Here are 10 free tools that help you uncover competitor traffic, keyword strategies, backlinks, and more. These tools are perfect for businesses on a budget, offering insights into traffic sources, audience behavior, and content performance. Here’s a quick breakdown of what each tool offers:
- Similarweb: Traffic analytics, audience insights, and market benchmarks.
- Semrush: Keyword research, backlink tracking, and domain analysis (10 free daily reports).
- Ahrefs: Backlink insights and top pages for competitor content.
- iSpionage: PPC keyword and ad copy analysis.
- Serpstat: SEO and PPC analysis with keyword tracking.
- Moz: Domain Authority, spam scores, and keyword gap analysis.
- LowFruits: Find low-competition keywords and SERP opportunities.
- Google Analytics 4: Benchmark your performance against competitors using anonymized data.
- Ubersuggest: Keyword suggestions, traffic stats, and backlink analysis.
- SpyFu: Competitor keyword and PPC ad strategies.
Quick Tip: Use multiple tools to cross-check data and get a clearer picture of your competitors’ strategies. While free versions have limitations, they’re a great starting point for competitive analysis.
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Best For | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Similarweb | Traffic insights | Basic metrics only |
| Semrush | SEO and keyword analysis | 10 reports/day |
| Ahrefs | Backlink analysis | Limited to Webmaster Tools |
| iSpionage | PPC ad insights | 10 reports/day |
| Serpstat | SEO & PPC tracking | Limited data volume |
| Moz | Domain authority & gaps | Basic features |
| LowFruits | Keyword opportunities | 3 searches/week |
| Google Analytics | Benchmarking | Requires ownership |
| Ubersuggest | Keyword & traffic stats | 3-month history |
| SpyFu | PPC & SEO strategies | 5 results/search |
Start with these tools to gain actionable insights and improve your competitive edge!
5 Best Competitor Analysis Tools
1. Similarweb
Similarweb is a free tool that helps you analyze competitor traffic and understand market positioning. It pulls data from over 100 million websites across 190+ countries and 210 industries, making it suitable for businesses of various sizes.
With the free version, you can access:
- Traffic Overview: Track up to 25 competitors’ website engagement and market share.
- Traffic Sources: Discover which marketing channels drive the most traffic for competitors.
- Audience Insights: Learn about visitor demographics and behavior.
- Market Analysis: See how your performance stacks up against industry benchmarks.
One of Similarweb’s strengths lies in its data collection methods, which have been refined over a decade. It combines information from direct estimates, contributor networks, partnerships, and public sources to deliver detailed traffic insights.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of SimilarWeb
- Focus your analysis on websites with more than 5,000 visits.
- Use additional tools to cross-check the data.
- Look for trends rather than fixating on exact numbers.
These steps can help you work around the tool’s limitations.
Although Similarweb has improved its data accuracy, insights for low-traffic sites may still be less reliable. For advanced features, paid plans start at $149/month.
This tool offers a straightforward way to gain competitor insights without spending money, making it a great starting point for competitive analysis.
2. Semrush
Semrush is a tool designed to help analyze competitors, offering insights into traffic and SEO strategies. While the free version limits you to 10 domain analyses daily, it still provides a solid foundation for competitive research. With its vast keyword and backlink database, Semrush goes beyond basic tools to deliver deeper analysis.
Free Tier Features
The Domain Overview tool offers a snapshot of key metrics, including:
- Authority score
- Organic search traffic
- Top-performing keywords
- Backlink profiles
- Referring domains
Semrush’s database is massive, boasting over 25 billion keywords, 43 trillion backlinks, and 808 million domain profiles.
Real Success Stories
Landbot used Semrush to grow its organic traffic by seven times, with blog visits making up over 75% of its total traffic. Barbora Jassova, Content Strategist at Landbot, credits Semrush for this success.
Practical Usage Tips
- Analyze your own domain to set a performance baseline.
- Pinpoint keyword gaps between you and your competitors.
- Monitor daily ranking shifts for your most important keywords.
- Study competitors’ top-performing pages to refine your strategy.
“Semrush is like a keyword research tool, Google Trends, Moz, Hootsuite and SimilarWeb in one”,
says Mario León Rojas, Performance Marketing Specialist at Banco del Sol .
Limitations
The free version has some restrictions, such as no access to historical data, a cap of 10 reports per day, and only basic keyword research and site audits. For businesses needing deeper insights, paid plans start at $139.95/month.
3. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is a standout option among free competitor analysis tools, thanks to its Webmaster Tools. It provides key insights without requiring a subscription.
What You Get for Free
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools gives you access to limited competitor traffic analysis, backlink insights, and Domain Rating metrics. It’s backed by a massive data system that tracks over 171 million US keywords and indexes more than 14 trillion live backlinks. Their web crawler, AhrefsBot, is the second most active in the world.
How You Can Use It
Ahrefs’ features are perfect for shaping your content strategy. For instance, the “Top Pages” report shows which content drives the most organic traffic for your competitors. A quick analysis of Monday.com revealed that its blog post on the ‘raci model’ attracts around 40,000 monthly visits in the US and even secures a featured snippet.
Why the Data Matters
Ahrefs is trusted by professionals for a reason:
- 64% of SEO experts prefer its link data over other tools.
- 44% rely on its Domain Rating as a key SEO metric.
- Marketers from 44% of Fortune 500 companies use Ahrefs.
“If I had to choose one SEO tool for the rest of my career, it would be Ahrefs. You might as well make it your browsers’ homepage.” – Karl Kangur, Director of Marketing, Smash Digital
Free Tools vs. Paid Features
While the free version is packed with useful tools, it does have some limitations. The free tier includes:
- Keyword research
- Basic backlink analysis
- Domain strength evaluation
For advanced features, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan. Even so, the platform’s intuitive interface makes it easy for beginners to get started and gather meaningful competitive insights.
4. iSpionage
iSpionage is a free tool designed to analyze competitor PPC campaigns and traffic sources. With a free account, you get access to 10 reports and 3 alerts daily.
What You Get for Free
The platform offers insights into competitor keywords, ad copy, and landing pages. It also monitors data across Google, Yahoo!, and Bing in regions like the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia.
How Marketers Use It
These features provide marketers with insights they can act on. For example, iSpionage has supported over 35,752 PPC advertisers and agencies in improving their campaigns. A notable case is Hotels.com, which used iSpionage to study competitors targeting “hotels near me” in London. This revealed that Booking.com’s success was driven by well-aligned ad copy and keywords.
Data Insights and Coverage
The tool’s ability to track competitors locally offers detailed metrics, including:
- Average impression share
- Ad position stats
- New ad copy updates
- New landing page details
This level of detail strengthens competitive monitoring and complements other free traffic analysis tools.
“iSpionage is easy-to-use and provides accurate, up-to-date competitive intelligence information and is a great way to size up competing websites and their online marketing efforts.” – Larry Kim, Founder & CTO of Wordstream
Free vs. Paid Plans
The free version gives a solid start, helping you identify competitors and benchmark performance. For more features, paid plans begin at $59/month. Daily reports allow for consistent monitoring and smarter advertising decisions.
iSpionage is particularly helpful for businesses aiming to refine their paid search campaigns without any initial cost.
5. Serpstat
Serpstat is a competitor analysis tool packed with data, covering 1.50 billion domains and 7.53 billion keywords. Its free plan provides a solid starting point for both SEO and PPC analysis.
What’s Included in the Free Plan
The free plan gives users access to essential tools for competitor research. You can:
- Analyze competitor keywords in major markets
- Monitor competitor growth trends
- Review top-ranking pages
- Compare domains to uncover ranking gaps
- Examine competitor ads and their landing pages
Who’s Using Serpstat?
More than 863,000 professionals rely on Serpstat for insights. Janeiro Blackmon, a Digital Marketing Consultant at DesignBlaze Marketing, highlights its site audit tool and detailed competitor data as standout features.
Domain Analysis Details
The Domain Batch Analysis feature lets you track up to 18 metrics at once. Here’s a quick breakdown:
| Metric Category | What You Can Track |
|---|---|
| Visibility | How visible a domain is in search results |
| Traffic Sources | Patterns in organic and paid traffic |
| Keywords | Distribution of SEO and PPC keywords |
| Competition | Ranking gaps and new opportunities |
Practical Insights
“It helps you understand how your site and sites belonging to competitors are performing in paid and organic search, and what to do about things you want to improve.”
Free Plan Limits and Upgrades
The free version comes with daily credit limits for analyzing sites, keywords, and links. For businesses needing advanced tools, paid plans start at $59/month, offering higher limits, API access, and branded reports.
