The best free tools to find a competitor's keywords are Semrush, Ahrefs and SpyFu. Enter any competitor's domain and each one shows the keywords that site ranks for in Google, with search volume and ranking position. The free versions show a sample of that data, so the right tool depends on how much you need to see without paying.
Below are ten tools that do this, what each one gives you for free, and where each falls short. After the list you will find how to identify your real competitors, which metrics to look at, and how to turn a competitor's keyword list into a plan.
| Tool | Free version | What you get free | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush | Yes, free account | 10 Analytics requests a day, including a competitor's organic keywords, with a sample of rows | The most complete free picture |
| Ahrefs | Yes, no account for the free checkers | A competitor's top organic keywords and top pages from the free Website Traffic Checker | A fast answer with the least friction |
| SpyFu | Yes, no account | Top organic and paid keywords for any domain | Seeing what competitors buy in Google Ads |
| SEO.ai Competitor Keywords | Yes, no login | Keywords a domain ranks for in a chosen country, with volume and position | A quick country-level check |
| Mangools KWFinder | Yes, limited | 5 lookups per 24 hours, 5 competitor keywords per lookup | Checking a handful of competitors |
| Google Keyword Planner | Yes, Google Ads account | Keyword ideas built from a competitor's website, with volume and bid ranges | PPC keyword research |
| SE Ranking | Limited, plus a 14-day trial | Organic and paid keywords with limited rows, full data during the trial | Organic and paid side by side |
| Ubersuggest | Yes, free account | A limited number of daily searches, including a domain's top keywords and pages | Occasional checks on a small budget |
| Moz Keyword Explorer | Yes, free account | A limited number of monthly queries, including a domain's ranking keywords | Moz users who want its keyword metrics |
| SEO PowerSuite Rank Tracker | Yes, desktop software | Unlimited rank checks, one competitor per project | Tracking one competitor over time |
The list is ordered by how much you can do without paying, starting with the tools that give you the most competitor data for free.
10 Best Free Tools to Find Competitor Keywords
- Semrush
- Ahrefs
- SpyFu
- SEO.ai Competitor Keywords
- Mangools KWFinder
- Google Keyword Planner
- SE Ranking
- Ubersuggest
- Moz Keyword Explorer
- SEO PowerSuite Rank Tracker
1. Semrush
Semrush is an all-in-one SEO and marketing platform, and its Organic Research report is the most complete way to see which keywords a competitor ranks for.
A free Semrush account allows up to 10 requests a day to its Analytics reports, which include Organic Research. That is enough to check several competitors, although each report shows only a sample of the keywords.
Go to Organic Research and enter a domain. Start with your own, so you can see who Semrush considers your competitors.
Look for the section labeled "Main Organic Competitors". The domains listed there share the most ranking keywords with yours.
Then enter a competitor's domain, scroll to "Top Keywords" and click "View All Keywords".
Use the filters to narrow the list. The Top 10 filter, for example, shows only the keywords where the competitor ranks on the first page of Google.
For large competitors, the "Pages" report is more useful than the keyword list. It shows which pages bring them organic traffic, and you can open each one to see the keywords it ranks for. It is the report I use most when looking for new content ideas.
Semrush also has a Keyword Gap tool, which compares your domain with up to five competitors and lists the keywords they rank for and you do not. That is the fastest way to turn competitor research into a list of topics.
Pros
- The free account covers the core competitor reports, not just a teaser.
- Keyword Gap compares up to five competitors at once.
- The Pages report shows which content actually earns a competitor's traffic.
Cons
- Free reports show only a sample of rows.
- 10 requests a day runs out quickly if you check many domains.
2. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is one of the largest SEO data providers, and its free Website Traffic Checker shows the top organic keywords and top pages for any domain, with no account needed.
Enter a competitor's domain and you get its estimated organic traffic, the keywords that send it the most visits, and the pages that receive them. It is the fastest way to see what is working for a competitor.
The full keyword list lives in Ahrefs Site Explorer, which is part of the paid plans. Ahrefs Free, the company's free account, gives you data on your own verified sites rather than on competitors.
