SpyFu

SpyFu is a competitive intelligence tool for search marketing. Type in a domain or a keyword and you get back the organic and paid keywords behind it, the actual ad copy competitors have run, keyword history, and estimates of clicks and ad spend. That makes it useful in two directions: figuring out which keywords are worth chasing, and seeing exactly how competitors are spending their PPC budgets.

Beyond keyword research, SpyFu tracks ranking history over time, analyzes backlinks, and lets you compare domains side by side to see where one site outranks another. Paid plans include custom reporting, keyword tracking, and unlimited projects and downloads, with AI-integrated features available on higher tiers. The tool is aimed at SEO professionals, PPC advertisers, in-house marketers, and agencies that need to ground their search strategy in what's actually working for competitors.

Best for:

• PPC advertisers researching which keywords and ad copy competitors bid on before building their own campaigns
• SEO teams identifying organic keywords a competing domain ranks for that they don't
• Agencies preparing competitor analysis reports for client pitches and quarterly reviews
• Marketers estimating how much a competitor spends on paid search before entering a niche
• Anyone tracking ranking changes for a set of keywords over weeks or months

Frequently asked questions

How much does SpyFu cost?

Public pricing on the site lists Basic at $39/month, Pro + AI at $119/month (with the first month at $59), and Team/Agency at $249/month. An annual Basic plan is listed at $29/month billed annually. Pricing can change, so check the site for current rates.

Does SpyFu show competitor ad spend?

Yes. When you look up a domain or keyword, SpyFu shows estimated clicks and estimated ad spend alongside the paid keywords and ad copy it has collected.

Is there a free trial?

The site's homepage material doesn't mention a free trial. It does advertise a discounted first month ($59 instead of $119) on the Pro + AI plan. Check the signup page for current trial offers.

Are there limits on projects or reports?

Paid plans include unlimited projects and unlimited downloads, so you can track multiple domains and export reports without hitting a quota.

Can SpyFu track rankings over time?

Yes. It keeps ranking history for keywords and offers keyword tracking, so you can see how positions for a domain have moved rather than just a single snapshot.

Does SpyFu cover backlinks?

Yes. Backlink analysis is listed among its core features, alongside keyword research, competitor analysis, and custom reporting.

Alternatives

• Kwestify — a keyword and niche research suite with 20+ tools, geared toward affiliates who want breadth beyond competitor lookups
• Keywordscale — focused on discovering topical keywords for building content clusters rather than spying on competitor ads
• RanksPro.io — combines rank tracking, audits, and LLM visibility, which suits agencies that want monitoring bundled with research
• Konvart — an all-in-one SEO and AEO platform covering audits through rankings if you want one tool for the whole workflow