KeywordSpy is appropriate for most Internet Market research companies. I would not suggest it for a corporate marketing department unless it's a company with a very larger budget. This is also not a tool for small freelancers even though there is a free option, to get the best benefit of KeywordSpy it's best to use most of its features and options and this can get pricey.
It's best used for small to mid-sized businesses that need to track a modest number of keyword phrases - perhaps 100 to 500 - across multiple search engines, in a limited number of geographies, against three or fewer competitors. It's less useful for large enterprises or small businesses that need multiple SEO functions handled by a single tool.
This is an area where AuthorityLabs really shines. It's one of the few Martech or SEO tools vendors about whom I can honestly say I've never had a complaint about their customer support. The team there consistently responds to any questions I've had or issues I've encountered quickly, helpfully, and in a way that feels personal.
Most SEO and market research tools offer what KeywordSpy has but are not as detailed and in one place. Consequently, where you can do everything at KeywordSpy, with other tools you find you have to purchase multiple tools or subscriptions from different providers which also don't integrate with each other. KeywordSpy makes your research easier and more efficient.
Very comparative as far as price [goes]. Some of the competitors have different features but you get trade-offs depending on who you are comfortable using.
We did not any process in terms of reporting on ROI in regards to SEO, but we only paid a very small monthly charge so it was a no-brainer to use it. It definitely helped our business.