Search engine optimization in 2026 is no longer limited to keywords and backlinks. Today, SEO involves AI-driven content evaluation, EEAT optimization, technical audits, Core Web Vitals monitoring, schema validation, local search enhancements, and even LLM file verification. As an SEO agency, we continuously test and evaluate tools to ensure we use only the most effective resources for our clients. In this guide, we have carefully selected 27 of the best free SEO tools in 2026 that help with keyword tracking, AI SEO analysis, backlink research, technical audits, page speed improvements, malware detection, local SEO optimization, and content quality enhancement. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced SEO professional, these tools will help you build stronger rankings without increasing your budget.
On-page SEO Tools
1. Free Keyword Ranking Checks:
- Google Search Console
- Description: Monitor your website’s performance in Google search results. Track keyword rankings, click-through rates, and impressions.
- Features: Performance reports, keyword tracking, index coverage, mobile usability.
- How to Use: Verify your website, access the Performance report, analyze keyword data, and optimize based on insights.
- Ubersuggest (Free Version)
- Description: A versatile tool by Neil Patel that offers keyword tracking, suggestions, and basic site audit features.
- Features: Keyword suggestions, domain overview, top SEO pages, backlink data.
- How to Use: Enter your domain or keyword, explore suggestions, track rankings, and identify top-performing pages.
2. Free On-Page SEO Audit & Optimization Tools:
- RankSure.io
- Description: A free on-page SEO tool to check keyword prominence of multiple keywords at once.
- Features: keyword prominence and density check, sitemap status, image size checker, schema markup checker, and content keyword density checker.
- How to Use: Go to the tools website select a tool, and add URL and comma separated Keywords check results.
- Yoast SEO (Free WordPress Plugin)
- Description: A powerful on-page SEO tool for WordPress sites, helping optimize content for search engines.
- Features: SEO analysis, readability check, meta tag management, XML sitemaps.
- How to Use: Install the plugin, configure basic settings, and use the analysis tool to optimize each post/page.
- SEOquake
- Description: A browser extension that provides on-page SEO metrics and analysis.
- Features: SEO audit, keyword density, internal/external link analysis, SERP overlay.
- How to Use: Install the extension, navigate to any webpage, and view the SEO metrics directly in your browser.
3. Free Content Quality Assessment Tools:
- Grammarly (Free Version)
- Description: An advanced writing assistant that helps improve grammar, spelling, and overall content quality.
- Features: Grammar checks, spell checks, style suggestions, readability analysis.
- How to Use: Install the browser extension or use the online editor to review and enhance your content.
- Hemingway Editor
- Description: Enhances content readability by highlighting complex sentences and passive voice usage.
- Features: Readability score, sentence complexity, adverb detection, passive voice highlights.
- How to Use: Paste your content into the editor, review the suggestions, and simplify where necessary.
Free AI SEO Tools
4. Free AI SEO Tools:
- EEAT Content Checker
- Description: This FREE tool measures your content’s EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) to determine your SEO content score, which affects how well your content is ranking.
- Features: measures and Score page content’s EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)
- How to Use: Enter your URL, review the performance score, and implement recommended optimizations.
- llms.txt file Checker:
- Description: The llms.txt checker helps you validate files that follow the llms.txt standard.
- Features: The llms.txt checker validates the following:
- Markdown Format – Checks if the content is valid Markdown
- H1 Title – Verifies the presence of an H1 title with project/site name (required)
- Quote Block – Checks for a quote block with project summary containing key information
- Project Details – Validates optional markdown sections with detailed project information
- File Lists – Checks for H2-separated sections containing file lists with markdown hyperlinks
- How to Use: Go to the Tool Page and scan your llms.txt file by copy-pasting the code or scanning the URL.
Free Technical SEO Tools
5. Technical SEO Audits:
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider (Free Version)
- Description: A desktop program that crawls websites to identify technical SEO issues.
- Features: Crawl analysis, broken links, duplicate content, meta data extraction.
- How to Use: Download and install the tool, enter your website URL, run the crawl, and review the technical SEO issues identified.
- Google Search Console
- Description: Provides comprehensive insights into your website’s technical health and search performance.
- Features: Index coverage, mobile usability, Core Web Vitals, security issues.
- How to Use: Verify your website, navigate through the various reports, and fix any technical issues highlighted.
