SEO · 6 tools compared
What is the best SEO tool in 2026?
Short answer
Google Search Console ranks first on published facts: a free plan (all features free). The cheapest paid option in the first year is SpyFu ($348). 2 of 6 have a free plan.
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | From | 1st year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Google Search Console | Free Google search performance data | Yes | Free | $0 |
| 2. SpyFu | Competitor keyword and ad research | No | $29 / mo | $348 |
| 3. Ahrefs | Backlink analysis and competitor research | Yes | $129 / mo | $1,548 |
| 4. Mangools | Simple keyword research for freelancers | No | $37.70 / mo | $452.40 |
| 5. Moz Pro | Link metrics and keyword research | No | $79 / mo | $948 |
| 6. SE Ranking | SEO plus AI-search tracking for marketing teams | No | $103.20 / mo | $1,238.40 |
From = cheapest paid plan, billed yearly where offered. 1st year = that plan for 12 months.
How did we rank these 6 SEO tools?
On published facts only, scored out of 7: free plan (2, or 1 for a trial), first-year cost against the others (up to 3), three or more paid plans (1), mobile apps (1). We do not test tools hands-on.
| Tool | Score / 7 |
|---|---|
| Google Search Console | 5 |
| SpyFu | 3.4 |
| Ahrefs | 3 |
| Mangools | 2.8 |
| Moz Pro | 2.2 |
| SE Ranking | 0.6 |
The 6 best SEO tools, ranked
Google Search Console
Best for: free Google search performance data
- Free plan
- Yes, all features free
- From
- Free
- 1st year
- $0
SpyFu
Best for: competitor keyword and ad research
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $29 / mo
- 1st year
- $348
Ahrefs
Best for: backlink analysis and competitor research
- Free plan
- Yes, Ahrefs Free: data on your own site
- From
- $129 / mo
- 1st year
- $1,548
Mangools
Best for: simple keyword research for freelancers
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $37.70 / mo
- 1st year
- $452.40
Moz Pro
Best for: link metrics and keyword research
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $79 / mo
- 1st year
- $948
SE Ranking
Best for: SEO plus AI-search tracking for marketing teams
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $103.20 / mo
- 1st year
- $1,238.40
Which SEO tool is cheapest?
Google Search Console, at $0 for the first year, then SpyFu at $348.
| Tool | Cheapest plan | 1st year |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Free | $0 |
| SpyFu | Basic | $348 |
| Mangools | Basic | $452.40 |
| Moz Pro | Medium | $948 |
| SE Ranking | Core | $1,238.40 |
| Ahrefs | Lite | $1,548 |
Which SEO tools have a free plan?
2 of 6: Google Search Console, Ahrefs.
- Google Search Console: all features free
- Ahrefs: Ahrefs Free: data on your own site
Sources
| Vendor page | URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console pricing | search.google.com/search-console/about | 27 Oct 2026 |
| SpyFu pricing | spyfu.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Ahrefs pricing | ahrefs.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Mangools pricing | mangools.com/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Moz Pro pricing | moz.com/products/pro/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| SE Ranking pricing | seranking.com/subscription.html | 27 Oct 2026 |
Prices in USD as published by each vendor, billed yearly where offered. How we compare