17 Best Keyword Research Tools for 2025

Keyword research tools are essential for understanding what users are searching for, driving traffic, and improving your site's SEO rankings. Whether you're a blogger, a business owner, or an SEO specialist, finding the right keyword research tool can transform your content strategy.

Below is a detailed guide on the 20 best keyword research tools

1. Keywordly

Starting with Keywordly, a unique tool that enhances traditional keyword research with a focus on user intent.

Overview:
Keywordly.ai is an advanced keyword research tool that takes traditional keyword research a step further by providing specific questions and queries people are asking about various topics. This lets you create content that directly addresses user intent, helping you improve your SEO strategy and content relevance.

Key Features:

• Keyword Research: Gives insights into volume, difficulty, CPC, and competition.
• Question-Based Keyword Suggestions: User Intent Focus - Provides queries people are asking online around specific keywords.
• Reddit and Quora Keyword Research: Tap into the pulse of online conversations.
• Topic Clusters: Helps in building topic clusters around a core theme for better content structuring.
• AI Content Generator - Craft well-structured SEO-optimized content

Pros:

• Ideal for content creators focusing on answering specific questions.
• Helps in building a content strategy focused on solving user problems.
• Easy-to-use interface with insightful data.

Cons:

• Lacks integrations with other SEO tools (e.g., Google Analytics, SEMrush).
• Still evolving, so fewer advanced features than some competitors.

Pricing:

• Free version available with limited features.
• Paid plans start at $14/month for more in-depth keyword research and analysis.

What is Keywordly?
Keywordly is a powerful keyword research tool designed to assist content creators, marketers, and SEO professionals in uncovering valuable keywords for their websites and online campaigns. By making informed decisions based on data-driven insights, users can significantly enhance their content strategies. Whether you're a seasoned SEO expert or a beginner looking to improve your website’s performance, Keywordly provides you with the tools needed to succeed.

2. SEMrush

Overview:
SEMrush is an all-in-one marketing platform used by SEO professionals, PPC managers, and social media experts. It offers an extensive keyword research toolkit and additional features such as competitor analysis, backlink tracking, and site audits.

Key Features:

• Keyword Magic Tool: Generates millions of related keyword ideas.
• Competitor Keyword Analysis: See what keywords your competitors are ranking for.
• Keyword Difficulty Score: Analyze how hard it is to rank for specific keywords.
• PPC Keyword Research: Includes features for paid search advertising.

Pros:

• Comprehensive SEO toolkit beyond just keyword research.
• Industry-leading competitor research.
• Regularly updated database.

Cons:

• Steep learning curve for beginners.
• Pricey compared to other tools.

Pricing:

• Starts at $139/month.

3. Ahrefs Keyword Explorer

Overview:
Ahrefs is one of the most robust SEO tools available. Its Keyword Explorer feature provides deep insights into keyword difficulty, traffic potential, and more, making it an ideal choice for SEO professionals looking for a comprehensive solution.

Key Features:

• Keyword Difficulty: Estimates the difficulty of ranking for a keyword based on backlink profiles.
• Click Metrics: Shows how many clicks a keyword is likely to bring.
• Competitor Analysis: Track your competitors’ keywords and backlinks.
• Extensive Database: Supports keyword research for multiple search engines (Google, YouTube, Amazon).

Pros:

• Highly accurate keyword difficulty score.
• Best for backlink and competitor analysis.
• Great for finding long-tail keywords.

Cons:

• Expensive for small businesses or freelancers.
• Limited PPC keyword insights.

Pricing:

• Starts at $129/month.

4. Google Keyword Planner

Overview:
Google Keyword Planner is a free tool offered by Google for finding keywords related to your business and seeing how a list of keywords might perform. It is an excellent choice for those focused on paid search (Google Ads).

Key Features:

• Keyword Volume: See average monthly search volumes.
• PPC Keyword Research: Ideal for advertisers running Google Ads campaigns.
• Keyword Ideas: Get related keywords for any query.

Pros:

• Free to use.
• Direct data from Google.
• Perfect for PPC planning.

Cons:

• Limited insights for organic SEO.
• Requires a Google Ads account to use.

Pricing:

• Free, with Google ad account

5. Moz Keyword Explorer

Overview:
Moz is a well-known player in the SEO world, and its Keyword Explorer tool is no exception. It offers a unique "Priority Score" that combines search volume, click-through rate, and difficulty to help you prioritize keywords.

