If you want your site to remain relevant and be easily found by your target audience, then conducting thorough keyword research is crucial. The flash news is: you don’t have to pay a huge subscription fee, and even better, none at all when doing research for the best keywords to use.
This article will cover the 7 best free keyword tools that you can opt for to give you a fresh start. As always, we will always keep at the top of the market at X Digital Media, where you can only expect the best SEO Services, and keyword research is only the beginning, as you dominate search rankings!
Semrush
Semrush is a popular keyword research tool, and in contrast to the popular belief of many, it has a free version that you can enjoy. They offer a wide range of tools, from standard traffic and search volume to more advanced ones, such as competitor keyword gap analysis.
Not to mention that they also have SEO Content Template tools that will allow you to create a content brief and optimize your content in a more SEO-friendly way.
If you want to explore this advanced keyword tool but are not yet ready to commit to a paid plan, then trying its free features is the best option to opt for.
How does its free version work?
Its free plan is limited to 10 Analytics reports per day and 10 tracked keywords.
- Pricing: Starts at $139.95/month
Tool’s Advantages and Disadvantages
| Pros | Cons |
| Offer a wide variety of keyword data | Not ideal for beginner-friendly |
| Feature other specialized keyword research tools | It can be quite pricey |
| Comprehensive suite of marketing tools | |
| Exciting free plan |
“Explore Semrush today!”
Magools
Another free SEO tool you can take advantage of is Mangools! Despite its free features, it offers pretty competitive research tools if you’re still considering partnering with an SEO Agency. And even if you already did, it will give you a better idea if your list of target keywords is really relevant or not.
It is especially ideal if you’re still a beginner. In addition to the fact that it’s affordable, it’s also intuitive and helps you find low-competitive keywords yet high-volume keywords, which is crucial when doing keyword research.
You can see the keywords that your competitors are ranking and you’re not, along with ranking position and search volumes, among many others. And if you’re a bit overwhelmed with keywords, you can filter them and view other metrics you’ll need.
One of its strongest features is how beginner-friendly it is—perfect for those who want reliable keyword insights without feeling overwhelmed by too many metrics.
How does its free version work?
Once you visit their site (with the link provided below), you just need to click the “Create a FREE account” button and provide all the necessary information to get started.
- Pricing: Starts at €29/month
Tool’s Advantages and Disadvantages
| Pros | Cons |
| Beginner-friendly | The free trial is limited in the number of daily searches |
| Ideal for finding low-competition | It is not recommended for enterprises and agencies |
| Features historical keyword data |
“Explore Mangools today”
Google Keyword Planner
The list for the best keyword research tools goes on and on. As one of the most trusted tools from Google itself, Keyword Planner is a go-to resource for businesses of all sizes. Originally built for advertisers, it gives accurate data on search volumes, related keyword suggestions, and cost-per-click estimates.
Compared to others that you can only enjoy, thanks to its free trial features, this one is completely free! This is primarily keyword tools that can help marketers navigate SEO Search Optimization better.
All you have to do is access the tool by going into your Google Ads account and heading over to Tools in the left side panel. Depending on what you need, you can either discover new keywords, get search volume and forecast, or organize keywords into ad groups for starters.
How does its free version work?
Its free version isn’t a free trial, since it is completely free. Even better, you can get more if you use Google Ads.
Tool’s Advantages and Disadvantages
| Pros | Cons |
| Free of charge | Require a Google Ads account to get started |
| Budget-friendly, especially if you use Google Ads | May not be as helpful for organic keyword research |
| It can pull keyword suggestions from your website | Broad search volumes |
| You use it in finding long-tail keywords |
“Explore Google Keyword Planner today”
Google Search Console (GSC)
Since it is a tool developed by Google, as long as you have a Google account, you can always get started with one. If you want to explore the exact queries that people are already using to find your site, GSC remains invaluable.
After all, there’s a reason why it’s a tool that almost every Digital Marketing SEO Company is using. You can analyze reports, identify keywords that drive clicks and potentially conversions to boost the visibility of your site.
It gives a behind-the-scenes and better look at how Google views your website, so you can make adjustments and improve your rankings.
Why not use GSC, especially since it’s free and highly actionable?
How does its free version work?
Since it is developed by Google, it is a free-to-use tool.
Tool’s Advantages and Disadvantages
| Pros | Cons |
| Can optimize existing content for better rankings | Limited data from your own site (No competitor insights) |
| Find better opportunities in what you currently have, rather than starting from scratch | Not a full keyword discovery tool (More of a performance tracker) |
| Provides actionable data to improve SEO performance |
“Explore Google Search Console today”
Google Trends
When you want to understand how keyword popularity shifts over time, Google Trends is your best bet. This tool lets you compare search terms and see seasonal patterns or rising queries.
