SEO keyword research tools are essential for marketing teams looking to level up their content. Keyword research software can help identify search opportunities that align with a business’ offerings. That SEO strategy is crucial — nearly one-third of internet users 16 or older discover new brands through search engines.

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The good news is that many free SEO keyword research tools exist. Teams can build a powerful keyword strategy without spending a dime.

In this guide, I’ll share the best free and affordable SEO keyword research tools I’ve tested, explain how to use them step-by-step, and show how HubSpot helps you bring it all together inside one connected platform.

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How I Tested the Best Keyword Research Tools

TL;DR: The best keyword tools balance data quality, usability, and workflow integration.

If you Google “what is the best free keyword research tool?”, you’ll probably get pages of sponsored posts and affiliate lists that don’t tell you much about how these tools actually perform.

So, I decided to test them myself.

For consistency across tools, I focused on a single keyword, “AI search.” It’s one I optimize for frequently in blog content tied to my podcast, so it offers a practical way to compare how each tool performs on a real-world topic. I ran that keyword through multiple free tools to evaluate:

Ease of use
Depth of insight
How actionable the data felt for real-world content planning

Why this matters: Good tools don’t drown you in data. Instead, they surface the few signals that move traffic and conversions. When you’re building an SEO strategy, you need information you can do something with.

Best Free Keyword Research Tools for 2026

The best keyword research tools don’t overwhelm users with metrics. They highlight the few insights that actually move traffic and conversions.

Here are the best free keyword research tools I’ve found.

Tool Name	Free/Paid	Key Features	Limitations	Best For
WordStream	Free	Generates hundreds of keyword ideas per seed term; shows estimated search volume, competition, and CPC	No advanced SERP or backlink data; limited to Google data sources	Quick keyword validation and early-stage brainstorming
Semrush’s Free Keyword Tool	Freemium	Displays keyword, search volume, keyword difficulty (KD), and CPC; shows keyword intent types	Limited number of daily searches; requires login for expanded features	Data-rich keyword validation and understanding search intent
Ryan Robinson’s Free Keyword Tool	Free	Pulls results from Google Autocomplete; includes “Ideas” tab for long-tail keywords	No volume or competition data; cannot export lists directly	Fast brainstorming and content topic ideation
Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator	Free	Generates 20 keyword ideas per search; provides search volume and difficulty metrics	Limited to 20 results; no export or filtering without paid plan	Quick, high-quality keyword validation and question-based content ideas
Wordtracker	Freemium	Displays keyword, volume, competition, and KEI; Includes “No Click Searches” and “Is Question” filters	Daily search limits; requires account for saved lists	Identifying intent-driven keywords and shaping SEO content series

1. WordStream

Best for: Fast keyword ideas and competitive benchmarks without needing an account.

Key Features:

Free keyword generator that provides hundreds of ideas per seed term
Displays estimated search volume, competition level, and CPC
Filters by industry and geographic location
Export functionality for keyword lists

What I like: WordStream gives me a quick read on whether a topic is worth pursuing. It’s clean, fast, and doesn’t require a login, which makes it perfect for early brainstorming or validating keyword themes before diving into deeper analysis elsewhere.

2. Semrush’s Free Keyword Tool

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Best for: Comprehensive keyword insights with limited free daily searches.

Key Features:

Displays keyword, search volume, keyword difficulty (KD), and CPC (USD)
Shows keyword inten
Lists the first 25 keywords by search volume
Accessible through the Keyword Magic Tool in the free version

What I like: Semrush’s free view is straightforward and data-rich. I can quickly see how competitive a keyword is, what the intent looks like, and whether it’s worth exploring further — all from one screen. I can use it at the start of my content research process to validate which topics have real search demand before turning them into blog posts.

3. Ryan Robinson’s Free Keyword Research Tool

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Best for: Fast, browser-based keyword brainstorming without logins or clutter.

Key Features:

100% free, no sign-up required
Generates keyword suggestions directly from Google Autocomplete
Includes an “Ideas” feature to surface related long-tail keyword variations
Displays results instantly in-browser for quick scanning
Great for validating early content ideas or expanding topic clusters

What I like: RyRob’s tool is one of my go-tos when I need fast inspiration. It’s lightweight, intuitive, and surprisingly effective for uncovering long-tail keywords that mirror how people actually search.

I especially like the “Ideas” tab. When I searched “AI search,” it surfaced dozens of related questions around the topic. Those insights make it easy to brainstorm new angles for upcoming podcast episodes or blog posts that expand on similar themes.

4. Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator

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Best for: Quick, high-quality keyword ideas across multiple search engines.