Key Features:

• Priority Score: Combines several factors to suggest the best keywords to target.
• SERP Analysis: Shows which sites are ranking for the keywords you're researching.
• Keyword Suggestions: Offers related keyword suggestions based on your seed keywords.

Pros:

• Easy-to-understand metrics.
• Comprehensive SERP analysis.
• Great for both beginners and experts.

Cons:

• Database isn't as extensive as Ahrefs or SEMrush.
• Limited features in the free version.

Pricing:

• Starts at $99/month.

6. Ubersuggest

Overview:
Ubersuggest, developed by Neil Patel, is a cost-effective keyword research tool that provides a simplified interface for finding keyword ideas, tracking SEO performance, and analyzing backlinks.

Key Features:

• Keyword Ideas: Get keyword suggestions based on Google’s autocomplete data.
• SEO Audit: Perform an SEO audit to find areas for improvement on your site.
• Backlink Data: Analyze your site's backlink profile.

Pros:

• Affordable pricing.
• Great for beginners and small businesses.
• Free version offers valuable data.

Cons:

• Lacks the depth of analysis provided by premium tools like SEMrush.
• Keyword volume data is sometimes less accurate.

Pricing:

• Starts at $12/month.

7. KeywordTool.io

Overview:
KeywordTool is perfect for finding long-tail keywords. It scrapes data from Google, YouTube, Bing, Amazon, and other platforms, offering a wide range of keyword suggestions based on what users are searching for.

Key Features:

• Platform Diversity: Supports multiple platforms including Google, Amazon, and YouTube.
• Long-Tail Keyword Suggestions: Best for generating long-tail keyword ideas.
• Autocomplete Data: Scrapes keyword ideas from Google autocomplete.

Pros:

• No need to create an account for basic use.
• Ideal for long-tail keyword research.
• Provides insights for multiple platforms.

Cons:

• Limited data in the free version.
• Doesn't provide competitive metrics like keyword difficulty.

Pricing:

• Free version available.
• Paid plans start at $69/month.

8. SpyFu

Overview:
SpyFu is a competitive keyword research tool that lets you "spy" on your competitors' keywords, both for SEO and PPC campaigns. It provides insights into the most profitable keywords your competitors are targeting.

Key Features:

• Competitor Keyword Research: See all the keywords your competitors are ranking for in both organic and paid searches.
• PPC Research: Track your competitors’ Google Ads strategies.
• Backlink Checker: Analyze your competitors' backlinks to find link-building opportunities.

Pros:

• Affordable compared to other tools with competitive research.
• Great for PPC keyword analysis.
• Unlimited searches with any plan.

Cons:

• Lacks some of the detailed data provided by higher-end tools like Ahrefs.
• Interface can be overwhelming for beginners.

Pricing:

• Starts at $39/month.

9. AnswerThePublic

Overview:
AnswerThePublic provides keyword suggestions in the form of questions, prepositions, and comparisons, making it ideal for content creators focusing on answering specific queries. It’s a great tool for finding long-tail keywords based on what users are asking.

Key Features:

• Question-Based Suggestions: Generates keywords based on questions people are searching for.
• Visual Keyword Maps: Provides a visual representation of keyword ideas.
• Competitor Insights: Helps with understanding what kind of content competitors are producing.

Pros:

• Perfect for generating content ideas.
• Free version provides a lot of value.
• Easy-to-use interface.

Cons:

• Limited search queries in the free version.
• Does not provide keyword difficulty or volume metrics.

Pricing:

• Free version available.
• Paid plans start at $9/month.

10. Serpstat

Overview:
Serpstat is an all-in-one SEO platform that includes keyword research, rank tracking, backlink analysis, and more. It’s ideal for SEO professionals looking for a versatile tool.

Key Features:

• Keyword Research: Provides keyword suggestions with search volume and difficulty.
• Competitor Analysis: Compare your site’s performance with competitors.
• Rank Tracking: Track the performance of specific keywords over time.

Pros:

• Affordable for its range of features.
• Good for both SEO and PPC research.
• Detailed competitor analysis.

Cons:

• Data accuracy can sometimes lag behind other tools like Ahrefs.
• Interface may not be as intuitive for beginners.

Pricing:

• Starts at $69/month.

11. Long Tail Pro

Overview:
Long Tail Pro specializes in finding long-tail keywords that have less competition, making it ideal for smaller websites that want to rank for specific niches. It’s focused on giving you actionable insights into lower-competition keywords.

Key Features:

• Long-Tail Keyword Suggestions: Generates long-tail keyword ideas for niche markets.
• Keyword Competitiveness: Provides a score to gauge the competition for each keyword.
• SERP Analysis: Analyze the top 10 results for any keyword.

