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Software · head to head

SpyFu vs Frase

SpyFu logo

SpyFu

Software

Competitor keyword research tool for SEO and PPC campaigns

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Frase logo

Frase

Software

AI content optimization and research tool for briefs, drafts, and SEO audits

From
$49/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: SpyFu entry-level Basic plan caps search results and data exports at 10,000 rows, limiting deep research.; Frase the entry-level Starter plan is capped at a single seat and site, which limits it to solo users rather than small teams.
  • They diverge on capability: SpyFu covers Competitor Keyword Research, Frase covers Content briefs and outlines.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SpyFu and Frase actually diverge.

Attributes where SpyFu and Frase differ
AttributeSpyFuFrase
Starting price$29/month$49/month
Platformsweb, apiweb
Founded2005Unknown

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

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 SpyFu

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

Only in Frase

  • Content briefs and outlines
  • AI article drafting
  • Content Guard monitoring
  • Content audits
  • CMS publishing
  • Internal linking suggestions

What people use each for

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

SpyFu

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

Frase

  • Building SEO content briefs from competitor researchnot SpyFu
  • Drafting articles with AI assisted by SERP datanot SpyFu
  • Monitoring published content for ranking drops via Content Guardnot SpyFu
  • Auditing existing site content at scalenot SpyFu

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Frase

  • The entry-level Starter plan is capped at a single seat and site, which limits it to solo users rather than small teams.
  • Overage charges apply per extra article or audit page once monthly plan limits are exceeded on Professional and Scale.
  • Free trial features are limited to Professional-tier functionality for 7 days rather than reflecting the full product.

Pricing, plan by 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)

Frase

$49/month
  • Starter$49/month
    • 1 seat, 1 site
    • 10 articles/month
    • 50 audit pages/month
  • Professional$129/month
    • 3 seats, 5 sites
    • 40 articles/month
    • 250 audit pages/month
  • Scale$299/month
    • 5 seats, 10 domains
    • 100 articles/month
    • 1,000 audit pages/month
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • White-label portals
    • SSO/SAML
    • Dedicated account manager

Which should you pick?

Choose SpyFu if

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

Choose Frase if

  • You need content briefs and outlines.
  • You work on web.
  • You also want ai article drafting.

Questions people ask

Is SpyFu or Frase better?
Neither clearly leads. SpyFu starts at $29/month and Frase at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SpyFu or Frase?
SpyFu starts at $29/month and Frase at $49/month.
Does SpyFu or Frase run on more platforms?
SpyFu runs on web, api. Frase runs on web.
What is SpyFu best used for?
SpyFu is most often used for researching a competitor's paid search strategy, finding organic keyword gaps, tracking weekly keyword rank changes, building white-label seo/ppc reports for clients. Of those, researching a competitor's paid search strategy and finding organic keyword gaps are not what Frase is typically brought in for.
What can SpyFu do that Frase cannot?
SpyFu covers Competitor Keyword Research, Ad History, Rank Tracking, Backlink Analysis. Frase covers Content briefs and outlines, AI article drafting, Content Guard monitoring, Content audits.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Frase: What does Frase cost?

Plans run Starter at $49/month, Professional at $129/month, and Scale at $299/month billed monthly, with cheaper annual rates and a custom Enterprise tier.

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
Frase: Is there a free trial?

Frase offers a 7-day trial with Professional-level features and no credit card required.

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
Frase: What happens if I exceed my plan's usage limits?

Professional and Scale plans support optional pay-as-you-go overages, disabled by default, charged per extra article or audit page beyond the monthly cap.

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
Frase: What does Frase integrate with?

Frase publishes content to WordPress, Webflow, Sanity, and Wix, or can host pages directly via its own FraseCMS.

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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