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Best SEO Tools
Every company here was researched from its own pricing pages and terms. No paid rankings.
We check it out so you don’t have to.
How we researched this page: we read each company’s own pricing pages and terms, independent tests, and customer reviews. We did not use these products ourselves. Prices change often, so each one shows the date we checked it.
The short version
For one tool that does nearly everything, Semrush. For most of that at a lower price, SE Ranking. For easy keyword research on a budget, Mangools or LowFruits. For writing content that ranks, Surfer. For a trusted name with a cheap entry plan, Moz. Ahrefs is excellent too (see below).
Quick comparison
| Company | Best for | Starting price | Trial / refund |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush | All-in-one SEO and marketing research | $117.33/mo yearly or $139 monthly (Pro), checked October 25, 2026 | Free trial |
| SE Ranking | Agencies and small businesses on a budget | $103.20/mo yearly or $129 monthly, checked October 25, 2026 | 14-day trial (paid plans non-refundable) |
| Mangools | Beginner-friendly keyword research | $452.40/yr (Entry, yearly), checked October 25, 2026 | 48-hour refund |
| Surfer | On-page content optimization | See the official site | See the official site |
| Moz | Trusted metrics, cheap entry plan | $49/mo (Starter); $79/mo yearly (Standard), checked October 25, 2026 | Free trial |
| LowFruits | Finding low-competition keywords | Pay-as-you-go credits; see the official site | 14-day refund if under 100 credits used |
Semrush
Who it fits: Marketers and businesses who want keyword research, site audits, rank tracking, competitor research and ads data in one tool.
What it costs (checked October 25, 2026): $139, $199 and $299 a month by plan, or $117.33, $165.17 and $248.17 a month billed yearly. Free trial.
Honest downsides: Expensive for a solo site. Extra users and add-ons cost more.
Compare: Read our full Semrush review · SE Ranking vs Semrush
SE Ranking
Who it fits: Small agencies and businesses that want rank tracking, audits and keyword tools for much less than Semrush.
What it costs (checked October 25, 2026): $129 and $279 a month ($103.20 and $223.20 a month billed yearly). 14-day free trial. Paid plans are non-refundable.
Honest downsides: Smaller backlink and keyword database than Semrush or Ahrefs. No refunds once you pay.
Visit SE Ranking’s official site
Compare: Read our full SE Ranking review · SE Ranking vs Semrush
Mangools
Who it fits: Bloggers and small sites that want easy keyword research and rank tracking.
What it costs (checked October 25, 2026): $452.40, $632.40 and $1,172.40 a year by plan on yearly billing. 48-hour money-back guarantee.
Honest downsides: The refund window is very short. Lighter on site audits than the big suites.
Visit Mangools’s official site
Compare: Read our full Mangools review
Surfer
Who it fits: Writers and content teams who want guidance on what to include so a page can rank.
What it costs Check the official page for current prices.
Honest downsides: It’s an optimization tool, not a full SEO suite. Following its scores too closely can make writing sound formulaic.
Compare: Read our full Surfer review
Moz
Who it fits: People who want trusted SEO metrics and a cheap way to start.
What it costs (checked October 25, 2026): Starter $49/mo. Standard $79, Medium $143 and Large $239 a month billed yearly. Free trial.
Honest downsides: Keyword and backlink data are smaller than Semrush’s or Ahrefs’. The Starter plan is very limited.
LowFruits
Who it fits: Niche-site builders looking for keywords that small sites can actually rank for.
What it costs Credit-based. Check the official page for current prices. Refunds within 14 days if you’ve used fewer than 100 credits.
Honest downsides: A narrow tool. You’ll still need something else for audits and rank tracking.
Visit LowFruits’s official site
Compare: Read our full LowFruits review
Also worth knowing
- Ahrefs is one of the two best-known SEO suites ($129, $249, $449 and $1,499 a month, checked October 25, 2026).
- Serpstat is another SEO suite ($50, $100 and $410 a month billed yearly, checked October 25, 2026).
Side-by-side pages
The match-ups people search for most in this topic:
Sources
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