49 SEO tools you can use to get to the top of search engines with precision
Updated by James Smith
SEO is not simply about putting keywords on your webpage and creating backlinks anymore. SEO has become much more complex and includes tasks such as keyword research, technical audit, competitor research, content optimisation, rank tracking, backlinks, local SEO, site speed performance, and even AI search visibility.
The proper SEO tools may help you to do it better and quicker. Still, you don't have to purchase hundreds of different paid subscription plans to have a good SEO process. Some SEO tools are totally free while some others are intended for more experienced SEO specialists and big companies.
Below we've made a list of 49 best SEO tools that include all types of SEO, including keyword research, technical SEO, content optimisation, backlinks, local SEO and even AI search visibility.
If you are interested in website visibility professional services as well, Elexoft offers you search engine optimisation services along with web development and digital marketing services.
Quick Comparison of the Best SEO Tools
SEO Tool | Best For | Free Option |
Google Search Console | Search performance and indexing | Yes |
Google Analytics | Website traffic analysis | Yes |
Google Trends | Search trends and topic research | Yes |
Google Keyword Planner | Keyword research | Yes |
PageSpeed Insights | Page speed and Core Web Vital | Yes |
Bing Webmaster Tools | Bing SEO and search visibility | Yes |
Ahrefs | Backlinks and competitor research | Limited |
Semrush | All-in-one SEO | Limited |
Screaming Frog SEO Spider | Technical SEO audits | Yes |
SE Ranking | Rank tracking and SEO management | Trial |
Moz Pro | SEO and keyword research | Trial |
Ubersuggest | Keyword research | Limited |
AnswerThePublic | Question research | Limited |
AlsoAsked | People Also Ask research | Limited |
Surfer | Content optimisation | Paid |
Clearscope | Content optimisation | Paid |
Frase | Content research and optimisation | Paid |
Sitebulb | Technical SEO auditing | Trial |
Yoast SEO | WordPress SEO | Yes |
Rank Math | WordPress SEO | Yes |
BrightLocal | Local SEO | Trial |
Whitespark | Local SEO and citations | Paid |
Looker Studio | SEO reporting | Yes |
Best for: Checking the performance of Google Search
One of the tools to install on a website relying on organic search is Google Search Console.
It delivers first-hand data on the performance of your pages on Google Search by delivering statistics related to clicks, impressions, click-through rate, average position, search queries, best-performing pages, index status, search appearance, and Core Web Vitals.
The Performance report will allow you to detect pages that have lost their impressions, discover queries where your site already has visibility, and identify the scope for optimising your content.
Best for: Website traffic & user behavior
Google Analytics will let you know about the activities that take place after the user lands on your website.
Organic traffic, landing pages, engagement, user journeys, conversion rate, traffic sources, and events analysis can all be done through Google Analytics.
While Google Search Console tells you about Google Search activities, Analytics helps you know about activities that take place on the website.
Best for: Search trends and changing demand
Google Trends is a free online tool to research the change in interest for a particular subject over time. It allows you to compare subjects, research seasonal demand, find related searches, and discover trends.
This tool is especially helpful prior to creating content, as search volume does not necessarily reveal whether interest for a particular subject is rising or falling.
Best for: Keyword research
Though it is developed for Google Ads, Google Keyword Planner can be used for conducting SEO keyword research as well. This tool will allow you to find keyword suggestions, evaluate search volume, uncover relevant terms, determine the commercial intent of keywords, and create keyword groups.
It should be used as one of the data sources instead of being the sole keyword research tool.
Best for: Page speed and Core Web Vitals
PageSpeed Insights analyses individual web pages and provides recommendations for improving performance and user experience.
It can help identify issues involving Largest Contentful Paint, Cumulative Layout Shift, Interaction to Next Paint, image optimisation, JavaScript, CSS, server response, and render-blocking resources.
Best for: Bing search and extra search visibility
Bing Webmaster Tools is the tool for search performance, indexing, crawling, backlinks and diagnostics.
This tool can be used for submitting sitemaps, URL inspection, SEO problems, backlinks analysis, crawl data and non-Google visibility.
Best for: Backlinking and Competitor Research
One of the popular professional SEO tools is Ahrefs. The services offered by Ahrefs include keyword research, backlinking, competitor research, ranking, site auditing, content research, and search visibility.
