Even if you have just begun with digital marketing or are a content creator way past improving your existing online presence, one element cannot go missing: keyword research. Keywords are what people type into Google’s search bar when they are looking for something. You aim to appear in those search results. So, how do you figure out which keywords apply to your audience? Enter the keyword research tools.
In this ultimate guide, we will go through the ten best free keyword research tools to utilise in 2025. The entire write-up is crafted for beginners, so if you are new to SEO (Search Engine Optimization), don’t worry! We will be explaining everything for you at an easy-to-understand level to help you with a proper guide.
Why Keyword Research Is Important
Suppose you just started a little business, maybe a bakery or an online craft store. You want people to find your website while searching for terms such as “best birthday cake near me” or “custom handmade gifts.” But if your site or blog does not carry these search keywords, there is no way for Google to detect that your content should be shown in the search results. Keyword research discovers exactly what potential customers are looking for. It puts you in the position to write content that will satisfy real needs, land in the high ranks, and bear real traffic, not an ad.
Let’s get into the free tools you can find in 2025 that will assist you in keyword selection for your business or blog.
1. Ubersuggest
Created by Neil Patel, Ubersuggest is the go-to, first, and best tool for a beginner. It provides keyword suggestions, gives search volumes, offers SEO difficulty, and even offers content ideas. The interface is very user-friendly, so consider starting there, especially if you are new to SEO.
Pros: It uses SEO audit and backlink metrics; it considers keyword difficulty scores and gives content suggestions.
Cons: The free version allows only a limited number of searches each day, with the best of the features locked away for the paying customers.
Verdict: It is a suitable all-in-one SEO tool for small businesses and solo marketers just starting.
2. Answer The Public
An excellent tool for content creators, this one takes a keyword like ‘yoga’ and populates hundreds of questions asked on the Internet related to it, such as ‘Is yoga good for back pain?’ or ‘Can yoga help with weight loss?’
Pros: It is wonderful for blog ideas, video ideas, user intent, and providing an engaging data display.
Cons: There are limited free searches per day, and it doesn’t provide detailed metrics.
Verdict: Perfect for bloggers and marketers who want to focus on answering genuine user questions and helpful content.
3. Google Keyword Planner
The tool is designed mainly for Google Ads but is also widely used by SEO people. It gives keyword ideas, search volume ranges, competition level, and cost-per-click data.
Pros: It is reliable, being from Google itself and offering somewhat accurate data.
Cons: The interface feels advertiser-oriented, and the search volumes are provided in broad ranges, not exact values.
Verdict: The tool is a must-have for simple keyword research for anyone who runs Google Ads alongside organic SEO.
4. KeywordTool.io
KeywordTool.io scrapes suggestions from Google autocomplete to generate long-tail keyword terms that real people are typing into the search box. It is also compatible with YouTube, Amazon, Bing, and more.
Pros: Allows keyword data from several platforms and supports finding niche or low-profile keywords.
Cons: The free version doesn’t show search volume, competition, or CPC metrics; these are visible only to paying users.
Verdict: Excellent for keyword brainstorming, so you will want to pair it with another tool to analyze keywords further.
5. Keyword Surfer
Keyword Surfer is a Chrome extension that gives you keyword data right within your Google search results. As you do your normal searches, it will show you monthly search volume, cost per click, and related keyword suggestions.
Pros: Free, runs right in your browser, great for quick keyword checks.
Cons: Not as extensive as standalone platforms, and it does not delve deep into analysis.
Verdict: This tool is ideal for on-the-go keyword research while you navigate the web.
6. Soovle
Soovle is a nice tool to collect keyword suggestions for different keywords from various search engines, namely Google, Amazon, YouTube, Bing, and Wikipedia. This helps determine what people are searching for on the different platforms that they use.
Pros: It is fast, very user-friendly, and supports many different platforms.
Cons: It does not provide search volumes, difficulty scores, or have export capabilities.
Verdict: A good tool to quickly brainstorm ideas, especially when you consider content for many platforms.
7. Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator
Ahrefs being a name well known for top-notch SEO tools, their free keyword generator tool truly shines for some basic research. One keyword will fetch 100 keyword suggestions with search volume and keyword difficulty.
Pros: Have difficulty scores and search volume; support for Google, YouTube, Bing, and Amazon.
Cons: Only 100 results show per search, and advanced features offer a premium account.
Verdict: Probably the best free tool for genuine and actionable keyword research.
8. MozBar
MozBar is a free Chrome Extension that displays the most relevant SEO metrics straight inside the browser, such as domain authority and page authority. While it cannot generate keywords, it helps you understand how competitive a keyword may be, based on the pages currently ranking for it.
Pros: Easy to use and faster competitor analysis.
Cons: Free account required. Does not suggest keywords or show volume.
Verdict: Handy can-opener tool when assessing competition for certain keywords.
9. SEOquake
SEOquake by SEMrush is a browser extension that performs full audits of SEO and gives out keyword density analysis, backlinks, etc., of a site; this is particularly helpful for your site or analysis of competitors.
Pros: It’s comprehensive, free, and comes with a lot of actionable data.
Cons: The UI can be confusing for newbies, and some data might be too technical.
Verdict: Great if someone wants to look beyond just keywords and explore on-page SEO performance.
10. WPBeginner Keyword Generator
This tool has been kept simple. Just input a seed keyword, and you get over 300 related keyword ideas. Quick, neat, and works great for idea generation.
Pros: Beginner-friendly, tons of suggestions, no registration required.
Cons: No search volume and competition metrics, not suitable for deep SEO research.
Verdict: Perfect for content creators and bloggers looking for fast generation of topic ideas.
Choosing the Right Tool
If you find yourself bearing doubt about which tool to start with, think about what exactly you want to do. Are you writing blog posts and needing ideas for topics? WPBeginner and AnswerThePublic are certainly options to consider. Do you want to check out the competition or craft your SEO strategy a little more finely? Then MozBar and SEOquake will suit you best. And if you’re into PPC advertising, then it’s got to be Google Keyword Planner.
Here is a simplified version:
- For writing blogs: WPBeginner, AnswerThePublic;
- For keyword difficulty and volume: Ahrefs Free, Ubersuggest;
- For competitor analysis: MozBar, SEOquake;
- For long-tail keywords: KeywordTool.io, Soovle;
- For running ad campaigns: Google Keyword Planner.
Final Thoughts
Keyword research doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. With these 10 free tools, you are all set to begin with SEO in 2025. Remember, though, it’s not just about finding keywords but about knowing what your audience is searching for and creating content that fulfills that need. Combine several tools to give yourself the best shot at success, and be brave enough to experiment.
At Digisensy, we believe in backing businesses and creators with the right tools and knowledge. Start working on smaller projects, consistently follow the path, and then you’ll watch as your work gets out in front of more people and starts to earn money. If you aren’t able to select the right tool for your use or you wish to be guided through the process, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
