What’s the best truly free keyword research tool right now?

General
1

I’m trying to grow a small blog on a tight budget and I’m overwhelmed by all the paid SEO tools pushing free trials and limited features. I just need a reliable, genuinely free keyword research tool to find low-competition keywords and search volumes without hitting a paywall every few searches. What tools are you actually using for free keyword research, and how do they compare in terms of accuracy and limits?

2

Short answer from someone cheap and stubborn: the best truly free stack right now is:

  1. Google Keyword Planner
  2. Google Search Console
  3. AlsoAsked or AnswerThePublic alternative
  4. A free Chrome extension for SERP data

You need a combo, not one magic tool.

Here is how I’d run it on a tight budget.

  1. Use Google Keyword Planner for seed + volume
    • Create a free Google Ads account. Do not run any ads.
    • Go to Tools > Keyword Planner > “Discover new keywords”.
    • Enter 3 to 10 seed phrases around your niche.
    • Filter by location and language.
    • Sort by “Avg. monthly searches” and ignore huge phrases you will never rank for.
    • Export the list and keep anything in the 10 to 2000 searches range.

    Note. If you see volume ranges like 10 to 100, 100 to 1K etc, that is still useable. Treat it as directional, not precise data.

  2. Use Google Search Console for what already works
    • Add your site to GSC.
    • Performance > Search results.
    • Filter last 3 months.
    • Sort by impressions.
    • Look for queries where:

    • Position 8 to 30
    • Impressions high
    • Clicks low

    These are easy win keywords. Create new posts or improve existing ones around these terms. Use the exact phrases in titles, H2s, and answers.

  3. Use AlsoAsked or similar for long-tail ideas
    • AlsoAsked has a free tier with limited searches per day.
    • Type your main keyword.
    • Grab the questions and subtopics as H2 or H3s in one strong article.
    • If AlsoAsked limits you, use:

    • Answer Socrates
    • KeywordTool.io free version for questions
    • “People Also Ask” boxes manually in Google.

  4. Use a free Chrome extension for quick SERP check
    • Install “SEO Minion” or “Detailed SEO Extension”.
    • Use it to quickly see:

    • Title tags of competitors
    • Word count estimates
    • H tag structure

    Combine that with a “search operator” approach in Google:
    • “allintitle: your keyword” to see how many pages have that phrase in title. Lower number usually means easier competition.
    • For a tiny blog, target keywords where:

    • Allintitle results under 100
    • SERP filled with small sites, Quora, forums, not only giants.

  5. Use the autocomplete trick inside Google
    • Type your seed keyword, add “a”, “b”, “c” etc at the end.
    • Note the completions.
    • These are long-tail phrases with some demand.
    • Plug those back into Keyword Planner to check rough volume.

Example quick workflow for one post:

  1. Start with “best hiking socks for summer” in Keyword Planner.
  2. Export 20 related terms, pick ones under 1K searches.
  3. Check allintitle for each, pick the lowest.
  4. Throw the main one into AlsoAsked, pull 10 to 20 related questions.
  5. Build one detailed post where:
    • Main keyword in title and H1.
    • Every question from AlsoAsked is a heading.
    • Internal links to any related posts you already have.

This stack costs you zero.
It needs time and a bit of annoyance with Google Ads UI, but for a small blog it works fine.

Ignore most shiny “free trial” tools. Their freemium limits slow you down. Google data plus a few free helpers gives you more than enough to find low competition, long-tail topics and stick to a publishing schedule.

3

If you’re looking for one “truly free keyword tool,” the honest answer is: there isn’t a single magic one… but there is one I’d treat as the “core” and then patch its weaknesses with stuff that’s actually free.

@espritlibre already gave you a great Google‑centric stack. I’ll go in a different direction and try not to repeat the same steps.

The closest thing to “one free tool”: Keywords Everywhere (free data mode) + Google

Weird answer, I know, because the paid version is credits, but the free version still gives you a ton:

  • Shows “People Also Search For” terms in the sidebar
  • Surfaces “Related keywords,” “Long‑tail keywords,” and “Trending” under the SERP
  • Works directly on Google, YouTube etc
  • Lets you export stuff and then you can sort / filter in a spreadsheet

You don’t get exact volume, but frankly, for a small blog you mostly need relative interest + low competition, not “this gets 260 vs 320 searches.”

How I’d use it for low‑competition stuff:

  1. Google your seed topic like:
    how to start balcony garden

  2. Let Keywords Everywhere load its side panels:

    • Grab “Related Keywords” and “People Also Search For”
    • Pick phrases that:
      • Sound weirdly specific
      • Have 3+ words
      • Are not dominated by huge brands in the results

  3. Open a bunch of those weird phrases in new tabs and quickly eyeball each SERP:

    • If you see forums, Quora, random small blogs, old posts, not perfect content → good sign
    • If it’s all big brands and super polished guides → skip

This is basically the “I am poor but stubborn” version of paid tools’ keyword difficulty.

One place I slightly disagree with the usual advice

Everyone worships Google Keyword Planner, but for tiny blogs I find it:

  • Hides a ton of low‑volume stuff
  • Groups unrelated phrases
  • Gives ranges that are so vague they’re almost vibes

I still use it, but not as my main idea engine. I treat it as:

“Check if this phrase is totally dead or at least has a pulse.”

The ideas come from the SERP and from the way real people phrase things, not from GKP’s bland list.

Two underrated, actually‑free angles that pair well with the above

1. Reddit + site search

Use this in Google:
site:reddit.com 'your topic'

Example:
site:reddit.com balcony garden

You’ll see:

  • The exact phrases people use
  • Real questions and pain points
  • Long‑tail wording like “balcony garden for windy apartment”

Those phrases often never show up in keyword tools, but they still bring traffic if you:

  • Use the phrase in your title / H1
  • Answer the question clearly
  • Add related variations naturally

Free, messy, and very effective.

2. Internal search + comments (once you have some traffic)

If your blog has:

  • An internal search bar, check search logs
  • Comments or emails, look for repeated questions

These are “keywords” straight from your audience. Tool volume might say “0,” but GSC later proves they actually pull in impressions from a bunch of tiny variations.

This doesn’t help on day one, but it becomes a goldmine after 20–30 posts.

If you want a single “stack” that isn’t just repeating what was already said

  • Core discovery: Keywords Everywhere (free) on Google SERPs
  • Reality check: Very light use of Google Keyword Planner just to see if topic = totally dead
  • User language: Reddit site search & other communities in your niche
  • ** SERP sanity check:** Just eyeball the first page, not obsess over metrics
  • Refinement later: Google Search Console once you have content actually ranking a bit

That’s genuinely free, no free trials, no “10 credits a month and then pay us,” and it’s enough to dig up plenty of low‑competition, long‑tail topics for a small blog.

And yeah, it’s a bit more legwork than pushing a button in Ahrefs, but the upside is you actually start thinking like your reader instead of like a tool output. Which, annoyingly, works better in the long run.