A working knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO) is useful—and not just for running search advertising or identifying keywords.
Search engines offer a window into our collective wants, questions, concerns, and curiosities. Knowing the basics of SEO can help you become a more effective entrepreneur, whether you’re using search volume to evaluate demand for a product idea or establishing the empathy you need for impactful copywriting.
Many of the best ecommerce SEO tools run $100 per month and up, but there are still good free SEO tools (or good tools that have free trials) you can use for keyword research, backlink analysis, and more. Here are 30 of the best:
30 best free SEO tools to try
- MozBar SEO toolbar
- Bing Webmaster Tools
- Ahrefs
- SEO Review Tools
- SEMRush
- AnswerThePublic
- WordStream Free Keyword Tool
- Keyword Tool
- Seed Keywords
- Ubersuggest free keyword suggestions
- Synup Listing Scan
- BrightLocal
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider
- Yoast SEO WordPress plug-in
- RankMath WordPress SEO plug-in
- GTmetrix
- HigherVisibility Google SERP Snippet Optimization Tool
- Merkle
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Google Keyword Planner
- Google Trends
- Google Business Profile
- Google PageSpeed Insights
- Monitor Backlinks Free Backlink Checker SEO Tool
- Help a Reporter Out
- Qwoted
- Help A B2B Writer
- Sonar
- Amazon Keyword Research by Helium 10
1. MozBar SEO toolbar
MozBar, a free Chrome extension you can use after creating an account, will tell you any page or site’s Page Authority, Domain Authority, and Spam Score. This is particularly helpful when running a competitor keyword analysis, which will tell you how hard it might be to get a good ranking and how many quality backlinks you might need. MozBar also gives you other tools for conveniently analyzing on-page SEO and evaluating how useful a backlink from a certain page might be.
Use it for: Competitor keyword analysis and backlinking opportunities.
Totally free or not? You can download the basic version of MozBar for free or get MozBar Premium as part of a Moz Pro subscription (you can unlock a 30-day trial of the Premium version before you commit).
2. Bing Webmaster Tools
Bing Webmaster Tools offers a breadth of SEO features, including backlink tracking, keyword research, and site audits. You can use the free SEO tool to run reports as well. The Bing URL Submission Plugin for WordPress automatically submits new URLs from your site to the Bing index so they’re more visible.
Use it for: Website audits and tracking backlinks.
Totally free or not? Bing Webmaster Tools is a free service.
3. Ahrefs
Ahrefs’ comprehensive package comes with a price tag (starting at $99 a month for its Lite package), but the company also recommends a suite of free and paid SEO tools for all sorts of things.
If you don’t need access to detailed SEO competitor analysis, keyword gaps, or regular SERP updates, you might find the free tools are just what you need
Use it for: Keyword research and tracking backlinks.
Totally free or not? Ahrefs-recommended SEO tools are all free, but it does try to upsell you to one of its paid packages, which start at $99 a month.
4. SEO Review Tools
SEO Review Tools is one of the most comprehensive collections of free SEO tools in a single place. It has more than 67 different tools with specific features, including technical SEO tools, content SEO tools, and SEO authority tools. You can essentially choose which to use depending on your needs, whether that’s creating content clusters or testing your core web vitals.
There are a lot of tools to trawl through here, but it’s handy if you want to build your own free tech stack for your SEO needs.
Use it for: The tools cover almost every SEO activity imaginable, including tracking backlinks, keyword research, SERP analysis, and checking broken links.
Totally free or not? Yes, the tools available through SEO Review Tools are free to use.
5. SEMRush
SEMrush is a comprehensive SEO tool with a wide range of features. Though you’ll need a paid account to access most of them, SEMrush offers the following for free:
Use it for: Tracking search rankings and running site audits.
Totally free or not? The tools here are free to use, but if you want more complex features you’ll need to pay for a subscription (prices start at $129.95 a month). SEMrush also offers a seven-day free trial.
