Article · 12 min read

The best free keyword research tools (Ahrefs)

Ahrefs · ahrefs.com Free Beginner

A walk-through of free keyword tools, most of them Google's own (Keyword Planner, Search Console, Trends) and what each is good for, updated August 2026.

  • Search Console shows the keywords you already rank for.
  • Google's Keyword Planner and Trends are free and come from Google's own data.
  • Explains when free tools stop being enough.

The question it answers

  1. Which keyword research tool is best, and which are free?

Read with it

  1. The definitive beginner walkthrough of finding and prioritising keywords, from the tool most SEOs actually use, authoritative... Ahrefs Article · 25 min read Keyword Research: The Beginner's Guide by Ahrefs Sam Oh (Ahrefs)
  2. Before you spend a weekend guessing, Google Trends gives you a real, free read on whether interest in your idea is rising,... Google Tool Google Trends Google
  3. The only honest way to answer "is SEO working" is to look at real search data, and Google Search Console is the free,... Google Tool · Free web tool Google Search Console Google
  4. Google's free keyword tool inside Google Ads: how often terms are searched and how that changed, suggested bids, and forecasts.... business.google.com Tool Google Keyword Planner Google
  5. Ahrefs' free tool for keyword ideas from a seed term, with search volume; Ahrefs Free (formerly Webmaster Tools) adds data on... ahrefs.com Tool Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator Ahrefs
  6. Ahrefs' plan page: Ahrefs Free, Starter at $29 a month, Lite at $129, Standard at $249 and Advanced at $449, with AI-search... ahrefs.com Tool Ahrefs pricing Ahrefs
eChai Partner Brands The partnership →