Free SEO & PPC tools

Search engine optimization doesn’t require an expensive tech stack to get started or even to stay competitive. Many foundational SEO workflows can be powered by free tools that, when used correctly, deliver real insights into demand, competition, and performance.

The key isn’t how many tools you use, but whether you’re using the right ones for the job.

This page curates the best free SEO tools across four core categories that map directly to how SEO work actually gets done.

From keyword research and demand discovery, to uncovering traffic and competitor opportunities, to measuring performance and benchmarking results, these tools help you understand where to focus — and why.

Free keyword tools are powerful for identifying what people are actively searching for and how those searches are evolving.
Tools that mine traffic and competitors help you reverse-engineer what’s already working in your space, exposing gaps you can exploit without starting from scratch.
Measurement and benchmarking tools help show whether your efforts are actually moving the needle over time.
We’ve also included free tools for SEM and PPC, since paid search data often reveals intent signals and competitive dynamics that organic teams can’t afford to ignore.

Used together, these free tools form a practical, modern SEO foundation — one that supports smarter decisions, faster learning, and more confident experimentation.

Whether you’re building your first SEO workflow or pressure-testing ideas before investing in paid platforms, these tools will give you a clear view of the search landscape without the price tag.

Keyword research & planning

Keyword research and planning are the foundation of every successful SEO strategy — not just for finding terms to target, but for understanding how and why people search.

Strong keyword research reveals demand, intent, seasonality, and the language real users use when they’re trying to learn, compare, or buy. Without this step, content and optimization efforts are largely guesswork.

The tools in this section help you uncover keyword ideas, analyze search interest, and organize topics into meaningful plans you can execute.

Mining traffic & competitors for opportunities

To learn what’s already working for you — both on your own site and across the broader search landscape — you need to mine traffic and competitors for opportunities.

Instead of starting from a blank page, this approach uses real performance data to uncover which pages, keywords, and content formats are driving visibility, engagement, and conversions in your space.

The tools below help you analyze traffic patterns, identify competitor strengths and gaps, and surface opportunities you may be overlooking. By examining where competitors are winning — and where they’re vulnerable — you can prioritize efforts with higher confidence, focus on proven demand, and accelerate growth without relying on guesswork.

Measuring & benchmarking

Measuring and benchmarking can turn SEO from a set of wishful tactics into a discipline you can evaluate and improve over time.

Without clear measurement, it’s impossible to know whether rankings are holding, visibility is expanding, or your site is actually gaining ground against competitors.

SEM/PPC & other paid ads

SEM, PPC, and other paid ad tools play an important supporting role in SEO by revealing high-intent demand and competitive dynamics you can’t always see in organic data alone.

Paid search exposes which keywords brands are willing to spend money on, how aggressively they’re bidding, and which messages are driving clicks — all of which can inform smarter organic targeting and content prioritization.

The tools in this section help you analyze Google Ads competitors, research ecommerce and commercial keywords, and estimate the potential value of paid traffic using ad calculators.

Even when used purely for research, these free paid-media tools provide valuable context around demand, competition, and ROI, helping you align SEO and SEM strategies for stronger overall search performance.