Analysing the competitor is the most important part of SEO. It helps in increasing your website’s traffic by knowing the strategy that your competitors are using.
By understanding your competitors, you will get to learn useful ways to increase your website ranking and traffic. The process of doing a website analysis of your competitors involves keyword research, content analysis, paid ads, and backlinking analysis. It will show where you are lacking and how to fill those gaps.
What is Website Competitor Analysis?
Analyzing competitors’ websites means studying the features and content that attract visitors to your competitors. It also shows which keywords they rank on, where their backlinks come from, and what ads they run to attract the traffic. One can learn from their competitors’ websites and add a better strategy to make their website grow.
Types of Website Competitor Analysis Tools
There are several types of competitor analysis tools, each focusing on different data areas:
Keyword Research Tools: Show what keywords your rivals use.
Backlink Analysis Tools: Find who links to competitor sites.
Traffic and Analytics Tools: Estimate traffic numbers and sources.
Content Research Tools: Reveal popular content and social shares.
Ad Research Tools: Track paid search campaigns.
Social Media Analytics Tools: Analyze competitors’ social media performance.
Using a combination of these tools provides a complete picture of competitors’ online marketing tactics.
SpyOnWeb: Features and Overview
You might wonder, what is SpyOnWeb? SpyOnWeb was a simple tool that helped uncover connections between websites. It revealed if different sites used the same Google Analytics ID, IP address, or AdSense account. This allowed marketers to find related websites owned by the same company or person, which is very useful for deeper competitor understanding.
SpyOnWeb Features:
Showed domains sharing the same Google Analytics or AdSense codes.
Revealed websites hosted on the same IP address.
Helped find hidden competitor websites or networks.
Pricing:
SpyOnWeb once offered free usage with paid plans starting at $6 per month.
SpyOnWeb Review:
Many users praised SpyOnWeb for its unique ability to trace connections between websites, providing valuable intel for SEO and fraud detection. However, the tool has not been functional since last year. It holds a place in SEO history as a good but now inactive resource.
Limitations and Need for Alternatives
The platform is currently not operational.
No updates or customer support available.
Limited features compared to modern tools.
Though SpyOnWeb is inactive now. For those searching for reliable SpyOnWeb alternatives, there are many new, powerful competitor analysis tools available today.
Top 15 Free and Paid Alternatives to SpyOnWeb
Since SpyOnWeb is no longer functional, here are 15 great SpyOnWeb alternatives with detailed features, pricing, and reviews to help you pick the right one.
1. Semrush
7-day free trial; cancel before the trial ends to avoid charges.
Features:
Domain Overview with traffic, keywords, and backlinks data
Keyword Gap for missing competitor keywords
Position Tracking with SERP (Search Engine Results Page) features and competitors
Pricing: Starts at $117.33/month
User feedback: Comprehensive and detailed, great for agencies, slightly complex for beginners.
2. Ahrefs
Free trial available with limited access. Pricing starts at $129/month
Features:
Site Explorer for backlinks and traffic profiles
Content Explorer to find top-performing competitor content
Rank Tracker to monitor keyword position that changes over time
User feedback: Excellent for link-building; top backlink database. Limited (PPC) pay-per-click data in trial.
3. BuzzSumo
Free trial with no credit card required. Pricing starts at $199/month
Features:
Content performance and social share analysis
Influencer discovery and outreach tools
Trending content alerts
User feedback: Great for content marketers; expensive for small teams.
4. SpyFu
Free plan available; paid plans from $39/month.
Features:
Historical PPC and organic keyword data
Ad copy research and competitor keyword spying
Affordable competitor PPC analysis
User feedback: Good for PPC focus, interface feels outdated.
5. Sprout Social
Pricing starts at $199/month.
Features:
Social media competitor engagement tracking
Unified inbox and reporting dashboards
Team collaboration tools
User feedback: Excellent for social media teams; pricey for small businesses.
6. Owler
Starts at $39/month.
Features:
Company profiles and competitor news alerts
One company profile view per month
Daily snapshot and instant insight
User feedback: Useful for business intelligence, limited SEO data.
7. Serpstat
Free trial available. Pricing starts at $50/month
Features:
Keyword research and gap analysis
Backlink tracking and domain analysis
Rank tracking with historical data
User feedback: Need to work on the interface, good for business.