Key Features:

Returns up to 20 keyword ideas per search
Provides search volume and keyword difficulty
Free to use, no sign-in required
Provides questions for long-tail keyword research

What I like: Even though it’s limited to 20 results, those 20 are gold. The data quality is excellent, and I like using Ahrefs’ free generator to validate whether a keyword is truly competitive before investing more time.

I’m also a fan of the Questions tab. Since long-tail keywords and natural language queries are becoming increasingly important, building content around those question-based terms is essential for any SEO — and even emerging GEO — strategy. Ahrefs provides 20 question suggestions per search, which you can use to plan your content calendar or expand your research in other tools.

5. Wordtracker

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Best for: Detailed keyword metrics and competition insights in a clean, browser-based dashboard.

Key Features:

Displays keyword, search volume, competition, and KEI (Keyword Effectiveness Index)
Includes “No Click Searches” and “Is Question” data columns
Shows up to 100 keyword results in the free version
Allows territory filtering (e.g., United States)
Simple export and save options for organizing keyword lists

What I like: Wordtracker’s layout makes keyword comparison effortless. I like being able to view volume, competition, and KEI all in one place. It gives a balanced view of which keywords are worth targeting.

The “Is Question” filter is especially helpful for spotting intent-based topics I can turn into SEO-friendly content. I can use this data to shape blog outlines or evaluate whether a keyword is strong enough to build an entire content series around.

How HubSpot Helps With SEO

Most free keyword research tools help discover what to rank for, not how the content actually ranks. HubSpot’s SEO tools are different. Instead of jumping between tools to research, optimize, and measure performance, it brings SEO strategy into one connected space.

With HubSpot’s SEO tools connected inside the CRM, teams can:

Research topics and content ideas
Optimize content in real time
Track results across a blog, landing pages, and campaigns

Why this matters: HubSpot helps marketers connect research to how they’ll actually rank, and allows SEO teams to plan, optimize, and measure in one place.

HubSpot’s SEO Marketing Software

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HubSpot’s SEO Marketing Software, included in Marketing Hub, turns what can be a chaotic research task into a clear SEO strategy. It helps you plan, optimize, and track your organic performance across every campaign and content asset.

Here’s how:

Plan with precision: Organize keywords into topic clusters to strengthen a site’s topical authority and build internal linking strategies that search engines reward.
Get actionable recommendations: HubSpot’s built-in SEO tools automatically scan websites and surface optimization suggestions. This is helpful, as it gives users a priority list, so they always know where to focus.
Track progress in one place: Monitor how pages are performing for specific keywords, view position changes over time, and measure which topics are driving the most organic leads and conversions.
Collaborate seamlessly: Because the SEO tools are integrated with the rest of the marketing ecosystem, content, web, and demand-gen teams can work together.

What I like: I love that this setup blends automation with strategy. I can see, in real time, which keywords are driving performance — and how those tie directly to leads or pipeline inside HubSpot. Instead of exporting reports or juggling spreadsheets, I can map keyword data straight to the content and campaigns I’m managing.

It’s a complete feedback loop that shows what’s working and what’s not, so I can double down on the ideas that actually move the needle. For me, that visibility is the difference between guessing what drives growth and knowing it.

SEO Features in HubSpot’s CMS Hub

When creating or updating web content in HubSpot’s CMS Hub, SEO optimization has never been easier. Marketers can optimize content right where the work gets done.

Rather than juggling separate plugins or manually auditing, HubSpot integrates SEO intelligence directly into the writing and publishing workflow.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Real-time SEO recommendations: As marketers write, HubSpot automatically flags missing meta tags, weak headlines, and unlinked topic clusters. This makes it easy to fix errors before hitting publish.
Built-in page performance metrics: Easily see how each page performs in search, which keywords it ranks for, and how those visitors convert.
Technical optimization made simple: HubSpot automatically manages redirects, canonical URLs, and site structure to ensure content performs without requiring developer intervention.
Integrated reporting: Because CMS Hub connects directly to the team’s CRM, marketers can see everything — traffic, rankings, and which SEO-driven visitors become qualified leads and customers.

For growth-focused teams, this integration is a time-saver. It means the SEO strategy becomes a part of the everyday content workflow. Marketers publish faster and rank higher without adding extra tools, steps, or hiring an outside SEO agency.

How to Do Keyword Research with Free Tools

When conducting keyword research, marketers should start with a topic or question that they want to cover. From there, marketers can use free keyword search tools to see the demand for the phrase and how competitive it might be to rank. After, teams can target longer keywords and map search queries to broader topics.

Follow these steps to turn raw keyword data into a focused, effective strategy.

1. Start with a broad topic or question.

Begin with a seed idea that reflects the audience’s goals or challenges. Choose something like “email automation” or “AI for small business.”