Ahrefs is highly efficient in helping understand the keywords of your competitor, referring domain, backlinking, and content gap.
8. Semrush
Best for: One-stop SEO and competitor analysis tool
Semrush is an all-round SEO tool that helps with keyword research, competitor analysis, website auditing, backlink analysis, rank tracking, content optimization, local SEO, traffic analysis, and artificial intelligence search visibility.
This is especially good for SEO agencies since different SEO processes can be run in one single platform.
Best for: Technical SEO audit
The Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a website spider which can be used to find technical and on-page SEO issues.
This tool can help find broken links, 404 errors, redirects, duplicate content, missing title tags, duplicate title tags, missing meta descriptions, heading issues, canonical issues, indexing issues, and internal linking issues
10. SE Ranking
Best for: Tracking rankings and SEO
SE Ranking is an amalgamation of various SEO tasks into one platform. Its uses include rank tracking, website auditing, competitor analysis, keyword research, backlink analysis, local SEO, and report generation.
This platform can be utilized by companies and agencies who need an all-encompassing SEO solution and a reasonably simple process.
11. Moz Pro
Best for: Keyword research and SEO analysis
Moz Pro includes a set of tools used for keyword research, rank tracking, web crawling, link analysis, competitive research, and on-page optimization.
Domain Authority measure by Moz Pro is often referred to by SEO specialists while assessing websites and their backlinks.
12. Ubersuggest
Best for: Keyword research for beginners
Ubersuggest offers keyword suggestions, search volume statistics, SEO difficulty rating, content suggestions, competitive keyword research, and backlinks analysis.
Can be helpful for small businesses and marketers at their initial stage of learning about SEO
13. Keyword Surfer
Best for: Fast keyword research
Keyword Surfer is a browser extension that shows keyword data in Google search engine result pages.
Helpful tool for rapid analysis of search volume, related keywords, keyword ideas, and other information relevant to the content.
14. AnswerThePublic
Best for: Question research
AnswerThePublic will help you transform your general keyword into questions and topics of search.
The questions obtained can then be utilized for creating content clusters, FAQs, supporting articles, and topic outlines.
15. AlsoAsked
Best for: People Also Ask research
AlsoAsked is ideal for examining the connections between questions shown in Google’s People Also Ask section.
It will help you understand how questions, sub-topics, search journeys, and supporting content are related.
16. Surfer
Best for: Content optimisation
This content optimisation platform provides insight into how content works with the search results.
It can be used to research relevant terms, content structures, competitor content, topic coverage, and optimisation possibilities.
17. Clearscope
Best for: Content optimisation by editorial team
Clearscope is a tool that allows content teams to learn about which topics and terms often relate to a specific search query.
This is beneficial for companies that produce a lot of SEO content
18. Frase
Best for: Content research and optimisation
It will be very helpful in the following: SERP research, content brief creation, topic generation, content optimization, and questions research.
19. Sitebulb
Best for: Technical SEO audit
Sitebulb is a visual SEO auditing tool which makes technical SEO data more comprehensible.
This tool can detect problems that arise in crawling, internal linking, indexability, duplication, site architecture, and on-page SEO aspects. The reports generated by this tool can prove useful when presenting technical SEO information to the clients.
20. Yoast SEO
Best for: WordPress SEO
Yoast SEO is one of the most widely used WordPress SEO plugins.
It provides features for SEO analysis, readability, XML sitemaps, schema, breadcrumbs, canonical URLs, meta titles, meta descriptions, and internal linking.
21. Rank Math
Best for: WordPress SEO and on-page optimisation
Rank Math is another popular WordPress SEO plugin.
It provides features for meta titles and descriptions, XML sitemaps, schema markup, redirections, SEO analysis, local SEO, WooCommerce SEO, and content optimisation.
Best for: Testing structured data eligibility
Google's Rich Results Test allows you to check whether a page's structured data can support eligible rich results.
Use it when implementing or troubleshooting schema markup, especially for pages where rich-result eligibility matters.
Best for: Validating Schema.org markup
Schema.org provides the vocabulary used for structured data across the web.
The Schema Markup Validator can help identify problems with structured data implementation and confirm whether markup is being recognised correctly.
