Free Tool list · Updated 2026-11

10 Free Keyword Research Tools (With Their Real Limits)

Seven of these are free from Google and Bing with no cap you'll hit. The other three are free tiers, and I tell you exactly where they stop.

Ten free keyword research tools, each checked live, with what it shows, its real free limit and the job it's best at. Use three of them well and you'll find the searches people type right before they pay you.

For: Founders and local business owners who want to know what buyers type into Google without paying for a keyword tool.

Straight from Google: what people really type · 4
Which tool for which job (side-by-side) · 10
Free tools with search numbers and trends · 3
Free tiers of the big SEO tools · 3
The 20-minute free workflow: 20 buyer searches · 4
My keyword research template · 2
Worked example: a plumber in Pune (illustrative) · 5
Common keyword research mistakes · 5

How to use it

Start with section 1. These come straight from Google and show real searches.
Use the "which tool for which job" table to pick one tool per question.
Run the 20-minute workflow and fill the keyword template as you go.
Finish with 20 buyer searches and one page planned for each money keyword.

Straight from Google: what people really type

These four cost nothing, need no signup (except Search Console), and show real searches instead of estimates. Most people skip them because they look too simple.

Google Search Console (Performance report)Free · needs a Google account and a verified site
Shows the exact searches that already showed your site in Google, with clicks, impressions and average position per query and per page.
Best for: Finding words you already almost rank for (positions 8 to 20) and turning them into pages or sections.
Ritik's note: Open Performance, tick Average position, then sort by impressions. High impressions with few clicks is your to-do list.
Google autocompleteFree · no account · no limit
The suggestions that drop down as you type. Google says they reflect real searches, adjusted for language, location and trending interest.
Best for: Getting the exact words buyers use, like 'roof repair cost per square foot'.
Ritik's note: Type your service, then add a letter (a, b, c...) or a buyer word like 'price', 'near me' or 'best'. Use an incognito window so your own history doesn't bend the results.
People also askFree · no account · no limit
The box of questions in Google results. Click one and more questions appear.
Best for: Headings and FAQ sections. Each question is something a real searcher wanted answered.
Ritik's note: Click 3 or 4 questions to make the box grow, then copy the 10 best into your notes.
Related searchesFree · no account · no limit
The list of related searches at the bottom of the results page.
Best for: Finding the next search a person makes, which often means a second page you should write.
Ritik's note: Click one related search, then check its related searches. Two hops usually show you the whole topic.

Which tool for which job (side-by-side)

All ten on one page. "Real data" means it comes from actual searches, not a model's estimate.

Tool	Best job	Gives volume?	Real data?	Where it stops
Search Console	Words you already show up for	Impressions (yours only)	Yes	Only your site, only searches where you appeared
Autocomplete	Exact buyer wording	No	Yes	No numbers; changes by location
People also ask	Headings and FAQ questions	No	Yes	Not shown for every search
Related searches	The next page to write	No	Yes	No numbers; a short list per search
Keyword Planner	Rough monthly volume, ideas from a URL	Yes (estimate, often a range)	Google estimate	Needs billing details in Google Ads
Google Trends	Which phrase is bigger, and seasons	Relative 0-100 only	Yes (sampled)	No search counts
Bing Keyword Research	A second set of numbers	Bing impressions	Yes (Bing)	Bing's numbers are much smaller than Google's
Ahrefs Keyword Generator	Questions and difficulty	Yes (estimate)	Model estimate	Limited results per search
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools	Your keywords with difficulty	Yes (estimate)	Model estimate	Verified sites only; 1,000 keywords shown
Semrush free	A competitor's top keywords	Yes (estimate)	Model estimate	10 reports a day, 1 project

Free tools with search numbers and trends

You don't need exact volumes to pick a topic. You need to know which version of a phrase is bigger and whether interest is rising.

Google Keyword PlannerFree to use · Google says you must finish Google Ads account setup, including billing details · no ad needed
Google Ads' keyword tool. Gives keyword ideas from a word or a website, with estimated monthly searches and ad costs.
Best for: Rough search volume and keyword ideas from a competitor's URL.
Ritik's note: Practical advice: many people report seeing ranges (like 1K to 10K) instead of exact numbers on accounts that don't run ads. Ranges are fine for choosing topics. Google's help page doesn't confirm this, so check your own account.
Google TrendsFree · no account · compare up to 8 groups of terms (5 on the Classic page)
Shows how interest in a search changes over time and by region, on a 0 to 100 scale. It's relative interest, not raw search counts.
Best for: Picking between two phrases ('roofer' vs 'roofing contractor') and spotting seasons.
Ritik's note: Set the region to your country or state and the time to 5 years. Seasonal businesses should publish a month before the peak.
Bing Webmaster Tools: Keyword ResearchFree · needs a Bing Webmaster Tools account (you can import sites from Search Console)
Bing's free keyword tool inside Webmaster Tools. Shows keyword ideas, related keywords, questions and impression counts from Bing organic search.
Best for: A second, free source of volume-style numbers to check Keyword Planner against.
Ritik's note: Bing's numbers are smaller than Google's. Use them to compare phrases with each other, not as a Google forecast.

Free tiers of the big SEO tools

These are paid tools with a free door. Good for a quick look, not for daily work.

