16 Best SEO Tools For Start-ups | Free + Paid Tools

SEO tools are a modern necessity for the organic growth of any brand.

If you are a start-up, running a 2-3 members marketing team, it is difficult to pick the best SEO tools that cover all aspects of your SEO efforts.

We at SmartReach had the first-hand experience of it. For months we struggled to put together a list of the best SEO tools that supports all our SEO needs without breaking the bank. 

And we did it!

In this guide, we share our curated list of 16 top SEO tools—both free and paid—that have proven effective in enhancing our SEO strategies.

Whether you’re aiming to improve keyword research, on-page optimization, or technical SEO, these tools can help elevate your online presence.

But first thing first. 

What are SEO tools, actually? 

SEO tools are specialized software that help your website and brand rank better in search engines such as Google, Bing etc. 

They help you with multiple functions such as finding search queries relevant to your niche, reporting AI-generated content, content optimization, checking the performance of your website and more. 

In this article, I have divided the SEO tools based on functionalities under multiple categories such as: 

• Keyword Research tools: They help you find the right keywords for your website and marketing copies.

• On Page SEO tools: These are tools designed to help you optimize your website for better visibility and ranking on search engines. They focus on aspects of your website that you can control directly such as content, internal links, meta titles etc. 

• Link Building tools: They help you manage and optimize your digital connections(links) from other sources. 

• Technical SEO tools: Technical SEO tools check if your website is built in a way that’s easy for search engines to understand. They basically look at the backend operations of your website.

• Local SEO tools: Local SEO tools help you boost your website’s visibility to people in your specific geographical area by fine-tuning your presence on search engines and local directories.

• SEO Reporting tools: They help you keep track of your website’s performance in search rankings. 

• All-in-one tools: These tools help you achieve overall SEO performance of your website. They work for mostly all of the functions above. 

16 best SEO tools that you should try  

Below are the best SEO tools that you should include in your tech stack for all-rounded SEO efforts. We have included both free SEO tools and paid SEO tools.

Here are the top free + paid SEO tools at a glance ⤵️

Tool name	Pricing	Best for	USP of the tool
Google keyword planner	Free	Keyword research	Accurate search volume and CPC directly from Google Ads
Keywords Everywhere	Freemium	On-the-go keyword insights	Adds keyword data to search pages across the web
Tarantula SEO Spider	Freemium	Technical SEO site crawling	Deep crawl of large sites with customizable parameters
Semrush	Paid	All-in-one SEO	Competitor tracking and keyword gap analysis
Ahrefs	Paid	Backlink & content research	Content research &
GTmetrix	Free/Paid	Page speed & performance	Real-time insights with waterfall breakdown and Core Web Vitals
Google Search Console	Free	Website indexing & health	Direct alerts from Google about indexing and performance issues
Google Analytics	Free	Traffic & behavior analysis	Tracks user journeys and conversion goals with precision
Writesonic	Freemium	AI SEO content creation	Generation of SEO-optimized blog and ad content
Majestic	Paid	Backlink analysis	Unique Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics
Georanker	Paid	Local SEO & SERP tracking	Geo-targeted rank tracking across multiple regions
Moz On-Page Grader Tool	Freemium	On-page SEO improvements	Actionable page-level suggestions based on Moz SEO factors
Coupler.io	Freemium	SEO reporting & automation	Auto-syncs SEO data into Google Sheets or BI dashboards

Now we’ll discuss about each tool in details below.

1. Google Keyword Planner 

• Pricing: FREE
• Ideal for: Ads related keyword research
• Category: Keyword Research tool

Google Keyword Planner, formerly known as ‘Google Adwords’ is a great FREE Keyword research tool offered by Google. It offers a robust platform for keyword research for SEO. 

It helps users understand search behaviors and trends, allowing content creators and advertisers to tap into Google’s vast data repository to identify keywords that can drive targeted traffic. 

Its integration with Google Ads provides insights into the competitive landscape, showing how often keywords are searched and how those searches have changed over time. This data is invaluable for optimizing content and strategizing marketing campaigns.

However, the tool does come with limitations. It’s designed primarily for advertisers, so the search volume data is grouped into ranges rather than specific numbers, which can be less precise for SEO purposes.  

Despite these drawbacks, Google Keyword Planner is an essential tool for keyword discovery and strategy development, particularly for those seeking a cost-effective solution. 

2. Keywords Everywhere 

• Pricing: Starts at $1.75/month ($21 annually)
• Ideal for: Keyword research for SEO content writing
• Category: Keyword Research tool 

Keywords Everywhere is a versatile tool used by SEO professionals and content writers. It works as a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox and Edge. 

It displays important keyword related analytics such as search volume, cost-per-click (CPC), and competition data directly on search engine results pages. Also, It provides the historical data of keywords which is crucial for understanding keyword trends and seasonality. 

