7 Best Free Competitor Keyword Analysis Tools in 2025

I wanted to see how far I could get using free competitor keyword analysis tools in 2025, so I tested a bunch side by side. Let’s take a look at the top 7 options I found that are worth your time if you’re working with no budget.

Expert take:

My best results came from stacking tools, since each free plan has limits. Semrush uncovered keyword gaps, SpyFu previewed competitor ad activity, and Similarweb showed traffic sources. When I combined them, I got a fuller view of competitor strategies, even if the free versions only offered partial access.

TL;DR: The top free competitor keyword analysis tools I tried

I tested a bunch of free tools to see what you can realistically cover without paying. Some were surprisingly generous, while others hit limits fast. Here are the top tools that made the cut:

1. Semrush: Best for keyword gaps and PPC data

• What it does: Tracks competitor keywords, backlinks, and paid campaigns with features like keyword gap reports, domain overviews, and ad history.
  
  
• Who it’s for: Marketers and agencies who want both SEO and PPC insights in one place.

I tested Semrush’s free plan over several days and found it gave me the clearest competitor snapshot of all the tools I tried. The free plan included access to the keyword gap tool, domain overview, and limited PPC insights.

The keyword gap tool was the most useful feature. It gave me side-by-side comparisons of keywords a competitor ranked for that my site had missed entirely. One example that stood out was a mid-volume long-tail query around product comparisons. It wasn’t high difficulty, and I decided it fit well into one of my pillar topics, so I planned a landing page to close the gap quickly.

Even with the daily limit, I was able to make clear choices. Each keyword came with search volume, CPC, and difficulty scores, which helped me prioritize. I focused on terms that were achievable for my site’s authority rather than chasing broad, high-volume queries that would have taken months to rank for.

I also checked the PPC data. Semrush surfaced sample ad copy and gave me a glimpse into my competitor’s PPC history. I could see when they pushed spend into seasonal campaigns and when they cut back, which lined up with industry events I already tracked. Even without a full history unlocked, those signals helped me plan the timing of my own ads more effectively.

The main drawback was the 10-search cap per day, since it’s a limit of 10 across all the tools, not per tool. I ran out quickly when comparing multiple domains, which forced me to plan queries carefully. But compared to other free tools, Semrush gave me the most well-rounded mix of keyword and PPC insight in the shortest time.

Key features

• Keyword gap analysis: Compares your site against competitors.
  
  
• PPC insights: Shows ad copy, spend patterns, and limited history.
  
  
• Backlink tracking: Maps competitor link sources and authority.

Try if

• You need reliable keyword and PPC data.
  
  
• You want to uncover gaps in your content plan.

Bottom line

Semrush gave me the deepest insights of any free tool, but the strict cap means you’ll outgrow it quickly.

2. KWFinder: Best for competitor keyword lists

• What it does: Surfaces keyword suggestions, competitor keyword lists, and SERP analysis.
  
  
• Who it’s for: Marketers who want a simple way to check competitor keywords and find realistic targets.

I tested KWFinder’s free plan to see how much ground I could cover with its limits. 

The standout feature was Competitor’s Keywords. I entered a competitor’s domain, and KWFinder surfaced five keywords they ranked for. It’s a single-domain view, not a multi-site gap tool, but it still pointed me toward gaps I could fill. One of the results was a product comparison query that I hadn’t covered yet, and I could see right away how to build a page around it. 

The Keyword Suggestions tool added another layer. Each search gave me 15 related ideas with volume, CPC, and difficulty. Having those three metrics together helped me make decisions instead of guessing. On one lookup, I pulled two mid-volume “how to” phrases that larger competitors had skipped. Because the difficulty wasn’t too high, I added them straight into my content plan.

I also used the SERP Analysis tool, which is limited to five checks per day. It showed the top 10 ranking pages for a keyword with authority metrics. On one search, I noticed several smaller blogs holding positions, which gave me confidence that the keyword wasn’t locked down by major publishers.

