There’s an abundance of tools designed specifically to assist in keyword research (literally hundreds). They run from basic to sophisticated. They can also be simple and ineffective, to extremely useful.
If done correctly When done correctly, the most effective tools for research on keywords help you streamline your workflow. They aid in locating the appropriate keywords to focus on and provide you with the information you require to be able to rank for them. However, they shouldn’t need you to drain your bank account or sell your baby to gain access to that information.
Over the years, I’ve worked with a variety of clients who utilize various tools for research on keywords and SEO content optimization. I’ve experienced the top (and the most sloppy) of them. I also know the importance of being able to select the best Keyword Planner tool. To aid, I considered more than 80 tools that offer an option to use for free research. After extensive tests, here are the four top keywords research tools. They include the best of all time and applications designed to be used in more specific scenarios.
The top Keyword Research Tools
- Moz Keyword Explorer for the top SEO Keyword Research Tool
- Google Keyword Planner to research paid keywords
- Semrush helps advanced professionals in SEO
- Keyword Research Tool for Free for a basic tool
What Makes the Top Search Engine for Keyword Research?
How do we assess and Test Applications?
Our top roundups of apps are written by human beings who’ve been working for a long time using testing, writing, and researching about software. Except for the specifics, we spend several hours analyzing and testing applications, utilizing every app in the way it’s designed to be used, and then evaluating it against the standards we’ve established for the particular category. We’re not paid for the placement in our posts from any app or links to other websites. We value the trust that readers place in us to provide authentic assessments of the categories we review and the apps we evaluate. For more information about our method, check out the entire explanation of the way we choose apps for this blog..
The attributes that make an effective tool for research are quite simple that you type in the keyword you want to research and the tool informs you what it is. However, there are a myriad of possibilities to utilize keywords, and therefore I sought out tools that could be used for many different scenarios as well as some that are specifically designed to meet of the most well-known ways to use keyword research.
During my tests, I focused on the elements below to figure out which applications made the list.
- Data Included. The best keyword research tools provide you with all the information you need to rank for your selected keyword. The apps I picked contain, at a minimum, the keywords’ traffic, difficulty of keywords, along competition analysis for SERP.
- Keyword optimization guidance. It’s not necessary to be an experienced 10-year SEO professional to utilize search engine optimization tools. The top tools provide simple, easy tips to optimize your website for keywords. There are several tools (like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz) that perform an exhaustive SEO analysis on your website and look for everything from the speed of your site and technical information to topics and domain authority. This isn’t what we’re searching for here. We’re looking to find tools that anyone in the field of marketing or business can utilize to quickly identify their key phrase and improve their website to rank well for it.
- Unlimited allowances for free plans as well as improvements. Some tools include very limited results and refer to it as”free plan. “free plan.” They also place time limitations on the plans that they offer, creating an experiment. I’ve only included tools that come with perpetual green plans that are large enough to be effective. And they’re not costly when the time comes to upgrade either. One of my favorites from the past year’s list, Ahrefs, didn’t make this year’s list because its keyword research tools are no longer free.
- Standalone function. Since you’re looking for something that is free the keyword tool you choose will be your one-stop shop, not having to use any other software or extensions to work for you, particularly those you’d need to purchase. Although I didn’t take into consideration the options for this round-up There are plenty of excellent WordPress SEO-related plugins that you can begin using immediately if you own the WordPress website.
To identify the top of the top, I put every software that tested those boxes against the clock through an in-depth procedure. Here’s how my testing process went:
- If I needed to, I set up an account and then went through any onboarding instructions or tutorials with a guide (many of these applications don’t require creating an account or offer onboarding).
- I did a search for several different types of keywords–e.g., “free keyword research tools,” “chocolate cake,” and “best white sneakers”–to check the results for various types of search.
- I analyzed which metrics, keywords, and other data was provided. I also noted the source of information, whether it was sourced from Google as well as non-search engine sites (like forums or social media) or was derived from the tool’s native data.
- I checked allowances for the free plan, whether restricted by the amount of time, results, metrics daily or per month, or some other factor–and the cost of upgrading to a paid plan, if required.
- If I could, I tried other keyword research tools such as the competitive gap research and content optimization features, and much more.
After spending more than 12 hours using these apps in the past year, I came across the top four keyword research tools, each with an accessible free version. You can find them below.
