According to Forbes, less than 1% of users get to the second page of search results. This means your website must be on the first page to gain the amount of traffic you want.
But are you struggling to find the right keywords to target for your website? If yes, a good keyword research tool is the solution. Have you been refraining from such tools due to budget constraints? If you said yes to this question also, you are just at the right place.
We are here with the 5 best free keyword research tools to transform your SEO game without burning a hole in your pocket.
So, shall we start exploring?
The 5 Best Free Keyword Research Tool at a Glance!
| It is excellent for | Best Feature | Free Plan | |
| Moz Keyword Explorer | All-around solution
| Keyword prioritization metrics | 10 queries per tool per month, with 1,000 keyword suggestions and 10 SERP analyses per query |
| Google Keyword Planner | Researching paid keywords | Forecasting features and budget planning | Completely free (Use Google Ads for maximum benefits and features) |
| Semrush | Advanced SEO professionals | Granular keyword data | 10 Analytics reports per day, 10 tracked keywords |
| Free Keyword Research Tool | Basic, simple keyword research | Suggested content angles
| Completely free |
| Ahrefs Webmaster Tool | In-depth keyword research | Keywords Explorer
| Free Limited Access to Site Explorer & Site Audit |
The 5 Best Free Keyword Research Tool
Here are the four factors we have taken into consideration to select the 5 best free keyword research tools in 2024:
Data | Keyword Optimization Guidance | Free Plan | Unique Features |
The best keyword tool is the one that provides you with maximum and clear data you require for a specific keyword. So, all the keyword research tools we have selected provide keyword difficulty, SERP analysis, and much more. | The top keyword research tools should not require you to be a 10-year SEO pro. Rather they should be very intuitive and simple to optimize for your keywords! This is essentially what we are seeking here. We have selected tools so simple that any business owner or marketer can effectively understand their focus keyword and optimize a page for ranking. | Some tools have very restricted features in their free "plans" and call it all 'free'. Or they started adding time restriction on the free plan which meant essentially forcing all their users onto a trial. Because we only highlight tools with free access which are reliable and those that do not burn a hole in the pockets. | As you are looking for a free solution, your keyword tool should have it all — so you do not need to install any additional tools or extensions, especially paid ones. |
Now let us talk about 5 best free keyword research tools in detail:
Moz Keyword Tool
| Pros | Cons | Pricing |
| Approachable data presentation | Less data than other tools | Basic Plan- Free up to 10 queries per tool per month with up to 1000 keyword suggestions and 10 SERP analysis per query Pro Plan- Start at USD 99/month for 150 keyword queries per month |
| Clear prioritization metrics | Free plan includes only 10 queries tool in a month | |
| Multiple free tools and features |
Moz can be called an SEO stage; Moz contains numerous tools that are explicitly for keyword research.
One thing we quite like about Moz is that it does not have as many data points as some of the other full-featured SEO tools. Yes, we count this as a benefit. Wondering why?
Well, it means a cleaner user interface for those who are not professional search marketers with the number of metrics you actually care about still available.
Google Keyword Planner
| Pros | Cons | Pricing |
| Completely Free, even if you do not use Google Ads |
Not suitable for organic keyword research |
FREE |
| Efficient forecasting features for budgeting | ||
| Pull keyword suggestions from just your website |
Google Keyword Planner, as one of the most useful tools in PPC keyword research.
It is free (works without buying Google Ads), so you do not have to worry about any limits or any costly upgrades.
There are two main features within the Google Keyword Planner: one for exploring and discovering keywords, and another for more intricate research around search volume and forecasting.
Like many other tools, the Keyword ideas feature allows you to enter a seed term and from that generates other keyword ideas with details like monthly search volume, change over time, competition level, ad impression share and bid ranges.
If you have also got Google Ads running, its new "Forecast" tool can help you prepare paid ads and budget beforehand.