6. AnswerThePublic
AnswerThePublic has recently been acquired by Neil Patel, and it now no longer offers a free package. However, you can access a free seven-day trial to see what it’s all about.
When you type in a keyword or URL, AnswerThePublic provides a list of related keyword ideas in the form of phrases and questions—these make great headers for content marketing in blog posts and on FAQ pages. You can then download a CSV file with the keywords or look at the visual analyzer.
Use it for: Finding relevant keywords and generating content ideas.
Totally free or not? There’s no longer a free version of AnswerThePublic, but you can try it for free for seven days.
7. WordStream Free Keyword Tool
The WordStream Free Keyword Tool provides recommended target words and phrases to incorporate into your SEO strategy. Enter a keyword or your website URL to receive a list of hundreds of recommendations and keyword difficulty rankings. It’s a great tool for coming up with both short- and long-tail keywords to target, filtered by industry and location.
Use it for: Keyword research.
Totally free or not? WordStream’s free keyword tool is free to use.
8. Keyword Tool
Keyword Tool is another great keyword research tool for search engines like Google and Bing, as well as YouTube, Amazon, and social media platforms including X and Pinterest.
The free version of the tool allows you to find relevant long-tail and short-tail keywords, but if you want insights into the search volume and keyword difficulty, you’ll need to pay for the Pro version (the Basic plan starts at $69 per month).
Use it for: Keyword research.
Totally free or not? You can access limited features on the free version, including lists of long-tail keywords. To unlock search volumes and additional features, you need to upgrade to the Pro plan ($69+ per month).
9. Seed Keywords by Red Evolution
Seed Keywords works differently from other keyword research tools. Rather than providing keywords and their search traffic and volume metrics, Seed Keywords leverages crowdsourcing. You prompt people to picture themselves in a hypothetical scenario and ask what they would search for if they were in that scenario. It helps you understand what your target market would search for so you can incorporate the right keywords into your campaigns.
Use it for: Keyword research.
Totally free or not? Seed Keywords is free to use.
10. Ubersuggest free keyword suggestions
Ubersuggest is a free tool that provides keyword suggestions based on a URL or a target keyword of your choice. You get three daily searches with a free account, and anything beyond that will require a paid subscription. Ubersuggest will offer you a long list of keyword ideas you can use to generate product ideas, angles for capturing more organic traffic, your next blog post, and more.
You can also see the blogs ranking at the top of the SERPs with your target keywords to understand search intent and generate content ideas.
Use it for: Keyword research and SERP analysis.
Totally free or not? You can run three searches a day for free. If you want to do more, you’ll need to sign up for a paid plan which starts at $29 a month. You can get a free seven-day trial of your chosen paid plan.
11. Synup Listing Scan
The Synup Listing Scan is a complete audit and review of your local listing profiles. Enter your basic information and the free SEO tool will scan your digital presence and check your Google listing, as well as third-party listing sites like Yelp and your local chamber of commerce. You’ll also see your reputation via reviews.
Use it for: Local SEO.
Totally free or not? You can run a scan of your local listings for free.
12. BrightLocal
BrightLocal offers a host of free local SEO tools for small businesses. Some of those tools include:
These free tools provide a good insight into your current local positioning and identify areas for improvement. But, if you want more advanced features, like detailed auditing and local rank tracking, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.
Use it for: Local SEO.
Totally free or not? You can use the above tools for free, but accessing the advanced features requires a paid package. These start from $39 a month, but you can get a 14-day free trial.
13. Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a free SEO tool that analyzes your website to find broken links and other SEO issues that might harm the user experience and, thus, your rankings. Screaming Frog will audit up to 500 URLs for free and tell you which pages need attention. You can also pay for more URLs
Use it for: Website crawling and technical SEO audits.
Totally free or not? You can access most of the features in the free version, but if you want advanced features, such as crawl comparisons, Google Analytics integration, and spelling and grammar checks, you’ll need to upgrade to the paid version, at $259 per year.