Serpstat also rolls out biweekly updates to stay current with market demands.
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6. Moz
Moz stands out with its well-known Domain Authority metrics and a robust link database. Its free tools offer helpful competitor analysis features, though they come with certain restrictions.
Free Features Overview
Here’s a look at the features included in Moz’s free toolkit:
| Feature | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Domain Overview | Provides Domain Authority and Brand Authority scores |
| Link Explorer | Compares root domains and evaluates Spam Score metrics |
| True Competitor | Identifies SERP competitors using Overlap and Rivalry scores |
| Keyword Gap | Compares ranking keywords with up to three competitors |
Strengths and Drawbacks
Moz’s Domain Authority score is widely recognized in the industry. However, its keyword database (1.25 billion keywords) is significantly smaller than competitors like Ahrefs (28.7 billion) and Semrush (26.3 billion).
Domain Analysis Capabilities
Moz’s free tools are particularly useful for competitive benchmarking, offering features like:
- Domain Theme Analysis: Highlights commonly searched keywords tied to competitor sites.
- Brand Authority Tracking: Offers a unique metric that isn’t available in other tools.
- Link Profile Comparison: Evaluates competitor backlink quality and spam scores.
User Experience
Many users have seen great results with Moz.
“We’ve been using Moz Pro since 2012, and it is the ONLY piece of software that makes the cut time and time again. It brings so much to the table for a smaller team that has to do a little bit of everything.”
Data Constraints
Some limitations include the need to connect a Google Analytics account to access traffic data. Additionally, the keyword gap analysis feature only allows comparisons with three competitors.
For those looking to deepen their knowledge, Moz offers educational resources like the “SEO Competitive Analysis Certification” through Moz Academy, which can help users get even more out of the free tools.
7. LowFruits
LowFruits specializes in spotting low-competition keyword opportunities through detailed SERP analysis. It stands out by analyzing SERP characteristics rather than relying solely on keyword difficulty scores. This makes it a great complement to broader traffic analysis tools.
Free Features Overview
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| SERP Analysis | Identifies websites with a Domain Authority below 20 |
| Keyword Research | Allows 3 free searches every 7 days (via KWFinder) |
| Keyword Clustering | Groups keywords automatically based on search intent |
| Intent Filtering | Helps locate relevant long-tail keywords |
| International Targeting | Supports targeting across multiple regions |
SERP Analysis Capabilities
LowFruits digs deep into metrics like content word count, title relevance, site authority, and search intent. This helps uncover “weak spots” in SERPs where low-authority domains are ranking, making it especially useful for newer websites or those entering competitive niches.
Real-World Success
The tool has received glowing feedback from users. For example, Russ Egan shared:
“Lowfruits is the best. I am literally writing an article and getting it ranked by the next morning.”
Pete McPherson from DYEB also praised it:
“Lowfruits is almost TOO good. Analyzing a new niche site–and currently sitting at over 2kish keywords (that honestly seem viable)…and I’m less than halfway done. Niche down further? haha”
Advanced Features
LowFruits includes features like wildcard (*) search, which helps uncover specific keyword combinations your competitors might overlook. You can also import keyword lists for analysis, making it easier to evaluate your content strategy against competitors. However, keep in mind that the free version does come with certain limitations.
Data Limitations
With only 3 free searches allowed every 7 days, users need to prioritize carefully. For a more complete competitor analysis, pairing LowFruits with tools like Semrush for keyword gap analysis is a smart approach.
8. Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics 4 offers a benchmarking feature that provides insights into competitor performance using anonymous, aggregated data updated every 24 hours. This feature surpasses the capabilities of Universal Analytics.
How to Set Up Benchmarking
To start using benchmarking, enable the ‘Modeling contributions & business insights’ setting. This allows you to compare your performance against similar businesses using encrypted, aggregated data.
Key Metrics for Comparison
| Metric Category | What You Can Compare | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Acquisition | New User Rate, Traffic Sources | See how your user growth stacks up against competitors. |
| Engagement | Average Session Duration, Pages/Session | Evaluate how effective your content and user interactions are. |
| Retention | Bounce Rate, Return Visitor % | Measure how loyal your users are. |
| Monetization | Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) | Assess your revenue performance compared to others. |
These metrics can guide actionable strategies to improve your performance.
