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Keyword Insights vs SpyFu

Keyword Insights logo

Keyword Insights

SEO

AI keyword clustering tool that groups keywords by live SERP overlap

From
On request
Rated
-
SpyFu logo

SpyFu

SEO

Competitor keyword research tool for SEO and PPC campaigns

From
$29/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Keyword Insights it has no keyword research or search volume data of its own; keywords must be exported from another tool such as Ahrefs or Search Console first.; SpyFu entry-level Basic plan caps search results and data exports at 10,000 rows, limiting deep research.
  • They diverge on capability: Keyword Insights covers SERP-based clustering, SpyFu covers Competitor Keyword Research.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Keyword Insights and SpyFu actually diverge.

Attributes where Keyword Insights and SpyFu differ
AttributeKeyword InsightsSpyFu
Starting priceOn request$29/month
Pricing modelPer month by credit volume, with pay-as-you-go availablesubscription
PlatformsWebweb, api
FoundedUnknown2005

Identical on both: 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 Keyword Insights

  • SERP-based clustering
  • Intent classification
  • Content brief generation
  • Bulk keyword upload
  • Pay-as-you-go credits
  • Competitor content gap analysis

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.

Keyword Insights

  • A content team building topic clusters for a content calendar from a large exported keyword listnot SpyFu
  • An agency needing intent classification to decide whether a keyword warrants a blog post or a product pagenot SpyFu
  • A team that wants SERP-reality clustering rather than word-embedding-based grouping that can miss what Google actually treats as one topicnot SpyFu
  • A one-off project needing to cluster a single large keyword export without committing to a monthly subscriptionnot SpyFu

SpyFu

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

Where each one falls short

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

Keyword Insights

  • It has no keyword research or search volume data of its own; keywords must be exported from another tool such as Ahrefs or Search Console first.
  • SERP-based clustering requires a live Google SERP pull per keyword, which is why it is credit-metered and can get expensive fast on very large keyword lists.
  • The pay-as-you-go credit tier only covers clustering; content briefs and other features require a full subscription, which is easy to miss when comparing the entry price.
  • It has no rank tracking, backlink data or technical crawling, so it is a single-purpose tool that must sit alongside a broader SEO stack.
  • As a small, specialised vendor, its roadmap and support resourcing are thinner than a full suite like Semrush that bundles clustering as one feature among many.

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

Keyword Insights

On request
  • Basic$58/month
    • 10,000 credits a month
    • Keyword clustering and intent classification
    • Content brief generation
  • Professional$99/month
    • 20,000 credits a month
    • All Basic features
    • Higher project and export limits
  • Pay As You Go$7.99/month
    • 1,000 clustering-only credits, no subscription required
    • 7-day trial available for 1 US dollar
    • Other features require a subscription plan

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 Keyword Insights if

  • You need serp-based clustering.
  • You also want intent classification.

Choose SpyFu if

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

Questions people ask

Is Keyword Insights or SpyFu better?
Neither clearly leads. Keyword Insights starts at On request and SpyFu at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Keyword Insights or SpyFu?
Keyword Insights starts at On request and SpyFu at $29/month.
Does Keyword Insights or SpyFu run on more platforms?
Keyword Insights runs on Web. SpyFu runs on web, api.
What is Keyword Insights best used for?
Keyword Insights is most often used for a content team building topic clusters for a content calendar from a large exported keyword list, an agency needing intent classification to decide whether a keyword warrants a blog post or a product page, a team that wants serp-reality clustering rather than word-embedding-based grouping that can miss what google actually treats as one topic, a one-off project needing to cluster a single large keyword export without committing to a monthly subscription. Of those, a content team building topic clusters for a content calendar from a large exported keyword list and an agency needing intent classification to decide whether a keyword warrants a blog post or a product page are not what SpyFu is typically brought in for.
What can Keyword Insights do that SpyFu cannot?
Keyword Insights covers SERP-based clustering, Intent classification, Content brief generation, Bulk keyword upload. SpyFu covers Competitor Keyword Research, Ad History, Rank Tracking, Backlink Analysis.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Keyword Insights: Do I need another SEO tool to use it?

Yes, for keyword data. Keyword Insights clusters and classifies keyword lists you supply; it does not generate keyword lists with search volume itself.

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
Keyword Insights: How is pricing calculated?

By credits, at 1 credit per keyword clustered, either through a monthly subscription with a credit allowance or a pay-as-you-go top-up.

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
Keyword Insights: Is there a free tier?

No permanent free tier; a 7-day trial for 1 US dollar is offered instead.

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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