Then, use a brainstorming tool such as RyRob’s Free Keyword Tool or WordStream to generate initial keyword lists. Look for phrases that reflect curiosity and buying intent. Think, how, why, or what.

2. Validate search demand and competition

Once the team has a list of potential keywords, check how often people search for them and how competitive they are.

Tools like Semrush’s Free Keyword Tool or Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator show search volume and difficulty scores. This helps prioritize terms that balance demand with achievability.

3. Expand into long-tail or question-based keywords

Long-tail keywords — those longer, conversational phrases — are where most SEO opportunities live.

Use RyRob’s “Ideas” tab or Ahrefs’ “Questions” feature to uncover real queries your audience is asking. These often become perfect blog post titles or FAQ sections that attract steady traffic.

4. Organize and map keywords to topics

Create a simple spreadsheet to group related keywords by topic. Each cluster should align with a key theme or offering on a website.

Mapping keywords to topic clusters helps teams plan supporting blog posts, pillar pages, and internal links around the same topic.

5. Track performance

Free tools don’t usually keep a record of searches, so build a system for tracking progress. Use a simple spreadsheet, like Google Sheets, to record each keyword, the page it’s tied to, and monthly performance data. This manual tracking helps teams see what’s working and where to optimize next.

HubSpot Pro Tip: When you’re ready to move beyond spreadsheets, HubSpot’s SEO Marketing Software can streamline this process. It connects your keyword data, content planning, and analytics in one place.

Pro Tips for Using Free Tools Effectively

To make the most of free keyword research tools, cross-validating data across multiple free platforms to ensure accuracy. Marketers can use Google’s “People Also Ask” feature for long-tail keywords that reveal search intent. Beyond that, teams can manually track keyword performance over time in spreadsheets to build a custom data library that informs content optimization decisions.

You’ve probably heard the claim that “SEO is dead, and GEO killed it.” After dozens of conversations with SEO strategists and marketers on the Found in AI podcast, I can tell you that’s not true.

SEO remains one of the strongest drivers of ROI — it’s simply evolving. GEO (or generative engine optimization) builds upon a strong SEO foundation.

Here are tips that can help.

1. Use multiple tools to cross-validate data.

No single free keyword research tool paints a complete picture. Each platform samples data differently, so using several together helps confirm trends and uncover gaps.

Start by combining tools to cross-check results. If one limits searches, use another to validate the data.

When tools don’t provide historical trends, track performance manually in a spreadsheet or project management tool. Once a month, log:

Search volume
Ranking position
Traffic for each keyword

Soon, teams see which topics are gaining traction and which ones need refinement.

I use this approach because it gives me confidence that the data I’m seeing is directionally accurate, not just an outlier. When multiple sources point to the same trend, I know it’s worth my time to pursue.

2. Use Google’s “People Also Ask” for free long-tail keywords.

Google’s “People Also Ask” feature is one of the most underrated keyword research tools — and it’s free.

These question boxes show what people are genuinely curious about and how they phrase their searches in natural language. Every time searchers click a question, Google generates more related queries, creating an endless stream of long-tail keyword ideas teams can build content around.

This feature is especially valuable because it reveals search intent. Each question represents:

Pain points
Curiosity
Moments of consideration in a buyer’s journey.

Use these insights to guide blog posts, FAQs, or supporting pages that answer those exact questions.

I rely on “People Also Ask” results to identify new angles on familiar topics. I’ll usually gather a few of those questions, group them by theme, and turn them into a content cluster or a blog series that expands on a main keyword.

An important note on long-tail keywords and the future of SEO:

In a recent recorded interview with Charlie Graham, founder of RivalSee, we talked about the growing importance of long-tail keywords. Graham told me that compared to shorter terms of three or four words, long-tail phrases are more likely to be cited in AI search results.

This matters when planning SEO keyword strategy.

Be sure to include complete, conversational phrases in the content that mirror how people actually search. They’ll not only strengthen traditional SEO but also future-proof content for emerging search behaviors.

3. Leverage your competitors’ free data.

Teams don’t need paid tools to learn from competitors’ SEO strategy — much of their keyword data is already public. By analyzing the topics and structure of top-ranking content in a niche, teams can uncover what’s working for competitors and identify gaps to fill.

Start with a simple Google search for target keywords. Look at the titles, meta descriptions, and headers of the top results to see which phrases appear consistently. Tools like Wordtracker also let users plug in a competitor’s domain to see which keywords they rank for (many of these insights are available in their free versions!).

From there, look for patterns. Are competitors targeting:

Specific long-tail keywords?
Question-based phrases?
Buyer-intent terms like “best,” “compare,” or “how to”?

Those are cues for what resonates with shared audiences.

