Semrush vs SpyFu
- ✦ Keyword Research
- ✦ Site Audit
- ✦ Rank Tracking
- ✦ Competitor organic keyword history
- ✦ PPC keyword research
- ✦ Ad copy history
Semrush and SpyFu are both SEO Tools tools. Semrush starts at $139/mo, SpyFu at $39/mo. Compare features, pricing, and ratings below to find the best fit for your team.
When to Choose Semrush vs SpyFu
The question that matters: “In what situation will I regret choosing A over B after 3 months?”
SEMrush Keyword Gap identifies keywords a competitor ranks for that you don't, with search volume and difficulty data that prioritizes which gaps are worth pursuing first.
Find keywords where 3+ competitors rank but your domain doesn't appear to discover 200 content opportunities
SEMrush's Backlink Audit scores every inbound link for toxicity and generates a disavow file for Google Search Console, enabling proactive link cleanup before algorithmic or manual penalties impact rankings.
Identify 500 keywords a competitor buys in Google Ads with their ad copy history to inform your own campaign strategy
SEMrush On Page SEO Checker analyzes each target page against the top 10 ranking competitors for that keyword, delivering specific recommendations tied to what the SERP actually rewards.
Analyze 10 years of keyword ranking history to identify seasonal patterns before launching seasonal campaigns
Before entering a new vertical, map the top 10 competitors' keyword footprints to estimate traffic potential and competition
Pricing Comparison & PlansHigh· Verified Jul 8, 2026
Semrush Plans
Free tier available
Pro
$139/moBest for: Beginners and individual projects
- ✓Up to 5 websites to monitor
- ✓Keyword research tools
- ✓Competitor analysis tools
- ✓Position Tracking
- ✓Backlinks
Guru
$249/moBest for: Small businesses
- ✓Up to 15 websites to monitor
- ✓Historical data
- ✓Multi-location and device data
- ✓Content optimization tools
- ✓1,500 keywords to track daily
SpyFu Plans
Free tier available
Basic
$39/moBest for: Individuals needing core competitor research
- ✓10k row search results
- ✓10k row data exports
- ✓1 Live Site tracking project
- ✓10+ years historical data
- ✓RivalFlow 0 sites
Capability Breakdown
9 differences found across 17 standardized features
- •Keyword Research
- •Site Audit
- •Rank Tracking
- •Competitor Analysis
- •Backlink Analysis
- •Content Marketing
- •Local SEO
- •Social Media Tools
- •PPC Research
- •On-page SEO
- •Topic Research
- •Traffic Analytics
- •API Access
- •White Label Reports
- •Market Explorer
- •Competitor organic keyword history
- •PPC keyword research
- •Ad copy history
- •Keyword difficulty scoring
- •SERP analysis
- •Backlink overview
- •Domain overview
- •Rank tracking
- •Keyword grouping
- •Google Ads campaign templates
- •API access
- •PDF reports
- •Competitor comparisons
- •15+ year historical data
Strengths & Limitations
Evaluative strengths and weaknesses: not feature lists
- +Unrivaled competitor analysis for paid and organic search
- +Massive keyword database (26B+) with deep filtering options
- +Integrated Content Marketing Platform with SEO writing assistant
- +Powerful backlink analytics and gap analysis tools
- +Comprehensive local SEO features including listing management
- −Steep learning curve due to the sheer number of tools and reports
- −High starting price makes it inaccessible for freelancers or small sites
- −Project limits and keyword tracking caps on lower-tier plans are restrictive
- −Mobile app has significantly limited functionality vs. desktop
- −Data accuracy for very low-volume keywords can be inconsistent
- +15+ years of historical keyword data no other tool matches
- +Best competitor PPC research with ad copy history and spend estimates
- +Significantly cheaper than Semrush or Ahrefs for similar competitor intelligence
- −Backlink index is smaller and less fresh than Ahrefs or Majestic
- −No content optimization or on-page SEO tools
At a Glance
Recent Price History
Semrush added the "Enterprise/Custom" plan
Plan added · Jun 28, 2026
SpyFu "Pro + AI" price changed from $119/mo to $59/mo
Price change · Jun 28, 2026
SpyFu renamed the "Team/Agency" plan to "Team / Agency"
Update · Jun 28, 2026
Semrush removed the "Custom Plan" plan
Plan removed · Jun 5, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Comparisons
SemrushFree · from $139/mo
SpyFuFree · from $39/moSources & Data Trail · Semrush
- 1.Official Pricing Page·Source of verified tiers(Checked: 2026-07-08)
- 2.Official Website·Official vendor website
- 3.G2·G2 verified reviews · 4.5/5 · 3,382 reviews
- 4.Capterra·Capterra verified reviews · 4.7/5
- 5.TrustRadius·TrustRadius verified reviews
Sources & Data Trail · SpyFu
- 1.Official Pricing Page·Source of verified tiers(Checked: 2026-07-08)
- 2.Official Website·Official vendor website
- 3.G2·G2 verified reviews · 4.6/5 · 518 reviews
- 4.Capterra·Capterra verified reviews · 4.5/5
- 5.TrustRadius·TrustRadius verified reviews