SpyFu
PPC-first competitor research, US-centric, $39+ pricing.
Moz Pro
Legacy SEO tool with Domain Authority methodology and content tools.
Head to head
Where each one wins
| Attribute | SpyFu | Moz Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (monthly) | $39 (Basic) | $99 (Starter) |
| PPC keyword research | Deep - lifetime ad archive back to 2006 | Limited - SEO-focused product |
| SEO keyword research | Decent for PPC-adjacent keywords | Solid - integrated with Keyword Explorer |
| Backlink index size | Limited - no native crawler | 40T+ - Moz Link Explorer is one of the largest indices |
| Domain Authority methodology | Not provided | Industry-reference DA metric - the legacy SEO standard |
| Rank tracking | Included all plans, no per-keyword caps | Credit-metered; lower tiers have caps |
| Site audit | Basic | Solid - on-page grader, crawl reports |
| Content marketing tools | None | Limited compared to SEMrush; some keyword and on-page guidance |
| API access | Available on Professional tier | Available on higher tiers only |
| User community + content | Smaller community, narrower content | Strong - MozCon, Whiteboard Friday, MozCommunity historically dominant |
| Product velocity (recent updates) | Slow - few major updates per year | Slow - similar pace, fewer headlines than Ahrefs or SEMrush |
| Best fit | Solo PPC consultants and small agencies, US-centric | Solo SEO consultants and SMB-focused agencies with legacy Moz workflows |
Shuttergen
SEO/PPC research finds keywords. Creative converts them.
Once you've picked the right competitive research tool, the next bottleneck is creative output. Shuttergen handles that layer with category-tuned variant generation.
Pick by use case
Which to choose
Pick SpyFu if
- · Your primary job is PPC competitor research, not SEO
- · You manage SMB clients where the $39 price floor matters
- · Your market is US/UK English-language
- · You want the lifetime ad-copy archive specifically
- · You don't need backlink intelligence or content marketing tools
Pick Moz Pro if
- · Your primary job is SEO with focus on Domain Authority methodology
- · You have legacy Moz workflows or built your team's vocabulary around DA
- · Backlinks are core to your role
- · You value Moz's community content (Whiteboard Friday, MozCon)
- · You can absorb $99+/mo and don't need PPC depth
Why this comparison matters less than SpyFu vs Ahrefs
Moz Pro has lost ground in 2026. Once the dominant SEO tool, Moz has been overtaken by Ahrefs and SEMrush on most dimensions over the past 5+ years. Product velocity slowed, feature surface stayed narrower than competitors, and the brand momentum shifted.
Most new SEO buyers in 2026 don't seriously evaluate Moz. The default consideration set is Ahrefs (deep SEO + backlinks) and SEMrush (balanced all-in-one). Moz is considered mostly by existing Moz customers staying due to workflow inertia, or by buyers who specifically value Domain Authority methodology.
Domain Authority is the staying-power. Even teams that don't use Moz Pro daily reference DA as the industry shorthand for domain strength. The metric is widely-known, widely-cited, and harder to replace than the rest of the Moz product. For brands that need to communicate domain authority to non-SEO stakeholders, DA is the lingua franca.
SEO/PPC research finds keywords. Creative converts them. Once you've picked the right competitive research tool, the next bottleneck is creative output. Shuttergen handles that layer with category-tuned variant generation.
Where each tool's heritage actually matters
SpyFu's heritage is PPC competitive research. Founded in 2005 by paid-search practitioners; the product has stayed PPC-first throughout. The lifetime ad archive (2006-present) is irreplaceable for paid-search specialists.
Moz's heritage is SEO methodology. Founded in 2004 as SEOmoz; pioneered Domain Authority and many other industry-standard SEO metrics. The methodology contributions are still influential even as the product has fallen behind.
They're not really competitors - they serve different jobs. The comparison is usually a 'which budget tool should I pick' question, with SpyFu winning for PPC and Moz winning for SEO. The answer depends on what your job actually is.
When to skip both and pick something else
For most generalist marketers in 2026: Ahrefs Lite ($129/mo) or SEMrush Pro ($130/mo) fits better than either SpyFu or Moz. Both offer broader feature surfaces at marginally higher price than Moz Pro Starter ($99).
For pure budget plays: Mangools at $30/mo or Ubersuggest at $12/mo cover the core workflows at lower price than SpyFu's Basic tier.
For Domain Authority specifically: You can pull DA from free tools and Moz's Link Explorer free tier. Most marketers don't need to pay $99/mo for Moz Pro just to reference DA - free DA lookups exist.
Don't choose between SpyFu and Moz unless you specifically value one's heritage. For 80% of SMB marketers, Ahrefs or SEMrush fits better than either.
Internal: spyfu-vs-ahrefs, spyfu-vs-semrush, moz-vs-spyfu.
FAQ
Frequently asked
Is SpyFu better than Moz?
Is Moz Pro worth the price?
What's the difference between SpyFu and Moz?
Should I use Moz Pro or Ahrefs?
Can I get Domain Authority without paying for Moz Pro?
Is SpyFu Basic enough for SMB PPC research?
Related
Keep reading
SEO/PPC research finds keywords. Creative converts them.
Once you've picked the right competitive research tool, the next bottleneck is creative output. Shuttergen handles that layer with category-tuned variant generation.