SpyFu vs Ahrefs
SpyFu starts at $29/mo and Ahrefs at $108/mo on annual billing — but seat fees, project caps and tracked-keyword limits decide the real bill. See it costed below.
Costed for three setups
| Setup | SpyFu | Ahrefs | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blogger · 1 site · 100 keywords weekly · 1 user | $29/mo Basic | $108/mo Lite | SpyFu |
| Blogger · 1 site · 100 keywords weekly · 1 user (monthly billing) | $39/mo Basic | $129/mo Lite | SpyFu |
| Small business · 5 sites · 500 keywords daily · 2 users | Not listed | $148/mo Lite | Ahrefs* |
| Small business · 5 sites · 500 keywords daily · 2 users (monthly billing) | Not listed | $169/mo Lite | Ahrefs* |
| Agency · 10 sites · 1,500 keywords daily · 3 users | Not listed | $328/mo Standard | Ahrefs* |
| Agency · 10 sites · 1,500 keywords daily · 3 users (monthly billing) | Not listed | $369/mo Standard | Ahrefs* |
At a glance
| Feature | SpyFu | Ahrefs |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing unit | Per account + $30 seats | Per account (1 user) + paid seats |
| Watch out for | Rankings are tracked weekly on every plan — no daily option on the pricing page. | Each plan includes only 1 user; extra seats cost $40 (Lite), $60 (Standard) or $80 (Advanced) a month and are capped at 2, 5 and 10. |
| Cheapest paid (annual) | $29/mo | $108/mo |
| Cheapest paid (monthly) | $39/mo | $29/mo |
| Entry plan includes | Basic: 1 project · 5,000 tracked keywords · weekly updates · 1 user | Starter: unlimited projects · no rank tracking listed · update frequency Not listed · users Not listed |
| Forever free | No | Yes |
| Trial | Not listed | Not listed |
| Add-ons | Additional users $30 each on Pro + AI and Team. Annual billing = 3 months free (25% savings). | Content Kit from $99/mo; Report Builder $99/mo; Project Boost Pro $20/mo per project; Project Boost Max $200/mo per project; Traffic reports $99/mo; Brand Radar AI from $199/mo; custom prompt packages $50–$250/mo. Pay-as-you-go credits and extra users are charged automatically. |
All plans
SpyFu
| Plan | Mo | Yr/mo | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39 | $29 | 1 project · 5,000 tracked keywords · weekly updates · 1 user |
| Pro + AI | $119 | $89 | 10 projects · 15,000 tracked keywords · weekly updates · 1 user · +$30/user/mo |
| Team / Agency | $249 | $187 | unlimited projects · 50,000 tracked keywords · weekly updates · 5 users · +$30/user/mo |
Ahrefs
| Plan | Mo | Yr/mo | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs Free | $0 | $0 | unlimited projects · no rank tracking listed · update frequency Not listed · users Not listed |
| Starter | $29 | — | unlimited projects · no rank tracking listed · update frequency Not listed · users Not listed |
| Lite | $129 | $108 | 5 projects · 750 tracked keywords · update frequency Not listed · 1 user · +$40/user/mo (max 3) |
| Standard | $249 | $208 | 20 projects · 2,000 tracked keywords · update frequency Not listed · 1 user · +$60/user/mo (max 6) |
| Advanced | $449 | $374 | 50 projects · 5,000 tracked keywords · update frequency Not listed · 1 user · +$80/user/mo (max 11) |
| Enterprise | — | $1499 | 100 projects · tracked keywords Not listed · update frequency Not listed · 3 users · +$100/user/mo |
Gotchas
SpyFu
- Rankings are tracked weekly on every plan — no daily option on the pricing page.
- Basic is single-user with 1 tracking project.
- The $59 Pro + AI price is first month only; it renews at $119.
Ahrefs
- Each plan includes only 1 user; extra seats cost $40 (Lite), $60 (Standard) or $80 (Advanced) a month and are capped at 2, 5 and 10.
- Lite gives 1,000 credits per user per month — Standard and up are unlimited.
- Project limits apply to unverified sites; verified sites you own are unlimited.
- The pricing page does not state the rank-tracking update frequency.
FAQ
Is SpyFu cheaper than Ahrefs?
For 5 sites, 500 keywords tracked daily, 2 users, annual billing: SpyFu: Team / Agency: weekly rank updates only vs Ahrefs $148/mo on Lite. The answer flips with seat add-ons, project caps and daily vs weekly tracking — use the calculator on the SEO tools hub for your exact setup.
Do SpyFu and Ahrefs have free plans or trials?
SpyFu: No forever-free plan on the pricing page; Pro + AI is $59 for the first month, then $119/month. Ahrefs: Ahrefs Free gives website owners limited free access to Site Explorer & Site Audit. Ahrefs says “We never run discounts” — no free trial is offered.
Which limits matter most when comparing SEO tools?
Included users and the price of extra seats, project/site caps, tracked keywords (and whether they update daily or weekly, pooled or per project), and whether the annual price is billed upfront. Our calculator checks each against the official plan cards.