Pros
- No sign-up for the free checker.
- Shows the keywords and the pages that drive a competitor's traffic together.
- Ahrefs' keyword data is among the most comprehensive available.
Cons
- The free checker shows only the top keywords, not the full list.
- Filters, exports and history need a paid plan.
3. SpyFu
SpyFu is a competitor research tool built around the question of which keywords a domain ranks for and which it pays for in Google Ads.
You can search any domain on the SpyFu homepage without creating an account. The results show the domain's top organic keywords, its paid keywords, and how both have changed over time. Scroll to "Top Keywords" and click "View all organic keywords" to see more.
The free results are limited to the top rows. Paid plans unlock the full data and downloads, and SpyFu offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
- No account needed to start.
- Paid keyword history is its real strength, and few free tools show it.
- Useful for PPC and SEO research in one place.
Cons
- Free results stop after the top rows.
- Filters and exports need a paid plan.
4. SEO.ai Competitor Keywords
SEO.ai Competitor Keywords is a free, single-purpose tool that shows which keywords a domain ranks for in a specific country.
There is no login. Enter a domain, choose a country, and you get a report of the keywords that domain ranks for, with search volume and ranking position.
It does one job and does not try to be a full SEO suite, which makes it a good first check before you spend requests in a bigger tool.
Pros
- Free with no login at all.
- Country selection makes it useful for local and international research.
Cons
- No filters, keyword gap or history.
- It does not say where its ranking data comes from.
5. Mangools KWFinder
Mangools KWFinder is a keyword research tool with a "Search by domain" mode that shows the best keywords a competitor ranks for.
The free version gives you 5 lookups per 24 hours, with 15 related keywords and 5 competitor keywords per lookup. That is enough to check a few competitors and see their strongest terms, along with KWFinder's keyword difficulty score for each.
Pros
- Very easy to use, with a clear keyword difficulty score.
- Free lookups reset every 24 hours.
Cons
- Only 5 competitor keywords per free lookup.
- Not suited to analyzing large sites.
6. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is Google's own keyword tool, free to use with a Google Ads account.
It does not show what a competitor ranks for. Instead, it reads a competitor's website and suggests the keywords that match its content, with Google's own search volume and bid ranges. To use it, go to Google Ads, open "Tools" and select "Keyword Planner".
Click "Discover new keywords", then "Start with a website". Enter the competitor's domain and click "Get results".
Sort by "Avg. monthly searches" to see the most popular keywords first, and filter by country and language.
Pros
- Search volume comes straight from Google.
- Completely free, with no daily limit.
Cons
- Shows keyword ideas from a site's content, not its actual rankings.
- Volumes are shown as broad ranges unless you run active campaigns.
7. SE Ranking
SE Ranking is an all-in-one SEO platform whose Competitive Research tool shows a domain's organic and paid keywords side by side.
Enter a competitor's domain in Competitive Research to see its estimated traffic, traffic trend, and top keywords. Scroll to "Organic Keywords" and open the detailed report to filter the full list.
Without an account you see a limited number of rows. A 14-day free trial unlocks the full reports.
Pros
- Organic and paid keywords in one report.
- The 14-day trial gives you full data for a complete competitor analysis.
Cons
- The free view is limited to a few rows.
- Full reports end with the trial unless you subscribe.
8. Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is Neil Patel's keyword research tool, and its free account includes a limited number of searches each day.
Enter a competitor's domain to see its top keywords and top pages. For each keyword, Ubersuggest shows the page that ranks for it, and the "Search Results" button lists the top 10 sites for that keyword, which helps you spot other competitors.
Pros
- Simple interface aimed at beginners.
- Shows the ranking page next to each keyword.
Cons
- Daily free searches run out quickly.
- Less data depth than the tools higher on this list.
9. Moz Keyword Explorer
Moz Keyword Explorer is one of the oldest keyword tools on the market, and a free Moz account includes a limited number of queries each month.
Enter a competitor's root domain and click "Analyze", then "See all ranking keywords" to view the keywords that site ranks for. You can filter the list to narrow it down.
