HomeMust Have Keyword Tracking Tools for SEO Experts

Must Have Keyword Tracking Tools for SEO Experts

Keyword tracking is a vital element of any SEO strategy. As an SEO expert, having the right keyword tracking tools can help you identify lucrative keyword opportunities, track your rankings over time, analyze competitors, and optimize content for improved search visibility.

In this guide, I have shared a few keyword tracking tools that every SEO expert needs in their toolkit, looking at the key capabilities, pricing, and value provided by each solution.

Must Have Keyword Tracking Tools for SEO Experts Keyword tracking is a vital element of any SEO strategy. As an SEO expert, having the right keyword tracking tools can help you identify lucrative keyword opportunities, track your rankings over time, analyze competitors, and optimize content for improved search visibility. In this guide, I have shared a few keyword tracking tools that every SEO expert needs in their toolkit, looking at the key capabilities, pricing, and value provided by each solution. Ahrefs Ideal Customer: Medium to large corporate marketing teams Free Plan: No free offering but offer free limited access to Site Explorer & Site Audit. Pricing Overview: $99 to $999 monthly based on capabilities Trial Offer: N/A Why I Recommend It Ahrefs offers one of the most complete keyword and rank tracking capabilities alongside its wider SEO toolkit. The rank tracker visualizes keyword performance over time with historical graphs across both desktop and mobile searches. You can compare the share of voice and SERP features against up to 10 top competitors. With robust tagging and reporting, you can automate Iekly or monthly reports to stakeholders on keyword rankings. Support for tracking rankings across 190 countries also stands out. For SMBs and large enterprises, Ahrefs is a premium suite covering all aspects of technical and content SEO with excellent rank-monitoring functionality. Here are the key features - Massive keyword database with accurate search volume and difficulty scores. Comprehensive rank tracking across locations and devices. Competitor keyword research with historical data and gap analysis. Advanced filters and segmentation for detailed analysis. Pros and Cons Some of the pros of Ahrefs are: It has rich functionality and offers a complete set of SEO tools. It has a large and accurate keyword and backlink database. It provides insights into traffic potential and search intent. It integrates with Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Some of the cons of Ahrefs are: It can be expensive for small businesses or individuals on a tight budget. It has a higher learning curve than some other tools. It does not offer 24/7 customer support. SEMrush Ideal Customer: Funded startups and SMBs looking to scale Free Plan: Yes, but with limited areas of access Pricing Overview: Range from $130 to $499.95 monthly Trial Offer: Fully-featured 7-day trial period Why I Recommend It Like Ahrefs, SEMrush provides extensive keyword tracking and rank monitoring capabilities alongside its wider marketing toolkit. Historical graphs allow you to analyze keyword performance over time, across both desktop and mobile searches. Unique features include the Keyword Magic Tool for long-tail suggestions along with Click Through Rate tracking. Position tracking across Google and Bing comes bundled with detailed backlink analysis as Ill. Key features include - Extensive keyword research with search volume, difficulty, and competitive intelligence. Position tracking with historical data and SERP feature insights. Keyword grouping and tagging for organized management. Competitor keyword tracking and gap analysis. For SMBs and large companies alike, SEMrush contains excellent organic visibility and insights paired with robust SEO capabilities. Pros and cons Some of the pros of Semrush are: It offers a free forever plan, as well as a free full trial, for first-time users. It has a robust SEO research and analysis toolset. It provides organic and PPC keyword research tools. It offers unique add-ons, such as online reputation management, heat maps, and trends. Some of the cons of Semrush are: It is not the most user-friendly and intuitive tool. It limits user access to the platform based on the pricing plan. It does not provide live chat support. SpyFu Ideal Customer: SMB Competitor Keyword Research Free Plan: No Pricing Overview: Basic ($39/month), Professional ($78/month), Team ($299/month) Free trial period: 7-day trial Why I Like It SpyFu takes a niche focus specifically helping unlock competitor keyword opportunities. Using patented data sources, SpyFu allows you to reverse engineer the strategies of ranking domains. Instead of traditional rank tracking, SpyFu offers unique Keyword Competitor Analysis showing which