Top 10 SEO Tools in 2025

Paid plans include Pro for $139.95/month, Guru for $249.95/month, and Business for $499.95/month, all paid monthly. 

Paid annually, these plans are discounted to $117.33/month, $208.33/month, and $416.66/month, respectively.

We're starting our list with the biggest names in the industry, namely Ahrefs and SEMrush. Again, if you've been in the space, you're probably also familiar with SEMrush. Where SEMrush stands out is in its staggering data set, which is "globally accessible across 142 databases ...tracks 21 billion keywords and 43 trillion backlinks" (according to this SEMrush review). 

Like Ahrefs, SEMrush is a substantial solution that spans across areas of digital marketing, encompassing SEO, PPC, social media, and broader content marketing. SEMrush excels in transforming raw data into actionable insights through its Position Tracking tool, providing real-time data on rankings. The Keyword Magic Tool identifies target keyword variations and meta tags that you might not have thought of to raise your SEO score.

Users like the range of features and the competitive intelligence, but some find it tries to do too much. People generally appreciate the wide range of features, particularly its capabilities for competitive intelligence. Some find that the platform's breadth and depth of data and reporting can cause overwhelm and SEO fatigue.

People enjoy the free version as an entry point for new users; however, more rigorous web analysis and reporting are limited in this version.

Marketing teams that are willing to pay the price for a solution that offers digital marketing beyond SEO, advanced competitor analysis, and a fully-stacked SEO tool.

This one's a no-brainer because it's completely free, and it comes from the horse's mouth, so to speak. Google is the authority on internet rankings, so you'll want to pay close attention to Search Console's reports and site audits.

Search Console also informs you of the queries that bring people to your site, which pages are performing well, and whether any technical issues are affecting your site's performance. There are several necessary features, but the Performance reports and Core Web Vitals site diagnoses may be the most valuable. These features show you if Google sees anything wrong with your site, along with which search queries are generating clicks and impressions. Plus, it's the fastest way to get new pages indexed.

Considering that it's Google's resource, people generally agree that GSC is a non-negotiable for anyone serious about their site's SERP. Most start using it because they have to, but often people find it more useful than anticipated.

A frustration among users is that GSC doesn't give you keyword ideas like other tools, which would be appreciated since it's Google.

Anyone with a website. It's free, so there's no reason not to use it.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a free tool developed by Screaming Frog (an SEO agency in Oxfordshire, UK). The SEO Spider allows users to store data and crawl at an unprecedented scale, and has earned various accolades, such as "the top 5 paid SEO tools" in the largest industry survey carried out by Moz in 2015. 

It's a straightforward app that you can download to your computer and enter your site URL to instantly identify broken links, missing meta descriptions, duplicate content, redirect chains, internal link issues, and more. You receive a comprehensive diagnostic report, and the free version effectively handles most small to medium-sized websites, crawling up to 500 URLs. The paid license removes this limit and provides access to additional advanced features.

Screaming Frog is highly regarded for its ability to quickly crawl sites and identify any existing technical issues you may be facing. SEO professionals swear by it for its technical audits alone.

Some say it can be overwhelming at first, but eventually they come to appreciate its substantiveness and thoroughness.

Anyone who wants to diagnose and resolve technical seo tasks without a developer.

Moz offers five tiers of paid plans: Starter ($49/month), Standard ($99/month), Medium ($179/month), Large ($299/month), and Premium ($599/month). Save 20% by paying annually.

Moz was one of the first big SEO tool companies, and they're still around for good reason. Their solution is another comprehensive suite that's meant to be an all-in-one platform. Compared to competitors, Moz is considered the better choice for beginners, as the user interface is more navigable and the features are more accessible than those of Ahrefs or SEMrush. 

It's also one of the more affordable options, which is particularly helpful for smaller businesses and solopreneurs. Core features include the Domain Authority metric (an industry standard), the Keyword Explorer, and its site crawl feature, which catches most technical issues. Moz excels at making SEO accessible and less intimidating for those new to the marketing and SEO world.

Generally speaking, people tend to find Moz more approachable, less complex, and easier overall for beginners. This makes it a great SEO tool for anyone just starting or who wants to get their feet wet and learn the core functionalities of SEO software before getting in too deep.

That said, when it comes to in-depth competitive analysis and rank tracking, the consensus online appears to be that SEMrush and Ahrefs are the preferred options. Additionally, some Moz users express a desire for a more robust data set.

Small to medium businesses that want reliable SEO tools without a steep learning curve.

The three main pricing plans include the Essential, Pro, and Business, with monthly costs starting at $65, $119, and $259, respectively. 