14. Yoast SEO WordPress plug-in
Yoast SEO is a free plug-in for WordPress and Shopify users. It helps you add structured data to your website pages. Essentially, Yoast makes sure you’re using your keyword in the right places, such as in headings, meta tags, meta descriptions, and so forth. Yoast provides this content grading in real time.
Use it for: Content optimization and on-page SEO.
Totally free or not? You can do most things with the free version. But, if you want content quality and link suggestions or social media previews, you’ll need the Premium version at $99 per year.
15. RankMath WordPress SEO plug-in
RankMath is an all-in-one SEO plug-in for large and small businesses on WordPress. You can use a free account, which comes with 18 predefined schema types and complete integrations with Google Search Console, Divi, and Elementor. You can also do basic SEO audits. Paid accounts get more functionality, including Google Analytics integration, rank tracking, and SEO reports.
Use it for: SEO audits and on-page optimization.
Totally free or not? There is a free version, but it’s very limited in features. You can unlock tons more features by upgrading to the Pro plan at $5.75 per month.
16. GTmetrix
GTmetrix is a free SEO tool that checks your site for issues with site speed, performance, and structure. Create a free account to see video recordings of your site loading so you can identify issues.
Learn more: 10 Optimization Tips for Your Website
Use it for: Checking site performance and speed.
Totally free or not? The free version gives you one monitored slot, 25 on-demand tests each week, and five daily API credits. If you need more than this, you can upgrade to a paid version, which starts at $10.67 per month.
17. HigherVisibility Google SERP Snippet Optimization Tool
The Google SERP Snippet Optimization Tool is a real-time editor that helps you write optimized meta titles and descriptions. As you enter the text in the form field editor, the free SEO tool will show you what it would look like in an actual Google search.
Checking the length of your title and description will provide a good comparison of how your meta titles and descriptions tally up against the competition.
Use it for: Optimizing your SERP snippets, meta titles, and meta descriptions.
Totally free or not? Google’s SERP Snippet Optimization Tool is completely free to use.
18. Merkle
Merkle is predominantly a customer experience company that leans heavily into the data side of business. However, it also has a couple of free SEO tools that help you optimize your site content for traffic via organic search:
Use it for: Optimizing SERP snippets and schema markup.
Totally free or not? Merkle’s SERP simulator and Schema Markup Generator are both free to use.
19. Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a powerful analytics tool that includes SEO metrics to give you real-time insight into your website’s performance and visibility in search. It shows you what keywords people are searching for to land on your site, your bounce rate, and other important metrics for improving your search ranking.
Install the HTML code in your website’s code to start taking advantage of Google Analytics for free.
Use it for: Website analytics.
Totally free or not? Google Analytics is free to use.
20. Google Search Console
Formerly Google Webmaster Tools, Google Search Console is a free website analytics tool dedicated specifically to your website’s performance in Google searches. With it, you can dig deeper into your data, find out click-through rates and which keywords you rank for, and submit XML sitemaps and individual URLs for ranking.
Learn more:
Use it for: Keyword performance and click-through rates.
Totally free or not? Google Search Console is free to use.
21. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner has two core functionalities: finding new keywords to target and researching estimated search volume and forecasts for the keywords of your choice. It will tell you the search volume, related keywords and phrases, and how competitive each keyword is for paid campaigns. You can also unlock long-tail keywords to find phrases that are hyper-focused on your business and its goals.
Use it for: Keyword research.
Totally free or not? Google’s Keyword Planner is free to use.
22. Google Trends
Google Trends is another great keyword research tool to inform your SEO strategy. Enter a topic or phrase and Google Trends will show you line graph charts depicting peaks and dips in search volume for that phrase. It will also tell you where in the world the phrase is trending, as well as trending-related keywords.
Use it for: Keyword research.
Totally free or not? Google Trends is free to use.
23. Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile is an important free local SEO tool. With it, you can create and manage your Google listing that pops up when someone searches for your business. This is also what shows up in Google Maps. Note: You’re required to have a physical business presence to use this tool, so online-only brands may not find as much value in it.
Use it for: Local SEO (if you have a brick-and-mortar business).
