If you are just starting out in SEO (or even if you’ve been doing it for a while), the price tags on premium tools like Ahrefs or Semrush can be scary. Paying $100+ a month just to see search volume feels like a lot.
The good news? You don’t actually need to pay that much.
In my experience, you can get 90% of the job done by combining three powerful free tools. These are the top 3 tools I personally use for my projects, and how I balance them to get the best results without spending a dime.
This is the “OG” of keyword research. Since it comes directly from Google, it is often considered the source of truth for search data.
My Experience: I generally use this when I want raw, reliable data. It’s built for advertisers, but it’s a goldmine for SEOs if you know where to look.
Pros:
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Most Accurate Data: The data comes straight from the search engine itself, not a third-party estimate.
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Totally Free: You just need a Google Ads account (you don’t actually have to run a campaign).
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Great for Commercial Intent: It shows “Bid” prices, which tells you if a keyword is profitable. If advertisers are paying high amounts for a click, it’s a “Money Keyword.”
Cons:
Vague Volume Ranges: If you don’t spend money on ads, Google sometimes only shows ranges (e.g., “1k – 10k”) rather than exact numbers.
Ad-Focused UI: The interface is cluttered with metrics like “Ad Impression Share” which are useless for organic SEO.
Pros:
Most Accurate Data: The data comes straight from the search engine itself, not a third-party estimate.
Totally Free: You just need a Google Ads account (you don’t actually have to run a campaign).
Great for Commercial Intent: It shows “Bid” prices, which tells you if a keyword is profitable. If advertisers are paying high amounts for a click, it’s a “Money Keyword.”
Cons:
Vague Volume Ranges: If you don’t spend money on ads, Google sometimes only shows ranges (e.g., “1k – 10k”) rather than exact numbers.
Ad-Focused UI: The interface is cluttered with metrics like “Ad Impression Share” which are useless for organic SEO.
Best For:
Validating Search Volume. Use this when you have a list of keywords and you want to check if people are actually searching for them.
Link to the Tool: Google Keyword Planner
2. Ubersuggest
This is my favorite tool for “on-the-go” analysis. While the website is great, I specifically recommend using the Chrome Extension.
My Experience: I use this to analyze search results in real-time. When I type something into Google, the extension overlays data right on top of the results page. It feels like having “X-ray vision” for Google.
Pros
Live SERP Analysis: You can see the Domain Authority (DA) and estimated traffic for every website ranking on the first page.
Keyword Suggestions: It shows related keywords and their volume in a sidebar next to your search results.
User-Friendly: Much prettier and easier to understand than Google’s tools.
Cons
Daily Limits: The free version limits how many searches you can do per day.
Upselling: You will see a lot of pop-ups asking you to upgrade to the paid plan.
Pros:
Live SERP Analysis: You can see the Domain Authority (DA) and estimated traffic for every website ranking on the first page.
Keyword Suggestions: It shows related keywords and their volume in a sidebar next to your search results.
User-Friendly: Much prettier and easier to understand than Google’s tools.
Cons:
Daily Limits: The free version limits how many searches you can do per day.
Upselling: You will see a lot of pop-ups asking you to upgrade to the paid plan.
Best For:
Competitor Analysis & SERP Research. Use this to see who is ranking and why. If you see a website with low Domain Authority ranking on page 1, that’s your green light to target that keyword.
Link to the Tool: UbersSuggest
Also Read: How Advertising Intelligence is Evolving
3. WordStream Free Keyword Tool
WordStream is owned by LocaliQ and is technically a PPC (Pay-Per-Click) tool, but it is fantastic for quick SEO brainstorming.
My Experience: I use WordStream when I have “writer’s block.” If I need a quick list of related topics or variations of a keyword without logging into a complex dashboard, this is my go-to.
Pros:
Fast & Simple: No complex setup. You just type a word and get a list.
Niche Grouping: It does a great job of suggesting related industries or niches you might not have thought of.
Opportunity Score: It gives a simple score to help you identify “low hanging fruit.”
Cons
Limited Data: It doesn’t give as much deep technical data (like backlink analysis) as Ubersuggest.
One-Dimensional: It’s strictly for finding keywords, not for analyzing competitors or site health.
Pros
Fast & Simple: No complex setup. You just type a word and get a list.
Niche Grouping: It does a great job of suggesting related industries or niches you might not have thought of.
Opportunity Score: It gives a simple score to help you identify “low hanging fruit.”
Cons
Limited Data: It doesn’t give as much deep technical data (like backlink analysis) as Ubersuggest.
One-Dimensional: It’s strictly for finding keywords, not for analyzing competitors or site health.
Best For:
Quick Brainstorming. Use this when you are in the early stages of a blog post and need to generate a list of 10-20 topic ideas fast.
Link to the Tool: Wordstream
Which one should you use?
If you want to…
Get new topic ideas fast – WordStream
Check if a keyword makes money (Ads) – Google Keyword Planner
Analyze competitors on Page 1 – Ubersuggest
