SEO tools can cost hundreds of dollars per month. But if you're a blogger starting out, free tools can cover most needs.
Here are 10 free SEO tools that help with keyword research, rank tracking, backlink analysis, and on‑page optimization.
1. Google Search Console – Essential for Any Blogger
URL: https://search.google.com/search-console
GSC shows your site's organic search performance, indexing status, and core web vitals. You'll see which queries bring clicks, which pages rank, and any crawl errors. It's free and a must‑have for any website owner.
2. Google Keyword Planner – Keyword Research from Google
URL: https://ads.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/
Keyword Planner is for advertisers, but you don't need to run ads. Enter a seed keyword to see search volume, competition, and related terms. The data is from Google, making it reliable for SEO planning.
3. AnswerThePublic – Find Questions People Ask
URL: https://www.baike300.com/article/60.html
Type a keyword, and AnswerThePublic generates questions (who, what, when, where, why, how) that people search. Great for generating blog post ideas and long‑tail keywords. The free tier gives several searches per day.
4. Ubersuggest – All‑in‑One SEO Tool (Free Tier)
URL: https://neilpatel.com/ubersuggest/
Ubersuggest offers keyword suggestions, content ideas, backlink data, and site audits. The free tier allows a few searches daily – enough for most bloggers. It's a good alternative to paid tools like Ahrefs.
5. SEO Minion – Chrome Extension for On‑Page SEO
URL: Chrome Web Store
SEO Minion helps you analyze on‑page elements: meta tags, headings, schema, and broken links. It also can check redirect chains and preview SERPs. Free and lightweight.
6. Ahrefs Backlink Checker (Free) – See Competitor Backlinks
URL: https://ahrefs.com/backlink-checker
Ahrefs offers a free backlink checker. Enter any domain to see its top 100 backlinks. You can't export, but you get a sense of competitors' link profiles.
7. PageSpeed Insights – Google's Speed Test Tool
URL: https://pagespeed.web.dev
Speed is a ranking factor. PageSpeed Insights scores your site's performance on mobile and desktop and gives specific recommendations to improve loading time. Free and essential.
8. MozBar – Free SEO Browser Extension
URL: https://moz.com/products/pro/seo-toolbar
MozBar shows domain authority, page authority, spam score, and highlighted SEO elements (headers, meta tags) for any page. Great for competitor research without leaving your browser.
9. Small SEO Tools – Plagiarism Checker + Grammar
URL: https://smallseotools.com
Small SEO Tools offers a suite of free utilities: plagiarism checker, grammar checker, keyword density tool, text case converter, and more. Useful for quick content checks.
10. SEO Site Checkup – Basic Technical Audit (Free Tier)
URL: https://seositecheckup.com
Enter your URL to get a report on meta tags, headings, images alt, page speed, mobile friendliness, and security. Free tier gives one audit per week – enough for occasional checks.
More resources: Check our technical tutorials or VPS reviews.