The main drawback was the strict limits, which were 5 keyword lookups per day in total, 15 keyword suggestions per search, and only 5 competitor keywords per Competitor’s Keywords lookup. Still, that’s typical of most free tools. 

Key features

• Competitor keyword lists: Up to 5 keywords per domain lookup.
  
  
• Keyword suggestions: 15 related keywords per search with volume and CPC.
  
  
• SERP analysis: 1 lookup per day to review ranking pages.
  
  
• Keyword gap analysis tool: Find competitors' keywords that your site isn’t ranking for.

Try if

• You want quick keyword ideas with competition data.
  
  
• You need a lightweight tool for competitor checks.

Bottom line

KWFinder free is a lightweight option for competitor keyword checks, best for quick lookups when you only need a snapshot.

3. Moz: Best for SEO basics

• What it does: Offers free tools for keyword research, link research, competitive research, and domain analysis, along with extras like local citation audits and algorithm tracking.
  
  
• Who it’s for: New marketers who want a straightforward competitor keyword tool without complex dashboards.

I tested Moz’s free tools to see which were most useful for keyword and competitor analysis. The Keyword Explorer tool let me run three searches per day, showing volume ranges, difficulty, and related keyword suggestions. The layout was clean and made it easy to pick out ideas that were realistic to target.

The Link Explorer tool gave me 10 queries per month to explore backlinks, anchor text, and domain authority. It wasn’t as detailed as Semrush, but it quickly showed me where competitors were earning links.

I also checked out Competitive Research and Domain Analysis. These gave me snapshots of top-ranking pages, authority metrics, and keyword visibility. The results were limited compared to paid plans, but they worked well for quick checks when I wanted to size up a competitor.

Moz’s free toolkit also included extras like a Local Citation Audit, which checks local business listings, and a Google Algorithm History tracker, which was helpful for context but less relevant to keyword planning.

The main drawback was the limits across tools. I only got 3 daily searches in Keyword Research, 10 monthly in Link Research, and capped reports elsewhere. Still, the mix of tools made Moz one of the easiest free options to get started with SEO.

Key features

• Keyword Explorer: Simple difficulty and volume scores.
  
  
• Site crawl: Flags basic technical SEO issues.
  
  
• Rank tracking: Shows changes in search positions.

Try if

• You’re new to SEO.
  
  
• You need clear, easy-to-read reports.

Bottom line

Moz is a solid free starter tool for SEO basics, but you’ll run into limits quickly if you need more depth.

4. Ubersuggest: Best for keyword and domain lookup

• What it does: Has many free SEO tools such as Keyword Overview, Keyword Suggestions, Content Ideas, Domain Overview, Backlink Analysis, Rank Tracking, Site Audit, Competitor Analysis, and a Chrome Extension for in-SERP research.
  
  
• Who it’s for: Small teams or solo marketers who need a budget-friendly keyword finder.

I tested Ubersuggest’s free plan by running a competitor’s domain through the Domain Overview tool. It showed me estimated traffic, top keywords, and a preview of their backlinks. The results weren’t as detailed as paid platforms, but it gave me enough data to understand which pages were driving their traffic.

Next, I tried the Keyword Overview and Keyword Suggestions tools in the dashboard. Each lookup gave me search volume, CPC, and SEO difficulty, plus 15–20 related keyword ideas. The layout made it easy to spot long-tail queries worth targeting. 

I also checked the Content Ideas feature, which listed popular articles around my topic along with traffic, backlinks, and social shares. That helped me see what kind of content was performing best in my niche.

The backlink overview tool showed me referring domains and anchor text, though only in a limited preview. I also tested the Site Audit, which scanned a sample of pages and flagged technical SEO issues like speed and meta tags. For a free tool, it covered a lot of ground.

Of course, there were usage limits. On the web interface, I only had three searches per day. The Chrome extension gave me up to 40 keyword searches per day, but export options and historical traffic data were locked. I could also only set up one project and track a single location.

Key features

• Domain overview: Shows competitor rankings and traffic.
  
