Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
While premium versions of keyword tools come with a lot of neat bells and whistles, sometimes a free version is all you really need. In fact, a lot of the most popular content I’ve written for myself and clients came from free alternatives to high-priced services.
Don’t get me wrong, having some of the deep insights of various keyphrases can make or break a blog post. But not everyone needs tools that can reach in excess of $300 per month.
When all is said and done, it’s search intent and how the content is structured for quality that makes the biggest impact on Google algorithms.
Free Keyword Tools You Can Start Using Today
Before we get started, it’s important to note that it takes more than just a good keyword to attract an audience, let alone appease the Google algorithm. Nowadays, it’s all about high-quality content that serves a specific purpose.
In other words, it’s how you use that keyword that makes the difference. Search intent is extremely vital for phrase usage in your blog content.
With that being said, what are some free tools you can use immediately to find the best keywords?
1. Google Keyword Planner
The most obvious tool to use for free keywords comes directly from Google itself. The Google Keyword Planner is actually part of the Google Ads system, but you do not need to pay for ads to use the tool.
Google Keyword Planner will show an average of monthly searches, competition ratings, bid ranges, and more. Bid ranges are more for those who are planning to pay for advertisements, but it also gives you an idea of how much you’d make with AdSense if your content ranks well.
You can also broaden your search to include common terms, change the time period of the results, and even compare multiple keyphrases to find the best alternatives.
Then, you can download the keyphrases as a .CSV file or have them transferred over to Google Sheets. This is extremely convenient if you’re like me and track the numbers for keyword and blog post performance.
The only downside is that Google only shows an average range instead of the exact number of searches. So, instead of “self-publishing a book” with 8,100 searches, Google Keyword Planner will show a range of “1k – 10k.”
2. Keyword Tool
Keyword Tool takes searching a bit further as it also includes the most popular sites. For instance, you can search for keywords on Amazon, eBay, Instagram, Pinterest, and more.
Although Keyword Tool will show you several terms, the free version will not show things like search volume, trends, or average competition. You’ll have to upgrade your account to see those metrics.
If you’re sticking with keyword tools to look for terms to write blog posts that perform well in Google, there are better free alternatives out there. In its free version, Keyword Tool is severely lacking as it only shows a handful of terms with no other data attached.
Its only real saving grace is that the app will scan a variety of websites aside from Google. It may be somewhat helpful if you’re trying to come up with content for other platforms. And even then, the data is pretty thin for some searches. Not to mention the hashtag tool broke every time I tried to use it.
I do like how you can pull up questions and prepositions for search criteria. However, it’s not nearly as expansive as Answer the Public as you’re only provided a handful of each of those elements.
3. Wordtracker
Wordtracker is a decent free keyword tool that comes with quite a few options for finding the best terms. Not only does it show volume and competition ranking, but you can customize the columns to include other metrics such as cost-per-click and “intent.”
Another great function of Wordtracker is analyzing a website by its domain. This will yield metrics such as the number of backlinks, top keywords driving its traffic, and top competitors. You can either use it to “spy” on a competing blog or to analyze your own website.
However, I can tell you with certainty that Wordtracker is not recording accurate data for what keywords send the most traffic to my website. I’m not sure what they’re using for analytics, but it’s way off.
Still, it could yield some positive results if you scan a website similar to your own. You might find a few keyphrases that can inspire future content that you might not have considered otherwise.
Out of all the free keyword tools in this list, Wordtracker is probably among the better options. it’s clean, provides actionable data (ish), and you can create lists of saved keywords and get suggestions.
4. Rank Tracker
Rank Tracker is an actual program that you download and install onto your computer and is part of Link-Assistant’s SEO PowerSuite. It helps you analyze your website for various tracked keywords while also giving the option to check on competitors.
It also provides historical data, search position distribution, and how you stack against similar websites.
In the free version of Rank Tracker, you can only see so much when it comes to the history of your site. That’s because you can’t save, and when you close the program, you’ll have to re-enter all of your information the next time you run the software.
However, if you plan on spending a few hours researching keywords and phrases, it can yield some positive results. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to export your keyword list unless you upgrade to the free account. Still, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to write those phrases down in a spreadsheet somewhere.
Rank Tracker is easily one of my favorite tools. You can connect all of your Google data to the platform, analyze competitors, and receive real, actionable data from Google itself. Not only that, but it’s one of the more affordable options to upgrade if you want to pay for extended services.
