Ever wondered what software powers your competitors’ websites? Maybe you’re planning a redesign or pitching to a client, and you want to know what’s under the hood of similar sites. Spoiler: it’s not as sneaky or technical as it sounds. You don’t need to be a hacker (or even a developer) to figure this stuff out.
This is a practical guide for marketers, founders, product folks, or anyone who wants to peek behind the curtain. We’ll walk through exactly how to use Wappalyzer—a tool that does the grunt work of detecting website tech stacks for you. No fluff, no jargon, just the steps you actually need.
Why Bother Checking a Competitor’s Tech Stack?
It’s not just curiosity. Understanding what tools, frameworks, and platforms your competitors use can help you:
- Spot trends you might be missing (are they all on Shopify now?)
- Find gaps or weaknesses (slow sites are often overloaded with junk)
- Benchmark your own setup (are you using the dinosaur version of everything?)
- Prepare for client pitches or redesigns (helps avoid reinventing the wheel)
Just don’t get carried away. Copying a stack won’t magically make your product better. But it does help you make smarter choices.
Step 1: Get Set Up with Wappalyzer
Wappalyzer is the go-to tool for this job because it’s easy, mostly free, and doesn’t require technical know-how. Here’s how to get going:
Option 1: Browser Extension (Recommended)
- Supported browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
- Why use it? It’s dead simple. Just click while browsing any website and see the tech stack instantly.
How to install: 1. Go to your browser’s extension/add-on store. 2. Search for “Wappalyzer.” 3. Click “Add” or “Install.” 4. You’ll see the Wappalyzer icon in your toolbar.
Pro tip: Stick with the browser extension for casual or one-off research. It’s fast, free, and private.
Option 2: Wappalyzer Website
- Visit the official Wappalyzer website.
- Enter a URL into their search bar.
- Get a report in your browser.
Downside: You’ll hit a limit on the number of free lookups per day. Good for a few checks, not for big lists.
Option 3: API or Bulk Lookups
- For power users, Wappalyzer offers a paid API and bulk lookup tools.
- Useful if you’re checking dozens or hundreds of sites.
- Don’t bother unless you really need it—most people won’t.
Step 2: Choose Your Competitors
Before you go down a rabbit hole, make a quick list:
- Direct competitors you know by name.
- Indirect competitors (same audience, different angle).
- Sites that just “feel” similar to yours.
Keep it focused. Five to ten sites is plenty—more than that and things get noisy fast.
Step 3: Check Their Sites, One by One
With the extension installed, here’s what to do:
- Visit the competitor’s website.
- Click the Wappalyzer icon in your browser toolbar.
- A dropdown appears with detected technologies.
You’ll see categories like:
- CMS: WordPress, Drupal, Contentful, etc.
- Ecommerce: Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento.
- Frameworks: React, Vue, Angular.
- Analytics: Google Analytics, Hotjar, etc.
- Hosting/CDN: Cloudflare, Amazon, Netlify.
What to pay attention to: - Core platforms: What is the foundation (CMS, ecommerce, etc.)? - JavaScript frameworks: Is it a modern stack, or old-school? - Marketing & analytics tools: Are they using anything fancy (or nothing at all)? - Miscellaneous add-ons: Chatbots, email popups, etc.
What to ignore: - Every single widget or plugin. Some sites have dozens of little scripts and tools. Focus on the big pieces that drive the experience.
Step 4: Interpret the Results (Don’t Just Copy)
Here’s where most people go wrong—they see a competitor using 15 tools and assume they need the same stack. Don’t do that.
What’s actually useful:
- Patterns: Do several competitors use the same platform? That’s a clue it’s working for them.
- Gaps: Is someone doing something unique? Maybe it’s worth investigating—or maybe it’s a mess.
- Performance: If a competitor’s site is blazing fast (or painfully slow), check if their stack explains it.
What’s noise:
- Obscure plugins or trackers: Just because Wappalyzer finds five analytics tools doesn’t mean they’re all important.
- Hidden tech: Wappalyzer isn't perfect. Some server-side tools won’t show up. Don’t assume you see everything.
Be skeptical of these “findings”:
- If a site uses loads of marketing tools, that might mean desperation—not sophistication.
- Sometimes Wappalyzer misidentifies tech, especially on highly customized sites.
Step 5: Take Notes (Don’t Trust Memory)
You’ll forget the details after looking at three sites. Jot down the essentials:
- Site name / URL
- Core tech (CMS, ecommerce, frameworks)
- Any standout tools (chat, analytics, A/B testing)
- Quick thoughts (fast? slow? anything weird?)
A spreadsheet works fine. Don’t overcomplicate it.
Step 6: Compare and Look for Themes
Now that you’ve checked a handful of competitors, spot the patterns:
- Are they all moving to the same CMS?
- Who’s using newer frameworks? Any holdouts?
- Is anyone skipping analytics? (Rare, but interesting)
- Any “out there” tech choices?
It’s not about copying—it’s about understanding the landscape and making smarter decisions for your own stack.
Step 7: What Wappalyzer Won’t Tell You
This part matters. Wappalyzer is powerful, but it’s not magic.
- Server-side tech: You won’t see what database a site uses, or if it’s running on Rails or PHP unless it leaks clues in the code.
- Custom code: Wappalyzer can’t detect proprietary or heavily customized platforms.
- Third-party integrations: Some integrations (like CRMs or internal APIs) are invisible unless they touch the front-end.
So, don’t assume you’re seeing the whole picture—treat this as a starting point, not gospel.
Pro Tips and Caveats
- Incognito mode: Some sites serve different content to bots or extensions. If results look weird, try incognito/private browsing.
- Blocked scripts: Ad blockers can sometimes interfere with what Wappalyzer detects. Disable them if results seem off.
- Don’t obsess: It’s easy to get lost in the weeds. Use what you find to inform decisions, not to chase every shiny object.
If you need deeper info (like backend languages or databases), tools like BuiltWith or just looking at job postings and technical blogs can sometimes help—but you’ll hit the same limits.
Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
You don’t need to reverse-engineer every line of your competitors’ sites to make good decisions. Use Wappalyzer as a quick gut-check and to guide your research, not as a blueprint. Document what matters, ignore the noise, and revisit your findings every few months. Competitive tech stacks shift all the time—no need to chase every change.
Now, go have a look under the hood. Just don’t get too distracted by every shiny tool you find.