How to Spy on Any Website’s Traffic (And What to Do With That Data)

Want to know how much traffic your competitor’s site gets — and where it’s coming from? You’re not alone. Whether you’re sizing up the competition or just trying to reverse-engineer what’s working, checking website traffic stats is a smart move. And yes, it’s possible, even if you don’t own the site.

How Do I See Website Traffic for Any Site?

You won’t get internal Google Analytics data, of course, but you can get a strong estimate using third-party tools. Here are a few popular options:

• SimilarWeb – Free and paid versions. Offers estimates of monthly visitors, traffic sources, engagement metrics, and even top referring sites.
• SEMrush – Their Traffic Analytics tool provides estimated visits, bounce rates, time on site, and device breakdowns.
• Ahrefs – Focuses more on organic search traffic (from Google) based on keyword positions and estimated search volume.
• Keywords Everywhere – While not a traffic estimator, it helps uncover the volume and value of keywords your competitors rank for. Useful when paired with Ahrefs or SEMrush.

How Accurate Are These Spy Tools?

They’re estimates — not exact numbers. SEMrush and Ahrefs pull data from their own crawlers and third-party sources. SimilarWeb uses its own data panel and plug-ins. Expect them to be directionally correct, not precise. The value is in the comparison and trends more than the absolute numbers.

What Are Organic Visitors?

These are users who land on a website by clicking a link in search engine results (like Google or Bing), not from an ad or direct visit. Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush break down organic vs. paid traffic so you can tell how much of a site’s traffic is from SEO vs. ads.

Can I Tell Who Visited My Website?

Short answer: no, not individually, unless they log in or fill out a form. You can see geographic data, referrers, and behavioral patterns, but it’s all anonymous in tools like Google Analytics. If you need more detailed lead data, look into tools like Leadfeeder or Clearbit.

Can I Check Website Traffic for Free?

Yes. SimilarWeb and SEMrush both offer limited free access. Also try Chrome extensions like SimilarWeb’s toolbar or the free version of Keywords Everywhere for competitive insights.

Bonus Tip: Track Trends Over Time

Check traffic once, and it’s interesting. Monitor it monthly, and it becomes useful. Use tools that track competitor trends, like if their traffic suddenly spikes, that’s a sign to dig into what changed: new content, links, or ad campaigns?

Want More Tools Like This?

I build and share tools that help website owners, SEOs, and marketers get an edge. Check out what I’m working on next over at TonyHerman.com/tools.

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