The top Free Keyword Research Tools, in an Enumeration
| Best for | The standout attribute | The free plan | Pricing | |
| Moz Keyword Explorer | A comprehensive solution | Keyword prioritization metrics | 10 queries per month for each tool and 1,000 keywords suggested, and 10 SERP analyses per query | Visit Moz Keyword Explorer |
| Google Keyword Planner | Finding the most lucrative keywords | Budget features, forecasting tool,s and plan | Cost-free (but you will get more from it if you utilize Google Ads) | Visit Google Keyword Planner |
| Semrush | Advanced SEO experts | Granular keyword data | 10 Analytics reports per day, 10 tracked keywords | Visit Semrush |
| Free Keyword Research Tool | Basic, basic keyword search | Suggested content angles | Free | Visit Free Keyword Research Tool |
The best Keyword Research Tool that is All-Encompassing
Moz pros:
- A more nimble and accessible data presentation tool compared to other software
- Straightforward prioritization metrics
- A wide range of tools that are available at no cost
Moz cons:
- Fewer data than tools with more power
- The free plan includes only 10 queries per month per tool.
Moz’s SEO platform provides a variety of tools for conducting keyword research. Although Moz does not provide more data points than other fully-featured SEO instruments (like SERP’s positions history, or the number of keywords that a competitive search results rank for), I’d say that’s an advantage. It provides an easier user experience for people who don’t have a professional background in search marketing and doesn’t sacrifice the information you need to make.
Utilizing the Explorer Keyword Explorer tool, you can search for any keyword that you wish to search and view the monthly volume along with its difficulty, as well as organic click-through rates (CTR). Scroll down to view an analysis of recent results that rank for it, as well as suggestions for related keywords.
The simple metrics like keyword difficulty and domain authority minimum help you select the keywords that you stand the greatest chance to rank for, and be sure to avoid spending time on queries that aren’t reachable.
Additionally, using this Keyword Gap feature (part of the Competitive Research tool), you can discover all the terms your competitors rank for, but you do not.
Moz cost: Keyword research features are free to use for a maximum of 10 queries per month, per tool. As many as 1,000 suggestions for keywords, as well as 10 SERP analyses per query. Moz Pro packages begin at $99/month and include 150 keyword queries per month.
The Most Efficient Keyword Research Tool that can be used to Analyze Pay-Per-Click Keywords
Google Keyword Planner (Web)
Google Keyword Planner pros:
- Free for life, even if you do not make use of Google Ads
- Helpful forecasting features for budgeting if you do use Google Ads
- Keyword suggestions can be pulled from your website
Google Keyword Planner cons:
- Not a good idea to conduct keyword research organically
In terms of Keyword research using PPC, Google Keyword Planner is among the top tools available. It’s free (even if you don’t purchase Google Ads), so you don’t have to worry about running into limitations or paying for an expensive upgrade.
Google Keyword Planner includes two major features: one to facilitate search engine optimization and keyword discovery, and the other to conduct more detailed research on the volume of searches and forecasting.
“Keyword ideas “Keyword ideas” feature is like many other tools listed here. It lets you look for a seed phrase and then generates additional keyword suggestions, in addition to information on the monthly volume of searches, changes in time, competition, impression share of ads, as well as bid intervals. You can narrow your list of keywords based on brands or non-brand keywords, as well as the source site as well and others. If you’re employing Google Ads, the “Forecast” feature allows you to plan your paid advertisements and budget ahead of time.
Keyword Planner will help you plan your organic strategies, too, by letting you know how ranking organically can assist you in reducing PPC costs.
Google Keyword Planner pricing: Free
The Most Effective Tool to Conduct Keyword Research for Advanced SEO
Semrush (Web)
Semrush pros:
- A plethora of keyword data that is granular
- The wide variety of Keyword research tools
- Very generous free plan
Semrush Cons:
- It can be overwhelming for people not familiar using keyword research
- Most expensive upgrade
If you’re seeking something more sophisticated, Semrush shares a ton of data on keywords and allows users to get into the specifics, such as SERP features (featured review, snippets of text sites, images, site links pack, etc.), as well as a thorough analysis of the current results. Semrush has a variety of tools for keyword research, in addition to the usual traffic and volume of searches, to content-driven research on keywords and keyword gap analysis for competitive keywords.
This range is what makes Semrush apart. It includes the basic Keyword Overview, the Keyword Magic Tool to conduct exploring keyword research, Keyword Manager, Keyword Manager and tracker of positions as well as the competitive Keyword Gap analysis, and Organic Traffic Insights. When coupled with an account on Google Analytics ora Search Console account — can reveal those notoriously difficult “not provided” keywords.