terms a domain ranks for and the value of that traffic. With detailed landing page analysis and Top page exploration revealing content themes, SpyFu delivers excellent competitive insights. Key features of SpyFu - Unique focus on historical keyword rankings and PPC competitor insights. Affordable pricing for basic plans. Easy-to-use interface with helpful visualizations. Competitor keyword alerts for new ranking opportunities. For unlocking and capitalizing on competitor keyword opportunities, SpyFu stands out as a specialist support tool for SMBs. Pros and cons Some of the pros of SpyFu are: It offers a free forever plan, as well as a free full trial, for first-time users. It has a robust SEO research and analysis toolset. It provides organic and PPC keyword research tools. It offers unique add-ons, such as online reputation management, heat maps, and trends. Some of the cons of SpyFu are: It is not the most user-friendly and intuitive tool. It limits user access to the platform based on the pricing plan. It does not provide live chat support. Moz Pro Ideal Customer: Specialized SEO consultants and freelance experts Free Plan: N/A Pricing Overview: Range between $99 and $599 monthly Trial Offer: 30-day risk-free access to premium tools Why I Recommend It Moz Pro catches our attention for going deep on SEO tools rather than extensive marketing capabilities. I like the huge keyword database and proprietary Opportunity Score most for unlocking untapped keyword potential. Page-level rank tracking and useful collaboration tools also make it ideal for small SEO teams and freelancers managing multiple clients. Moz Pro strikes an excellent balance between value and capabilities. Key features of Moz - Reliable data and insights with an established platform. Affordable compared to Ahrefs and SEMrush. Balanced mix of features and ease of use. Keyword suggestions based on existing rankings and competitor analysis. For specialized SEO performance boosting within small budgets, Moz Pro is a standout solution. Pros and cons Some of the pros of Moz Pro are: It has a rich functionality and offers a complete set of SEO tools. It has a large and accurate keyword and backlink database. It provides insights into traffic potential and search intent. It integrates with Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Some of the cons of Moz Pro are: It can be expensive for small businesses or individuals on a tight budget. It has a higher learning curve than some other tools. It does not offer 24/7 customer support. Mangools Ideal Customer: Enterprise-oriented SEO agencies Free Plan: Yes Pricing Overview: $29 to $129 per month Trial Offer: 10-day free trial period Why I Recommend It Lesser known than some tools but packed with serious SEO capabilities, Mangools provides expansive keyword research paired with thorough rank and site tracking. An end-to-end solution, Mangools rivals top-tier offerings for agencies. I especially like the SERP analysis features like organic CTR tracking. With custom reporting and support for international SEO, Mangools is built for agencies managing global or niche sites. Key features include - Large database with long-tail keyword suggestions and difficulty scores. SERP overview with top-ranking pages and competitor keyword analysis. Keyword questions and related searches for content planning. For SEOs who take their capabilities seriously, Mangools delivers. Pros and cons Some of the pros of Mangools are: It has a rich functionality and offers a complete set of SEO tools. It has a large and accurate keyword and backlink database. It provides insights into traffic potential and search intent. It integrates with Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Some of the cons of Mangools are: It can be expensive for small businesses or individuals on a tight budget. It has a higher learning curve than some other tools. It does not offer 24/7 customer support. Ubersuggest Ideal Customer: Individual SEOs and small niche sites Free Plan: Yes for core features Pricing Overview: Optional upgrades from $12 to $40 per month. Also offer a lifetime plan, starting from $120 to $400. Trial Offer: No trial but the free version has extensive capabilities Why I Recommend It Ubersuggest sets itself apart by offering an excellent free SEO toolkit alongside paid subscriptions for more advanced rank tracking. I love the huge keyword database and volume metrics unlocked for every user from the start. Even the paid plans are reasonably affordable compared to enterprise platforms. For individual SEO specialists and solopreneurers on tight budgets, Ubersuggest provides tremendous value filtering down premium capabilities to free and economical tiers. Pros and cons Some of the pros of Ubersuggest are: It offers a free forever plan, as well as a free full trial, for first-time