24. Lighthouse
Best for: Website performance and technical audits
Lighthouse is an open-source auditing tool that can analyse web pages across performance, accessibility, best practices, and SEO.
It is particularly useful for developers who want technical recommendations directly within their development workflow.
25. GTmetrix
Best for: Website performance analysis
GTmetrix provides detailed reports about website loading performance.
It can help identify slow resources, large files, render-blocking resources, image issues, JavaScript problems, and performance bottlenecks. Use it alongside PageSpeed Insights rather than treating one performance score as the complete picture.
26. WebPageTest
Best for: Advanced performance testing
WebPageTest provides detailed testing options for analysing website performance under different conditions.
You can test locations, devices, connection speeds, loading behaviour, and waterfall data, making it useful for technical SEO professionals and developers.
27. BrightLocal
Best for: Local SEO
BrightLocal focuses on local search optimisation. It can help businesses and agencies with local rank tracking, citation management, reputation management, local SEO audits, and Google Business Profile-related workflows.
28. Whitespark
Best for: Local citations and local SEO
Whitespark provides tools for local search campaigns, including citation research, local rank tracking, and local SEO workflows.
It can be particularly useful for agencies managing local SEO across multiple locations.
Best for: Local search visibility
Google Business Profile is essential for businesses serving specific locations.
Businesses can manage information such as their name, address, phone number, website, opening hours, services, photos, and reviews. A well-maintained profile can support visibility in Google Maps and local search results
30. Looker Studio
Best for: SEO reporting
Looker Studio can turn data from platforms such as Google Search Console and Google Analytics into visual dashboards.
It is especially useful for agencies that need to report organic traffic, clicks, impressions, CTR, rankings, conversions, and landing-page performance.
Best for: Understanding Google's search systems
Google Search Central provides documentation and resources for website owners and SEO professionals.
It is useful for understanding crawling, indexing, search appearance, structured data, JavaScript SEO, spam policies, Search Essentials, and core updates.
When you are unsure about a Google SEO recommendation, Google's own documentation should generally be one of the first places you check.
32. ChatGPT
Best for: SEO research assistance and workflow support
AI assistants can support SEO workflows when used as research and productivity tools rather than replacements for SEO expertise.
You can use an AI assistant to group keywords by intent, generate content outlines, identify content gaps, analyse SERP patterns, create FAQ ideas, rewrite unclear sections, and develop internal-linking suggestions.
AI-generated content should still be reviewed, fact-checked, edited, and improved by someone who understands the subject.
33. Perplexity
Best for: Research and source discovery
Perplexity can be useful during the research stage of SEO content creation.
It can help researchers explore unfamiliar topics, find sources, compare concepts, identify questions, and understand emerging topics. Always verify important facts against primary or authoritative sources before publishing.
34. Google Search
Best for: Real-world search intent research
Sometimes the best SEO tool can be Google itself.
Just enter the search term in Google and see what happens in Autocomplete, People Also Ask, featured snippets, discussions, videos, images, Shopping Results, and Local Results.
That is how you can know what Google deems as relevant at the present time to your specific search term and that is why manual SERP analysis is necessary.
35. Google Search Console URL Inspection
Best for: Indexing diagnosis
Inspection of URLs is especially helpful in cases where a certain web page fails to show up on Google.
Check out if Google has discovered, crawled, and indexed a particular URL or Google selected another URL as a canonical URL.
It’s useful in case a vital page has disappeared from search or a recently updated page fails to appear in search results.
36. Google Page Experience Resources
Best for: Mobile and user-experience checks
SEO does not consist solely of keywords and backlinks. One should also consider how well a website works on different devices.
Consider mobile usability, Core Web Vitals, loading, HTTPS, intrusive elements, navigation, and accessibility when performing a more holistic SEO quality check.
Best for: Free SEO research
Ahrefs provides a number of free tools which include those used for generating keywords, backlinks auditing, SERP analysis, researching the difficulty of keywords, checking websites, and AI visibility.
These tools may prove helpful even when one does not subscribe to the paid version of Ahrefs
Best for: Quick SEO checks
Semrush offers a set of SEO tools for free to use for checking websites, researching keywords, analyzing authority, traffic, and AI visibility.
