How do you rank the tools?

Rankings consider how useful the product is for that specific task, feature depth, usability, value, reputation and how commonly the tool is used for that purpose.

Why are some tools listed in more than one category?

Some SEO platforms cover several different jobs well. A tool can appear more than once when it genuinely deserves a place in that category.

Are these recommendations suitable for beginners?

Yes. The lists include tools for different levels of experience, and the Best for labels make it easier to identify simpler and more advanced options.

The best
SEO tools, ranked

MagpieSEO gathers the best SEO tools for backlinks, keywords, site audits, rank tracking, content and technical SEO, ranked and compared in one place.

A magpie filling a treasure chest with link tiles from SEO tools

Best backlink tools

1
Ahrefs
Best overall
Powerful backlink analysis and link research with one of the largest link indexes.
Freemium
2
Semrush
Best all-in-one
Backlink analytics, competitor link research and backlink gap analysis alongside a wider SEO toolkit.
Trial
3
AnyBacklink
Best for finding link opportunities
Find relevant websites open to backlink opportunities and connect directly with verified site owners.
Free
4
Majestic
Best for link intelligence
Specialist backlink database with Trust Flow, Citation Flow and historical backlink data.
Paid
5
Moz Pro
Best for beginners
Backlink research with Domain Authority, Spam Score and competitive link analysis.
Freemium

Best keyword research tools

1
Semrush
Best overall
Keyword research with search volume, intent, difficulty and competitor data.
Trial
2
Ahrefs
Best for SEO professionals
Keyword research with difficulty scores, traffic potential and detailed SERP analysis.
Freemium
3
Google Keyword Planner
Best free option
Free keyword ideas and search-volume estimates directly from Google Ads.
Free
4
KWFinder
Best for beginners
Simple keyword research focused on finding lower-competition keyword opportunities.
Trial
5
AnswerThePublic
Best for questions
Find questions, comparisons and related searches around a topic.
Free tier

Best site audit tools

1
Screaming Frog
Best overall
Desktop website crawler for finding technical SEO issues across a site.
Free tier
2
Sitebulb
Best visual reporting
Visual site auditing with detailed explanations and issue prioritisation.
Trial
3
Semrush
Best all-in-one
Cloud-based site auditing with ongoing issue monitoring and recommendations.
Trial
4
Ahrefs
Best for advanced users
Site auditing for technical errors, internal linking and crawl issues.
Freemium
5
Google Search Console
Best free option
Google data for indexing, crawling, page experience and search performance.
Free

Best rank tracking tools

1
AccuRanker
Best overall
Fast, dedicated keyword rank tracking for SEO teams and agencies.
Paid
2
Semrush
Best all-in-one
Track keyword positions across devices, locations and competitors.
Trial
3
Ahrefs
Best for SEO professionals
Keyword rank tracking with historical movement and SERP features.
Freemium
4
SE Ranking
Best value
Reliable keyword position tracking with competitor and reporting features.
Trial
5
Wincher
Best for smaller sites
Simple and affordable rank tracking for smaller websites and teams.
Trial

Best content optimization tools

1
Surfer
Best overall
Optimize content using SERP analysis, content scoring and recommended terms.
Paid
2
Clearscope
Best premium option
Content optimization focused on topic coverage, relevance and editorial workflows.
Paid
3
Frase
Best for content briefs
Combines SERP research, content briefs and on-page optimization.
Paid
4
MarketMuse
Best for content strategy
Topic modelling, content planning and content gap analysis.
Paid
5
NeuronWriter
Best value
Affordable NLP-based content optimization and SERP analysis.
Paid

Best technical SEO tools

1
Screaming Frog
Best overall
Audit redirects, canonicals, metadata, status codes and crawl behaviour.
Free tier
2
Sitebulb
Best visual audits
Deep technical SEO auditing with clear visual reporting.
Trial
3
JetOctopus
Best for large sites
Cloud crawling and log-file analysis designed for larger websites.
Paid
4
Google Search Console
Best free option
Monitor indexing, crawling, Core Web Vitals and Google search issues.
Free
5
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
Best free audit suite
Free technical site audits and SEO monitoring for verified websites.
Free

Best free SEO tools

Useful SEO tools you can use without paying for a full subscription.

Google Search Console

Monitor search performance, indexing and technical issues directly from Google.
Free
Google Keyword Planner

Find keyword ideas and Google Ads search-volume estimates.
Free
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools

Technical site auditing and backlink data for verified websites.
Free
Bing Webmaster Tools

Search performance, indexing, crawling and SEO tools for Bing.
Free
AnyBacklink

Find relevant backlink opportunities and connect directly with verified website owners.
Free
SEO Minion

Browser extension for quick on-page SEO checks and SERP utilities.
Free
AnswerThePublic

Limited free searches for questions and related search ideas.
Free tier

How we choose tools

We focus on practical usefulness, not just feature lists.

Usability
Easy to learn, easy to use and easy to understand.
Value
Strong functionality relative to what the tool costs.
Depth
Features that genuinely help with real SEO work.

Frequently asked questions

A free tool should provide genuinely useful SEO functionality without requiring a paid subscription. Tools with significantly limited free versions are labelled Free tier or Freemium.

The best SEO tools, ranked