do Moz API and Semrush API + MCP need an API key?" }, { "answer": "Yes. Moz API has a hosted endpoint at https://api.moz.com/jsonrpc and Semrush API + MCP at https://api.semrush.com.", "question": "Can an agent call Moz API and Semrush API + MCP without installing anything?" } ], "goodFor": [ { "aheadOn": [ "Reliability, 42 against 34" ], "also": null, "goodFor": "Agents that need Domain Authority, backlink lists, link intersects, keyword volume and difficulty, search intent and ranking keywords at a low entry price, on a read-only data set.", "slug": "moz-api", "watchFor": "No working public status page was found, and moz.statuspage.io reports the Moz Status page as inactive" }, { "aheadOn": [ "Schema \u0026 documentation, 70 against 50", "Security \u0026 auth, 54 against 38", "Maintenance \u0026 community, 57 against 28", "Transparency \u0026 trust, 67 against 59" ], "also": null, "goodFor": "Teams already paying for Semrush who want an agent to pull keyword, backlink, ranking and traffic estimates in one place, mainly through the MCP server.", "slug": "semrush", "watchFor": "Domain, URL, Trends, Position Tracking and Site Audit reports are version 3 only, where the one key is a URL parameter and can't be revoked" } ], "job": { "capability": "seo.keywords", "name": "Seo keywords" }, "others": [ { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ahrefs-vs-moz-api.json", "title": "Ahrefs vs Moz API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ahrefs-vs-moz-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ahrefs-vs-semrush.json", "title": "Ahrefs vs Semrush API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ahrefs-vs-semrush" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-moz-api.json", "title": "DataForSEO vs Moz API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-moz-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-semrush.json", "title": "DataForSEO vs Semrush API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-semrush" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/manifold-mcp-vs-moz-api.json", "title": "Manifold vs Moz API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/manifold-mcp-vs-moz-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/manifold-mcp-vs-semrush.json", "title": "Manifold vs Semrush API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/manifold-mcp-vs-semrush" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/moz-api-vs-similarweb.json", "title": "Moz API vs Similarweb", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/moz-api-vs-similarweb" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/semrush-vs-similarweb.json", "title": "Semrush API + MCP vs Similarweb", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/semrush-vs-similarweb" } ], "scores": [ { "by": 8, "edge": "moz-api", "key": "reliability", "moz-api": 42, "name": "Reliability", "semrush": 34, "weight": 16 }, { "key": "performance", "name": "Performance", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "by": 20, "edge": "semrush", "key": "schema", "moz-api": 50, "name": "Schema \u0026 documentation", "semrush": 70, "weight": 13 }, { "by": 3, "edge": "semrush", "key": "ergonomics", "moz-api": 74, "name": "Agent ergonomics", "semrush": 77, "weight": 13 }, { "by": 16, "edge": "semrush", "key": "security", "moz-api": 38, "name": "Security \u0026 auth", "semrush": 54, "weight": 14 }, { "by": 3, "edge": "moz-api", "key": "payments", "moz-api": 20, "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing", "semrush": 17, "weight": 10 }, { "key": "tasks", "name": "Task success", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "by": 29, "edge": "semrush", "key": "maintenance", "moz-api": 28, "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community", "semrush": 57, "weight": 7 }, { "by": 8, "edge": "semrush", "key": "transparency", "moz-api": 59, "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust", "semrush": 67, "weight": 7 } ], "summary": "Semrush API + MCP scores 53.1 (D) on agent readiness against Moz API's 45.3 (E), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Moz API leads on reliability. Both do seo keywords.", "verdicts": { "moz-api": "The JSON-RPC API documents every error code, its rate limits and the row cost of each method, and failed validation uses no quota. No working status page, SLA, machine-readable spec or official SDK was found. Tokens carry no scopes, and the free plan needs a credit card.", "semrush": "The hosted MCP server exposes 14 tools that load a report's parameters on demand, and version 4 API keys can be read-only, time-limited and revoked. Most reports still sit in version 3, whose single key travels in the URL and can't be revoked. No status page, OpenAPI file or API unit price was found." } }, "kind": "anchor.page", "links": { "api": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json", "html": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/moz-api-vs-semrush", "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/moz-api-vs-semrush.json", "llms": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt", "markdown": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/moz-api-vs-semrush.md", "slim": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/moz-api-vs-semrush.min.md" }, "markdown": "Semrush API + MCP scores 53.1 (D) on agent readiness against Moz API's 45.3 (E), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Moz API leads on reliability. Both do seo keywords.