Keyword Research Tools Comparison Matrix

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SEO Tools

10 Google Keyword Planner Alternatives (Free and Paid) To Boost Your Organic Search Results

Tried out Google Keyword Planner and looking for something different? Here are 10 options...

Holly Stanley

Freelance Content Writer for B2B, SaaS, and Digital Marketing Brands

10 Google Keyword Planner Alternatives (Free and Paid) To Boost Your Organic Search Results

March 12, 2022

October 12, 2020

Google Keyword Planner is often considered the gold standard of keyword research for both paid and organic campaigns. However, since its inception 20 years ago, more advanced and user-friendly keyword research tools have appeared, so it’s always a good idea to take a look at Google Keyword Planner Alternatives.

Whether you’re looking to plan your site’s SEO strategy from scratch or you’re looking to redevelop its keyword strategy, at least several SEO tools will be essential for the planning and execution phase.

Before we dive into a list of Google Keyword Planner alternatives, let’s take a look at what makes it such a popular keyword research tool and a few of its pros and cons.

Why Google Keyword Planner and What’s So Good About It?

Google Keyword Planner Landing Page Snippet - Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

Google is the most successful and widely used search engine today. If you’re not using data and insights directly from the platform itself, it can feel like you’re missing out on key information for your SEO strategy.

Google Keyword Planner makes it easy to manage your keyword research both for organic search results and paid campaigns directly out of your Google account.

Within Google Keyword Planner, there are 2 different options:

Find new keywords - this tool is useful for identifying phrases and words that are linked to the ones you’ve already entered. Here there are estimated bids for the keywords for PPC campaigns.
Get search volume/forecasts - this feature is for when you’ve already identified keywords you’d like to target. The tool will give you stats related to each keyword’s search volume and its projected performance.

Google Keyword Planner is a great starting point for keyword research however its focus on paid ad campaigns doesn’t necessarily make it the ideal platform if you’re looking to focus on organic search results.

Price: Free.

Pros	Cons
Enter up to 3 different seed keywords or a URL for relevant keyword suggestions.	Designed for PPC campaigns, the platform is not always that easy to navigate if you’re looking to exclusively focus on organic search results.
View up to 4 years of historical data.	Only offers around 300 keyword suggestions - previously the platform offered up to 500.
Identify keywords based on geographical location drilling right down to postal codes, making it a great tool for local businesses looking to boost their performance in local SERPs.	Fewer filters than other keyword research tools make it harder to focus on keywords that are most relevant to your content.
Completely free to use with unlimited searches.	No negative keyword list.
Forecasting tab gives you an indication of what to expect if you run a specific campaign.	Data is only pulled from Google’s servers - doesn’t consider other search engines at all.

Best for: Businesses looking to harness the platform for paid Google Ad campaigns as opposed to generating organic traffic.

Top Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

1. Wordtracker Scout

Wordtracker Scout Landing Page Snippet - Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

Wordtracker Scout is a highly effective keyword research tool for figuring out what your top competitors are getting right in their keyword strategy.

While you’ve probably already taken a look at your competitors’ blogs and pages in the hope of sourcing some vital keyword information, it’s a pretty time-consuming task. Without the right tool, it’s also very easy to miss out on key bits of information.

Working as a Google Chrome Extension, Wordtracker Scout functions directly out of your browser. Once installed, all you have to do is visit a competing site’s web pages, hover over the content, click the "W" button and you’ll view a cloud summary of the page’s keywords and insights.

If you prefer to research new keywords for your site, their keyword generator has access to 320 million Wordtracker keywords and an additional 95 million search engine keywords powered by SEMrush.

Price: The Chrome browser extension is free and Wordtracker Keyword Tool allows you to perform 12 free keyword searches a day while access to their keyword generator starts at $27/month for a Bronze Plan with a top tier Gold Plan costing $99/month.