  
• Keyword suggestions: Expands seeds into related ideas.
  
  
• Difficulty scoring: Simple signals for feasibility.

Try if

• You want an easy entry-level tool.
  
  
• You’re okay with a cheap upgrade later.

Bottom line

Ubersuggest free works well for quick checks and idea generation, but the strict daily cap limits serious research.

5. Similarweb: Best for traffic and keyword sources

• What it does: Estimates site traffic, referral sources, and keyword data.
  
  
• Who it’s for: Marketers who want free website competitor analysis focused on big-picture benchmarks.

I tested Similarweb, starting with the Website Analysis tool. The report showed estimated monthly visits, bounce rate, average visit duration, traffic by country, and traffic sources. 

One part that stood out was the Referrals tab under Website Analysis, which highlighted external sites sending traffic to my competitor. A few of these were industry blogs and directories I hadn’t considered before, and they gave me practical outreach targets. For larger brands, the traffic numbers and engagement stats matched what I expected, which made me trust the estimates more.

I also checked Website Rankings, which listed the top sites in a category and showed how competitors stacked up against each other. It gave me useful context on who dominated the space and which players were gaining traction. The free plan included limited access to Site Audit as well, which flagged basic technical issues but didn’t go into much depth.

The catch with Similarweb was that finding the free version wasn’t easy or simple. During signup, I had to reach the payment screen and click a small link labeled “Get our limited version here.” Only then did I get access to the restricted free plan. 

I included a screenshot to help you locate it when you sign up:

I would also say that another drawback was the accuracy on smaller domains. The traffic estimates often felt like rough guesses, and keyword samples weren’t detailed enough for planning. Still, for benchmarking larger competitors and spotting referral partners, the free tools worked well.

Key features

• Traffic snapshots: Benchmarks monthly visits and engagement.
  
  
• Referral sources: Highlights external sites driving traffic.
  
  
• Industry view: Compares competitors side by side.

Try if

• You need fast competitor benchmarks.
  
  
• You want referral insights for outreach.

Bottom line

Similarweb’s free tool is best for big-picture benchmarking, but it’s not reliable for precise data on smaller sites.

6. SpyFu: Best for PPC keyword history

• What it does: Reveals competitor paid keywords, ad copy, and long-term ad history.
  
  
• Who it’s for: Advertisers who want affordable insight into Google Ads competitor analysis.

I tested SpyFu by running a competitor’s domain through the Domain Overview tool (the search box found right on the SpyFu homepage). The free report gave me a snapshot of organic keywords, estimated clicks, and a preview of paid keywords. It wasn’t the full data set, but it was enough to see which areas the competitor focused on.

The Competition tab showed me organic competitors, though it can also display paid competitors if you have any. For the site I tested, I could see a list of rival domains stacked by overlap in keyword coverage. That made it easy to figure out who else I should be watching in the space.

I also checked the Top Keywords and Top Pages tools. Both gave partial lists, showing where the competitor got visibility. The keyword list included volume estimates and cost-per-click data, which helped me spot paid search terms they were bidding on. The Pages report showed which URLs brought in the most traffic, though it cut off before giving me a full picture.

The biggest limitation was depth. The free version capped how many keywords and ads I could see, and it didn’t unlock the full ad spend history. But I still liked how it gave me a sense of which paid keywords competitors valued enough to keep supporting.

Key features

• Ad history timelines: Shows seasonal and long-term shifts.
  
  
• Paid keyword data: Surfaces priority terms and costs.
  
  
• Domain comparisons: Lets you measure yourself against competitors.

Try if

• You run paid search campaigns.
  
  
• You want ad copy and keyword ideas.

Bottom line

SpyFu’s free tool is one of the easiest ways to preview competitor PPC keywords and domains, but you’ll need a paid plan for deeper ad history and full keyword lists.

7. Google Keyword Planner: Best for competitor keyword lists straight from Google

• What it does: Lets you research keywords and competitor domains and see search volume ranges, CPC, and competition level.
  