users8. It has a robust SEO research and analysis toolset6. It provides organic and PPC keyword research tools6. It has a user-friendly interface and a Chrome extension8. Some of the cons of Ubersuggest are: It lacks some advanced features, such as full-site SEO audit and integration with Google Analytics8. It can lag when running multiple reports5. It limits user access to the platform based on the pricing plan5. Keyword Surfer Ideal Customer: Keyword researchers and data-focused SEOs Free Plan: No free option Pricing Overview: $59 to $239 monthly Why I Recommend It Taking a niche approach focused specifically on helping users deeply explore keyword opportunities, Keyword Surfer impresses with an expansive international database for unlocking search potential. Clickstream data for understanding user intent and search trends over custom dates provides unique insights compared to traditional volume estimates. With custom reporting and competitive filtering options, Keyword Surfer fills a specialty role - and fills it Ill. Key features of Keyword Surfer - Browser extension for live keyword difficulty estimation on SERPs. SERP overview with top-ranking pages and competitor analysis. Keyword alerts for ranking changes and new opportunities. For experts who live in the keyword research industry, Keyword Surfer delivers niche yet powerful functionality. Pros and cons Some of the pros of Keyword Surfer are: It does not require an account or registration to use it. It lists most of the keyword research metrics in one place. It is user-friendly and easy to navigate. It is perfect for quick searches and competitor analysis. It recommends similar keywords for your web content. Some of the cons of Keyword Surfer are: It does not have a Firefox extension. It does not support every country or language. It does not provide data for some keywords. It does not measure keyword difficulty. AccuRanker Ideal Customer: Enterprise brands and SEO consultants Free Plan: Yes - 14-day trial Pricing Overview: Starts from $137 per 1,000 keywords. Custom quotes for SMB and enterprise plans Why I Recommend It Accuranker provides tracking capabilities for ranks, keywords, and click-through rates that can be scaled for single-site users or large enterprise portfolios. With custom reporting and visualizations, Accuranker is built to scale. I especially appreciate the inclusion of full SERP analysis alongside traditional rank tracking. They have This allows large companies to monitor online visibility beyond just spot rankings. With options fit for both small businesses and huge corporations alike, Accuranker delivers excellent scalability. Pros and cons Some of the pros of AccuRanker are: It is specialized in rank tracking and provides highly accurate, on-demand data. It has a user-friendly and intuitive dashboard. It offers automated, white-label reporting. It integrates with Google Analytics and Search Console. Some of the cons of AccuRanker are: It is not an all-in-one SEO tool and lacks some features like site audit and backlink analysis. It has a slow data refresh rate compared to some other tools. It can be considered expensive for small projects or operations. Google Search Console - Free Data Straight From Google Ideal Customer: All SEO consultants and website owners Free Plan: Yes Pricing Overview: 100% free to use Why I Recommend It While not a full-fledged SEO platform, Google Search Console integrates directly with Google to provide invaluable organic data straight from the source. Given the completely free access, Search Console packs tremendous capabilities. I love the detailed keyword ranking data, click-through-rate tracking, and enhanced page speed insights unlocked through this tool. Paired with the free Keyword Planner and other products, Search Console deserves a spot in every SEO's toolkit. Here are the key features of GSC - Free and official source of keywords your site ranks for. Identifies keywords with high impressions and low clicks for optimization. Reveals new keyword opportunities you haven't targeted yet. Pros and cons Some of the pros of Google Search Console are: It is free and easy to set up and use. It provides valuable insights into your site’s search performance and issues. It helps you optimize your site for Google search and improve your rankings. It integrates with other Google tools like Analytics and Ads. Some of the cons of Google Search Console are: It has a learning curve to understand and use all its features. It does not provide live chat or phone support. Wrapping up Hopefully this quick yet comprehensive peek behind the keyword tracking toolkit I personally utilize across different SEO use cases and client needs offers helpful clarity! Do feel free to hit me up with any additional questions on gold-standard solutions I didn’t manage to squeeze in here too.