Practical Uses of Benchmarks
Using these benchmarks can highlight areas where improvements are needed. For instance, Sara Swaney, Director of Advancement at 412 Food Rescue, shared:
“Google Analytics allows us to look at our data across platforms – web and app – to understand the full journey of our users. We’ve been able to cut our reporting time by 50%.”
Advanced Benchmarking Insights
GA4 creates benchmarks tailored to your industry and specific business details. This helps you compare your performance against peer groups within the same vertical.
Examples of Performance Analysis
Let’s say you’re in the Shopping > Apparel category and notice your New User Rate is below the 25th percentile. This indicates a need to focus on boosting user acquisition. On the other hand, businesses in Arts & Entertainment with engagement metrics above the 75th percentile can use this advantage to refine their conversion strategies.
Data Limitations to Keep in Mind
While GA4 benchmarking is powerful, it has some restrictions:
- Data is only available starting May 30, 2024.
- Minimum thresholds for properties, users, and data volume are required.
- Peer group comparisons may not always be perfectly aligned due to factors like location size or varying metric priorities.
Tips for Using Benchmark Data
Treat benchmark data as a directional guide rather than an exact measurement. Check the updated data regularly to spot trends and opportunities for growth. For a more complete competitive analysis, combine GA4 insights with other tools. GA4’s benchmarking works well alongside other free tools to provide a well-rounded view of your competitive landscape.
9. Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest offers free tools to explore competitors’ SEO strategies, traffic stats, and keyword performance. It’s a handy option if you’re looking for actionable insights without spending money.
Core Free Features
| Feature | What It Does | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword Analysis | Discover competitor keywords and gaps | Smaller keyword database compared to paid tools |
| Traffic Insights | Check monthly organic traffic and domain scores | Only tracks 3 months of historical data (login required) |
| Backlink Analysis | Review competitor backlink profiles | Provides basic backlink metrics only |
| Site Audit | Pinpoint SEO weaknesses in competitor sites | – |
Chrome Extension Perks
The free Chrome extension gives you instant keyword data while browsing platforms like Google, YouTube, and Amazon. It’s perfect for spotting high-potential keywords on the go.
Competitive Intelligence Capabilities
Ubersuggest also excels in competitive intelligence, giving you a closer look at what your competitors are doing well and where you can improve.
“Competitive intelligence helps you figure out what your competition is doing right and what you’re doing wrong, it’s really as simple as that.”
This method is widely used by top-tier companies – 90% of Fortune 500 companies leverage competitive intelligence to maintain their edge.
How You Can Use It
With Ubersuggest, you can:
- Identify keyword gaps
- Monitor competitor rankings
- Analyze top-performing competitor pages
- Find backlink opportunities
These insights make it easier to refine your strategy and boost your SEO efforts.
Data-Backed Insights
Studies show that the top five organic results grab 67.6% of all clicks. The first result alone gets 3.8 times more backlinks than other results on the first page.
Limitations of the Free Version
While Ubersuggest is a solid tool, the free version does have restrictions. These include a smaller keyword database, limited rank tracking, no competitive positioning map, basic engagement metrics, and fixed reporting options.
10. SpyFu
SpyFu is a competitor analysis tool with a massive database of 7 billion results spanning 109 million domains. Its free version provides basic tools for examining competitor traffic and keyword strategies.
Core Free Features
| Feature | What It Does | Free Version Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword Research | Discover competitor keywords and rankings | Only 5 results per search |
| SEO Analysis | Check organic rankings and historical trends | Offers basic metrics |
| PPC Intelligence | Analyze competitor ad strategies | Limited historical data |
| Local Tracking | Track local keyword rankings | Basic tracking capabilities |
How SpyFu Stands Out
SpyFu is particularly strong in competitor analysis, offering data that highlights rival strategies. It tracks ten times more PPC keywords and twice as many SEO keywords compared to Semrush. This makes it especially helpful for small businesses and those focusing on local markets.
How It Collects Data
SpyFu pulls its data from multiple sources, including search engines, paid campaigns, website analytics, social media platforms, display ads, and web scraping.
What Users Are Saying
Digital marketers have found the tool incredibly useful. Rachel Ober, a Digital Marketing Project Manager, shares:
“The amount of information you can see for your industry is insane! This is so valuable for anyone wanting to know what their competitors are doing in the market and get ahead!”