Wordtracker Scout vs. Google Keyword Planner

Pros	Cons
View up to 2,000 keywords in just one search.	No seasonal data for keywords provided.
Discover your competitors’ top used keywords for each of their web pages.	Some keyword suggestions are irrelevant or inaccurate.
Review key stats like their own opportunity metric, search volume and competition for each keyword.	No user queries or questions are provided - you’ll have to come up with relevant questions to answer from the keyword suggestions yourself.
Easy to use and simple dashboard makes the tool suitable for SEO users of all levels.	High-performing keywords that are already being used by your competitors will likely be difficult to rank for.
The Chrome extension allows for easy competitor research on the go.	Access to the keyword generator tool requires a monthly subscription.

Best for: Businesses looking to perform keyword research into their competitors’ pages while also generating new keyword ideas without an overwhelming amount of data or stats.

2. Semrush Keyword Magic Tool

SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool Sample Dashboard - Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

SEMrush is a one-stop shop for all of your SEO needs, but when it comes to keyword research, the platform truly shines. Their Keyword Magic tool has access to 20 billion keywords and is the largest keyword database available.

SEMrush is an unbeatable combination of accurate data, insights and detailed filters helping you hone in on those profitable keywords that will drive your organic traffic and push your site up in the rankings.

Accurately separating terms by topic, analyzing each keyword and allowing you to easily export keywords between different features means that SEMrush does the hard work for you.

In 2020, a Bulk Analysis feature was introduced that allows one to analyze up to 100 keywords at a time. New features were also added to the Keyword Overview tool & Keyword Magic Tool that enhance efficiency of determining keyword potential.

Price: Pro plans are $119.95/month. A guru plan is $229.95/month while a business plan is $449.95/month. There are discounts for annual billing and all plans come with access to 40+ different powerful SEO tools.

Semrush Keyword Magic Tool vs. Google Keyword Planner

Pros	Cons
Keyword Magic Tool is probably the most thorough and comprehensive keyword research tool available.	Traffic estimates and search volume metrics are often inaccurate and don’t align with the real data.
View an organic traffic report that shows a list of all the keywords you’re currently ranking for in search engines.	Only takes into account Google search engine - doesn’t account for other search engines at all.
PPC analysis means you can use SEMrush for uncovering profitable keywords for paid ad campaigns.	SEMrush’s huge quantity of data makes the platform difficult to navigate and a bit overwhelming if you’re new to SEO.
See how your site is performing in rankings for up to 100 selected keywords.	Annoyingly, you can’t save lists of keywords within SEMrush, meaning if you want to refer to lists later, you need to export the keyword list as an Excel file making the process less streamlined and more time-consuming.
Using advanced filtering tools, segment keywords by topic making it easier to streamline your research.	SEMrush only filters data by country and not by city. If you’re aiming to improve your local SEO and require city-specific data, you’ll need to use another platform in combination with SEMrush.

Best for: Businesses who have an established site or large SEO budget looking to use the best SEO toolkit available.

Start your SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool 14-Day FREE Trial

3. Mangools KWFinder

Mangools KWFinder Sample Dashboard - Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

KWFinder is Mangool’s signature keyword research tool. Claiming that keyword research isn’t rocket science, KW Finder promises to make your life a whole lot easier when it comes to performing keyword research.

Colour coding, easy to read fonts and just generally better visual aesthetics make KWFinder a far more intuitive keyword research tool than many others.

Mangools’ particular strength is helping you identify keywords that will be much easy to rank for taking the guesswork out of keyword research.

Price: A Basic Plan is $29.90/month while a top tier Agency Plan is $79.90/month.

Mangools KWFinder vs. Google Keyword Planner

Pros	Cons
View which keywords your competitors are ranking for.	Heavy keyword search limits on lower-priced plans.
Identify seasonal keywords and trending topics to create ultra-relevant content.	Only available as part of a package of 5 SEO tools.
Find location-specific long-tail keywords.	Keyword lists seem limited compared to competitors like SEMrush and Ahrefs.
Select from 50k+ locations and choose from over 40 different languages.	No integration with Google Analytics or Search Console which is a downside if you like to use these tools as part of your SEO strategy.
Identify keywords that’ll be easier to rank for by filtering with Mangools’ difficulty and search volume metrics.	Limitations on searches and metrics mean that only the higher tier paid plans are suitable for professional use.