Semrush
| Pros | Cons | Pricing |
| A wide range of granular keyword data | Complicated for people without any experience with keyword research | Basic Plan- up to 10 analytics reports per day and 10 tracked keywords Pro Plan- Start at USD 129.95/month for up to 10,000 results per report and 500 tracked keywords per month |
| Multiple keyword research tools | Extremely costly upgrade | |
| Pocket-friendly FREE plan |
If you need something more sophisticated, Semrush will give you lots of keyword information (including plenty of long-tail and less competitive keywords) and segmentation that allows to get deeper insights with features like featured snippet, reviews, site links, image pack, etc.
And these not only include standard traffic and search volume data, but also many of the more popular features that other web analysis tools offer such as content-driven keyword research and competitive keyword gap analysis.
A just launched Copilot AI (Artificial Intelligence) in the app will now go as far as to suggest things like pointing out when your rankings have dropped for tracked keywords, suggesting technical SEO fixes, or asking if you would respond with additional information that may assist you better fine tune their data.
This certainly means that the upgrade is going to be expensive, although you can use it for free at a very high volume.
Free Keyword Research
| Pros | Cons | Pricing |
| Simple and clear report | Basic Data |
100% FREE |
| Unique suggestions for content angles | No built-in way to save your research |
You should choose Ryan Robinson's Free Keyword Research Tool if you are seeking a simple tool to provide basic keyword data.
The Explorer tab brings related queries for any keyword you search, along with (ballpark) search volume numbers and a keyword difficulty designation from “low” to “very high.”
The feature we are most impressed with is the suggested angles for content.
You must also use the Ideas tab (or click on the lightbulb icon next to any of the related keywords) and you will see long-form suggestions which can shape your angle in content production.
But you know what, as many times we used their free tool, we got a lot of data which unfortunately is not enough—and also there is no upgrade option anytime when you can afford to invest in your search strategy.
But if you simply need basic keyword research, this tool may be worth a look.
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
| Pros | Cons | Pricing |
| Advanced keyword explorer | Involves a learning curve | Basic Plan – Free (Limited) Pro Plan- USD 83 per month (billed annually) |
| Traffic values on keywords | Does not offer unlimited keyword lists | |
| Content analysis | Limited integrations |
Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO suite, which means that it has multiple aspects to help you improve organic search traffic.
Say, for instance, you can upload a list of keywords that you want to keep track of, get the feature named site audit so you can find areas where there is room for improvement and content analysis so you can get an idea if you need some additional help in your content marketing efforts, and also keyword research tools which allow you to determine the best keywords.
If combined, all of these features can enable you to better construct and execute an intelligent search strategy.
Plus, Ahrefs allows businesses to make better-informed SEO-related decisions by helping them determine which pieces of content are more likely to rank quickly or dominate over their competition, which gives them the ability to use other marketing resources and their team's time more efficiently.
How to Pick the Best Free Keyword Research Tool?
Now that you have a clear understanding of 5 best free research tools, this is how you can pick the best tool for your specific needs:
- Know What You Want:
Decide whether you need Keyword suggestions, search volume data, competition analysis or SERP features.
- Usability:
Pick a tool that comes with an easy-to-use interface and can perform keyword searches fast as well as conduct analysis.
- Data Accuracy:
Choose a tool that offers accurate latest updated data. You can ensure accuracy by checking their reviews and user feedback.
- Features:
You want key features including keyword suggestions, search volume, competition analysis and filter usability.
- Export Options:
Make sure the tool includes an option to export keyword lists for simplified integration into your SEO workflow.
- Limitations:
Consider usage limitations such as daily search limits to ensure the tool fulfills your requirements.
Build Your Own Keyword Research Tool with VLink
VLink helps you set up your own keyword research tool and helps you make a great digital marketing impact like never before.
Hire our developers to build unique keyword research tools that work exactly as you want them to.
So, what are you waiting for? Take a step ahead and contact our team right away!
Nitin Nijhawan,CDO
Nikhil Khandelwal VP Engineering
