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SEO · head to head

AnswerThePublic vs SpyFu

AnswerThePublic logo

AnswerThePublic

SEO

Keyword and content ideation tool that visualizes search questions and phrases

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SpyFu logo

SpyFu

SEO

Competitor keyword research tool for SEO and PPC campaigns

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: AnswerThePublic credit-based limits on projects and articles mean heavy users need the higher-priced Growth or Business tiers.; SpyFu entry-level Basic plan caps search results and data exports at 10,000 rows, limiting deep research.
  • They diverge on capability: AnswerThePublic covers Search listening visualizations, SpyFu covers Competitor Keyword Research.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AnswerThePublic and SpyFu actually diverge.

Attributes where AnswerThePublic and SpyFu differ
AttributeAnswerThePublicSpyFu
Starting price$20/month$29/month
Platformswebweb, api
FoundedUnknown2005

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (SEO).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AnswerThePublic

  • Search listening visualizations
  • AI content drafting
  • Content scheduling
  • Plagiarism detection
  • WordPress publishing
  • Custom writing styles

Only in SpyFu

  • Competitor Keyword Research
  • Ad History
  • Rank Tracking
  • Backlink Analysis
  • RivalFlow AI
  • Automated Reporting
  • API Access

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AnswerThePublic

  • Finding long-tail question keywords for blog topicsnot SpyFu
  • Building FAQ content from real search queriesnot SpyFu
  • PR and content teams brainstorming article anglesnot SpyFu
  • Identifying content gaps around a seed topicnot SpyFu

SpyFu

  • Researching a competitor's paid search strategynot AnswerThePublic
  • Finding organic keyword gapsnot AnswerThePublic
  • Tracking weekly keyword rank changesnot AnswerThePublic
  • Building white-label SEO/PPC reports for clientsnot AnswerThePublic

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AnswerThePublic

  • Credit-based limits on projects and articles mean heavy users need the higher-priced Growth or Business tiers.
  • Question-mining approach is narrower than full-suite SEO content tools that also grade content against SERP competitors.
  • Article and content-creation features are relatively new additions layered onto a keyword-visualization tool, so depth may lag dedicated writing platforms.

SpyFu

  • Entry-level Basic plan caps search results and data exports at 10,000 rows, limiting deep research.
  • API access is only available on the top Team/Agency tier, unlike some competitors that offer it at lower price points.
  • Additional user seats cost an extra $30 per user per month even on paid plans.
  • Weekly rank tracking refresh is less frequent than some competitors offering daily updates.

Pricing, plan by plan

AnswerThePublic

$20/month
  • Starter$20/month
    • 2 projects
    • 60 monthly credits
    • 6 articles/month
  • Growth$99/month
    • 4 projects
    • 350 monthly credits
    • 35 articles/month
  • Business$199/month
    • 8 projects
    • 800 monthly credits
    • 80 articles/month

SpyFu

$29/month
  • Basic$29/month
    • 10k row search results and data exports
    • 5,000 weekly tracked keyword rankings
    • 10 automated reports
  • Pro + AI$89/month
    • Unlimited search results and data exports
    • 15,000 weekly tracked keyword rankings
    • 100 automated reports
  • Team/Agency$187/month
    • Unlimited data exports and reports
    • 50,000 weekly tracked keyword rankings
    • RivalFlow AI (5 sites)

Which should you pick?

Choose AnswerThePublic if

  • You need search listening visualizations.
  • You work on web.
  • You also want ai content drafting.
AnswerThePublic review

Choose SpyFu if

  • You need competitor keyword research.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want ad history.
SpyFu review

Questions people ask

Is AnswerThePublic or SpyFu better?
Neither clearly leads. AnswerThePublic starts at $20/month and SpyFu at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AnswerThePublic or SpyFu?
AnswerThePublic starts at $20/month and SpyFu at $29/month.
Does AnswerThePublic or SpyFu run on more platforms?
AnswerThePublic runs on web. SpyFu runs on web, api.
What is AnswerThePublic best used for?
AnswerThePublic is most often used for finding long-tail question keywords for blog topics, building faq content from real search queries, pr and content teams brainstorming article angles, identifying content gaps around a seed topic. Of those, finding long-tail question keywords for blog topics and building faq content from real search queries are not what SpyFu is typically brought in for.
What can AnswerThePublic do that SpyFu cannot?
AnswerThePublic covers Search listening visualizations, AI content drafting, Content scheduling, Plagiarism detection. SpyFu covers Competitor Keyword Research, Ad History, Rank Tracking, Backlink Analysis.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AnswerThePublic: What does AnswerThePublic cost?

Plans run Starter at $20/month, Growth at $99/month, and Business at $199/month, each with monthly credits, project limits, and an article-generation cap; annual and lifetime options are also offered.

Source
SpyFu: What does SpyFu cost?

SpyFu has three plans: Basic at $29/month (billed annually) or $39/month, Pro + AI starting around $89/month annually (or $59 for the first month, then $119/month), and Team/Agency at $187/month annually or $249/month.

Source
AnswerThePublic: Is there a free plan?

No free tier is listed; all plans are paid, with Starter as the entry-level option at $20/month or a $99 lifetime option.

Source
SpyFu: What's included in the Basic plan?

Basic includes 10,000-row search results and data exports, 1 Live Site tracking project, 5,000 weekly tracked keyword rankings, 10 automated reports, and 1 user seat.

Source
AnswerThePublic: What does AnswerThePublic integrate with?

All plans include WordPress publishing so finished articles can be pushed directly to a connected WordPress site.

Source
SpyFu: What extra do Pro + AI and Team/Agency add?

Pro + AI adds unlimited search results and exports, 10 tracking projects, 10+ years of historical data, 15,000 weekly rank checks, and 100 reports. Team/Agency adds unlimited projects and reports, 50,000 weekly rank checks, and 5 user seats.

Source
SpyFu: Do all plans include AI features?

Yes, all plans include the RivalFlow AI tool, ChatGPT integration, AI Brand Monitoring, Google Ads campaign tools, Google Search Console integration, white-label reporting, and API access, though limits vary by tier.

Source
SpyFu: Is extra usage or extra users available beyond the base seats?

Yes, additional user seats can be added to Pro + AI and Team/Agency plans for $30 per additional user beyond the included seat count.

Source
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