I like using competitor data as a shortcut for ideation. When you can see which topics drive visibility for others, you can reverse-engineer that success and create similar content that adds your own expertise, brand voice, or perspective.

HubSpot pro tip: If you’re already using HubSpot, you can track competitor domains and keywords directly in your dashboard. This makes it easy to monitor changes in rankings over time and spot opportunities to outperform similar brands.

4. Work around free tool limitations.

The key to using free tools is knowing how to fill those gaps creatively so teams can still build a reliable SEO strategy. Free keyword tools are powerful, but they all come with trade-offs like:

Daily search limits
Missing historical data
Incomplete SERP insights

Use free features from other platforms to supplement research. Google Search Console shows which queries content already ranks for, and Google Trends helps identify rising topics before competitors catch on. When paired with the free tools in this guide, these insights help make data-driven decisions without paying for premium software.

I’ve found that the best workaround is consistency. When you collect and organize your data over time, you build a custom keyword library that’s often more valuable than what you’d get from a paid plan. It’s extra effort upfront, but it pays off when you can clearly see what’s driving results.

HubSpot pro tip: When you’re ready to automate this process, HubSpot’s SEO Marketing Software can pull keyword, performance, and page-level data into one dashboard, so you can analyze everything without switching between tools.

5. Track your progress without premium tools.

Most free tools don’t store historical data, which makes it hard to measure progress over time. Setting up a lightweight tracking system ensures marketers can see which keywords and content pieces actually drive traffic, engagement, or conversions.

I track keyword performance monthly using a simple spreadsheet and Google Analytics data. Seeing how certain posts rank or convert helps me make data-driven decisions about what to optimize or expand next. Over time, that record becomes a roadmap, and it shows which content consistently performs and where new opportunities are emerging.

Frequently Asked Questions About Keyword Research Tools

What is the best free keyword research tool?

For quick brainstorming and early validation, WordStream and RyRob’s Free Keyword Tool are great starting points. For more structured data, Semrush’s Free Keyword Tool and Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator provide reliable insights on search volume and keyword difficulty.

When teams are ready to go beyond research and start optimizing content, HubSpot’s SEO Marketing Software can help organize keywords, monitor performance, and turn insights into strategy.

How accurate are free keyword research tools?

Free tools are directionally accurate but not perfect. They often rely on smaller datasets or averages, so use them to spot trends—not exact numbers. To verify performance, pair what results with analytics or a platform like HubSpot, which measures how organic traffic from those keywords translates into engagement and conversions over time.

Can I do effective SEO with only free keyword research tools?

Yes, SEO strategy can be effective with free keyword research tools — especially for teams just starting out. Free tools can help uncover opportunities and plan content. The main limitation is tracking and scale.

When a business begins to grow, tools like HubSpot’s Marketing Hub can centralize that data, connecting keyword research, content creation, and campaign results in one place.

What’s the difference between free and paid keyword research tools?

Free tools are perfect for generating ideas and gauging potential. Paid tools provide deeper insights, like competitor analysis, SERP tracking, and long-term keyword trends.

Platforms like HubSpot extend beyond research. They help teams put SEO into practice, measure ROI, and manage optimization across multiple channels.

How many keywords should I research for my website?

Start small by focusing on 25 to 50 high-impact keywords that align with products or audiences. Over time, expand into related long-tail keywords and supporting content. HubSpot’s SEO tools make it easier to connect that content, helping visualize topic clusters and track which pieces drive meaningful traffic and leads.

Which platform is best for keyword research if I’m just starting out?

For those new to SEO, start with WordStream, RyRob’s Free Keyword Tool, or Semrush’s Free Keyword Tool. Together, they allow for both creativity and validation.

As an SEO program matures, paid tools, like HubSpot’s SEO Marketing Software, become a natural next step. Paid software helps apply those keyword insights at scale, tying them directly to content performance and lead generation.

Turn keyword research into real results.

Free keyword research tools give you the data to start strong, but turning those insights into measurable growth takes strategy, consistency, and the right systems.

HubSpot’s SEO Marketing Software can make a real difference in your SEO strategy. It brings your keyword research, content planning, and performance tracking together in one connected workspace. With HubSpot, you can discover what to rank for, understand why your content performs, and see exactly how it contributes to ROI.

I’ve tested dozens of SEO tools over the years, and what I like most about HubSpot’s approach is how it turns research into action. Instead of exporting data or juggling multiple platforms, you can plan topics, optimize pages, and measure results directly inside your marketing hub. It’s SEO made practical. And when you’re ready to scale beyond free tools, it’s a no-brainer.

Start optimizing smarter with HubSpot’s SEO Marketing Software and turn your keyword research into measurable growth.

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