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SEO · head to head

Lighthouse vs SpyFu

Lighthouse logo

Lighthouse

SEO

Audit web page performance and quality

From
Free
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

  • Only Lighthouse has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Lighthouse performance scores vary significantly due to A/B testing, device differences, browser extensions, and antivirus software affecting results; SpyFu entry-level Basic plan caps search results and data exports at 10,000 rows, limiting deep research.
  • They diverge on capability: Lighthouse covers Performance scoring, SpyFu covers Competitor Keyword Research.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lighthouse and SpyFu actually diverge.

Attributes where Lighthouse and SpyFu differ
AttributeLighthouseSpyFu
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsChrome, Edgeweb, api
Founded19982005

Identical on both: 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 Lighthouse

  • Performance scoring
  • Accessibility audit
  • SEO check
  • PWA validation
  • Chrome support
  • Edge support

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.

Lighthouse

  • Performance auditing to identify page loading speed improvementsnot SpyFu
  • Accessibility compliance checking for users with disabilitiesnot SpyFu
  • SEO optimization verification for search engine compatibilitynot SpyFu
  • Security and best practices scanning for code healthnot SpyFu
  • Progressive web app validation and CI/CD pipeline integrationnot SpyFu

SpyFu

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

Where each one falls short

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

Lighthouse

  • Performance scores vary significantly due to A/B testing, device differences, browser extensions, and antivirus software affecting results
  • Limited to metrics that contribute to scores; Opportunities and Diagnostics don't directly impact scoring
  • Diminishing returns above 0.96 score, making perfect 100 scores extremely challenging
  • Scores based on HTTP Archive data which may not reflect all performance scenarios

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

Lighthouse

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Performance audit
    • Accessibility check
    • SEO analysis

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 Lighthouse if

  • You need performance scoring.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Edge.
  • You also want accessibility audit.
Lighthouse 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 Lighthouse or SpyFu better?
Neither clearly leads. Lighthouse starts at Free and SpyFu at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lighthouse or SpyFu?
Lighthouse has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lighthouse and $29/month for SpyFu.
Does Lighthouse or SpyFu run on more platforms?
Lighthouse runs on Chrome, Edge. SpyFu runs on web, api.
Can I use Lighthouse for free?
Yes. Lighthouse has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SpyFu starts at $29/month.
What is Lighthouse best used for?
Lighthouse is most often used for performance auditing to identify page loading speed improvements, accessibility compliance checking for users with disabilities, seo optimization verification for search engine compatibility, security and best practices scanning for code health. Of those, performance auditing to identify page loading speed improvements and accessibility compliance checking for users with disabilities are not what SpyFu is typically brought in for.
What can Lighthouse do that SpyFu cannot?
Lighthouse covers Performance scoring, Accessibility audit, SEO check, PWA validation. SpyFu covers Competitor Keyword Research, Ad History, Rank Tracking, Backlink Analysis.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lighthouse: Is Lighthouse free?

Yes. Lighthouse is completely free and open-source. It is developed by Google and integrated into Chrome DevTools, PageSpeed Insights, and available as a command-line tool. There are no licensing fees or premium tiers.

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
Lighthouse: Can I run Lighthouse offline?

Yes. Lighthouse can run offline in multiple ways: through Chrome DevTools (built into Chrome), as a command-line tool (Node.js), or as a Node.js module integrated into your build process. You do not need an internet connection after installing the tool.

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
Lighthouse: What pages can Lighthouse audit?

Lighthouse can audit any web page, including pages that require authentication. This is an advantage over some alternative tools that cannot test behind login screens. You can run audits on public pages or authenticated pages via command-line with custom headers.

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
Lighthouse: Can Lighthouse prevent performance regression during development?

Yes. Lighthouse CI is available to prevent performance degradation during development cycles. You can integrate Lighthouse CI into your continuous integration pipeline to automatically audit pages on every commit and fail builds if performance metrics fall below thresholds you define.

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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