Considering that Google is the most popular search engine in the world, looking at the trends in its system is only reasonable if you want to stay relevant. One of the best examples to use this tool is if you want to find two very similar keywords and want to know which to prioritize in your content. It will make your decision easier and right for opting for what has a high search volume.
What makes it especially useful in 2025 is its ability to identify trending topics before they become saturated, giving you a first-mover advantage. Whether you’re planning blog content or product launches, Google Trends can help you align your strategy with real-time demand.
How does its free version work?
It’s entirely free and does not offer a premium plan.
Tool’s Advantages and Disadvantages
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent real-time data | Limited keyword data |
| Helpful for trending topics and seasonal keywords | Does not provide specific search volumes |
| Easy-to-use interface with visual trend graphs | Not as deep compared to full-feature keyword research |
“Explore Google Trends today”
AlsoAsked
Perhaps, you’re still considering our SEO Services at XDigitalMedia, if so, maybe you can try for the meantime one of our recommended free keywords tools “AlsoAsked”.
Its concept is simple; it uses Google’s “People Also Ask” section to give you data or relevant and related queries. In addition to the list of keywords that you need, this one is also helpful when creating and optimizing headings or blog titles.
You don’t have to blindly navigate the keywords, questions, and headings you need; with its focus on search intent, it can make your work easier.
How does its free version work?
Its free feature is limited to only 3 free searches
- Pricing: Starts at $15/month
Tool’s Advantages and Disadvantages
| Pros | Cons |
| Ideal for finding user-focused queries and “People Also Asked” data | The free version has a limited number of searches |
| Great for optimizing for search intent | Doesn’t offer traditional keyword metrics like volume or difficulty |
| It works better with the use of another tool |
“Explore AlsoAsked today!”
WordStream
WordStream is ideal if you want to have valuable insights not only in your SEO but also in your PPC campaigns. It is a Google Ads management tool that doesn’t require you to pay a premium to use.
By taking all the important data from Google Keyword Planners, you can find search volume and the CPC range for specific keywords.
If you’re considering both organic and paid advertising, this tool is definitely a must-use to have free access to data on competition level and estimated CPC. Although it’s not as extensive as other premium tools out there, no one can deny that it is easy to use and can help you navigate your keyword research SEO strategy in general.
How does its free version work?
To get started with its free version, you just need to visit their official site, type your keyword, or even a website URL to find suggestions. Take note that it is free of any charges.
Tool’s Advantages and Disadvantages
| Pros | Cons |
| Perfect for PPC campaign planning (In addition to SEO) | Not as comprehensive as premium tools for large-scale campaigns |
| Provide tailored keyword suggestions by industry and location | Less precise search volume range |
| It can be used for quick research and performance benchmarking |
“Explore WordStream today!”
Which Keyword Research Tools Are Best for SEO in 2025?
Considering the list of keyword research tools, you might be one of the others who still can’t decide which one to opt for. With all of the features they have to offer, not to mention that they are all free, you might find it quite hard to choose.
But the thing is, the real challenge isn’t finding a tool, but knowing which one will actually help you discover the best keywords that drive real traffic in SEO Digital. So to make it easier for you, here’s where each of the platforms excels:
- Semrush – Advanced SEO professionals
- Mangools – Wide variety of keyword data
- Google Keyword Planner – Research paid keywords
- Google Search Console – Finding keyword opportunities to find untapped keywords
- Google Trends – analyzing keyword trends and seasonality
- Also Asked – Finding question-based subheadings in content
- WordStream – PPC keyword research for Google Ads users
When Should You Upgrade Your Free Keyword Research Tools?
Needless to say, free keyword research tools are a great way to get started, especially if you’re just trying to navigate your way to a successful SEO strategy. But as your business grows, and you want to stay ahead in the competition out there, these tools might limit your effort. That’s when upgrading to premium tools will come into play.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to look for it yourself, nor study how it works. We have the best SEO Monthly Packages XDigitalMedia, and that also includes the best keyword research tools we use.
Instead of juggling multiple tools on your own, allow us to do that for you. You can save time and maximize results with trusted companies like us. Let’s connect and see how we can help you today!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are keyword research tools?
It is an SEO tool that helps marketers discover words or phrases people type into search engines. Along with this, they provide various metrics such as search volume, keyword difficulty, competition level, and related keywords to make it easier to decide which keywords to target and not. With the use of this, it helps websites to rank higher on Google by staying relevant and attracting more qualified traffic.
How do keyword research tools work?
The concept of keyword research tools is simple; it collects data from search engines to show what people are actively searching online. Analyzing various SEO metrics made it easier to identify the best terms to target. In this way, you can better align your content and website in general with the user intent.
Why is keyword research important?
One main reason is that it provides data-driven insights helpful for content creation and SEO strategy. It helps marketers understand trending and relevant topics and marketing gaps to stay ahead in the competitive market. If you don’t know where to begin, consider us as your SEO company to guide you every step of the way.