Pros
- Clean keyword metrics, including Moz's own difficulty and priority scores.
- Useful if you already work in Moz for other SEO tasks.
Cons
- The monthly free queries are few.
- An account is required before you can search.
10. SEO PowerSuite Rank Tracker
SEO PowerSuite Rank Tracker is desktop software for tracking rankings, and unlike the other tools on this list it runs on your own computer rather than in a browser.
The free version checks rankings without limits on keywords, locations or search engines, and lets you add one competitor per project. Download and install the software, add your site, then add a competitor to track its positions next to yours.
It is better at tracking a competitor over time than at discovering every keyword a competitor ranks for. The keyword gap features are fuller in the paid versions.
Pros
- Unlimited rank checks on the free version.
- Scheduled checks and alerts when positions change.
Cons
- Only one competitor per project for free.
- Desktop installation required.
Which Tool Should You Use?
Use Semrush if you want the most complete free picture: 10 requests a day covers a proper look at several competitors, and Keyword Gap turns the result into a list of topics.
Use Ahrefs or SEO.ai if you only want a quick look at what one competitor ranks for, with nothing to sign up for.
Use SpyFu if you also want to see which keywords a competitor pays for in Google Ads.
Use Google Keyword Planner for search volumes straight from Google once you have a list.
Every tool on this list estimates rankings from its own database. None of them can see a competitor's Google Search Console, so treat the numbers as a guide, and check any keyword you plan to target in Google itself.
How to Find Your Real Competitors
Before you check which keywords your competitors rank for, make sure you are looking at the right competitors. There are two easy ways to find them.
Search Google. Search for the keywords you want to rank for. The sites that keep appearing in the top positions, excluding very large brands and marketplaces, are your search competitors. They may not be the businesses you compete with offline.
Use a tool. Semrush's "Main Organic Competitors" report, SE Ranking and Ubersuggest all list the domains that share the most ranking keywords with yours. The more keywords you share in the top 20 results, the more directly you compete.
Key Metrics to Look At
Once you have a competitor's keyword list, these are the numbers that decide which keywords are worth your time:
- Search volume - the average number of monthly searches. Higher volume means more potential traffic, and usually more competition.
- Keyword difficulty - a score, usually from 0 to 100, estimating how hard it is to reach the first page. Each tool calculates it differently, so compare scores within one tool only.
- Ranking position - where the competitor ranks. A keyword where they rank in the top 10 is proven to work for a site like theirs.
- Search intent - what the searcher wants: information, a comparison, or to buy. Match the type of content that already ranks.
- Cost per click (CPC) - what advertisers pay. A high CPC signals a keyword with commercial value, even for SEO.
Read our guide on what makes a good keyword search volume for how to judge the first of these.
Tips for Effective Competitor Analysis
Whichever tool you use, these filters will turn a list of thousands of keywords into one you can act on:
Exclude brand keywords - There is no point trying to rank for a competitor's brand name, so filter it out.
Focus on their top 10 rankings - Keywords where a competitor ranks on the first page are the ones actually sending them traffic.
Remove very low-volume keywords - Set a minimum that makes sense for your niche, so you are left with keywords that bring real traffic.
Start with long-tail keywords - Keywords of three or more words are usually easier to rank for than short head terms.
Look for gaps, not copies - The most valuable keywords are the ones several competitors rank for and you do not. That is exactly what a keyword gap report shows.
Applied to a large site, these filters can cut hundreds of thousands of ranking keywords down to a few thousand worth reviewing.
Competitor keywords are one part of a wider SEO competitor analysis, which also looks at their content, backlinks and technical setup.
Key Learnings
You can find which keywords a competitor ranks for without paying anything. Semrush gives the most complete free view, Ahrefs and SEO.ai give the quickest one, and SpyFu adds what competitors buy in Google Ads.
Every tool estimates, and the free versions show only part of the data. Use them to find the keywords that already work for sites like yours, filter the list down to the ones you can realistically rank for, and check each one in Google before you commit to it.