6. Page Speed Analysis:
- Google PageSpeed Insights
- Description: Analyze the performance of your web pages on both mobile and desktop devices.
- Features: Speed scores, performance diagnostics, improvement suggestions.
- How to Use: Enter your URL, review the performance score, and implement recommended optimizations.
- GTmetrix
- Description: Provides detailed insights into your page speed and performance.
- Features: Page load details, performance scores, waterfall analysis, recommendations.
- How to Use: Enter your URL, analyze the results, and follow the suggestions to enhance speed.
7. Image Optimization:
- TinyPNG
- Description: Compresses PNG and JPEG images without losing quality.
- Features: Batch image compression, API access for developers.
- How to Use: Upload your images to the website, let TinyPNG compress them, and download the optimized versions.
- ImageOptim (Mac)
- Description: A free image optimization tool for Mac users that compresses images without sacrificing quality.
- Features: Batch processing, supports various formats, integrates with macOS.
- How to Use: Drag and drop images into the app, and it will automatically optimize them.
8. DNS and Domain Checks:
- MXToolbox
- Description: Offers a suite of DNS tools for checking DNS records, email server configurations, and more.
- Features: DNS lookup, blacklist check, SMTP diagnostics, domain health.
- How to Use: Select the desired tool (e.g., DNS Lookup), enter your domain, and review the results.
- WhatsMyDNS
- Description: Checks DNS propagation globally for your domain.
- Features: DNS record types (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, etc.), global DNS servers.
- How to Use: Enter your domain and select the record type to see DNS propagation status worldwide.
Free Website Security Tools
9. Malware and Security Checks:
- Sucuri SiteCheck
- Description: A free website security scanner that checks for malware, blacklisting status, and other security issues.
- Features: Malware detection, blacklist status, website errors, outdated software.
- How to Use: Enter your website URL, run the scan, and address any identified security issues.
- VirusTotal
- Description: Aggregates many antivirus products and scan engines to check for malware.
- Features: File and URL scanning, detailed reports, multiple engine analysis.
- How to Use: Upload files or enter URLs to scan for potential threats.
Free Backlinks and Internal Links Checkers
10. Link Profile Analysis:
- Ahrefs Backlink Checker (Free Version)
- Description: Provides a limited view of your backlink profile, showing top referring domains and backlinks.
- Features: Backlink overview, top referring domains, new and lost backlinks.
- How to Use: Enter your domain, view the backlink summary, and identify high-quality backlinks.
- Moz Link Explorer (Free Version)
- Description: Offers insights into your website’s backlink profile and domain authority.
- Features: Link metrics, top pages, anchor text distribution, spam score.
- How to Use: Enter your URL, analyze the backlink data, and identify opportunities for improvement.
11. Broken Links Checkers
- RankSure.io’s Link Checker
- Description: Free simple Internal/external link type checker.
- Features: Lists down all the links in the given URL’s page with clickable URL, anchor text, follow/nofollow type, Page status code
- How to Use: Enter your website URL, start the scan, and review the list of broken links to fix or remove them.
- Broken Link Checker
- Description: Scans your website for broken links and provides a detailed report.
- Features: Checks all types of links, identifies broken internal and external links.
- How to Use: Enter your website URL, start the scan, and review the list of broken links to fix or remove them.
- Dead Link Checker
- Description: Finds broken links on your website and provides easy-to-navigate reports.
- Features: Monitors multiple websites, regular scans, detailed error reports.
- How to Use: Enter your website URL, choose the scanning options, and initiate the scan to identify broken links.
Free Local SEO Tools
12. Local SEO Optimization:
- Google My Business
- Description: A free tool to manage your online presence across Google, including Search and Maps.
- Features: Business profile management, customer reviews, local insights, posts.
- How to Use: Claim your business, complete your profile with accurate information, and regularly update it with posts and photos.
- RankSure.io
- Description: Schema Markup Checker
- Features: Lists down all schema types found in the given URL with their type.
- How to Use: Go to the Schema Checker Tools page and scan your required URL.
- Whitespark Local Citation Finder (Free Tools Available)
- Description: Helps find local citation opportunities to boost your local SEO.
- Features: Local citation listings, competitor citation analysis, and citation building tips.
- How to Use: Enter your business details, find relevant local directories, and submit your business information.