\n\n- Moz API: grade E, 45.3/100, rank #571 of 629. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/moz-api.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/moz-api.json\n- Semrush API + MCP: grade D, 53.1/100, rank #487 of 629. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/semrush.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/semrush.json\n\n## Which one, for what\n\n### Moz API (E)\n\nGood for: Agents that need Domain Authority, backlink lists, link intersects, keyword volume and difficulty, search intent and ranking keywords at a low entry price, on a read-only data set.\n\nAhead on:\n- Reliability, 42 against 34\n\nWatch for: No working public status page was found, and moz.statuspage.io reports the Moz Status page as inactive\n\n### Semrush API + MCP (D)\n\nGood for: Teams already paying for Semrush who want an agent to pull keyword, backlink, ranking and traffic estimates in one place, mainly through the MCP server.\n\nAhead on:\n- Schema \u0026 documentation, 70 against 50\n- Security \u0026 auth, 54 against 38\n- Maintenance \u0026 community, 57 against 28\n- Transparency \u0026 trust, 67 against 59\n\nWatch for: Domain, URL, Trends, Position Tracking and Site Audit reports are version 3 only, where the one key is a URL parameter and can't be revoked\n\n\n## Score by category\n\n| Category | Weight | Moz API | Semrush API + MCP | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 42 | 34 | Moz API +8 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 50 | 70 | Semrush API + MCP +20 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 74 | 77 | Semrush API + MCP +3 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 38 | 54 | Semrush API + MCP +16 |\n| Payments \u0026 pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 20 | 17 | Moz API +3 |\n| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Maintenance \u0026 community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 28 | 57 | Semrush API + MCP +29 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 59 | 67 | Semrush API + MCP +8 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |\n| **Total** | | **45.3 · E** | **53.1 · D** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | Moz API | Semrush API + MCP |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |\n| Vendor | SEOmoz, Inc. | Semrush Inc. (an Adobe company) |\n| Hosted endpoint | `https://api.moz.com/jsonrpc` | `https://api.semrush.com` |\n| Transports | HTTP, Streamable HTTP | HTTP, Streamable HTTP |\n| Auth | API key | OAuth or key |\n| Pricing | Freemium | Paid |\n| x402 | no | no |\n| Licence | Proprietary service under the Moz API General Conditions (effective 12 August 2026 for new subscribers). Displaying Moz data to others requires attribution under the API legal page | Proprietary service under the Semrush terms of service |\n| Tools exposed | none | 14 |\n| Read-only variant documented | no | yes |\n| llms.txt | no | yes |\n| Last release | 2026-08-14 | 2026-09-04 |\n| Terms last updated | 2026-08-12 | 2026-08-25 |\n| Privacy policy last updated | 2025-04-08 | 2025-10-13 |\n| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | not found in the text |\n| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text | yes |\n| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | yes |\n| Terms or service can change without notice | yes | not found in the text |\n| Arbitration or class-action waiver | yes | yes |\n\n## Verdicts\n\n**Moz API.** The JSON-RPC API documents every error code, its rate limits and the row cost of each method, and failed validation uses no quota. No working status page, SLA, machine-readable spec or official SDK was found. Tokens carry no scopes, and the free plan needs a credit card.\n\n**Semrush API + MCP.** The hosted MCP server exposes 14 tools that load a report's parameters on demand, and version 4 API keys can be read-only, time-limited and revoked. Most reports still sit in version 3, whose single key travels in the URL and can't be revoked. No status page, OpenAPI file or API unit price was found.