Best for: Businesses who want an easy to use intuitive platform that’s suitable for those without too much SEO knowledge.

Start your Mangools KWFinder 10-Day FREE Trial

4. WordStream

WordStream Landing Page Snippet - Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

If you’re looking for a more user-friendly Google Keyword Planner alternative, WordStream is an excellent choice of keyword research tool. One of the most robust keyword research tools out there, WordStream has access to a massive database of 1 trillion keywords.

Advanced and in-depth enough for pro SEO experts to use, the simple and clear layout makes it suitable for beginners too. The best news about WordStream is that despite the huge amounts of data, the tool doesn’t have premium pricing. In fact, the first 30 searches are free.

Price: Free with limits or custom pricing based on the number of daily searches.

WordStream vs. Google Keyword Planner

Pros	Cons
Receive the first 30 keyword suggestions directly to your inbox.	A free subscription plan only allows you to see Google search volume metrics, other stats requires a monthly subscription.
Use the Niche Finder Tool to identify keywords with lower competition levels.	Providing an email address is a requirement of viewing the first 30 free results.
Paid plans include CPC, search volume and competition metrics.	Data seems very similar to Google Adwords - only repackaged.
Filter keywords by industry or location.	Keyword research is limited to search engines - there’s no keyword research for shopping, video, or app ads.
Download their Create SEO Content browser extension and receive instant keyword suggestions while you’re browsing online.	Searches sometimes load up slowly.

Best for: Users who would prefer a more visually aesthetic and intuitive dashboard than Google Adwords.

5. Ubersuggest

Ubersuggest Landing Page Snippet - Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

Ubersuggest is a great Google Keyword Planner alternative if you’re looking for a keyword research tool to help you decide on relevant content topics too.

Along with many other keyword research tools on this list, Ubersuggest requires you to enter a seed keyword and the platform will then generate piles of suitable keyword suggestions.

Full of suggestions, one of its best features is the related keywords tab which shows you a few demonstrated uses of your chosen keyword so you know how to incorporate it into your content.

Ubersuggest also searches Images, Shopping, News and YouTube along with regular search engines.

Price: Has a free account level which gives you access to most of the keyword data offered by Ubersuggest and also has a free Chrome extension you can use from the SERPs. An Individual Plan is $38/month while a top tier Agency Plan is $130/month.

Ubersuggest vs. Google Keyword Planner

Pros	Cons
View location-based data which is essential if you have a local business.	The quantity of keyword suggestions is usually lower than other platforms making Ubersuggest less useful if you have a larger site with high levels of content.
Identify keywords that aren’t available through Google Keyword Planner.	No mobile app for keyword research on the go.
Unique visual word cloud display makes viewing keywords much easier compared to viewing them in a grid or list.	Access to keyword filters requires a monthly pro subscription.
Use Ubersuggest for other SEO related tasks like checking your monthly organic traffic, top pages and backlinks.	Some niche markets have fewer keyword suggestions.
Access a comparison tab for identifying reviews vs articles.	Ubersuggest pulls its keywords from Google Suggests meaning you could use the free Google SEO tool for the same keyword research - just in a different layout.

Best for: Businesses with smaller websites looking to get started with keyword research while trying other SEO tools and using an intuitive visual platform.

6. Moz Keyword Explorer

Moz-Keyword Explorer Landing Page Snippet - Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

Moz Keyword Explorer is a user-friendly intuitive keyword research tool that provides plenty of insightful metrics and complex analysis making thorough competitive keyword analysis a whole lot easier.