Ahrefs

Ahrefs

Ideal Customer: Medium to large corporate marketing teams

Free Plan: No free offering but offer free limited access to Site Explorer & Site Audit.

Pricing Overview: $99 to $999 monthly based on capabilities

Trial Offer: N/A

Why I Recommend It

Ahrefs offers one of the most complete keyword and rank tracking capabilities alongside its wider SEO toolkit. The rank tracker visualizes keyword performance over time with historical graphs across both desktop and mobile searches.

You can compare the share of voice and SERP features against up to 10 top competitors. With robust tagging and reporting, you can automate Iekly or monthly reports to stakeholders on keyword rankings. Support for tracking rankings across 190 countries also stands out.

For SMBs and large enterprises, Ahrefs is a premium suite covering all aspects of technical and content SEO with excellent rank-monitoring functionality. Here are the key features – 

  • Massive keyword database with accurate search volume and difficulty scores. 
  • Comprehensive rank tracking across locations and devices. 
  • Competitor keyword research with historical data and gap analysis. 
  • Advanced filters and segmentation for detailed analysis.

Pros and Cons

Some of the pros of Ahrefs are:

  • It has rich functionality and offers a complete set of SEO tools.
  • It has a large and accurate keyword and backlink database.
  • It provides insights into traffic potential and search intent.
  • It integrates with Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

Some of the cons of Ahrefs are:

  • It can be expensive for small businesses or individuals on a tight budget.
  • It has a higher learning curve than some other tools.
  • It does not offer 24/7 customer support.

SEMrush

SEMrush

Ideal Customer: Funded startups and SMBs looking to scale

Free Plan: Yes, but with limited areas of access

Pricing Overview: Range from $130 to $499.95 monthly

Trial Offer: Fully-featured 7-day trial period

Why I Recommend It

Like Ahrefs, SEMrush provides extensive keyword tracking and rank monitoring capabilities alongside its wider marketing toolkit. Historical graphs allow you to analyze keyword performance over time, across both desktop and mobile searches.

Unique features include the Keyword Magic Tool for long-tail suggestions along with Click Through Rate tracking. Position tracking across Google and Bing comes bundled with detailed backlink analysis as Ill. Key features include – 

  • Extensive keyword research with search volume, difficulty, and competitive intelligence. 
  • Position tracking with historical data and SERP feature insights. 
  • Keyword grouping and tagging for organized management. 
  • Competitor keyword tracking and gap analysis.

For SMBs and large companies alike, SEMrush contains excellent organic visibility and insights paired with robust SEO capabilities.

Pros and cons

Some of the pros of Semrush are:

  • It offers a free forever plan, as well as a free full trial, for first-time users.
  • It has a robust SEO research and analysis toolset.
  • It provides organic and PPC keyword research tools.
  • It offers unique add-ons, such as online reputation management, heat maps, and trends.

Some of the cons of Semrush are:

  • It is not the most user-friendly and intuitive tool.
  • It limits user access to the platform based on the pricing plan.
  • It does not provide live chat support.

SpyFu

SpyFu

Ideal Customer: SMB Competitor Keyword Research

Free Plan: No

Pricing Overview: Basic ($39/month), Professional ($78/month), Team ($299/month)

Free trial period: 7-day trial

Why I Like It

SpyFu takes a niche focus specifically helping unlock competitor keyword opportunities. Using patented data sources, SpyFu allows you to reverse engineer the strategies of ranking domains.

Instead of traditional rank tracking, SpyFu offers unique Keyword Competitor Analysis showing which terms a domain ranks for and the value of that traffic. With detailed landing page analysis and Top page exploration revealing content themes, SpyFu delivers excellent competitive insights. Key features of SpyFu –

  • Unique focus on historical keyword rankings and PPC competitor insights. 
  • Affordable pricing for basic plans. 
  • Easy-to-use interface with helpful visualizations. 
  • Competitor keyword alerts for new ranking opportunities.

For unlocking and capitalizing on competitor keyword opportunities, SpyFu stands out as a specialist support tool for SMBs.

Pros and cons

Some of the pros of SpyFu are:

  • It offers a free forever plan, as well as a free full trial, for first-time users.
  • It has a robust SEO research and analysis toolset.
  • It provides organic and PPC keyword research tools.
  • It offers unique add-ons, such as online reputation management, heat maps, and trends.

