How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Google Keyword Planner is the best free starting point for search volume, since its data comes straight from Google, but it needs a Google Ads account.
- Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator is the fastest free way to get keyword ideas with volume and difficulty for a single seed term.
- Semrush and Moz free tools are useful for quick checks, but their real value sits behind paid plans.
- Ubersuggest and AnswerThePublic suit content planning, with Ubersuggest covering SEO metrics and AnswerThePublic covering questions people ask.
- Free tools show estimates, not exact counts, so cross-check important keywords in two tools before building content around them.
Quick comparison
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Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Google Keyword Planner remains the reference free keyword tool, because its search volume estimates come from Google's own advertising data. Enter seed keywords or a website URL, and it returns ideas, average monthly searches, competition levels, and bid estimates. For PPC planning and for validating whether a topic has real search demand, no free rival matches its source data.
The limits are real. You need a Google Ads account to use it, even without running ads, and accounts without spend history see broad volume ranges such as 1,000 to 10,000 rather than precise figures. There is also no keyword difficulty score, so pair Planner with Ahrefs or Moz when judging how hard a keyword will be to rank for organically.
What we like- Volume data comes from Google itself
- Forecasts and cost estimates for ads
- Keyword ideas by seed or URL
Watch out for- Needs a Google Ads account
- Volume shows as ranges without ad spend history
- No difficulty score
#2
Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator
Best for: Fast keyword ideas with difficulty
Visit ahrefs.com
Starting priceFree generator; paid from $29 per month
Free planYes
Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator is the quickest free check on this list. Enter a seed keyword, pick a search engine and country, and it returns up to 100 ideas with search volume and keyword difficulty, including question-based keywords. That combination of volume plus difficulty in a free tool is rare, and it makes the generator useful for a fast first pass on any topic.
The free version is deliberately limited compared with Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, which starts around $29 per month for the Starter plan in recent pricing and offers the full database, SERP analysis, and clustering. Use the free generator to brainstorm and shortlist, then move to a paid tool or Google Keyword Planner when a keyword becomes a serious content investment.
What we like- Instant ideas with volume and difficulty
- Question keywords included
- No account needed for the free generator
Watch out for- Free generator shows a limited set per search
- Full database needs a paid plan
Starting price$139.95 per month
Free planYes
Semrush Keyword Magic Tool is part of a full SEO suite, and its free account gives limited daily access for quick keyword checks. Enter a seed term, and it returns thousands of related keywords with volume, difficulty, cost per click, intent, and trend data, plus filters for questions and keyword groups. For teams that already use Semrush for audits and rank tracking, the keyword tool is a natural extension.
The free limit, around 10 reports per day in published comparisons, runs out quickly during a research session, and paid access starts at $139.95 per month for the SEO Toolkit Pro plan. Solo bloggers may find that steep, but agencies and content teams that use the wider suite will get value beyond keyword research alone.
What we like- Huge keyword database
- Intent, difficulty, and trend filters
- Question and grouping features
Watch out for- Free account limited to about 10 reports per day
- Full access is expensive for solo users
#4Ubersuggest
Best for: Beginner-friendly SEO keyword ideas4.2/5 on
G2 (160 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit neilpatel.com
Starting price$29 per month
Free planYes
Ubersuggest, from Neil Patel, is the friendliest full keyword tool for beginners. It shows keyword ideas with volume, SEO difficulty, paid difficulty, and cost per click, plus content ideas and a domain overview that reveals which keywords a competitor ranks for. That breadth in one simple interface helps new SEOs learn keyword research without juggling several tools.
Free use is limited to a few searches per day, and its data is less precise than Google's own figures or the large databases of Ahrefs and Semrush. Paid plans start around $29 per month, with lifetime options also offered in the past. Ubersuggest suits bloggers and small businesses starting out, especially when paired with Google Keyword Planner for volume validation.
What we like- Easy interface for beginners
- Volume, difficulty, and content ideas in one view
- Domain overview for competitors
Watch out for- Free searches are limited per day
- Data accuracy is weaker than Google, Ahrefs, or Semrush
#5Keyword Tool
Best for: Long-tail autocomplete ideas4.5/5 on
G2 (19 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit keywordtool.io
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Keyword Tool builds keyword lists from autocomplete suggestions across Google, YouTube, Bing, Amazon, and other platforms. That makes it excellent for long-tail brainstorming, since autocomplete reflects what people actually type. A seed term can return hundreds of longer phrases, questions, and prepositions that broader tools sometimes miss.
The free version shows ideas but hides search volume, competition, and cost-per-click data, which sit behind a paid plan. The practical workflow is to brainstorm in Keyword Tool, then check the best ideas in Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs for volume and difficulty. For YouTube and Amazon sellers, the platform-specific autocomplete alone justifies a place on this list.
What we like- Autocomplete ideas from Google, YouTube, Bing, and Amazon
- Long-tail coverage
- Many languages and locations
Watch out for- Free version hides volume and competition data
- Paid plan needed for full metrics
Starting price$20 per month
Free planYes
AnswerThePublic turns a seed keyword into a visual map of questions, prepositions, comparisons, and related phrases that people search for. That output is gold for content planning: it reveals the exact questions readers ask, which become article sections, FAQs, and video topics. A content team can plan a whole cluster from one AnswerThePublic report.
