Best Free & Paid SEO Tools You Should Use

SEO tools help businesses and marketers analyze, optimize, and improve search rankings. Whether you're tracking keywords, auditing your website, or analyzing backlinks, the right SEO tools can save time and boost performance. This guide covers the best free and paid SEO tools to help you improve your website’s search visibility and performance.

Best Free SEO Tools

Not every SEO tool requires a paid subscription. Many free SEO tools offer powerful insights to help optimize your website.

1. Google Search Console (GSC) – Best for Website Performance Tracking

   • Tracks organic search traffic and impressions.

   • Identifies indexing issues, ranking drops, and mobile usability errors.

   • Provides insights on click-through rates (CTR) and keyword performance. Use It For:

   • Submitting XML sitemaps for indexing.

   • Checking which pages are indexed by Google.

   • Fixing website errors affecting SEO. Access Google Search Console

2. Google Analytics (GA4) – Best for Traffic & User Behavior Analysis

   • Tracks organic traffic, bounce rates, and session duration.

   • Monitors user behavior, demographics, and conversions.

   • Measures SEO campaign performance and ROI. Use It For:

   • Understanding where traffic is coming from.

   • Identifying top-performing content.

   • Tracking SEO goals like form submissions & downloads. Access Google Analytics

3. Google Keyword Planner – Best for Keyword Research

   • Provides search volume and keyword competition data.

   • Helps find long-tail keyword opportunities.

   • Suggests relevant keywords for PPC and SEO. Use It For:

   • Discovering high-volume, low-competition keywords.

   • Finding local and global keyword trends.

   • Planning content based on real search data. Access Google Keyword Planner

4. Ubersuggest – Best for Basic SEO Analysis

   • Provides keyword suggestions, backlinks, and traffic analysis.

   • Tracks keyword rankings over time.

   • Offers basic competitor analysis. Use It For:

   • Finding low-competition keyword ideas.

   • Checking domain authority & backlink profile.

   • Analyzing top SEO pages for competitors. Access Ubersuggest

5. Screaming Frog SEO Spider – Best for Website Audits

   • Crawls entire websites to detect SEO errors.

   • Finds broken links, duplicate content, and missing metadata.

   • Generates XML sitemaps. Use It For:

   • Conducting on-page SEO audits.

   • Detecting redirect issues and indexation problems.

   • Analyzing site structure and internal linking. Download Screaming Frog

   Pro Tip: The free version allows crawling up to 500 URLs.

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Best Paid SEO Tools

Paid SEO tools provide more advanced features, including competitor analysis, backlink tracking, and AI-driven insights.

1. Ahrefs – Best for Backlink Analysis & Competitor Research Pricing: Starts at $99/month

   • Tracks backlinks, keywords, and traffic sources.

   • Monitors site authority and domain rating.

   • Identifies top-performing content and competitor strategies. Use It For:

   • Analyzing backlink profiles to improve link-building efforts.

   • Finding high-value keywords competitors rank for.

   • Monitoring broken backlinks to reclaim link equity. Try Ahrefs
2. SEMrush – Best for All-in-One SEO & PPC Analysis Pricing: Starts at $119.95/month

   • Offers keyword research, site audits, and backlink tracking.

   • Monitors SERP rankings and competitor performance.

   • Provides SEO writing assistance for content optimization. Use It For:

   • Conducting in-depth keyword research & competition analysis.

   • Tracking ranking changes and SEO trends.

   • Analyzing PPC campaigns and paid search performance. Try SEMrush
3. Moz Pro – Best for Domain Authority & Link Building Pricing: Starts at $99/month

   • Provides domain authority (DA) and spam score analysis.

   • Offers keyword difficulty scoring and competitor insights.

   • Includes a backlink explorer and local SEO tracking. Use It For:

   • Improving domain authority through quality backlinks.

   • Tracking keyword ranking progress.

   • Enhancing local SEO visibility. Try Moz Pro
4. Surfer SEO – Best for Content Optimization Pricing: Starts at $49/month

   • Uses AI-driven analysis to improve content ranking potential.

   • Recommends keyword density, headings, and readability improvements.

   • Compares top-ranking competitors for content insights. Use It For:

   • Optimizing blog posts and landing pages for better rankings.

   • Generating SEO-friendly content outlines.

   • Auditing existing content to boost organic reach. Try Surfer SEO
5. Majestic SEO – Best for Advanced Link Building Pricing: Starts at $49.99/month

   • Specializes in backlink analysis and domain trust scores.

   • Provides Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics.

   • Tracks new and lost backlinks over time. Use It For:

   • Finding high-authority backlinks to target for outreach.

   • Evaluating link quality and SEO trustworthiness.

   • Analyzing competitor backlink strategies. Try Majestic SEO