  
• Who it’s for: Advertisers who want free keyword data directly from Google’s own system.

To test the Google Keyword Planner, I chose the Discover New Keywords and ‘start with a website’ option. The tool returned a list of keywords that Google associated with that site. Each keyword came with average monthly search ranges, CPC, and competition level.

The domain-based discovery was the most valuable part. It surfaced a mix of branded, product-focused, and long-tail keywords. One competitor’s domain produced several “best alternative” searches that I hadn’t considered before. Even though the volume data was shown in ranges, I could still pick out which terms had the potential to drive traffic.

I also tested the Get Forecasts feature. This option let me enter a list of keywords and see projected clicks, impressions, and costs based on bid ranges. The numbers weren’t exact without running ads, but they gave me a sense of how competitive those keywords might be in paid campaigns.

I would say that the biggest trade-off was precision. Without active ad campaigns, Keyword Planner only showed search volume in ranges (for example, 1K-10K), and it didn’t reveal organic ranking data. Still, it gave me reliable keyword ideas straight from Google and a better sense of which competitor terms might be worth targeting.

If you want to learn more about how to use this tool, you can read Google’s guide.

Key features

• Discover New Keywords: Generates lists from competitor domains.
  
  
• Keyword Forecasting: Projects clicks and impressions.
  
  
• Search volume and CPC: Shows demand and cost ranges.

Try if

• You want free keyword lists from Google.
  
  
• You don’t mind broad ranges instead of exact numbers.

Bottom line

Google Keyword Planner is a reliable free way to uncover competitor keyword lists, though its volume ranges are broad without running ads.

How I tested and compared the tools

To keep things fair, I ran the same competitor domains through every competitor analysis tool. That way, I could see how each one handled the same inputs and where the differences showed up.

I compared three things: 

1. Number of keywords each tool surfaced
2. Whether the results overlapped
3. How closely the estimates matched the metrics I already track 

I also paid attention to the limits of each free plan, since daily or monthly caps made a big difference in how much I could actually get done.

Testing them side by side confirmed that every tool has strengths, but of course, none of them covers everything for free.

How to choose the right free tool for you

Each free tool has its own strengths, so the right choice depends on what you need most. Here’s how I’d break it down:

• Finding keyword gaps: Semrush
  
  
• Competitor keyword lists: KWFinder
  
  
• SEO basics: Moz
  
  
• All-in-one toolkit: Ubersuggest
  
  
• Traffic benchmarks and referrals: Similarweb
  
  
• PPC keyword previews: SpyFu
  
  
• Keyword data straight from Google: Google Keyword Planner

My verdict

The caps and feature limits on every free plan meant I could only get snapshots. To get the full picture, I had to use several tools together. Here’s what I found:

• Semrush: Delivers the longest list of competitor keywords I can realistically target, plus PPC previews.
  
  
• KWFinder: Points out clear keyword gaps, though the daily limits are strict.
  
  
• Moz: Is the easiest to use, with simple keyword and backlink checks.
  
  
• Ubersuggest: Offers the broadest mix of SEO tools in one platform, helpful for quick domain overviews.
  
  
• Similarweb: Is best for benchmarking traffic sources and spotting referral opportunities.
  
  
• SpyFu: Reveals which paid keywords competitors value enough to keep supporting.
  
  
• Google Keyword Planner: Provides domain-based keyword lists straight from Google.

The most practical approach was to stack two or three free tools to cover different gaps. But if you’d rather avoid juggling multiple free plans, Ubersuggest’s starter plan (around $20/month) is the closest option on this list that combines most of these features in one dashboard.

My zero-budget routine for scouting competitor keywords

I tested a week-long routine using only free tools and kept the process simple. Here is how I structured it:

1. Start with Semrush: I ran a competitor domain audit each morning to pull keyword gaps, highlight terms I wasn’t ranking for.
   
   
2. Check Ubersuggest: I took those keywords and validated search volume and difficulty to see which ones were realistic to target.
   
   
3. Run LowFruits: I entered a seed keyword to generate long-tail variations and looked for weak SERPs where smaller sites already ranked.
   
