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

General
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.