Keywords Everywhere operates on a credit system, which can be a double-edged sword. While it allows for a pay-as-you-go approach, users must manage their credits carefully to avoid running out unexpectedly. Also, sometimes this tool tend to lag while the webpage is loading.

Overall, Keywords Everywhere offers a seamless integration with browsers and a user-friendly interface, making it an accessible tool for quick keyword insights. 

3. Tarantula SEO Spider

• Pricing: Starts at $9.95/month
• Ideal for: SEO analysis and auditing
• Category: SEO Auditing and Optimization Tool

Tarantula SEO Spider is a powerful AI-powered SEO tool that helps users unlock the deepest SEO secrets and opportunities. It offers comprehensive features for conducting in-depth site audits, improving rankings, and boosting website traffic.

Tarantula SEO Spider is designed to be used by professionals, providing all the features needed for a comprehensive site audit. It can detect and report on-page optimisation issues, find true keywords using AI, rewrite pages using AI, and grab insights into competitors’ ranking strategies.

Tarantula SEO Spider offers blazing-fast performance, full control over the crawl, and an easy-to-use interface. It connects with Google’s APIs to pull more data, generates sitemaps and robots.txt with one click, and provides advanced control and features for power users.

Overall, Tarantula SEO Spider is a comprehensive and powerful SEO tool that can help users and agencies achieve better rankings and more website traffic.

4. Semrush

• Pricing: Starts at $130/month
• Ideal for: All digital marketing needs
• Category: All-in-one tool

Semrush is one of the top digital marketing platforms widely regarded for its SEO and market analysis capabilities. It provides over 55 tools for SEO, content marketing, competitor analysis, PPC, and social media management. 

With Semrush, you can gain access to tons of data, including keyword analytics, site audits, and backlink profiles, which are a necessity these days for crafting effective online marketing strategies.

Semrush is mainly popular for its competitive intelligence capabilities, which allows users to spy their competitors’ online strategies and discover new opportunities for growth. This insight is particularly valuable for businesses looking to expand their digital footprint and stay ahead in a crowded online space, making it an invaluable tool for any startup platform.

There are two limitations I found out while trying Semrush. The platform may feel almost daunting for its complexity and the sheer volume of data. Additionally, their high cost plans may be a barrier for start-ups or individual marketers. 

However, if you can pay the price, Semrush can provide you unparalleled insights into your digital marketing efforts that hardly any tool can give!

5. Ahrefs

• Pricing: Starts at $99/month
• Ideal for: All digital marketing needs
• Category: All-in-one tool

Ahrefs is also another top digital marketing platform. It’s a close competitor of Semrush. Our marketing team heavily depend on Ahrefs for almost all digital marketing needs. 

Ahrefs offers a suite of tools that cover everything from tracking your site’s ranking to analyzing your competitors’ backlink strategies.

With its extensive index of live backlinks and a massive database of keywords, Ahrefs is one of the best all-in-one SEO tools. Ahrefs also provides white labelling its entire features suite, making it one of the best white label SEO software.

It has some unique features like historical data comparison, which allows users to track ranking fluctuations against algorithm updates, and its global view of top-performing pages, providing insights across different countries. 

What I personally love the most about Ahrefs is its detailed analytics. The tool’s ability to cluster keywords instantly and filter them by the lowest domain rating makes it a powerful ally for identifying untapped opportunities. 

However, their pricing can be a big barrier for start-ups and individual marketers. Also, it will take you some time to get familiar with the platform’s UI..

Overall, if you are ready to spend some good amount on SEO and want all your SEO tasks to be managed from one platform, Ahrefs is the platform for you. 

6. GTmetrix

• Pricing: Free (has a PRO plan)
• Idea for: Website SEO optimization 
• Category: Technical SEO tools 

GT Metrix is one of the most reliable technical SEO tools. Its primary function is to enhance any website’s loading speed and overall technical performance. 

This tool runs thorough tests and pinpoints the elements that slow down your website. It’s particularly adept at simulating how a site loads in different regions, on various devices, and under diverse conditions, providing a comprehensive performance report.

Its most interesting feature is its real-browser testing, which mirrors the actual user experience more accurately than simulations. It offers a granular look at your site’s performance and suggests practical steps for improvement.

The grading system, which assesses both performance and structure, offers a snapshot of your site’s effectiveness.

However, if you are non-technical person or a beginner in SEO, the learning curve is higher for you to adopt this tool. 

In short, GT Metrix is a great tool for website optimization for SEO. 

7. Google Search Console 

• Pricing: FREE
• Ideal for: All rounded SEO optimisation
• Category: SEO reporting tool 

Google Search Console (GSC) is a free SEO reporting tool offered by Google. We have been using it since day 1 of our marketing operations.

