Semrush vs SpyFu (2026)
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Verdict
- Pick Semrush if the semrush vs spyfu decision hinges on breadth and a free start: a free plan, a 7-day trial, rank and AI visibility tracking and audits, with paid plans from €134 per month.
- Pick SpyFu if you mostly study competitors' Google Ads history and keywords and want a single low entry price: membership starts at $33 per month with unlimited data and downloads.
- Price: Semrush SEO €134, Starter €190, Pro+ €286 per month (€238 billed yearly), Advanced custom, in EUR; SpyFu membership from $33 per month, in USD, other tiers not published.
Semrush
SEO and AI search visibility: keyword research, rank tracking, competitor analysis
From €134/mo · Free trial
Try Semrush free
SpyFu
Competitor keyword research and PPC tracking tools for Google Ads and SEO.
From $33/mo · No free trial
Visit SpyFuSide by side
| Feature | Semrush | SpyFu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI SEO & GEO | AI SEO & GEO |
| Price from (monthly billing) | €134/mo | $33/mo |
| Lowest annual-billing price | €238/mo | not published |
| Plans | SEO, Starter, Pro+, Advanced | Membership |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial, cancel anytime | not published |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | not published | api |
| Key limits | SEO: 5 websites to monitor; 500 keywords to track daily; Position Tracking; Site Audit · Starter: 5 websites to monitor; 500 keywords to track daily; 50 prompts to track daily; 1 domain for AI brand performance; 300 AI visibility reports per day; MCP access | Membership: Unlimited data and downloads. |
| Pricing page | Official pricing page checked 2026-10-26 | Official pricing page checked 2026-10-21 |
Cost for Free / Entry paid / Higher plan tier
Semrush: plan price per month in EUR, with limits by websites, keywords and prompts. SpyFu: a membership from $33 per month in USD; full tiers and annual billing are not published.
| plan tier | Semrush | SpyFu |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free plan: 1 demo project, 10 reports per day | No free plan; no trial listed |
| Entry paid | €134/mo (SEO: 5 websites, 500 keywords tracked daily) | $33/mo (membership, unlimited data and downloads) |
| Higher | €286/mo monthly · €238/mo billed yearly (Pro+: 15 websites, 1,500 keywords) | Other tiers not published |
Different currencies, so no combined totals. The $33 SpyFu figure is a starting price, and its cards state that full pricing tiers, annual pricing and trial details are not disclosed. Semrush Starter is €190 and Advanced is custom; Additional Users start at €43 per month.
Which one to choose
Choose Semrush if…
- You want a free plan or a seven-day trial before committing to a paid tool.
- You need AI visibility tracking, prompt-level tracking and classic rank tracking together.
- You work across many websites and need plans that scale to 15 or 40+ of them.
Choose SpyFu if…
- You want to see which keywords competitors bought on Google Ads and how their ad tests changed.
- You want unlimited data and downloads at a published $33 per month.
- You want an API with documented endpoints for automating exports.
Pros and cons
Semrush: Pros
- Free plan with no credit card required
- Keyword research on a 28B+ term database
- Technical audits and a keyword strategy builder
- MCP access from Starter and API data integration on Advanced
Semrush: Cons
- Free plan limited to 1 demo project and 10 reports per day
- Advanced pricing is not published
- Share of Voice only on Advanced
- Supported platforms are not stated
SpyFu: Pros
- Base membership includes unlimited data and downloads
- Historical Google Ads keyword purchases and ad tests
- Backlink analysis by keyword to find links competitors have
- AI-powered site audit and an API
SpyFu: Cons
- No free plan
- Full pricing tiers are not published on the official site
- Annual pricing and free trial details are not disclosed
- AI search tracking is not listed on its card
Head to head
Scope
Semrush describes a marketing platform that spans keyword research, competitor analysis, technical audits, content optimization, and tracking in classic and AI search. SpyFu describes competitive intelligence for SEO and pay-per-click: competitor keywords, PPC ad history, backlink gaps, daily rank and ad tracking, and an AI-powered site audit. The overlap is competitor keywords; the divergence is that SpyFu foregrounds ad history and Semrush foregrounds AI visibility.
Pricing transparency
Semrush publishes three paid tiers with monthly figures and offers a yearly price for Pro+, plus custom pricing for Advanced. SpyFu publishes only a $33 starting membership and states that other tiers are not published. If budget certainty matters, Semrush's card gives more to plan with, while SpyFu's gives a single, low number.
Trying before buying
Semrush gives a free plan and a seven-day free trial that can be cancelled anytime. SpyFu has no free plan and lists no trial. Anyone who wants to look at the data before paying has a route only with Semrush on these cards.
Frequently asked questions
Is SpyFu cheaper than Semrush?
By starting price, yes in number but not directly in value: SpyFu membership starts at $33 per month with unlimited data and downloads, while Semrush SEO is €134 per month. The currencies differ and SpyFu's other tiers are not published, so a like-for-like total cannot be built.
Does SpyFu or Semrush have a free plan?
Semrush has a free plan with 1 demo project and 10 reports per day, no credit card required, and a seven-day trial. SpyFu states that no free plan is available, and its card lists no free trial. The SpyFu entry point is the $33 per month membership.
SpyFu vs Semrush on Reddit: which gives better competitor data?
Reddit opinions are not part of the verified cards, so none is quoted. By vendor description, SpyFu shows competitors' Google Ads keyword purchases and ad tests over time, while Semrush offers a competitor view of keywords, ads, backlinks and traffic. Compare both vendors' sample reports.
How does SpyFu vs Semrush vs Ahrefs compare?
The pair data here covers only SpyFu and Semrush, so no Ahrefs figures are given. SpyFu's own video page frames a three-way comparison with Semrush and Ahrefs, but that is vendor material. Semrush lists plans from €134 and SpyFu from $33 per month.
Do both tools offer an API?
SpyFu provides an API with documented endpoints to automate data exports. Semrush lists advanced API data integration on the Advanced plan, which has custom pricing, and MCP access from the Starter plan at €190 per month. Check each vendor's documentation for coverage and limits.
Other comparisons and alternatives
Explore further
How we check
Plans, prices, trials and limits in the table are copied from each tool's card, which is built from the vendor's official pages and dated. The page is only as fresh as the older of the two checks above. How we review.
Sources: Semrush official site, SpyFu official site.
Data is collected and checked by AI agents from official vendor pages; the owner is responsible for the project.
Partner link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our order or verdicts. Affiliate disclosure