Semrush vs SpyFu
Both ladders below were read from the vendors’ own pricing pages, in this market, on the dates shown. Nothing is converted: what you see is what each page showed a reader here.
What each one is
Semrushsite ↗pricing ↗
A broad SEO and digital marketing suite covering keywords, competitor research, ads and content. Paid plans start at $139.95/mo (SEO); a free plan exists. The ladder we hold runs 4 paid tiers, topping out at $549/mo (Advanced).
SpyFusite ↗pricing ↗
A competitor research tool that shows the keywords and ads rivals have bought and ranked for, historically. Paid plans start at $39/mo (Basic); no free plan is published. The ladder we hold runs 3 paid tiers, topping out at $249/mo (DATA). We read the same $39/mo in every market we check, so this vendor does not price by country.
The two ladders
Semrushsite ↗pricing ↗
read 2026-08-27 · USD
| Plan | Price | What the page says |
|---|---|---|
| SEO | $139.95/mo ($117.33 ↓) | 5 websites to monitor, 500 keywords tracked daily, basic keyword research and competitor analysis, Position Tracking, Site Audit. This is the only plan badged 'SEO' rather than 'SEO + AI Search'. |
| Starter | $199/mo ($165.17 ↓) | 5 websites to monitor, 500 keywords daily, keyword research and optimisation tools, competitor insights, MCP access. AI side: 50 prompts tracked daily, 1 domain for AI brand performance, 300 AI visibility reports per day, AI-ready Site Audit. |
| Pro+ | $299/mo ($248.17 ↓) | 15 websites to monitor. All Starter features plus deeper multi-market and multi-location coverage. |
| Advanced | $549/mo ($455.67 ↓) | All Pro+ features plus. The only plan whose call to action is 'Subscribe' rather than 'Try for free', with a custom-plan option beside it. |
SpyFusite ↗pricing ↗
read 2026-08-29 · USD
| Plan | Price | What the page says |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39/mo | |
| Pro + AI | $59/mo | |
| DATA | $249/mo |
Where they differ
- Cheapest way in: SpyFu at $39/mo, against Semrush at $139.95/mo. That is the entry price in this market on the dates shown, not a judgement about which suits you.
- Free plans: only Semrush publishes one — a plan priced at zero, not a trial.
- How far each ladder goes: Semrush tops out at $549/mo, SpyFu at $249/mo. A deeper ladder is not a worse deal — it is a bill that keeps climbing if you keep growing.
- SpyFu: We read the same $39/mo in every market we check, so this vendor does not price by country.
How to choose in this category
- Entry prices are high and annual billing is where the discounts live.
- Tiers are data limits — keyword counts, tracked sites, report caps — more than features.
- Prices in this category move; check the change log before quoting one.