Keyword tracking is a critical part of any successful SEO strategy. It provides a starting point for your SEO game plan and allows you to monitor its effectiveness over time.
This is especially important for agencies that need to report results to their clients. If you achieve excellent results but lack proper reporting tools, you won’t be able to communicate the impact of your efforts effectively.
But which keyword ranking tracker should you choose?
It truly depends on your needs. Some tools excel in providing granular local keyword insights, while others are designed for broader global tracking or in-depth competitor analysis.
In this guide, we’ve compiled ten of the best keyword tracking tools, each with unique features and price points. Let’s see how these tools can help you monitor your site’s keyword rankings and track relevant search terms for your business.
Price: Free
Google Analytics, or GA4, is a free web analytics tool that provides detailed information about website traffic, user behavior, and conversions. With this tool, you can see the search terms driving traffic to your site, how long visitors are staying on your site, and whether they are converting into customers.
It also integrates with other Google apps in your tool stack, including Google Ads, Google Tag Manager, and Google Search Console. Its GSC integration lets you access key keyword performance metrics like impressions, clicks, average position, and click-through rate (CTR). Since the introduction of GA4, you have access to improved tracking capabilities, including event-based tracking and AI-driven insights. When used alongside rank-tracking tools, GA4 can be an invaluable tool for SEO and keyword analysis.
Price: Starts at $65 per month (14-day free trial available).
If you need an accurate and intuitive tool to monitor your website positions for specific search queries, Rank Tracker by SE Ranking is worth checking out. It perfectly fits both agencies and in-house teams and tracks keyword rankings daily in all major search engines and across different locations. The ranking data is updated daily and is free from personalization.
This website positioning tool also monitors Google Maps results, shows SERP features, and allows you to keep tabs on such important metrics as search volume, competition, CPC, traffic potential, etc. You can track competitors’ keywords, group and tag queries, and check historical data.
Additionally, it includes features like a website audit tool, backlink monitoring, and marketing plan creation, making it a comprehensive solution for SEO management.
Price: Starts at $129 per month.
Ahrefs is an SEO toolset known for its rank-tracking features and in-depth data on backlinks, keywords, and competitors. It’s a popular choice among SEO professionals for tracking keyword rankings, analyzing SERP trends, and understanding organic traffic performance.
If you have a small marketing budget, you can use Ahrefs’ free rank checker tool to track keyword rankings for specific search queries.
All you need to do is enter the keyword, URL (or domain), and location into the tool’s input boxes. The rank checker will automatically scan and display your current SERP position for the keyword.
For specific data, consider using Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker. This paid tool allows you to track multiple keywords simultaneously.
You’ll find data like:
You can also compare your keyword rankings with competitors to know how to better optimize your SEO efforts.
Pricing: Starts at $3 per month (with a free trial)
Keyword.com’s rank tracker allows you to track rankings for all your site’s keywords simultaneously — as the name implies. You can also compare rankings over a specific period to know how well your SEO efforts are paying off.
In addition, this tool shows you keyword trends to help you identify SERP opportunities early and boost rankings ahead of the competition. Keyword.com is suitable for local, agency, and enterprise keyword tracking.
According to the Rank Tracker Accuracy report, this rank-tracking tool is the most accurate compared to several others. Keyword.com functions best as a highly accurate, complementary keyword-tracking software alongside more comprehensive tools like Ahrefs.
Pricing: Starts at $49 per month. It also has a 10-day free trial.
SerpWatcher by Mangools is an intuitive rank-tracking tool that simplifies keyword performance monitoring.
Something that stands out with this tool is the ease of use. It’s very easy to set up your account and start tracking keywords. This is perfect for freelancers and smaller agencies looking to avoid the complications of enterprise SEO tools.
SerpWatcher provides daily rank tracking, historical data, and competitor analysis. It allows you to monitor your site’s rankings and track your competitors’ performance. It also provides valuable insights into your keyword’s performance and enables you to identify new growth opportunities.