   
4. Log results: I saved the keywords in a spreadsheet and marked which tool they came from to spot patterns over time.
   
   
5. Review at the end of the week: I compared the full list and narrowed it down to about 30 unique keywords, many of which filled gaps competitors had overlooked.

This routine worked surprisingly well for zero cost. It gave me a balance of keyword gap analysis, validation, and long-tail discovery that felt structured rather than random searching.

Bonus tip: How to stretch free plans further

The easiest way to get more out of free tools is to rotate them so you don’t hit daily caps too fast. For example, I’ll use Semrush one day, then switch to Ubersuggest or LowFruits the next.

Cross-checking the same keyword across two tools also helps confirm whether the volume and intent look reliable. It saves me from relying too heavily on just one set of numbers.

I also keep everything in a simple spreadsheet. That way, I can track which tool surfaced which keyword and spot overlaps more easily.

Similarweb and SpyFu add another layer since they go beyond keywords and show traffic patterns or ad history. By mixing these tools together, I was able to stretch the free plans further and build a more complete picture than I’d get from relying on one platform alone.

That said, the free tools really do come heavily limited, so it’s still a good idea to temper your expectations.

How Bestever can help your digital campaigns succeed

Testing free competitor keyword analysis tools showed me where I could spot gaps, track rankings, and compare traffic, but those tools only go so far. The tough part is understanding how ads perform over time and turning that into something useful for my own campaigns. I use Bestever to fill that gap.

At Bestever, we focus on ad insights. We designed it to be able to pull in competitor ads, show which ones perform, and give recommendations you can apply directly to your campaigns.

Here’s how Bestever can help you:

• Analyze your ads' effectiveness: Bestever’s Ad Analysis Dashboard gives you instant feedback on an ad's Visual Impact, Brand Alignment, Sales Orientation, and Audience Engagement. It’ll even break down each element in detail. 
• Get suggestions to improve every frame: If an ad isn’t hitting the mark, ask Bestever to tell you what’s wrong and get instant, actionable suggestions on what to do to fix it. No more guessing or wasting time, your team can start fixing those issues asap. 
• Understand your audience: Bestever’s audience analysis tools go beyond sharing standard demographics, helping refine both targeting and messaging. You can share your website URL or integrate it with your ad manager, and it’ll quickly let you know who wants to hear more from you. 
• Rapid asset generation: Fetch AI-generated images, stock photos, and video clips that all fit your brand voice. Then you can share the creatives with your team to make multiple ad variations faster.

• Instant feedback loop: Know immediately why an ad variant underperforms, then pivot before wasting your budget.

Curious about which competitor ads actually work? Let our team show you how Bestever can break down their creatives, point out what’s driving engagement, and uncover ideas you can use to strengthen your own campaigns.

Schedule a free demo of Bestever now.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free tool for competitor keyword analysis?

The best free tool for competitor keyword analysis is Semrush because it gives you keyword gaps, traffic data, and limited PPC insights in one place. While the free plan caps searches, the detail per query is stronger than most alternatives. Pairing Semrush with a tool like LowFruits for long-tail discovery gives you a broader mix of opportunities.

Can I analyze competitor keywords without paying for software?

You can analyze competitor keywords without paying for software, but only in a limited way. Semrush and Ubersuggest allow direct lookups with daily caps, while KWFinder and Google Keyword Planner surface small keyword lists from domains. Stacking a few free tools gives you basic coverage, but deeper data requires upgrading.

How do free competitor keyword tools compare to paid ones?

Free competitor keyword tools give you a taste of the data, but paid versions provide deeper insights, more queries, and stronger accuracy. Paid platforms also include advanced features like content audits and bulk exports that save time for SEO competitor analysis.

Is there a free competitor keyword tool that doesn’t require login?

You can use SpyFu as a free PPC competitor analysis tool without logging in. It shows limited previews of competitor keywords and ad data, which is enough for a quick snapshot before hitting the paywall.