What You Can Do with the Free Version
The free version is ideal for tasks like:
- Keyword Gap Analysis: Spot keywords your competitors rank for that you don’t.
- Ad Strategy Research: Examine competitor ad types and performance.
- Ranking Monitoring: Keep an eye on how your keywords are performing.
- Local Market Analysis: Understand competitor strategies in specific areas.
These insights make SpyFu a handy tool for competitive traffic analysis.
User Feedback on Ease of Use
Many users appreciate SpyFu’s simplicity. One user notes:
“SpyFu is very user friendly and easy to use. I love that I can search by a website or by a keyword. Sometimes I use it for competitive research but mostly I use it for keyword research.”
Free Version Limitations
While the free version is useful, it does come with some restrictions:
- Only 5 results per keyword search
- Basic website analysis tools
- Limited historical data access
- Simplified reporting features
For those needing deeper insights, paid plans start at $39/month and include unlimited searches and data downloads.
Tool Features Comparison
Here’s a breakdown of free tool features, their ideal use cases, and limitations.
Core Feature Comparison
| Tool | Free Features | Best For | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Similarweb | Traffic analytics, audience data | Market overview | Basic metrics only |
| Semrush | Keyword research, site audit | SEO insights | 10 reports/day |
| Ahrefs | Backlink analysis | Link research | Webmaster tools only |
| iSpionage | PPC research | Ad intelligence | 10 reports/day |
| Serpstat | Keyword tracking | Basic SEO | Limited data volume |
| Moz | Domain analysis | SEO metrics | Basic features |
| LowFruits | Keyword opportunities | Content gaps | 3 searches/week |
| Google Analytics 4 | Real-time analytics | Website data | Requires ownership |
| Ubersuggest | Keyword suggestions | Content planning | 3-month history |
| SpyFu | Competitor keywords | PPC research | 5 results/search |
Accuracy and Data Quality
- Similarweb provides dependable traffic estimates.
- Ahrefs is strong in analyzing high-traffic websites.
- Semrush stands out for its precise Google traffic data.
- Moz reports higher root domain counts compared to others.
Value Proposition by Use Case
SEO Research
- Semrush is versatile for businesses of all sizes.
- Ahrefs is a go-to for rank tracking and link analysis.
PPC Analysis
- SpyFu and iSpionage are ideal for campaign research.
- With PPC conversion rates averaging 3.2%, competitor data becomes critical for effective campaigns.
Data Collection Methods
These tools gather information from diverse sources like search engines, websites, social media, and advertising networks. This data influences their performance and accuracy, as noted by experts.
Expert Insight
“At the end of the day it is an incomplete study and I look forward to following up on it when I have another big chunk of time and if/when I get access to comScore, HitWise, Compete PRO and SEMrush Pro.”
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
For those considering paid plans:
- Budget-Friendly Option: SpyFu starts at $39/month.
- Mid-Tier Choices: Semrush and Ahrefs fall between $117-$129/month.
Recommendation Framework
When selecting a tool, keep these points in mind:
- Identify your primary needs.
- Weigh the benefits of free vs. paid tiers.
- Use multiple tools for cross-checking data.
- Match the tool’s complexity with your team’s expertise.
- Ensure the tool integrates seamlessly with your existing systems.
Summary
Analyzing these tools highlights their diverse capabilities and how they can shape business strategies. Free competitor traffic tools cater to different needs, each offering specific advantages for competitive research.
Semrush’s free plan delivers detailed keyword and SEO data, while Ahrefs boasts the largest live backlink index, updated every 15–30 minutes. Similarweb stands out for its domain traffic analysis, providing trusted estimates of both organic and paid traffic trends.
“Ahrefs is my go-to software for SEO, and their functionalities for competitor analyses are super helpful right out of the gate.”
A standout example: LiberEat managed to increase its traffic tenfold within three months and boosted organic conversions by 25% by analyzing competitors and fine-tuning its content. Impressively, LiberEat captured 100% of the organic traffic share in its niche, outperforming competitors.
Here’s a quick guide to match your focus area with the right tool:
| Focus Area | Recommended Tool | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| SEO Research | Semrush | Detailed keyword and content analysis |
| Link Building | Ahrefs | Real-time backlink tracking |
| Market Overview | Similarweb | Trusted traffic and audience insights |
| PPC Research | SpyFu | Historical competitor ad performance |