Some of the cons of SpyFu are:

  • It is not the most user-friendly and intuitive tool.
  • It limits user access to the platform based on the pricing plan.
  • It does not provide live chat support.

Moz Pro 

Moz Pro

Ideal Customer: Specialized SEO consultants and freelance experts

Free Plan: N/A

Pricing Overview: Range between $99 and $599 monthly

Trial Offer: 30-day risk-free access to premium tools

Why I Recommend It

Moz Pro catches our attention for going deep on SEO tools rather than extensive marketing capabilities. I like the huge keyword database and proprietary Opportunity Score most for unlocking untapped keyword potential.

Page-level rank tracking and useful collaboration tools also make it ideal for small SEO teams and freelancers managing multiple clients. Moz Pro strikes an excellent balance between value and capabilities. Key features of Moz – 

  • Reliable data and insights with an established platform. 
  • Affordable compared to Ahrefs and SEMrush. 
  • Balanced mix of features and ease of use. 
  • Keyword suggestions based on existing rankings and competitor analysis.

For specialized SEO performance boosting within small budgets, Moz Pro is a standout solution.

Pros and cons

Some of the pros of Moz Pro are:

  • It has a rich functionality and offers a complete set of SEO tools.
  • It has a large and accurate keyword and backlink database.
  • It provides insights into traffic potential and search intent.
  • It integrates with Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

Some of the cons of Moz Pro are:

  • It can be expensive for small businesses or individuals on a tight budget.
  • It has a higher learning curve than some other tools.
  • It does not offer 24/7 customer support.

Mangools

Mangools

Ideal Customer: Enterprise-oriented SEO agencies

Free Plan: Yes

Pricing Overview: $29 to $129 per month

Trial Offer: 10-day free trial period

Why I Recommend It

Lesser known than some tools but packed with serious SEO capabilities, Mangools provides expansive keyword research paired with thorough rank and site tracking. An end-to-end solution, Mangools rivals top-tier offerings for agencies.

I especially like the SERP analysis features like organic CTR tracking. With custom reporting and support for international SEO, Mangools is built for agencies managing global or niche sites. Key features include –

  • Large database with long-tail keyword suggestions and difficulty scores. 
  • SERP overview with top-ranking pages and competitor keyword analysis. 
  • Keyword questions and related searches for content planning.

For SEOs who take their capabilities seriously, Mangools delivers.

Pros and cons

Some of the pros of Mangools are:

  • It has a rich functionality and offers a complete set of SEO tools.
  • It has a large and accurate keyword and backlink database.
  • It provides insights into traffic potential and search intent.
  • It integrates with Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

Some of the cons of Mangools are:

  • It can be expensive for small businesses or individuals on a tight budget.
  • It has a higher learning curve than some other tools.
  • It does not offer 24/7 customer support.

Ubersuggest

Ubersuggest

Ideal Customer: Individual SEOs and small niche sites

Free Plan: Yes for core features

Pricing Overview: Optional upgrades from $12 to $40 per month. Also offer a lifetime plan, starting from $120 to $400.

Trial Offer: No trial but the free version has extensive capabilities

Why I Recommend It

Ubersuggest sets itself apart by offering an excellent free SEO toolkit alongside paid subscriptions for more advanced rank tracking. I love the huge keyword database and volume metrics unlocked for every user from the start.

Even the paid plans are reasonably affordable compared to enterprise platforms. For individual SEO specialists and solopreneurers on tight budgets, Ubersuggest provides tremendous value filtering down premium capabilities to free and economical tiers.

Pros and cons

Some of the pros of Ubersuggest are:

  • It offers a free forever plan, as well as a free full trial, for first-time users8.
  • It has a robust SEO research and analysis toolset6.
  • It provides organic and PPC keyword research tools6.
  • It has a user-friendly interface and a Chrome extension8.

Some of the cons of Ubersuggest are:

  • It lacks some advanced features, such as full-site SEO audit and integration with Google Analytics8.
  • It can lag when running multiple reports5.
  • It limits user access to the platform based on the pricing plan5.