8. BuiltWith
No free plan; $295/month.
Features:
Detects competitor website technologies
Analytics on CMS, hosting, and plugins
Custom company tech reports
User feedback: Used mainly by agencies, too costly for small companies.
9. Phlanx
Pricing starts at $39/month.
Features:
Influencer engagement analytics
Follower authenticity checks
Campaign ROI measurement tools
User feedback: Perfect for influencer marketing, lacks SEO data.
10. Brandwatch
Pricing on request after demo.
Features:
AI-driven social listening and brand monitoring
Sentiment analysis across social platforms
Real-time competitor trend tracking
User feedback: Enterprise-grade, expensive, and complex.
11. SE Ranking
Free version available.
Features:
Keyword position tracking with competitor comparison
Backlink monitoring and site audits
Marketing plan and white-label reports
Pricing: Starts at $52/month
User feedback: Ideal for SMBs and agencies, smaller databases.
12. AIOSEO
No free trial, starts at $49.50/month.
Features:
WordPress SEO plugin with site audit
Schema markup and on-page SEO analysis
Basic competitor insights inside WordPress
User feedback: Best for WordPress sites, limited external analysis.
13. Google Ads (AdWords)
Pricing varies by ad spend and region.
Features:
Competitor ad campaigns and keyword bidding intelligence
Paid search market trends and CPC data
User feedback: Essential for PPC marketers, costs can rise rapidly.
14. Screaming Frog
Free lite version; full $279/year.
Features:
Website crawling for SEO audits
Fast at detecting broken links and duplicate content
Easy to integrate with Google Analytics and other similar tools
User feedback: Liked by SEO professionals. Lacks keyword ranking and backlinking profiles feature.
15. Neil Patel (Ubersuggest)
Limited free tier. With a price starting at $12/month.
Features:
Keyword research and traffic estimates
Site audits and basic competitor analysis
Content ideas and backlink data
User feedback: Great for beginners, lacks the depth of premium tools.
Comparison Table of Top Competitor Analysis Tools
ToolPrice StartFree TrialBest ForLimitationSemrush$117.33/month7 daysFull SEO suiteExpensive for small businessesAhrefs$129/monthYesBacklink researchLimited free trial featuresBuzzSumo$199/monthYesContent marketingHigh priceSpyFu$39/monthYesPPC researchOld interfaceSprout Social$199/monthLimitedSocial media analyticsPriceyOwler$39/monthLimitedCompany insightsA few free toolsSerpstat$50/monthYesBudget SEO toolLess polished interfaceBuiltWith$295/monthNoTech stack insightsVery high costPhlanx$39/monthNoInfluencer marketingNot SEO focusedBrandwatchPrice after demoNoEnterprise social listeningComplex/expensiveSE Ranking$52/monthYesBalanced SEOSmaller data setsAIOSEO$49.50/monthNoWordPress SEOLimited outside WordPressGoogle AdsVariesNoPPC/paid searchCan be costlyScreaming Frog$279/yearFree liteTechnical SEO auditsNo keyword/ content insightsNeil Patel$12/monthLimitedBeginner SEOLess detailed data
What Makes the Best Competitor Analysis Tool?
The best tool for your organization depends on what you need from that tool. Some tools are best for backlinking, while others are best for keyword analysis.
Other factors also include the pricing, easy-to-use tools, and features that you need. If you are an SEO professional, Ahrefs and Semrush will be more useful. For content marketers, BuzzSumo is the right pick. An organization that works more as pay-per-click or PPC can go with SpyFu or Google Ads. The best analysis tool totally depends on what you need and what the requirements are.
Why is Competitor Website Analysis Important?
Competitor website analysis is vital for improving your SEO performance. It reveals what works for your rivals and helps craft stronger strategies. What is SpyOnWeb? It was once a helpful tool for displaying connections between websites, but it is no longer functional. Thankfully, there are many SpyOnWeb alternatives available today.
From Semrush’s comprehensive platform to Neil Patel’s beginner-friendly tools, there is a solution for every budget and need. Choosing the right tool lets you keep track of competitors and find new opportunities. Use these insights to grow your website traffic and beat your competition without much hassle.
Related: The Search Monitor: Features, Pricing, and Top 10 Alternatives
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