One notable feature of SerpWatcher is its Performance Index, which offers an overview of your website’s overall progress in search engine rankings.
Pricing: Starts at $39 per month (30-day free trial available).
Moz Pro is a well-known name in SEO and another one of the best keyword-tracking tools. Its keyword tracking capabilities allow you to set up campaigns for keywords and track what’s working and what’s not. You can view the SERP changes for the keyword over time and even compare your competitors’ performance data to yours — to see if your strategy is working or needs improvement.
In addition, you can filter the data sets for granular results — such as a specific location and devices (web vs. mobile).
Moz Pro offers powerful insights into Share of Voice, showing how much SERP space your keywords occupy compared to competitors. With filters for location, device type, and more, it’s ideal for businesses focusing on specific audiences.
Pricing: $129 per month. It also has a 14-day free trial.
AccuRanker is a real-time rank tracker that allows you to track your keywords and monitor your website’s search engine rankings in real time. It provides valuable insights into your keyword’s performance and allows you to identify new opportunities for growth.
The primary benefits of AccuRanker are its user-friendly interface, easy data accessibility, and fast, accurate results.
However, their target audience is large enterprises, which makes it expensive for small businesses. There are also some limitations in terms of features compared to other comprehensive, more affordable SEO tools.
Pricing: Free
Google Search Console is a must-have free rank monitoring tool for every SEO professional. If you own a domain or work as an SEO agency, you can ask for domain verification for individual websites to give you accurate data.
You can view the keywords individual web pages rank for in Google Search Console.
It also shows you the performance data for all your site’s keywords — including the total number of clicks, impressions, average position, and click-through rate. These pieces of data help you identify and optimize underperforming content to rank higher in the search results.
You can also submit sitemaps and individual URLs for crawling and indexing, reviewing search traffic data, and resolving page loading issues.
Pricing: Starts at $39 per month with a 14-day free trial.
Nightwatch is an advanced rank-tracking tool designed for users seeking in-depth insights into keyword performance. It supports various search engines and allows both local and global tracking.
It also has excellent filtering options, which enable users to refine their data based on specific criteria. This is useful for agencies and professionals overseeing extensive SEO campaigns because it helps them focus on the most important metrics.
This SEO keyword tracking tool provides clear data visualization of keyword performance trends. This makes it easier for users to analyze data quickly and make informed decisions based on real-time insights.
Pricing: Starts at $129.95 per month (7-day free trial available).
Semrush is one of the most comprehensive SEO and marketing tools available. It specifically targets one-person marketing teams and marketing managers to assist them with all aspects of marketing and reporting.
Its keyword tracking capabilities allow users to monitor rankings across devices and locations, analyze competitors’ keywords, and identify new opportunities.
While not the most accurate keyword rank tracker, Semrush offers a comprehensive approach to marketing. Although it’s on the expensive side, it’s ideal for businesses seeking to manage SEO, PPC, and content marketing all in one platform.
Download a PDF version of the full Guide on Keyword Research, Tracking and Monitoring.
We answer some frequently asked questions about keyword tracking software.
Keyword.com is a top choice for SEO agencies due to its incredibly accurate real-time ranking updates, competitor analysis, and customizable white-label reports. It can track international, national, and local keywords, making it suitable for various client needs.
For comprehensive SEO efforts, use Keyword.com as your keyword ranking tracker alongside tools like Ahrefs or Semrush, and use free Google tools to develop an exhaustive SEO strategy.
Learn more about how Keyword.com compares to the accuracy of different rank tracker SEO software tools.
When choosing a keyword tracking tool, look for these features:
Keyword.com features all of this and more – making it an excellent tool for SEO agencies and marketers.
Keyword tracking is important for knowing which search terms bring traffic to your website and how they perform over time.
It helps you:
Try Keyword.com today to give you useful data to improve your SEO, boost your rankings, and increase conversions.