Keyword Surfer

Keyword Surfer

Ideal Customer: Keyword researchers and data-focused SEOs

Free Plan: No free option

Pricing Overview:  $59 to $239 monthly

Why I Recommend It

Taking a niche approach focused specifically on helping users deeply explore keyword opportunities, Keyword Surfer impresses with an expansive international database for unlocking search potential.

Clickstream data for understanding user intent and search trends over custom dates provides unique insights compared to traditional volume estimates. With custom reporting and competitive filtering options, Keyword Surfer fills a specialty role – and fills it Ill. Key features of Keyword Surfer –

  • Browser extension for live keyword difficulty estimation on SERPs. 
  • SERP overview with top-ranking pages and competitor analysis. 
  • Keyword alerts for ranking changes and new opportunities.

For experts who live in the keyword research industry, Keyword Surfer delivers niche yet powerful functionality.

Pros and cons

Some of the pros of Keyword Surfer are:

  • It does not require an account or registration to use it.
  • It lists most of the keyword research metrics in one place.
  • It is user-friendly and easy to navigate.
  • It is perfect for quick searches and competitor analysis.
  • It recommends similar keywords for your web content.

Some of the cons of Keyword Surfer are:

  • It does not have a Firefox extension.
  • It does not support every country or language.
  • It does not provide data for some keywords.
  • It does not measure keyword difficulty.

AccuRanker

AccuRanker

Ideal Customer: Enterprise brands and SEO consultants

Free Plan: Yes  – 14-day trial

Pricing Overview: Starts from $137 per 1,000 keywords. Custom quotes for SMB and enterprise plans

Why I Recommend It

Accuranker provides tracking capabilities for ranks, keywords, and click-through rates that can be scaled for single-site users or large enterprise portfolios. With custom reporting and visualizations, Accuranker is built to scale. 

I especially appreciate the inclusion of full SERP analysis alongside traditional rank tracking. They have This allows large companies to monitor online visibility beyond just spot rankings. With options fit for both small businesses and huge corporations alike, Accuranker delivers excellent scalability.

Pros and cons

Some of the pros of AccuRanker are:

  • It is specialized in rank tracking and provides highly accurate, on-demand data.
  • It has a user-friendly and intuitive dashboard.
  • It offers automated, white-label reporting.
  • It integrates with Google Analytics and Search Console.

Some of the cons of AccuRanker are:

  • It is not an all-in-one SEO tool and lacks some features like site audit and backlink analysis.
  • It has a slow data refresh rate compared to some other tools.
  • It can be considered expensive for small projects or operations.

Google Search Console – Free Data Straight From Google

Ideal Customer: All SEO consultants and website owners

Free Plan: Yes

Pricing Overview:  100% free to use

Why I Recommend It

While not a full-fledged SEO platform, Google Search Console integrates directly with Google to provide invaluable organic data straight from the source. Given the completely free access, Search Console packs tremendous capabilities.

I love the detailed keyword ranking data, click-through-rate tracking, and enhanced page speed insights unlocked through this tool. Paired with the free Keyword Planner and other products, Search Console deserves a spot in every SEO’s toolkit. Here are the key features of GSC –

  • Free and official source of keywords your site ranks for. 
  • Identifies keywords with high impressions and low clicks for optimization. 
  • Reveals new keyword opportunities you haven’t targeted yet.

Pros and cons

Some of the pros of Google Search Console are:

  • It is free and easy to set up and use.
  • It provides valuable insights into your site’s search performance and issues.
  • It helps you optimize your site for Google search and improve your rankings.
  • It integrates with other Google tools like Analytics and Ads.

Some of the cons of Google Search Console are:

  • It has a learning curve to understand and use all its features.
  • It does not provide live chat or phone support.

Wrapping up

Hopefully this quick yet comprehensive peek behind the keyword tracking toolkit I personally utilize across different SEO use cases and client needs offers helpful clarity! Do feel free to hit me up with any additional questions on gold-standard solutions I didn’t manage to squeeze in here too.

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