\n\n## Before you call either\n\n### Moz API\n\n1. Send a request `id` of at least 24 characters (letters, numbers and hyphens). A UUID works. Shorter ids are rejected with -32654.\n2. Stop on a 401. Ten 401 or 403 responses in five minutes block the caller for 30 minutes.\n3. On 429 with code -32658 wait the `Retry-After` seconds. On code -32650 no wait time is given, so back off exponentially.\n4. Call `quota.lookup` (free) before large pulls. List methods charge one row per result, and `limit` is capped at 50 on link lists.\n5. Poll `async.call.lookup` for `data.keyword.serp.generate`, and collect the result within 20 seconds of first seeing it complete.\n\n### Semrush API + MCP\n\n1. Use the MCP server at https://mcp.semrush.com/v2/mcp where the host supports it. Call a discovery tool, then `get_report_schema`, then `execute_report`\n2. Set `limit` or `display_limit` on every per-line report. A backlinks row costs 40 to 45 units and a historical keyword row 50\n3. Check the unit balance before large pulls. A per-line report returns only the lines the balance covers, with no error\n4. Send the version 4 key as `Authorization: Apikey \u003ckey\u003e`, never as `?key=`. Version 3 accepts only the query parameter, so keep those URLs out of logs\n5. Stay under 10 requests a second and 10 concurrent requests per account, and retry only when `error.retryable` is true\n\n## Questions\n\n### Which is better for AI agents, Moz API or Semrush API + MCP?\n\nSemrush API + MCP scores 53.1 (D) on agent readiness against Moz API's 45.3 (E), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Moz API leads on reliability.\n\n### Do Moz API and Semrush API + MCP need an API key?\n\nMoz API needs an API key. Semrush API + MCP takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in.\n\n### Can an agent call Moz API and Semrush API + MCP without installing anything?\n\nYes. Moz API has a hosted endpoint at https://api.moz.com/jsonrpc and Semrush API + MCP at https://api.semrush.com.\n\n\n## For agents\n\n- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/moz-api-vs-semrush.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/moz-api-vs-semrush.min.md\n- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {\"a\": \"moz-api\", \"b\": \"semrush\"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare moz-api semrush`\n- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/moz-api.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/semrush.json\n\n## Other comparisons with Moz API or Semrush API + MCP\n\n- [Ahrefs vs Moz API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ahrefs-vs-moz-api.md)\n- [Ahrefs vs Semrush API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ahrefs-vs-semrush.md)\n- [DataForSEO vs Moz API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-moz-api.md)\n- [DataForSEO vs Semrush API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-semrush.md)\n- [Manifold vs Moz API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/manifold-mcp-vs-moz-api.md)\n- [Manifold vs Semrush API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/manifold-mcp-vs-semrush.md)\n- [Moz API vs Similarweb](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/moz-api-vs-similarweb.md)\n- [Semrush API + MCP vs Similarweb](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/semrush-vs-similarweb.md)\n", "meta": { "attribution": "Anchor Terminal (https://www.anchorterminal.com)", "docs": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/docs/", "generatedAt": "2026-10-08", "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "method": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/", "methodology": "0.4", "openapi": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/openapi.json", "preview": false, "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run" }, "page": { "breadcrumbs": [ { "name": "Home", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/" }, { "name": "Compare", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/" }, { "name": "Moz API vs Semrush API + MCP", "url": "" } ], "description": "Semrush API + MCP scores 53.1 (D) on agent readiness against Moz API's 45.3 (E), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Moz API leads on reliability. Both do seo keywords. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.", "facts": [ "Moz API E 45.3", "Semrush API + MCP D 53.1", "scores" ], "h1": "Moz API vs Semrush API + MCP", "image": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/assets/og/compare-moz-api-vs-semrush.png", "path": "/compare/moz-api-vs-semrush", "published": "2026-10-01", "section": "tools", "title": "Moz API vs Semrush API + MCP for AI agents, E 45.3 vs D 53.1", "toc": null, "updated": "2026-10-08", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/moz-api-vs-semrush" }, "tokens": { "markdown": 2000, "slim": 680 }, "version": 1 }