These tools will come in handy if you need to conduct fast research and diagnostics before starting the SEO process.
39. SEO Minion
Best for: Browser-based SEO checks
SEO Minion is an extension to the web browser which could help with SEO-related tasks on a daily basis.
This tool could be useful for finding broken links, redirects, SERP preview, on-page info, hreflang, and search results data.
40. SEOquake
Best for: Quick SERP and page analysis
SEOquake is a browser toolbar providing SEO information while browsing webpages and search engine results.
It could be helpful for doing a quick competitive analysis and on-page optimization without entering a complete SEO environment.
Best for: Fast on-page SEO checks
“Detailed” is an SEO extension which operates via the browser and serves to analyze the on-page elements fast.
The extension allows one to analyze the titles, meta-descriptions, headers, links, canonicals, and indexing.
42. Keyword Insights
Best for: Keyword clustering
Keywords clustering tools enable grouping of similar keywords based on their search intent and relationship with one another on the SERPs.
In lieu of creating a unique page for each variation of the keywords, clustering enables the determination of which keywords can be optimized on the same page.
43. Screaming Frog Log File Analyser
Best for: Understanding crawler behaviour
Log file analysis allows you to understand how search engine crawlers are interacting with your website.
It allows you to detect pages that are crawled often, infrequently, crawl waste, status codes, and bot behavior.
For larger sites, log file analysis will allow you to detect technical SEO issues that cannot be detected through crawling.
44. Google Ads Keyword Planner
Best for: Commercial keyword research
Though this tool has been built for advertisement campaigns, you can still benefit from using Google Ads Keyword Planner while searching for profitable keywords.
It is especially helpful if you need to know more about commercial queries, variations of keywords, their demand, competition, and services related to them.
45. Bing Webmaster Tools SEO Reports
Best for: Additional technical SEO insights
The Bing Webmaster Tools include SEO reporting and suggestions which may reveal some areas that need work.
The Bing web monitoring will provide you with another channel to track your search visibility.
46. Google Alerts
Best for: Brand and topic monitoring
The Google Alert tool will inform you whenever any web content becomes available that matches a particular search term.
This tool can help you in tracking brand mentions, company names, product names, your competition, and industry-related issues.
It is not an alternative to the professional backlink/brand monitoring tool; it just works as a simple monitoring tool.
47. Wayback Machine
Best for: Historical website research
The Wayback Machine may be used to research the past of a particular site or web page.
It may be particularly useful if your rankings have dropped unexpectedly, if content on the page has changed recently, if there has been a URL change, if the page has been reworked, or if content has been removed.
48. Google Alerts for Brand Monitoring
Best for: Finding new brand mentions
Mentions and alerts can be created about your company, its products/services and key executives to find new mentions about the company on the Web.
In cases where there is a mention without a link, there is a possibility to make contact with the publisher of that information.
Best for: Long-term SEO decision-making
The least used SEO tool is the right reporting system.
The SEO reporting process may be built on such components as Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Bing Webmaster Tools, Ahrefs/Semrush, Screaming Frog, and Looker Studio.
Organic clicks, impressions, CTR, average position, organic conversions, keywords ranking, backlinks, referring domains, technical issues, and indexing may be tracked.
Reporting is needed not just for making nice graphs. Reporting has to show what happened, why it happened, and what you need to do next.
How to Choose the Right SEO Tool
You do not need all 49 tools to run a successful SEO campaign. Your ideal SEO toolkit depends on the size of your website, your objectives, your experience, and your budget.
For beginners
- Google Search Console
- Google Analytics
- Google Trends
- Google Keyword Planner
- PageSpeed Insights
- Bing Webmaster Tools
For SEO professionals
- Google Search Console
- Google Analytics
- Ahrefs or Semrush
- Screaming Frog
- Google Trends
- PageSpeed Insights
- Looker Studio
For SEO agencies
Further skills would be required to perform rank tracking, client reporting, competitive analysis, backlinks monitoring, technical SEO, local SEO, and content research by the agencies.
A mix of Ahrefs/Semrush, Screaming Frog, Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Looker Studio would make a great starting point.
For local businesses
- Google Business Profile
- Google Search Console
- Google Analytics
- Google Trends
- BrightLocal
- Whitespark
Local SEO requires more than traditional keyword research because visibility can vary significantly between locations.