Best Free SEO Tools – Cheat Sheet
| SEO Tool | Main Function | Key Features | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Keyword Ranking & Technical SEO | Performance reports, index coverage, mobile usability, Core Web Vitals | Comprehensive insights, free to use | Can be overwhelming for beginners |
| RankSure.io | On-Page SEO Check | Keyword Prominence Local SEO, Broken Links, Image sizes | basic important insights, free to use | very easy for beginners |
| Ubersuggest | Keyword Research & Rank Tracking | Keyword suggestions, domain overview, backlink data, top SEO pages | User-friendly, wide range of features | Limited data in free version |
| Google PageSpeed Insights | Page Speed Analysis | Speed scores, performance diagnostics, improvement suggestions | Easy to use, actionable recommendations | Limited to page speed, not comprehensive SEO |
| GTmetrix | Page Speed & Performance | Page load details, performance scores, waterfall analysis, recommendations | Detailed reports, user-friendly interface | Free version has limited features |
| Sucuri SiteCheck | Malware & Security Checks | Malware detection, blacklist status, website errors, outdated software | Quick security scans, easy to use | Limited to basic security checks |
| VirusTotal | Malware & Threat Detection | File and URL scanning, multiple engine analysis, detailed reports | Comprehensive threat analysis | Can be slow with large files |
| MXToolbox | DNS & Domain Checks | DNS lookup, blacklist check, SMTP diagnostics, domain health | Wide range of DNS tools, reliable results | Interface can be complex for new users |
| WhatsMyDNS | DNS Propagation Check | DNS record types (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, etc.), global DNS servers | Real-time propagation status | Limited to DNS checks |
| Ahrefs Backlink Checker | Link Profile Analysis | Backlink overview, top referring domains, new and lost backlinks | High-quality backlink data | Limited to top 100 backlinks in free version |
| Moz Link Explorer | Link Profile & Domain Authority | Link metrics, top pages, anchor text distribution, spam score | Comprehensive link analysis | Limited data in free version |
| Grammarly | Content Quality & Grammar | Grammar checks, spell checks, style suggestions, readability analysis | Improves content quality, easy to use | Limited features in free version |
| Hemingway Editor | Content Readability | Readability score, sentence complexity, adverb detection, passive voice highlights | Enhances content clarity and readability | Doesn’t check for SEO factors |
| Yoast SEO | On-Page SEO Optimization | SEO analysis, readability check, meta tag management, XML sitemaps | Comprehensive on-page SEO tool, easy integration | Limited to WordPress sites |
| SEOquake | On-Page SEO Metrics | SEO audit, keyword density, internal/external link analysis, SERP overlay | Instant SEO metrics in-browser | Can slow down browser performance |
| Screaming Frog SEO Spider | Technical SEO Audits | Crawl analysis, broken links, duplicate content, meta data extraction | Detailed technical insights, powerful crawling | Free version limited to 500 URLs |
| Google My Business | Local SEO Optimization | Business profile management, customer reviews, local insights, posts | Essential for local SEO, free to use | Limited to local businesses |
| Whitespark Local Citation Finder | Local SEO & Citation Building | Local citation listings, competitor citation analysis, citation building tips | Helps improve local visibility | Free tools have limited features |
| TinyPNG | Image Optimization | Compresses PNG and JPEG images without losing quality | Easy to use, effective compression | Limited to image compression |
| ImageOptim (Mac) | Image Optimization | Compresses images without sacrificing quality | Batch processing, supports various formats | Mac only |
| Broken Link Checker | Broken Links Check | Scans for broken links, provides detailed reports | Easy to use, comprehensive scanning | Can be slow for large websites |
| Dead Link Checker | Broken Links Check | Finds broken links, provides easy-to-navigate reports | Regular scans, detailed error reports | Limited to broken link checks |
| Google Analytics | Web Traffic & Behavior Tracking | Traffic analysis, user behavior tracking, conversion tracking, goal setting | Comprehensive data, integrates with other Google tools | Steep learning curve for advanced features |
| Google Data Studio | Data Visualization & Reporting | Custom dashboards, real-time reporting, data blending | Highly customizable, free to use | Requires familiarity with data visualization concepts |
| AnswerThePublic | Content Ideas & Keyword Research | Keyword research, content ideas, question-based queries | Generates creative content ideas | Limited searches in free version |