It provides a suite of resources to enhance a website’s presence on Google Search. 

It directly reports Google’s perception of your site. It offers insights into search traffic, performance metrics, and potential issues affecting visibility of your website pages on Googel.

Users can easily monitor the indexing status and optimization of individual pages, ensuring that Google’s view of their site is up-to-date and accurate.

The standout feature of GSC is its ability to alert users to issues that could impact their site’s performance, from crawl errors to security threats. It also simplifies the process of submitting sitemaps. 

Moreover, the Search Analytics feature provides tons of data on how users find your site, which queries are most effective, and how your content ranks in search results.

Whether you subscribe to any paid SEO tools or not, GSC should be in your SEO tech stack for its analytics that provide clarity, control, and a competitive edge.

8. Google Analytics

• Pricing: FREE 
• Ideal for: All rounded SEO optimisation
• Category: SEO reporting tool

Google Analytics (also known as GA4) is another FREE SEO reporting tool offered by Google that helps users understand website traffic and user behaviour. 

It’s a comprehensive platform that provides you tons of data to track and analyze user interaction on your site.

From real-time analytics to audience demographics, acquisition channels, and user flow, Google Analytics provides a detailed picture of how users interact with a site.

The best thing that I like about GA4 is its predictive insights and proactive suggestions using advanced machine learning models. This enables users to anticipate future actions, such as purchases or user churn, and tailor their strategies accordingly. 

Additionally, the intuitive reporting and visualization features make it easy to digest complex data and turn it into actionable information.

However, the depth of Google Analytics can be overwhelming for beginners, and navigating its many features can be challenging without proper guidance.

Despite this, if you are willing to invest the time to learn its intricacies, Google Analytics will surely offer you competitive advantages in the rapidly growing digital revolution. 

9. Writesonic

• Pricing: Starts at $0/month (Free plan), with paid plans available
• Ideal for: Content creation, SEO, and AI-powered marketing
• Category: AI writing and marketing platform

Writesonic is a comprehensive AI-powered platform offering tools for content creation, AI SEO optimization, and marketing.

Its standout features include an AI Article Writer, Chatsonic (AI chat assistant), and Botsonic (AI conversational chatbot), all designed to streamline content creation and optimization processes.

The platform’s AI SEO capabilities transform complex optimization tasks into simple, actionable steps, including on-page and off-page audits, content gap analysis, and automated internal linking.

Writesonic integrates with popular marketing tools like Ahrefs, Analytics, and WordPress, allowing users to pull real-time data for smarter content decisions.

While Writesonic offers a generous free plan, some users might find the learning curve steep due to the platform’s wide array of features.

Despite this, Writesonic presents a powerful solution for businesses and content creators looking to enhance their content creation and AI SEO efforts.

10. Majestic

• Pricing: Starts at $49/month
• Ideal for: Link building and analysis
• Category: Link building tool

Majestic is a popular for its backlink analysis capabilities. It’s a specializes in the link-building aspect of SEO, providing users with a detailed view of their site’s backlink profile. 

Majestic offers insights into both the quality and quantity of backlinks, often critical for understanding a site’s authority and influence on the web.

Majestic’s USP lies in its feature called “Trust Flow metric”, which assesses the quality of links pointing to a site, helping users focus on building valuable backlinks. Additionally, its “Topical Trust Flow” offers insights into a website’s topical relevance based on its backlink sources, which is essential for aligning content with the right audience.

For crafting a robust backlink strategy, Majestic can offer unparalleled insights and a competitive edge for a site’s SEO through quality link-building efforts.

10. Georanker

• Pricing: Starts at $99/month
• Ideal for: Local rank tracking
• Category: Local SEO tool

Georanker is one of the best SEO tools that specializes in local rank tracking. It provides businesses with a detailed view of their search engine performance across different locations. 

With Georanker, you can track dynamic keywords, monitor mobile rankings, and analyze multiple search engines, offering a comprehensive local SEO toolkit.

The tool’s ability to track translated keywords and multiple URLs for the same domain simultaneously sets it apart from other local SEO tools. Also, Georanker’s real-time data and customizable reports make it a valuable asset for businesses looking to optimize their local search presence.

Its focus on local data, user friendly interface and the flexibility makes it a demanding tool for SEO veterans and for the newly entered folks in the SEO industry. 

11. Moz On-Page Grader Tool

• Pricing: Freemium (30 Day Free trial)
• Ideal for: On-page content and link optimisation
• Category: On-page SEO tool

Moz On-Page Grader is an integral component of the Moz Pro suite, designed to scrutinize webpages for keyword optimization. It provides immediate feedback on how well a page aligns with best SEO practices for a chosen keyword.

