24 Best Free SEO Tools in 2024
1. 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. 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.
3. 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- Features: Malware detection, blacklist status, website errors, outdated software.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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Content Quality Assessment
- 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.
7. On-Page SEO Optimization
- 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
- 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, citation building tips.
- How to Use: Enter your business details, find relevant local directories, and submit your business information.
10. 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.
11. Broken Links Check
- 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.
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 |
| 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 |