Ahrefs Free Keyword GeneratorFree · shows a limited set of results per search (Ahrefs doesn't publish the exact number)
Type a word and get keyword ideas and questions with volume estimates and Keyword Difficulty, for Google, Bing, YouTube or Amazon.
Best for: Question ideas and a fast difficulty check.
Ritik's note: Switch to the Questions report. Those make good FAQ sections and problem pages.
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (Ahrefs Free)Free · verified sites only · up to 1,000 keywords and backlinks shown at once
Free Site Explorer and Site Audit for sites you verify. Shows keywords your site ranks for and your backlinks.
Best for: Seeing your own keywords in a second tool, with difficulty data Search Console doesn't have.
Ritik's note: Connect it with Search Console so verification takes a minute.
Semrush Free planFree · 10 reports per day · 1 project · no card needed
The free tier of Semrush: keyword overview, keyword ideas and competitor reports, with caps.
Best for: A quick look at what a competitor ranks for once in a while.
Ritik's note: 10 reports a day goes fast. Write down the 3 competitors you'll check before you log in.

The 20-minute free workflow: 20 buyer searches

Three tools do most of the work. Fill the template below as you go.

Minute 0 to 5: Search Console
Performance > Search results > last 3 months. Tick Average position. Filter queries that contain a buyer word: price, cost, near me, best, hire, vs, fix, repair, for [type of customer]. Copy every match into the template.
Minute 5 to 11: Autocomplete + People also ask
In an incognito window, type your service plus each buyer word. Copy every suggestion. Then click 3 People also ask questions so the box grows, and copy the best 5.
Minute 11 to 15: Keyword Planner or Trends
Paste your list into Keyword Planner (Get search volume and forecasts). No Ads account? Put pairs of phrases into Trends. Where two phrases mean the same, keep the bigger one as the main keyword.
Minute 15 to 20: Read page one
Search each money keyword. Write the page type that wins (service page, list, guide, map pack, shop). That decides what you build. Then mark each row: build new page / improve existing page / skip.

My keyword research template

Keyword sheet (one row per keyword)

BUSINESS: ________   CITY/COUNTRY: ________   DATE: ____

KEYWORD | SOURCE (GSC / autocomplete / PAA / planner) | VOLUME OR RANGE | INTENT (learn / compare / buy / visit) | PAGE TYPE ON PAGE ONE | MY PAGE NOW (URL or none) | ACTION (new / improve / skip)

1. ________ | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____
2. ________ | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____
... up to 20

BUYER WORDS I CHECKED:
[ ] price  [ ] cost  [ ] near me  [ ] best  [ ] hire  [ ] vs
[ ] fix  [ ] repair  [ ] for [customer type]  [ ] [your city]

TOP 3 PAGES TO BUILD THIS MONTH:
1. ________  2. ________  3. ________

Small volume is fine when intent is "buy". Ten searches a month from people ready to hire beats a thousand from people who only want to learn.

AI prompt: group your list into pages

Here is a list of search phrases for a [type of business] in [city]. Group phrases that a single page could answer. For each group give: the main keyword (the most specific buyer phrase), the other phrases, the intent (learn, compare, buy or visit), and the page type I should build. Do not add phrases that are not in my list. Do not guess search volumes.

LIST:
[paste your 20 phrases]

The "do not add phrases" rule stops the AI from inventing keywords nobody types. Check its groups against page one of Google.

Worked example: a plumber in Pune (illustrative)

A made-up example to show how the template fills in. The ranges are invented for illustration, not real data.

Keyword	Source	Range	Intent	Page one shows	Action
emergency plumber pune	Autocomplete	100-1K	Buy	Map pack + service pages	Improve homepage, build emergency page
bathroom leakage repair cost	People also ask	10-100	Compare	Guides with prices	New price guide
plumber near me	Search Console (pos. 14)	1K-10K	Visit	Map pack	Fix Google Business Profile
geyser installation charges	Autocomplete	10-100	Buy	Service pages	New service page
how to fix a leaking tap	Related searches	100-1K	Learn	Videos, guides	Skip (not a buyer)

Common keyword research mistakes

Picking keywords by volume alone.
High-volume "how to" searches often bring readers, not buyers. Check intent on page one first.
Treating tool numbers as exact.
Every paid and free tool estimates. Google Trends is relative and Keyword Planner often shows ranges.
Researching in your normal browser.
Your history and location change autocomplete. Use incognito and set the location you serve.
Writing one page per tiny variation.
"Plumber Pune" and "Pune plumber" are one page. Group first, then build.
Ignoring Search Console.
It's the only free tool that shows words people already used to find you.

Unlock the full tool list

Everything above, plus the branded PDF to keep.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free keyword research tool?

Google Search Console, if your site is live. It shows real searches that already found you. For a new site, start with Google autocomplete and People also ask, then use Keyword Planner for rough volume.

Is Google Keyword Planner really free?

Yes, it costs nothing to use, but you need a Google Ads account with setup completed, which includes adding billing details. You don't have to run ads.

Are there keyword tools with no limits at all?

Google's own features (autocomplete, People also ask, related searches) and Google Trends have no daily cap. Free tiers of paid tools like Semrush (10 reports per day) and Ahrefs do have caps.

Do I need exact search volume?

No. You need to know which phrase is bigger and whether the person is ready to buy. A keyword with 50 searches a month from buyers can bring more sales than one with 5,000 from students.

How do I find keywords for a local business for free?

Type your service plus your city into Google in an incognito window and copy the autocomplete suggestions and People also ask questions. Then check your Search Console queries. Local buyer searches are often too small for paid tools to show, so Google's own suggestions are usually better.