The tool evaluates critical factors such as title tags, meta descriptions, and keyword usage, offering a score and actionable recommendations to enhance on-page SEO.

This tool is particularly beneficial for making straightforward improvements for the content optimization. 

If you are looking to optimize your content on webpages without bothering about too many features, this could be the best SEO tool for you for on-page improvements.

12. Coupler.io

• Pricing: Free plan for one active data flow. Paid ones start at $49/month
• Ideal for: SEO reporting
• Category: All-in-one SEO analytics and reporting tool

Coupler.io is a platform that turns complex data into simple reports and is known for its comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities. It allows SEO reporting by exporting and aggregating GA4 and Google Search Console data. 

The process follows a clear principle: first, you specify the data needed for your SEO report; next, you organize the data by filtering, sorting, and adding custom calculations to make it analysis-ready; finally, you choose where to load and visualize your report.

Using Coupler.io, you can design and export SEO reports to spreadsheets, BI tools, or data warehouses.

These reports will automatically update based on your specified schedule. Additionally, the platform provides ready-to-use report templates to simplify the start of your SEO reporting and analytics process.

Honourable mentions (some more best SEO tools)

Apart from the above-mentioned SEO tools, there are more awesome tools for each category. You can always check them out as Free alternatives.

13. Detailed SEO extension (FREE)

It’s a FREE SEO tool offering on-page optimization options through its Chrome extension. Try this out from Chrome store today.

14. AnswerThePublic (Freemium) 

AnswerThePublic is owned by Neil Patel, one of the veteran SEOs and content marketers. It’s a search listening tool designed for keyword research and content optimization for SEO. It currently offers three daily FREE keyword searches. Make sure you leverage it.

15. ScreamingFrog (FREE)

ScreamingFrog is a technical SEO tool that can crawl your website URLs and analyze variety of on-page elements such as backlinks, meta title, page title, robot.txt, duplicate contents etc. It offers a FREE version that supports upto 500 URLs. If you are a start-up or solo-marketer leverage this tool in your tech stack.   

16. Google Business Profile (FREE)

Google Business Profile is a local SEO tool offered by Google. This tool offers local SEO, helping businesses appear in local search results and on Google Maps, thus driving foot traffic and online discovery. It’s a completely FREE and user-friendly tool. Make sure you use it. Remember, while these free tools are excellent, combining them with expert guidance from services like SEOprofy can really elevate your SEO game. They can help you interpret data, develop strategies, and make the most of both free and paid SEO resources.

Bottomline

The bottom line is that the list of the best SEO tools is ever increasing, with new tools coming every now and then in the market. They range from comprehensive paid solutions to efficient free alternatives. 

Each tool brings its own strengths to the table, catering to different aspects of SEO and online marketing. 

The key to choosing the right set of the best SEO tools depends on your budget, team size and growth stage of your business. Also, your marketing objectives are to take into considerations.  

For start-ups and solo-marketers, I’d always recommend going for FREE tools offered by brands such as Google, Ahrefs etc. Google analytics, Google Search console, Google trends, Google Business Profile etc. must be in your tech stack and completely set-up for your business website. 

On top of that, if you have budget, you can always opt for an all-in-one SEO platform such as Ahrefs or Semrush to get most of your digital marketing activities done. 

In case, if you have a budget crunch, you can always try free alternatives mentioned in the article.

Best SEO tools – F.A.Q  

Q. What are SEO tools? 

SEO tools are specialized softwares designed to help improve a website’s search engine rankings by providing insights on performance, suggesting optimizations, and aiding in keyword research for better online visibility.

Q. What are the best SEO tools?

Some of the best SEO tools are Google Search console, Google Analytics as well as SERP analysis tools such as: Ahrefs, Semrush, Screamingfrog etc.

Q. How to use SEO tools?

To use any SEO tools, first Identify your goals (keyword research, on-page optimization, Link building etc.) then choose a tool that offers features to directly address those goals.

Q. what seo tools do you use?

We at SmartReach.io use multiple SEO tools such as Ahrefs, Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Business profile, Detailed SEO extension etc.

Q. Why use SEO tools? 

SEO tools save you time and effort by giving you data and insights to optimize your website for search engines, ultimately boosting your traffic.

Q. Are paid SEO tools worth the investment for small businesses?

Yes, paid SEO tools often offer advanced features like in-depth analytics and competitor insights, which can be valuable for small businesses aiming to improve their online visibility.

Q. How do I choose the right SEO tool for my business?

Consider your specific needs—such as keyword research, backlink analysis, or technical audits—and select a tool that specializes in those areas. Budget and ease of use are also important factors.

Q. What are the best free SEO tools available in 2025?

Some of the top free SEO tools in 2025 include Google Keyword Planner for keyword research, Ubersuggest for content ideas, and MozBar for on-page SEO analysis.