The Best Free SEO Tools
You don't need expensive subscriptions to optimize your website for search engines. This guide covers the best free SEO tools available, organized by use case.
Free SEO Audit Tools
Auditora
Best for: Comprehensive website audits
- Full technical SEO analysis
- On-page optimization checks
- Core Web Vitals testing
- Prioritized issue recommendations
- No signup required for basic audits
Use it to: Get a complete picture of your site's SEO health and actionable fixes.
Google Search Console
Best for: Official Google data
- Index coverage status
- Search performance data
- Core Web Vitals monitoring
- Mobile usability reports
- Manual action alerts
Use it to: See exactly how Google views your site and identify indexation issues.
Bing Webmaster Tools
Best for: Bing optimization
- Bing-specific insights
- Backlink data
- SEO reports
- Site scan for issues
Use it to: Optimize for Bing (especially important for B2B sites).
Free Page Speed Tools
Google PageSpeed Insights
Best for: Core Web Vitals testing
- Lab and field data
- Specific optimization suggestions
- Mobile and desktop scores
- Lighthouse integration
GTmetrix
Best for: Detailed performance analysis
- Waterfall charts
- Video playback
- Historical tracking
- Multiple test locations
WebPageTest
Best for: Advanced testing
- Multiple browsers
- Various connection speeds
- Filmstrip view
- Detailed diagnostics
Free Keyword Research Tools
Google Keyword Planner
Best for: Search volume data
- Keyword ideas
- Search volume estimates
- Competition levels
- Requires Google Ads account (free to create)
Google Trends
Best for: Trend analysis
- Search interest over time
- Regional interest
- Related queries
- Compare keywords
AnswerThePublic
Best for: Question-based keywords
- Questions people ask
- Visual keyword mapping
- Preposition keywords
- Limited free searches daily
AlsoAsked
Best for: PAA questions
- "People Also Ask" data
- Question clusters
- Topic discovery
- Free tier available
Free Backlink Tools
Google Search Console
Best for: Your own backlinks
- Sites linking to you
- Top linked pages
- Anchor text data
- Free and official
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
Best for: Comprehensive backlink data
- Free for verified sites
- Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Anchor text distribution
Moz Link Explorer
Best for: Domain authority
- 10 free queries/month
- Domain Authority score
- Linking domains
- Spam score
Free Technical SEO Tools
Screaming Frog (Free Version)
Best for: Site crawling
- Crawl up to 500 URLs free
- Find broken links
- Analyze page titles/meta
- Export data
Mobile-Friendly Test
Best for: Mobile optimization
- Google's official tool
- Page rendering
- Specific issues
- Fix recommendations
Rich Results Test
Best for: Structured data
- Schema validation
- Rich snippet preview
- Error identification
- All schema types
Schema Markup Validator
Best for: Schema debugging
- Detailed error messages
- Multiple formats
- JSON-LD, Microdata, RDFa
Free Content Optimization Tools
Hemingway Editor
Best for: Readability
- Readability score
- Complex sentence detection
- Passive voice alerts
- Adverb highlighting
Grammarly (Free)
Best for: Grammar checking
- Spelling/grammar
- Punctuation
- Basic writing suggestions
- Browser extension
Copyscape (Free Check)
Best for: Plagiarism detection
- One free search
- Duplicate content check
- Compare two pages
Free Analytics Tools
Google Analytics 4
Best for: Traffic analysis
- User behavior
- Traffic sources
- Conversions
- Real-time data
Microsoft Clarity
Best for: User behavior
- Session recordings
- Heatmaps
- Rage click detection
- 100% free
Plausible (Limited Free)
Best for: Privacy-focused analytics
- Simple interface
- Privacy compliant
- No cookies
- Limited free tier
Free Local SEO Tools
Google Business Profile
Best for: Local presence
- Business listing management
- Review monitoring
- Local search visibility
- Posts and updates
Moz Local Check
Best for: Citation consistency
- NAP consistency check
- Local listing presence
- Free scan
How to Build a Free SEO Toolkit
Essential Stack (Always Free)
- Auditora - Site audits
- Google Search Console - Official data
- Google Analytics 4 - Traffic analysis
- Google PageSpeed Insights - Speed testing
- Mobile-Friendly Test - Mobile checks
Extended Stack (Free Tiers)
- Screaming Frog - Crawling (500 URLs)
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools - Backlinks
- AnswerThePublic - Keywords
- Microsoft Clarity - User behavior
- Hemingway Editor - Content
Free vs Paid: When to Upgrade
Free tools are sufficient when:
- You're starting out
- Managing a small site
- Doing basic optimization
- Learning SEO
Consider paid tools when:
- Managing multiple large sites
- Need historical data
- Require team collaboration
- Need advanced features
- Time savings matter more than cost
Conclusion
You can accomplish a tremendous amount with free SEO tools. The key is knowing which tool to use for each task and building a workflow that covers all aspects of SEO.
Start with the essential stack, add tools as needed, and remember that the best tool is the one you actually use consistently.