It’s kind of a pain to log into all of the Google services every time I launch the software. But then I spend about an hour or two building the content strategy a month in advance. But as soon as I have the extra money, I’m easily upgrading.
5. Semrush
Semrush is an alternative that is loaded with actionable information. However, the free version is somewhat limited when it comes to analyzing your site and finding ideas for that next greatest blog post.
You only get the very basics of some of the tools for free, this includes researching a specific keyword. However, a lot of the better functions that might be worthwhile are locked behind a paywall.
You can dive quite deep into keyword research, as Semrush will highlight search intent (extremely useful) and volume information. In its free form, the platform offers a small amount of details that can be helpful for growth.
Semrush could run you about $1,407.96 if you pay annually or $139.95 if you pay for it monthly. For the casual or beginner blogger, that’s quite steep for something that doesn’t guarantee traffic to your website.
Don’t get me wrong, Semrush has a lot of great tools and features. So, for a website that is growing exponentially, it may be worth the investment. But if you’re just starting out, the keyword tool is all you’re going to need.
The bottom line is that Semrush is developed more for the professional site developer, such as medium to large businesses or SEO experts monitoring their client’s content. It works as a tool for the lone blogger, but there are better options if you’re just looking for keywords.
6. Moz Dashboard
The free version of Moz has a lot of great functionality if you’re looking for keyword tools. Of course, a lot of its more grandiose functions are locked behind a premium account. Nonetheless, Moz can deliver a great deal of information about your website.
Moz will provide topic suggestions, questions, and show the top page results for the term in search as well as individual page scores. It will also provide the top suggestions that include relevance, monthly volume, search intent, and difficulty.
Like a lot of other tools in this list, you also have the ability to keep an eye on competitors. By analyzing the content on your blog, Moz will find the sites that are most likely taking your viewers. Then, you can analyze the terms they are using as ideas for your own content.
One of my favorite functions is how Moz will show your ranking keyphrases against a competitor. If they are outscoring you in Google, you can start to strategize about what to change or update.
When comparing the competition, Moz will also show things like keywords to improve, new opportunities, winning keywords, and all ranking keywords. This can provide a slew of terms you can use to structure content.
If you’re looking for a solid tool to help you build a good content strategy, Moz is easily among the best. And it’s also among the lowest-costing apps should you decide to upgrade.
It’s still $49 per month or $470 per year for the starter kit. But it’s several hundred dollars lower than many others on this list per year.
7. Keyword Tool Dominator
Right off the bat, Keyword Tool Dominator requires users to install its extension to operate. You can’t make any searches until you do so. I’m not a fan of the requirement, and it seems kind of shady to me.
After installing the Keyword Tool Dominator extension, you can start conducting searches for keyword ideas. However, you only have two free searches per day under the free account. So, make sure you have a good idea of what you want to search.
KTD provides a list of relevant keywords as well as a ranking system for Autocomplete Position, which is essentially showing popularity and engagement. The higher this number, the better. It’ll also display the difficulty of ranking for that keyphrase and how “Hot” it is currently.
As a free tool, KTD is severely lacking compared to others in this list. The limit of only two searches per day and the lack of details ranks relatively low on my “gotta-get-it” scale. This is especially true when compared to free versions of Moz or Google Keyword Planner.
If you run a search and move from the screen for any reason, you lose those keywords. And if you’ve hit your two searches per day, there’s no apparent way to get them back.
However, KTD also has one of the lowest pricing schemes for its Pro version compared to any other on the list, with the exception of Google’s tools. What’s nice about Keyword Tool Dominator is that you can make a one-time payment instead of a monthly or yearly subscription.
For instance, you can pick five of the most popular platforms to scan for keywords and pay a one-time fee of $128. But for functionality, I’m not sure if it’s something I would pay money to use.
8. Keywords Everywhere
A basic set of keyword tools comes in the form of the free version of Keywords Everywhere. It’s an extension you add to your browser with the potential to find keywords on the most popular platforms.
Keywords Everywhere will add a widget to Google while also giving you the ability to analyze any website you’re visiting. However, only the paid accounts can analyze pages, and the YouTube widget will not work without the Keywords Everywhere API.
Yet, it’s an easy tool to use if you just want some related and long-tail keywords in Google.