Pros:

• Focuses on low-competition keywords.
• Great for niche websites and bloggers.
• Affordable pricing plans.

Cons:

• Not as robust for general keyword research.
• Limited to long-tail keywords, less useful for broad SEO strategies.

Pricing:

• Starts at $37/month.

12. KWFinder

Overview:
KWFinder is a user-friendly keyword research tool that focuses on simplicity and functionality. It provides detailed keyword metrics, including search volume, trends, and keyword difficulty, making it great for both beginners and advanced users.

Key Features:

• Keyword Difficulty Score: Easily see how difficult it will be to rank for a keyword.
• Location-Based Keyword Research: Find keywords for specific locations, ideal for local SEO.
• SERP Overview: Shows top-ranking pages for your target keywords.

Pros:

• Very user-friendly interface.
• Accurate keyword difficulty and search volume data.
• Good for local SEO.

Cons:

• Limited in-depth features compared to tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs.
• No free plan, only a trial.

Pricing:

• Starts at $29.90/month.

13. Majestic

Overview:
Majestic is primarily known for its backlink analysis, but it also has useful features for keyword research, particularly for understanding the authority of competing pages. It’s more suited for advanced users who want to delve deep into SEO metrics.

Key Features:

• Keyword Metrics: Provides search volume, keyword difficulty, and trust metrics.
• Backlink Data: One of the best tools for detailed backlink analysis.
• Site Explorer: Offers detailed insights into the trust and citation flow of domains.

Pros:

• Great for backlink-focused SEO strategies.
• Trust flow and citation flow metrics provide deep insights.
• Large historical database.

Cons:

• Less intuitive for beginners.
• Limited keyword research features compared to specialized tools.

Pricing:

• Starts at $49.99/month.

14. Soovle

Overview:
Soovle is a free tool that pulls autocomplete suggestions from multiple search engines like Google, Amazon, Bing, Yahoo, and more, making it a good tool for brainstorming keywords across platforms.

Key Features:

• Multi-Platform Keyword Suggestions: Get keyword ideas from multiple search engines.
• Customizable: Lets you tailor searches to specific platforms.
• Export Data: Download keyword suggestions for later use.

Pros:

• Completely free to use.
• Great for brainstorming keyword ideas across various platforms.
• Simple and fast.

Cons:

• Lacks detailed metrics like search volume and difficulty.
• No in-depth analysis features.

Pricing:

• Free.

15. Jaaxy

Overview:
Jaaxy is an easy-to-use keyword research tool designed with affiliate marketers in mind. It offers a keyword quality indicator, site ranking analysis, and a unique "Alphabet Soup" technique for generating long-tail keywords.

Key Features:

• QSR (Quoted Search Result): Shows how many sites are competing for a specific keyword.
• Alphabet Soup: Generates long-tail keywords using Google’s autocomplete feature.
• Affiliate Program Research: Helps you find affiliate programs related to your keywords.

Pros:

• Excellent for affiliate marketers.
• Provides actionable insights into keyword competition.
• Great for generating long-tail keywords.

Cons:

• Lacks some features of more advanced SEO tools.
• Not ideal for comprehensive SEO strategies.

Pricing:

• Starts at $49/month.

16. Wordtracker

Overview:
Wordtracker helps you find high-performing keywords for SEO and PPC by providing insights into search volume, competition, and keyword trends.

Key Features:

• Keyword Performance Data: Get insights into search volume, competition, and trends.
• Niche Keywords: Helps you discover keywords specific to niche industries.
• Competitive Insights: Provides keyword suggestions based on competitors' data.

Pros:

• Great for finding niche keywords.
• User-friendly interface.
• Good for both SEO and PPC.

Cons:

• Limited data compared to more advanced tools like SEMrush.
• Fewer features in the free version.

Pricing:

• Starts at $27/month.

17. Google Trends

Overview:
Google Trends is a free tool that shows you the relative popularity of keywords over time. It’s perfect for identifying trending topics and seasonal keyword opportunities.

Key Features:

• Keyword Trends: See how keyword popularity has changed over time.
• Geographic Data: Identify where a keyword is trending most.
• Related Queries: Get suggestions for related keywords.

Pros:

• Free and easy to use.
• Great for identifying trending keywords.
• Provides real-time data.

Cons:

• No data on search volume or keyword difficulty.
• Limited to popularity trends, not a full SEO tool.

Pricing:

• Free.