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SpyFu

Track competitors' performance, compare keyword rankings, and monitor backlinks.

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What is SpyFu?

SpyFu is a competitive intelligence platform designed for SEO professionals and digital marketers who need to research their competitors' search strategies. The tool provides access to historical keyword data, PPC campaigns, and backlink profiles, allowing users to see which keywords competitors rank for organically, what ads they've run over the years, and where their backlinks come from. Unlike basic keyword research tools, SpyFu specialises in competitor analysis, offering a database that tracks keyword rankings and ad copy over time. The platform serves businesses and agencies looking to identify gaps in their own strategies by studying what works for competitors. Users can compare multiple domains side by side, discover shared and unique keywords, and analyse bidding strategies for paid search campaigns. SpyFu's historical data extends back over a decade for many domains, making it particularly valuable for understanding long-term trends and seasonal patterns in competitor behaviour. The tool focuses primarily on Google search data for the US market, though it includes some coverage of UK and Australian searches.

Key features

Competitor keyword research

View organic and paid keywords any domain ranks for, with search volume and difficulty metrics

PPC ad history

Access years of competitor ad copy, landing pages, and estimated ad spend

Backlink analysis

Discover competitor backlink sources and identify link-building opportunities

Keyword ranking tracker

Monitor your own rankings and compare against competitors over time

Domain comparison

Analyse multiple competitors simultaneously to find keyword overlaps and gaps

SEO and PPC recommendations

Receive keyword suggestions based on competitor data and your own domain performance

Pros & cons

Advantages

  • Extensive historical data covering over a decade for established domains
  • Combined SEO and PPC intelligence in one platform, useful for integrated campaigns
  • Unlimited keyword and domain searches on paid plans
  • Competitor grouping and side-by-side comparison tools

Limitations

  • Primarily focused on US market data, with limited international coverage
  • Estimated metrics for ad spend and traffic may not always be accurate
  • Interface can feel overwhelming for beginners due to the volume of data
  • Higher-tier plans required for advanced features like API access and white-label reports

Use cases

SEO competitor analysis: Identify which keywords drive traffic to competitor websites and find content gaps

PPC campaign planning: Research competitor ad strategies and bidding patterns before launching campaigns

Backlink prospecting: Find domains that link to competitors but not to your site for outreach opportunities

Market research: Understand the competitive landscape in your niche by analysing top players

Client reporting: Agency use for demonstrating competitive positioning and opportunities to clients

Ready to try SpyFu?

Pricing

Basic

$39/mo

Unlimited keyword and domain searches, 6 months of historical data, 250 sales leads and domain contacts

Professional

$79/mo

All Basic features plus 10 years of historical data, 500 sales leads and domain contacts, API access, custom branded reports

Team

$299/mo

All Professional features plus 5 user seats, 2,000 sales leads and domain contacts, unlimited branded PDF reports

Get started with SpyFu

Click through to SpyFu and start using it now.