The upgraded plans are relatively inexpensive for Keywords Everywhere. For instance, you can choose to pay $27 for the entire year for 100,000 credits, analyzing the top 1,000 keywords per website, and analyzing the top 1,000 backlinks for websites.
Just bear in mind that every keyword will cost a single credit. That means you can burn through them relatively quickly. A single search for “self-publishing” could melt away more than 250 credits, depending on the source.
I used to have Keywords Everywhere Installed and running for the longest time. However, they removed a few features I liked several years ago, added the credit per keyword function, and then locked all of the YouTube functionality behind the paywall.
It’s not the same as it once was for me, but it might be something that works for your needs. Especially since it’s not that expensive to give it a try should you want to use the full suite.
9. Keyword.io
One of the nice things about Keyword.io is that you can use the service without an account to get a list of relevant keywords for your search phrase. However, you can sign up for free and gain the ability to download your keywords to use in spreadsheets and whatnot.
Another worthwhile feature is the ability to scan for keywords across the most popular platforms. However, the site found 0 phrases for popular search terms on Amazon and eBay. So, Keyword.io might not work as well for certain platforms.
Once you select the keyphrases you want to keep, you can export the list in a text file or copy them to the clipboard.
Keyword.io also has a few other free tools, such as the “Common Questions Idea Generator.” It feels more like just a randomized generator, but it might be helpful to inspire some blogging ideas.
If you need just basic ideas, Keyword.io is an easy one to use. The only trouble is that it doesn’t display search volume, so you don’t know if those keyphrases are topics that are ideal. Nonetheless, the tool provides a long list of phrases that might spark some ideas.
10. Answer the Public
Answer the Public is another tool on this list that was far better before being bought by third parties. Nowadays, you’re limited to just three searches per day on the free account. However, it’s also capable of searching Google, Bing, YouTube, TikTok, Amazon, and Instagram.
If you can limit yourself to just three searches per day, Answer the Public provides quite a deep dive into your search criteria. You can see how people are asking the sites for specifics, how it appears with prepositions, comparisons, an alphabetical list, and related terms.
You can only export the most basic phrases in the free version of Answer the Public. For a full list, you’ll have to upgrade. And the amount of data you get after upgrading is quite extensive, so it might be worth considering, especially since it includes CPC and search volume.
You can either start at $11 per month or make a one-time payment of $119. So, it’s among some of the most affordable on the list.
All-in-all, Answer the Public is a decent keyword tool. It can provide quite a few insights into how people are looking for specific information, which is ideal if you’re working on search intent and providing those answers.
When I began building up WriterSanctuary to be more than just a journal of my freelancing experiences, Answer the Public was one of the tools that I used most often. It’s not bad for what it is, but my needs grew to something more robust.
11. Ubersuggest
The free version of Ubersuggest shows keyword ideas, estimated search volume, cost per click, and the difficulty of ranking the phrase in Google. The downside is that it won’t show you the metrics of all keywords unless you upgrade. You’ll only see the numbers for the top 30 phrases.
You can search for competing websites, organize keyphrases by traffic, and even SEO opportunities for your website. However, a lot of the data is still locked behind the upgrade paywall.
As for a free keyword tool, Ubersuggest can provide a lot of insights for yourself as well as competitor sites. Then, you can make adjustments in your content strategy to see if you can steal away some of their visitors. Of course, that comes down to writing better content than the other guy.
Remember, Google values high-quality content, not repetitious garbage. You need to do something to make your content unique and stand out on a search results page.
To upgrade, you can pay the individual rate starting at $29 per month or a one-time payment of $290. That puts Ubersuggest quite affordable compared to some of the other, high-priced SEO tools out there.
I’m looking at you, Ahrefs…
In any case, it might be worth trying out Ubersuggest for yourself and exploring the free features. It has a clean layout, provides a decent chunk of information regarding terms, and may help you build an informative website.
12. Google Search Console
One of my favorite free tools to use for monitoring my website is Google Search Console. If you want to know how well your content is performing on the search results page, why not go to the source?
Search Console displays queries that trigger your content to show in search while showing whether it was clicked and what position it held. It’s a great way to find content that needs updating.
Let’s say you have a page that is getting a lot of impressions but absolutely no clicks. By checking to see its position, you can determine if the article needs a fresh coat of paint. You want as many articles as you can get in the top 10, and sometimes that means rewriting something for today’s audience.