Free use is limited to a few searches per day, and the tool does not provide volume or difficulty data, so it answers what people ask, not how often or how competitively. Paid plans start around $20 per month, or less billed annually, for unlimited searches and data exports. Pair AnswerThePublic with a volume tool before committing to a topic.
What we like- Visual maps of questions, prepositions, and comparisons
- Excellent for content angles and FAQs
- Simple to use
Watch out for- Free searches limited per day
- No volume or difficulty data on the free tier
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
WordStream Free Keyword Tool gives a fast, no-account keyword check with volume, competition, and estimated cost-per-click data. Enter a seed term and location, and it returns a set of suggestions suitable for both SEO brainstorming and PPC planning. For a quick check during a meeting or a first draft, its speed is an advantage.
Results are limited per search, and the data is less detailed than Google Keyword Planner or a paid suite, so it suits quick validation rather than deep research. Since it is free and requires no account for basic use, it is a handy bookmark for anyone who checks keywords occasionally and does not want another login.
What we like- Completely free for basic use
- Shows volume, competition, and estimated cost per click
- No account needed for basic searches
Watch out for- Results limited per search
- Data comes from Google sources with less depth than Planner itself
#8
Moz Keyword Explorer
Best for: Quick keyword checks with SERP data
Visit moz.com
Starting price$49 per month
Free planYes
Moz Keyword Explorer combines volume, difficulty, opportunity, and click-through potential with a view of the actual search results page for a keyword. That SERP view matters, because a keyword with strong volume may be dominated by features, videos, or large domains that change its real value. Moz metrics such as Domain Authority also help judge competitors at a glance.
Free access is limited, and paid plans start around $49 per month for the entry plan in published comparisons. Moz suits small sites and agencies that want a balanced, trustworthy keyword check without the complexity of a full enterprise suite. Use it to validate a shortlist, especially when SERP features could affect traffic even after ranking well.
What we like- Difficulty, opportunity, and SERP analysis in one view
- Free keyword tool for quick checks
- Trusted SEO metrics
Watch out for- Free queries are limited
- Full suite pricing starts higher than beginner tools
How we chose
We compared vendor pages, free tier limits, and public reviews, and we required each tool to offer a genuinely usable free keyword function, not just a paid trial. Tools were judged on data source, free limits, difficulty and intent data, question coverage, and ease of use for US searchers. Where a vendor does not publish a clear price, we wrote See website, and where free limits vary by account, we gave the published figure and advised checking the vendor page.
No single free tool gives the full picture, so combine two or three. Start with Google Keyword Planner for volume from Google data, check difficulty in Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator or Moz, and use AnswerThePublic or Keyword Tool for questions and long-tail angles. That stack costs nothing and covers volume, difficulty, and content ideas well enough for most small sites.
Reading volume numbers honestly
Free volume figures are estimates, and different tools can disagree sharply on the same keyword. Treat them as ranges and relative signals, not as exact traffic promises. When two tools agree a keyword has meaningful volume and modest difficulty, it is a safer bet than a keyword that looks strong in only one tool.
From keywords to content
A keyword list is not a content plan. Group related keywords by intent: informational, commercial, and transactional, then assign each group to one page or video. Build the page around the main keyword, answer the related questions from AnswerThePublic, and track rankings and clicks in Google Search Console to see what actually performs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free keyword planner tool?
Google Keyword Planner is the best free starting point for volume data, since it comes from Google itself. Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator is the best fast check for ideas with difficulty, while Ubersuggest suits beginners who want an all-in-one view. Use two tools together for important keywords.
Do I need a Google Ads account for Google Keyword Planner?
Yes. Keyword Planner lives inside Google Ads, so you need an account, though you do not need to run ads to use it. Accounts without spend history see volume as broad ranges rather than precise numbers, which is still useful for comparing topics.
Are free keyword tools accurate?
They give estimates, not exact counts, and tools often disagree because they use different data sources and models. Google Keyword Planner is closest to Google search reality for volume, while Ahrefs and Semrush add difficulty estimates from their own databases. Cross-check important keywords in two tools.
How many free searches do these tools allow?
Limits vary: Semrush free accounts allow around 10 reports per day, AnswerThePublic allows a few searches per day, and Ubersuggest limits daily searches on the free tier. Google Keyword Planner and WordStream are more generous for basic use, though Planner needs an account. Check current limits on each vendor page, since they change.
What is keyword difficulty?
Keyword difficulty estimates how hard it is to rank on the first page for a keyword, based on the strength of competing pages. A low difficulty score with meaningful volume is usually the best target for a new site, while high difficulty keywords need stronger content and backlinks. Difficulty is an estimate, not a guarantee.
Can free tools replace paid SEO suites?
For a small site or a beginner, a free stack of Planner, Ahrefs generator, and AnswerThePublic covers most keyword research needs. Paid suites add larger databases, rank tracking, audits, and competitor analysis that matter as a site grows. Upgrade when research volume or reporting needs exceed free limits.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://ads.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/pricing
- https://ahrefs.com/pricing
- https://www.semrush.com/pricing
- https://neilpatel.com/ubersuggest/pricing
- https://keywordtool.io/pricing
- https://answerthepublic.com/pricing
- https://www.wordstream.com/keyword-tool/pricing
- https://moz.com/pricing
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.
Google Keyword Planner
Semrush Keyword Magic Tool
AnswerThePublic
WordStream Free Keyword Tool