SE Ranking has a lot going for it—it's competitively priced, has an approachable and user-friendly interface, and offers accurate search engine results reporting. It covers the SEO basics and even excels in multiple areas without breaking the bank. 

It's ideal for those on a budget or anyone new to SEO software and site analyses. Conversely, SEO experts and larger companies that require more robust solutions may find it insufficient for their needs.

Users like the value for money and the fact that it covers everything they need. The main complaint is that it doesn't feel as polished as some of the top SEO tools (i.e., SEMrush, Ahrefs, and so forth).

Agencies and freelancers who need comprehensive tools at a reasonable price point.

Monthly plans start with the Essential for $99, Scale costs $219, and Enterprise uses custom pricing. Save 20% by paying annually.

Surfer SEO is a content optimization platform that instructs you on creating optimized content. It analyzes the top-ranking pages and provides suggested word counts, keyword densities, and related terms to include.

These features are all visible on the Content Editor—their core feature, which I happen to be using at this exact moment for this article. It makes optimizing posts foolproof and tells you exactly how to maximize content in a gamified manner. It's like having a personal SEO coach look over your shoulder while you write.

As someone who uses Surfer almost daily, I can confidently say that it is a supreme software. It makes writing fun (which, to be transparent, I find it to be regardless). But—and this is a big 'but'—I do not believe I've encountered a platform that gamifies writing and longer-form content in the same way. 

The takeaway is that the tool is cool, and if you're writing for SEO purposes, it helps eliminate the guesswork from optimization. Some worry that it makes content too formulaic, but most see improvements in rankings when they follow the recommendations.

Content creators and businesses that publish numerous blog posts or web pages.

The Basic plan costs $49/month (or $29.90/month when billed annually). The Premium tier is $69/month (or $39.90/month, billed annually), and the Agency costs $129/month (or $79.90 per month, billed annually).

KWFinder focuses on doing one thing well: finding keywords you can rank for. As one of the more reliable keyword research tools available, the keyword difficulty scores tend to be more realistic than some other platforms, and the interface is clean and easy to understand.

It's a solid alternative to Google's Keyword Planner. It's competent at generating valuable insights to convert into key data and figures, so you understand your ranking keywords and which keywords to target. It's part of the Mangools suite, so you also get access to other tools, such as SERPChecker and LinkMiner, which is a bonus.

People love how easy it is to use and how it helps them find keywords they can rank for. The apparent limitation is that its sole focus is on keyword analysis. Whether you consider this a weakness depends on your perspective, as many consider prioritizing the ability to conduct one task extremely efficiently to be a worthwhile investment.

Small businesses and new websites are starting to build a target keyword list and develop a realistic and achievable SEO strategy.

Individual plans are $29 per month. Business is $49 per month, and Enterprise/Agency plans are $99 per month.

Known for its generous suite of free features, Ubersuggest is Neil Patel's answer to all of the expensive premium SEO software solutions. Ubersuggest covers the basics—keyword research, site audits, and rank tracking—and at a fraction of the cost.

It's available as a free Chrome extension that analyzes content topics, providing keyword difficulty scores and information on social shares, all while you search the web. The paid version unlocks more advanced features and is more affordable compared to other solutions on the market. It's not as comprehensive as some of the software mentioned on this list. Nonetheless, it's a versatile technology that can  help optimize your SERP and overall site performance.

Users appreciate the low cost and simplicity, but many eventually outgrow the platform and graduate to SEO tools with deeper data and functionality sets. Regardless, it's recommended as a launching pad for new site owners and novices.

Small businesses and beginners who want SEO tools without the premium price tag.

Their three main plans include the Basic at $39/month, Professional at $79/month, and Team at $299/month, billed monthly. Paying annually gets you discounted monthly rates.

SpyFu is like that student in class who gets a higher mark than the classmate whose work they copied. In other words, it's all about gathering and analyzing competitor data to see what's working, and then using that information to your benefit in developing your SEO content strategy. Such nuggets of SEO insights can be invaluable, especially for small business owners just starting to build their online presence. 

Want to know every keyword your competitor has ever bought ads for? SpyFu has that data going back years. The same applies to their organic keywords and ranking history. It's instructive for PPC research, and to generally give you a better idea of the things you should be doing to improve your SEO strategy to earn more site traffic, and up your SEO game.

Reviews describe the competitive intelligence features and historical data as applicable, but the interface is allegedly clunky. Another thing to keep in mind is that it's a specialized tool that focuses on a core skill or need (not an all-in-one solution).

Businesses and entrepreneurs who want highly insightful competitor intelligence and historical data.