Category by category
| Category | Ahrefs | SpyFu |
|---|---|---|
| Backlinks | Stronger | – |
| Keywords | – | Stronger |
| Features | Stronger | – |
| Starting price | from £23/mo | from $39/mo |
Category calls are editorial judgements, not lab test results. Swipe sideways if the table is cut off.
- Backlinks
- Ahrefs is built around backlink research and presents its link index as a core strength. SpyFu lists backlink tools but is centred on keyword and PPC research
- Keywords
- SpyFu's Basic plan publishes 5,000 weekly tracked keywords; Ahrefs' Lite plan publishes 750
- Features
- Ahrefs covers site explorer, keyword research, rank tracking and site audits in depth. SpyFu adds Google Ads history and ad-copy research that Ahrefs does not focus on
- Pricing
- Cheapest paid plans: Ahrefs £23/mo, SpyFu $39/mo. The vendors publish prices in different currencies, so neither is called cheaper here. Plan limits are in the tables below.
Side by side
| Detail | Ahrefs | SpyFu |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid plan | Starter, £23/mo | Basic, $39/mo |
| Paid plans | 4 | 3 |
| Cheapest plan with published limits | Lite, £99/mo | Basic, $39/mo |
| Sites or projects (that plan) | 5 non-verified, unlimited verified | 1 Live Site tracking project |
| Tracked keywords (that plan) | 750 | 5k weekly tracked keyword rankings |
| Users included (that plan) | 1 | 1 user ($15 per additional user, comparison table) |
| Audit or crawl allowance (that plan) | 100,000 crawl credits/month | 50k crawl pages / month (max 500 pages per crawl) |
| Other limits (that plan) | Up to 2 extra users at £32/mo each; 150 AI prompt checks/month; 6 months history | 10k row search results and exports; 10 automated reports; 1,000 AI fixes / month; 1 connected site; 250 advanced sales leads exports; RivalFlow 0 sites; ChatGPT integration and AI Brand Monitoring 'Limited'; weekly audit schedule; annual card: 'Save $120 per year' |
| Free plan | Yes | not published |
| Money-back guarantee | No refunds in general; a monthly subscription may be refunded if the service has not been used | 30-Day Money Back Guarantee on the pricing page: "just let us know at any time in the first 30 days". Cancel anytime via email, livechat, phone or MyAccount page; "No contracts." |
| Currency shown | GBP | USD |
| Prices checked | 31 Oct 2026 | 31 Oct 2026 |
"Not published" means the vendor's pricing page did not show it on the check date; it is not assumed to be zero or unlimited. Swipe sideways to see both tools.
What Ahrefs and SpyFu cost for the same workload
The cheapest plan on each tool whose published limits cover the workload, and what the first year costs at list price. Yearly billing is used where the vendor publishes it.
| Workload | Ahrefs | SpyFu |
|---|---|---|
| 1 site, 100 tracked keywords, 1 userSolo blogger or one business site | Lite: £990 | Basic: $348 |
| 5 sites, 500 tracked keywords, 1 userFreelancer with a few clients | Lite: £990 | Pro + AI: $1,068 |
| 15 sites, 1,500 tracked keywords, 2 usersSmall agency | Limits not published | Team / Agency: $2,244 |
"Limits not published" means the vendor's pricing page did not list a limit needed to judge the plan. Try your own numbers in the plan finder.
Every Ahrefs and SpyFu plan
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed yearly, per month | Sites or projects | Tracked keywords | Users |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs Starter | £23 | not published | not published | not published | not published |
| Ahrefs Lite | £99 | £83 | 5 non-verified, unlimited verified | 750 | 1 |
| Ahrefs Standard | £199 | £166 | 20 non-verified, unlimited verified | 2,000 | 1 |
| Ahrefs Advanced | £359 | £299 | 50 non-verified, unlimited verified | 5,000 | 1 |
| SpyFu Basic | $39 | $29 | 1 Live Site tracking project | 5k weekly tracked keyword rankings | 1 user ($15 per additional user, comparison table) |
| SpyFu Pro + AI | $119 | $89 | 10 Live Site tracking projects | 15k weekly tracked keyword rankings | 1 user included ($30 for each additional) |
| SpyFu Team / Agency | $249 | $187 | Unlimited Live Site tracking projects | 50k weekly tracked keyword rankings | 5 users included ($30 for each additional) |
Prices are shown in the currency each vendor published, before tax. Swipe sideways to see every column.
- Prices read from vendor site; some terms not published thereAhrefs: prices read from ahrefs.com on . Shown in GBP as the vendor displayed it; not converted.
- Checked on vendor siteSpyFu: prices read from spyfu.com on .
Ahrefs Black Friday 2026
No Black Friday deal, per the vendor. Ahrefs says it does not run one-off discounts or seasonal specials, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday. (help.ahrefs.com)
Checked 31 Oct 2026. Every SEO tool's Black Friday offer.
SpyFu Black Friday 2026
Not announced yet. Black Friday is Friday 27 November and Cyber Monday is Monday 30 November.
Checked 31 Oct 2026. Every SEO tool's Black Friday offer.
Which should you pick?
Pick Ahrefs if
Backlink research and organic competitor analysis are central to your work
Ahrefs plans and catchesPick SpyFu if
You want to see what competitors spend on in Google Ads, with long keyword history, on a smaller budget
SpyFu plans and catchesThe verdict
Ahrefs and SpyFu are both competitor research tools, aimed at different channels. Ahrefs is strongest on backlinks and organic research. SpyFu focuses on the keywords competitors buy and rank for, and the ad copy they test, going back many years. Ahrefs says it does not run discounts or refunds in general, while SpyFu states a 30-day money-back guarantee. Pick Ahrefs for link building and organic analysis, and SpyFu when paid search history matters most.