SpyOnWeb is a powerful tool that uncovers links between websites using public data. In this article, we explain how it works, what features it offers, how to use it, and which SpyOnWeb alternatives can help you explore online ownership and digital connections more effectively.
What is SpyOnWeb?
SpyOnWeb is a tool/service that helps you discover and identify connections between different websites. It goes through the available public data about the websites, such as IP addresses, Google Analytics ID, or Google AdSense code. If any two or multiple websites are hosted on the same server or their tracking code is the same, then SpyOnWeb can display the connection between them.
SEO professionals, investigative journalists, digital marketers, and anyone working closely with website-ownership networks. As an example, for tracking site networks, the Global Investigative Journalism Network used it in a toolbox article.
Features of SpyOnWeb
- Search by website, IP, or tracking code. Just type any of these three, and you will be shown the websites using the same data, or if by any means they are related.
- You can figure out networks and online groups handled or created by one company by understanding if they are hosted on the same IP, advertising, or tracking code. Or if they have similarity in technical details.
- It offers a REST-style API, which can automate the search process and pull the same data directly into your own tools or systems.
- It is best used for research and competitor study; journalists can figure out sources behind the media or information. Marketers can discover hidden networks owned by businesses, whereas business can understand their ownership patterns and connections online.
- It offers both free and paid plans; you can do basic research with free plans and get a paid plan for advanced use. According to some online mentions, the starting plans are from around $6/month.
- The data only uses public data available and does not hack or access private information. It collects and connects already available data on the web.
How To Use SpyOnWeb?
- Go to spyonweb.com
- Type a website name, IP address, or tracking code (like Google Analytics ID)
- Click Search
- See the list of websites connected through the same data
- Check which sites seem related or owned by the same person/company
5 Best SpyOnWeb Alternatives
1. Wappalyzer
Wappalyzer helps you know what the basics of any website are, and you can find out what technical foundation it’s built on. The content management system, e-commerce platform, or payment methods they use. You can also discover their tracking tool. Wappalyzer offers tools that help marketing and sales teams target potential leads.
Important Elements
- Quick reveal of the tech stack of the website.
- Some websites use a particular technology, and Wappalyzer lists them, which is useful for outreach and market research.
- Website monitoring and alerts.
- Email verification.
- Offers browser extensions and integrations.
2. BuiltWith
By using BuiltWith, you can understand and profile the technologies used by websites. It can keep track of hundreds and thousands of web technologies across millions of websites. They provide huge amounts of information which helps in lead generation, market and trend analysis.
Important Elements
- Quick technology check to know what the website is built on.
- You get lead generation and sales intelligence.
- Get insights on market shares and trends.
- You can filter and export reports by traffic, location, technology spend, and industry verticals.
3. SpyFu
This alternative to SpyOnWeb focuses on SEO and paid search (PPC). You can see organically ranking keywords and which keywords your competitors are buying in Google Ads.
Important Elements
- Find out every keyword your competitors have bought on Google Ads and their ad campaign history.
- Offers understanding about which keywords are organically ranking and backlink strategies.
- Find missed keywords and rank over time.
- Builds domain lists based on keywords, ad spend, and search traffic.
4. DNSlytics
You can use DNSlytics to find connections between domains, historical data DNS records, and more. The domains, IP addresses, hosting infrastructure, and associated records can be investigated online using DNSlytics.
Important Elements
- Spot domains sharing the same Analytics ID or Tag.
- You can find out which domains are using the same AdSense publisher ID.
- Reverse name lookup identifies domains sharing a name server.
- It can give historical data and broad infrastructure coverage for investigations.
5. Spyse
Spyse is a great tool used by cybersecurity researchers, investigators, and analysts to discover relationships between different online assets. It is similar to SpyOnWeb, but it does the work on a larger scale. It connects and collects technical information and digital infrastructure about the website.
Important Elements
- It is a powerful search engine for finding connections between different websites.
- Offers relationship mapping between websites.
- Faster analysis of multiple assets.
- Allows you to integrate Spyse data into your tools and workflows by accessing APIs.
- Get regular updates about the global internet database with high accuracy.
Limitations of SpyOnWeb & Its Alternatives
All these tools help find connections and ownership of the websites, but they come with certain limitations, which are.
| Aspect | Limitations (SpyOnWeb & Similar Tools) |
|---|---|
| Data Accuracy | As it can only access publicly available information and not any inside private information, the results may be incomplete or outdated. |
| Ownership Proof | Shared IDs or servers suggest a link but don’t confirm true ownership. |
| Access Limits | Many features and historical data are only available in paid plans. |
| Update Speed | Some tools refresh data slowly, which can affect accuracy for new sites. |
| Technical Knowledge | Users need to understand some basics of domains, IPs, and DNS records to interpret results. |
| Privacy Concerns | Sometimes the use of such tools can lead to ethical issues, as they are used without consent. |
| Coverage Gaps | New or small websites might not appear until indexed in their database. |
SpyOnWeb FAQS
Is SpyOnWeb reliable?
Yes, it is reliable, but not 100% accurate. Sometimes, the relationships on potential links between the sites can be identified, but not the exact ownership.
Do you need an account to use SpyOnWeb?
No, SpyOnWeb can be accessed without creating an account. You can just visit the website and enter the required information for the website and get instant available data. Though signing up can allow you to use extra features and access saved searches.
Is SpyOnWeb safe and legal?
Yes, it is safe and legal to use, as it only accesses publicly available information. One should not use the tool unethically or violate privacy.