Predictive keyword metrics including keyword difficulty, search volume and expected Organic Click-Through Rate help predict your ability to rank and drive traffic.

A SERP analysis feature shows you why pages rank where they do with a breakdown of the link data and elements of each ranking position.

Price: Signing up for a Moz free account allows you to perform 10 free keyword searches per month A Standard Plan is $99/month with other plans ranging in price with a Premium Plan costing $599/month.

Moz Keyword Explorer vs. Google Keyword Planner

Pros	Cons
Save lists of keywords within the platform so there’s no need to export lists.	No PPC metrics means you can’t use the keyword research tool for paid ad research.
A keyword priority feature makes it easy to figure out which keyword you should definitely be incorporating in your content strategy.	Limits on each paid tier of the platform mean that only the higher tiers are really worth paying for.
Perform competitive keyword analysis and discover your competitors’ most prized keywords.	Only available with a full subscription to Moz Pro and the platform’s other SEO tools.
Search keyword suggestions and rankings by country to deliver a global SEO strategy.	Despite the high price of a subscription, the keyword database is not as comprehensive as other tools like SEMrush meaning more niche industries may have a hard time identifying keywords.
Use Moz’s in-house metric keyword difficulty to find out how hard it is to rank on each SERP for specific keywords.	The free version only allows up to 10 queries per month.

Best for: Businesses looking for a comprehensive keyword research tool that comes as a package with other SEO tools. It’s best for businesses that won’t mind paying less and having a few more limitations than other keyword research tools.

7. Keywords Everywhere

Keywords Everywhere Landing Page Snippet - Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

A free browser extension, Keywords Everywhere is the ideal Google Keyword Planner alternative if you prefer to do your keyword research while on the go. While you browse the web, the extension pulls up keyword suggestions along with helpful keyword metrics to help guide your research.

Keywords Everywhere comes particularly recommended as a tool for spying on your competitors’ top-performing web pages to find out which keywords they’re using as part of their strategy.

View several different metrics including CPC, monthly search volume, and competition data.

Price: Top up system allows you to purchase credits in exchange for discovering keywords. $10 buys 100,000 credits which equal 100,000 keywords.

Keywords Everywhere vs. Google Keyword Planner

Pros	Cons
Perform keyword research across 15+ websites including Google, Amazon, Bing, YouTube, and Google Search Console.	Tool is simplistic compared to other keyword research tools on this list.
Top-up payment system makes it a great option for those looking to begin keyword research without risking a pricey monthly subscription.	Data isn’t always 100% accurate.
Import your own keywords to view accurate CPC, competition and monthly search volume for them.	Less focus on generating new keyword ideas and more about analyzing competitors’ current keyword strategy.
Analyze any URL to obtain a list of keywords appearing within the content along with the density of the keywords.	Only available on Google Chrome and Firefox browsers.
Easy to quickly analyze other competitors.	Top-up payment system of credits means that sometimes you use up Keywords Everywhere credits without meaning to while browsing the web.

Best for: Users wanting a simple keyword research tool that gives them an insight into their competitors’ strategy.

8. Keyword Discovery

Keyword Discovery Landing Page Snippet - Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

Drawing on a database of 36 billion search queries sourced from 200 different search engines across the globe, it’s safe to say Keyword Discovery is a strong contender and an excellent Google Keyword Planner Alternative.

Keyword Discovery’s unique ‘Spelling Mistakes’ feature allows you to take advantage of commonly misspelt words. Often less competitive than the correctly spelt version, you can use them in your campaigns and still pull in lots of organic traffic.

Their Keyword Efficiency Index metrics help you identify those keywords with a decent search volume but that will still be easier to rank for.

Price: Pricing is dependant on the number of daily searches. A Standard Plan that comes with up to 1500 searches a day and 1000 results is free while if you want access to tools like the Keyword Analyze Tool and the Keyword Competitors Tool, you’ll need to pay for a Professional Plan at $49.95/month.