Additionally as a bonus, the SEO Content Template software allows you to automatically create a content outline and then optimize your the content you write by making a grade in real-time, based on quality, readability, authenticity and tone of voice and SEO by using an attractive bullseye illustration to help you achieve the appropriate balance. Additionally, it visually checks off SEO guidelines (like making use of your targeted as well as related keywords, or adding relevant images and links) while you write.
The app’s new version Copilot AI will also make proactive suggestions: alerting you when your rankings fall on keywords that are tracked, for instance providing SEO-related technical recommendations and urging users to include additional data to fine-tune your information.
This means that upgrading the software will cost you quite a bit, but you can get it for absolutely nothing at a low volume for the first time.
There is more you can do with Semrush by connecting to Zapier to monitor SEO-related tasks between Semrush as well as your management tool. automate the process of auditing and re-crawling sites, integrate with Google Analytics goals, and more. Here are a few examples.
Semrush prices: Free plan includes up to 10 Analytics reports a day, as well as 10 tracked keywords Paid plans begin from $129.95/month for up to 10,000 reports and 500 tracked keywords per month.
The Best, Simple, and Free Keyword Research Tool.
Free Keyword Research Tool (Web)
No-cost Keyword Research Pros of the tool:
- Simple, easy-to-read report
- Unique suggested content angles
Keyword Research Tool for Free Cons:
- The most basic information
- There isn’t a built-in way to safeguard your research
If you’re in search of an easy tool that will provide you with basic information about keywords Ryan Robinson’s Free Keyword Research Tool is an extremely easy option.
Its Explorer tab lists related searches for every keyword you are searching, with ballpark numbers for volume of searches and a description of the difficulty of a keyword, starting from “low” to “very high.” My favorite thing about this feature is the angles suggested that you can apply to create content. Click on the Ideas tab (or click the lightbulb icon next to any of the keywords) to find the suggested length-form versions of the keywords that could aid in determining your content’s angle.
This is… almost everything you’ll find. There’s no way to gather a huge amount of information from this tool. And there’s no upgrade option when you’re ready to make a financial investment in the strategy of your research. However, if a basic search is all you require and you’re looking for something to do, this tool is worth having a look at.
Keyword Research Tool for Free: 100% free
Do you have the ability to make use of AI Chatbots to conduct Keyword Research?
You may ask AI chatbots such as ChatGPT and Gemini (formerly Bard) to conduct your keyword research, but do you?
The primary benefit of taking the AI approach is its ease of use. You can request simple, easy results, and receive an easy, straightforward answer.
ChatGPT was more transparent about the sources it utilized (in the above screenshot, it says, for instance, that you can click on “Searched 7 sites” to look up the specific websites that the chatbot mentioned). It also provided the number of searches it had performed which is amazing, except that I’m pretty sure it’s just creating it. ChatGPT cannot analyze real-time data (it’ll even admit it in the event you inquire). Gemini was more clear in its explanation: it said it could not pull precise monthly data on search volume (it’s not even linked with Google Keyword Planner); however, it just told me the nature of material it anticipates to be ranked for that keyword, not the actual content it’s currently ranked.
It’s true that the two ChatGPTs, as well as Gemini, have made significant improvements from last year, particularly in the case of more complicated prompts. However, the information they offer does not provide the same value you’d expect from a tool that was designed specifically to help you find keywords. In the meantime, at minimum.
If you’re stuck and require basic, straightforward information about a specific keyword fast and efficiently, an AI chatbot could be able to help. As of toda,y I would not recommend using AI chatbots as your primary keyword research tool, especially considering the variety of beneficial, dedicate,d and keyword research tools that you could use instead.
Of course, many specially designed SEO tools (though generally more expensive than free tools) will come with AI integrated into them. That’s the most effective combination of the two.
When is the Best time to upgrade an Online tool for Keyword Research?
The simple answer is only when you need to. If you’re able to obtain all the information you require without exceeding the limitations of any of the plans listed above, there’s no reason not to upgrade to a premium plan (or upgrade to a paid-for tool).
To conclude, here are a few indications that it might be the right time to upgrade:
- You’re constantly hitting the daily or monthly limits of your current system.
- There are a lot of some features that aren’t available for free, such as guidelines for optimizing content, or the ability to monitor the keywords on your site and rank in the course of time.
- There are additional SEO tools that an upgraded all-in-one software can offer (like technical SEO and site auditing, for instance).
In the future that you are ready, a number of the tools listed here can expand in tandem with you. Moz Pro is a super powerful tool, for instance it is Semrush. There are a lot of other popular tools that come with low beginning plans, such as Get Keywords, KW Finder, and Topic Ranker.