Free vs Paid SEO Tools: Which Should You Use?
In most cases, free SEO tools can be sufficient for conducting basic SEO research.Google Search Console could provide you with first-party search performance data, whereas Google Trends might help find out about shifts in search interest.
However, paid SEO tools are more helpful when your SEO needs become more complicated. They may offer more competitor data, databases with backlinks, keywords, rank tracking, site audits, historical data, reporting, and content research.
The crucial point here is to choose an SEO tool that is designed for solving certain problems rather than purchasing the one with a bigger number of features.
Can SEO Tools Improve Rankings?
SEO tools do not directly make a website rank higher. They provide data, diagnostics, and insights that help you make better optimisation decisions.
A keyword research tool can identify a valuable topic. A technical crawler can identify broken links. Google Search Console can reveal declining queries. A backlink tool can identify competitor link opportunities. A content optimisation platform can highlight missing topics.
Someone still needs to interpret the information and implement the right changes. The quality of the SEO strategy matters more than the number of tools being used.
Are AI SEO Tools Worth Using in 2026?
AI has played an increasingly significant role in SEO processes, especially in research, content analysis, keyword clustering, and search visibility monitoring.
Some prominent SEO tools currently have features that allow them to track visibility in AI-enabled searches. AI may be used for research, outlining, keyword grouping, and content analysis as well.
However, AI must never substitute original research, knowledge about the topic, fact-checking, editing, search intent analysis, and personal experience.
It is necessary to use AI to optimize SEO processes while retaining the control of the end result by a person
How Elexoft Can Help With SEO and Digital Growth
SEO tools are most effective when the data is translated into a clear strategy and implemented correctly. Businesses that need help with technical SEO, on-page optimisation, content, website performance, or broader digital growth can work with an experienced team.
Elexoft offers SEO services as part of its wider digital solutions. The company also provides web development services and digital marketing services, allowing businesses to address both their website infrastructure and search visibility.
For businesses exploring AI as part of their digital strategy, Elexoft also provides AI-driven solutions.
Final Thoughts
However, the most effective SEO tool may not always be the most costly one.
A successful SEO strategy often requires an analysis of multiple types of data. Google Search Console allows you to see how well your pages rank in search, Google Trends allows you to see the shifting demand, the crawling tools can help find technical issues, while Ahrefs and Semrush platforms can help analyze the competitors and keywords.
It would make sense for most websites to start with the following set of tools: Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Trends, PageSpeed Insights, Screaming Frog, and one SEO platform (Ahrefs or Semrush).
With a more sophisticated approach to SEO, you can introduce more tools dedicated to local SEO, content optimization, rank tracking, reporting, and artificial intelligence search visibility.
What matters is not collecting the biggest number of SEO tools available. The important thing is that you select those SEO tools that allow you to understand your target audience and make SEO decisions.
FAQs
What is the best SEO tool in 2026?
There is not an SEO tool that will work the best for all websites. Semrush and Ahrefs would be good all-around tools, but the Google Search Console is required for tracking Google Search results. Technical SEO specialists might prefer to use Screaming Frog.
What is the best free SEO tool?
Google Search Console is one of the most useful free SEO tools as it gives you access to first-party data related to your site’s Google Search performance, like clicks, impressions, queries, and average position.
Which SEO tool is best for keyword research?
Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, and Ubersuggest can all be useful for keyword research. The best choice depends on the depth of data and research workflow you need.
Which tool is best for technical SEO?
Screaming Frog SEO Spider is one of the strongest options for technical SEO crawling. It can identify a wide range of technical and on-page issues across a website.
Are paid SEO tools better than free SEO tools?
Not always. Free services may provide good data that will be enough to fulfill some basic SEO tasks. Paid software is more useful when it comes to gathering large amounts of competitor data, backlinks data, rank data, historical data, etc.
Can SEO tools guarantee higher Google rankings?
No. SEO tools cannot guarantee rankings. They provide information that can help you identify technical issues, understand search intent, research keywords, analyse competitors, and improve your website.
How many SEO tools do I need?
Most businesses do not need dozens of tools. A small but effective toolkit could include Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Trends, PageSpeed Insights, Screaming Frog, and one comprehensive SEO platform.