Keyword Discovery vs. Google Keyword Planner

Pros	Cons
Performs keyword research across Bing, Google and Yahoo.	Interface is pretty dated compared to other tools.
Analyzes keyword density.	Access to some features like the Management Tool and Keyword Analysis requires a subscription.
Identifies seasonal keyword trends.	The spelling mistake and keyword density tools are associated with more risky and outdated SEO tactics which may cause problems for beginner users.
Use the ‘Industry Keywords’ feature to uncover popular search terms that drive traffic to your specific niche industry.	Subscription is on the pricier end of the spectrum for a tool that only offers Keyword Research and no other SEO tools.
Acces a ‘Related Keywords’ feature for discovering keywords that are relevant to your site’s purpose that you’re not yet targeting.	No mobile app for performing keyword research on the go.

Best for: Businesses looking for an in-depth keyword research tool with detailed metrics that will help guide their content strategy.

9. LSI Keyword Generator

LSI Keyword Generator Sample Dashboard - Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

LSI Keyword Generator is a completely free keyword research tool that is best used to help you find profitable keywords that are semantically related.

These semantically related keywords are generally less obvious than the seed keyword and show you niches where your content may be currently missing out on.

Usually less competitive and often more profitable, it pays to use synonyms and long-tail versions of your target keywords.

LSI Keyword Generator’s creative and unique approach to generating keywords will help you create relevant content with new angles that answers users’ search queries.

Price: Plans are based on the number of keyword searches each day. A Basic Plan with up to 100 searches/day is $27/month while a Premium Plan with 300 searches/day is $37/month.

LSI Keyword Generator vs. Google Keyword Planner

Pros	Cons
Install the LSI Keyword Generator WordPress plugin to come up with keywords or synonyms while you’re working in the platform.	No filtering features.
Identify the values of keywords using their own formula, Latent Semantic Value. The better the LSV, the more likely your content will rank for that keyword.	White Label Reporting is only included with a top-tier agency plan.
Discover the top-performing content for your keywords and find ways of outranking it with unique LSI keywords.	No ranking tools means the platform isn’t suitable for tracking keywords’ performance.
Use the platform for locally based keyword research.	Multi-language support and location selection is only available with a Premium Plan.
User interface is simple to use and fast to load.	The principle of using synonyms doesn’t work well with names or places.

Best for: Businesses and agencies looking for a fresh approach to generating unique keywords that will help keep their content super relevant.

10. Soovle

Soovle Landing Page Snippet - Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

Soovle is one of the easiest to use keyword research tools around. While it’s simple and dated in appearance, it’s a powerful tool that’s best used for quick lookups.

If you don’t want to just concentrate on Google for keyword research, Soovle is a great tool to use since it also uses other search engines for keyword research.

The keyword research tool can also help you identify less competitive long-tail key phrases that will help boost your performance in SERPs.

Price: Free

Soovle vs. Google Keyword Planner

Pros	Cons
Perform an unlimited number of searches for free.	No metrics like search volume or competition provided.
Do keyword researches on several search engines including Amazon, Google, Wikipedia, and Yahoo!	No guidance as to what will be the most relevant keywords for your specific site.
Platform loads quickly and efficiently.	No other SEO features available.
Download results from keyword searches for future reference.	Focused on the U.S.
Basic layout with different boxes for each search engine makes it a very easy tool to get to grips with.	Sometimes there are no results for more niche keywords.

Best for: Businesses or freelancers looking for some quick keyword ideas to get them started.

Summary of Google Keyword Planner Alternatives

Although Google still leads the way as the most used and popular search engine, their keyword research tool isn’t always the best bet if your focus is on driving organic search results.

While the tool may be the best place to start if you’re looking to carry out paid Google Ads campaigns, there are lots of Google Keyword Planner alternatives that are better for organic keyword research. More filters, longer lists and access to other search engines’ data are a few of the advantages of using a Google Keyword Planner alternative from this list.

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