However, Search Console can also show queries that spark ideas. This is done by analyzing the context of the page and why it appeared for that search term. If it’s something you can add as a standalone article instead, then you have another piece of content.
Not to mention that seeing how certain pages perform can help you with ideas for doubling down on the primary topic.
For example, if you have a review of a product that is performing exceptionally well, you can write follow-ups, such as tutorials or lists for similar products.
While some of the above tools can provide more fresh ideas, Search Console is one you should use regularly to ensure your existing content is performing well. And if it’s not, it might be time to freshen it up, add more meat to the page, or rewrite it entirely.
13. Google Trends
Google Trends lets you see how certain topics are trending in search over a selected span of time. You can also narrow the criteria for specific regions or change the platform, such as trends from YouTube.
Google Trends doesn’t have the most comprehensive list of keywords to use, but it can still provide ideas for what to write on the topic. This is especially good for those who are focusing on local SEO rather than a worldwide audience.
You can find topics that are trending, drill deep into each subterm, and come up with a few ideas that might be effective for your blog. However, I find that Google Trends is lacking when compared to some of the other tools in the list…even one created by Google itself – Keyword Planner.
The idea is to show you what topics are gaining traction at this moment in time. For a news-based site or something similar, it might be helpful. But if you’re looking to write evergreen content, there are much better keyword tools for free.
The biggest reason why I added Google Trends to this list is because it can be effective if you want to stay ahead of the pack. By analyzing rising topics and queries and then quickly addressing them in your content, you could get some decent traffic numbers in a short amount of time.
That is as long as the trend lasts for longer than a day.
What Are My Top 3 Picks and Why?
There are quite a few apps available that offer free keyword tools. But not all of them are going to work for your specific needs. I suggest giving several a try to see if it’s something viable for your website.
I figured I would share my top three picks and why I prefer them over the others. Now, the only reason why Search Console isn’t in the top three is because I use it more to monitor existing content rather than making new posts. It’s still a tool I use several times a week, though.
Rank Tracker
The Rank Tracker software connects to all of your Google tools, such as Search Console, Analytics, and Keyword Planner. You can get all your pertinent information in one program while also analyzing competing websites.
The list of keywords you can generate is extremely extensive, and the amount of information you get is amazing. It just sucks that you can’t save your progress unless you pay for the account.
Moz
Although Moz delivers an incredible list of keywords you can use, the competition analysis is one of my favorite features. You can get a lot of information by looking at the content gaps and seeing what topics you should cover.
This is especially true if you’re looking at more than one competitor. What keyphrases are they ranking for that you’re not using? Moz will tell you.
Google Keyword Planner
Lastly, I use Google Keyword Planner at least three or four times per week. Although it doesn’t show precise numbers for search volume, going through its list has helped me write several posts that perform in the top 10 for their keyphrases.
It’s free, easy to use, and provides a wealth of keywords directly from the search engine itself.
Can You Build a Great Blog with Free Keyword Tools?
I know a lot of people out there who have built personal blogs while amassing a lot of traffic over the years. Without a care for keywords, they just write whatever comes to mind. Usually, it takes a lot of sharing on social media and word-of-mouth to generate a lot of visitors.
However, those who want to perform well in search need to know what people are looking for and why. That’s where keyword tools come into play, whether they’re free or not. It’s all about knowing and creating the most sought-after content while delivering it better than the other guy.
Sometimes, you can do that with a simple post that only took you a little over an hour to write. And sometimes it means spending four hours updating a list to provide the most accurate information you can.
Yet, it takes more than just using a popular search term to rank and drive traffic. You’re competing with hundreds of thousands of sites for the same terms in most cases.
That means you have to deliver something unique, highly informative, and specifically tailored to your audience. And you have to do so in a way that sets you apart from the thousands of other bloggers who are doing the exact same thing.
So, do you really need keyword tools to build a great blog? Not necessarily. But tools like these will make it a lot easier to know what your audience is looking for on the search results page.
What Tools for SEO Are Your Favorite?
There are hundreds of SEO-focused tools out there outside of getting free keywords. One of my favorites is using the Yoast SEO plugin in WordPress. I simply add the keyword from one of the tools above as the focus and write my content.
Yoast does a great job analyzing the text and showing whether you’re on the right track to an amazing article.
I suppose it really comes down to what aspect of SEO are you focusing on. Search engine optimization can come in a variety of forms from site speed and performance to optimizing images.
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