Totally free or not? Google Business Profile is free to use.
24. Google PageSpeed Insights
PageSpeed Insights is a diagnostic tool that will help you identify SEO issues with page load time. If your site takes too long to load, your SEO rankings will fall. Simply enter your URL to receive an SEO audit and list of recommendations to optimize your site for better performance. You can run both desktop and mobile-friendly tests and SEO analysis this way.
Use it for: Monitoring your website’s load speed and technical SEO audits.
Totally free or not? Google PageSpeed Insights is free to use.
25. Monitor Backlinks Free Backlink Checker SEO Tool
Enter your website URL into the Free Backlink Checker SEO Tool to find out which sites link to yours. In addition to tracking your own backlinks, you can also enter a competitor’s URL to see who’s linking to their site. This can help you build a backlink database of potential sources. You can also pay to upgrade for more advanced features.
Use it for: Tracking backlinks.
Totally free or not? The Free Backlink Checker SEO Tool is free to use, but advanced features start at $25 per month.
26. Help A Reporter Out (HARO)
HARO is a website aimed at connecting journalists with sources. As such, it’s a great place to build relationships with the press, who can provide not only publicity for your brand but also backlinks to your website. View requests and pitch your submissions to those that are relevant.
Use it for: Building backlinks.
Totally free or not? HARO is free to use.
27. Qwoted
Qwoted is a free SEO tool that functions similarly to HARO. You can create a profile to become an expert in the database, which then allows you to reach out to journalist call-outs about topics related to your business or industry. Qwoted will automatically match you with journalists seeking sources that fit your profile—a great way to develop press relationships and backlinks.
Use it for: Building backlinks
Totally free or not? You can create an expert account for free.
28. Help A B2B Writer
While HARO and Qwoted span pretty much every industry, B2B companies in particular may want to check out Help A B2B Writer. Journalist requests are only sent to qualifying sources, so you won’t have to sift through a bunch of requests not relevant to your business. Again, this is a great way to build relationships with writers and journalists to secure backlinks for your website.
Use it for: Building backlinks.
Totally free or not? Help A B2B Writer is free to use.
29. Sonar
Sonar is a paid tool, but it has a free Amazon SEO keyword and ASIN research functionality too. Find recommended keywords related to your product, estimated search volume, and relevant products already on Amazon—great if you’re looking to improve your Amazon search rankings or better understand the competition.
Use it for: Amazon SEO.
Totally free or not? Sonar is a paid tool (starting at $250 per month), but you can use its free keyword research tools for Amazon.
30. Amazon Keyword Research By Helium 10
Amazon Keyword Research by Helium 10 offers keyword- and ASIN-based SEO research. In addition to search volume, this tool will also tell you an estimated number of competing products, match type, and frequency of related words. It’s a great tool to improve your Amazon search rankings.
Use it for: Amazon SEO.
Totally free or not? You can use Helium 10’s Amazon Keyword Research tool for free.
Bring more traffic to your website with these free SEO tools
There are endless paid software suites that offer robust tools to meet most SEO needs—from keyword research to backlink analysis—in much greater depth. But the tools above can prove pretty useful for the price (free!).
Still, there are bound to be handy tools we didn’t cover. What would you recommend? Share it in the comments below!
If you’re a Shopify store owner, check out the Shopify App Store for SEO apps to optimize your site for search.
Free SEO tools FAQ
Are there free SEO tools?
There are lots of free SEO tools, including Google Keyword Planner, WordStream’s free keyword research tool, and MozBar’s SEO toolbar. Most comprehensive SEO software has a handful of free features or a free limited-time trial.
How can I run SEO for free?
Use free SEO tools to help plan and execute your SEO strategy for free. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and SEMRush have features to find keywords, audit your site, and generate backlinks for free.
What is the most accurate SEO tool?
Many great SEO tools provide accurate information about keywords, SERP performance, and backlinking. Here are some of the best:
- Moz
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
- WordStream
- Ubersuggest
- Google Keyword Planner
- Yoast SEO
