Today there are 258 different DIY SEO tools. We spent 88 hours comparing the top 50 to find the seven best you can use to optimize your website’s search engine rankings.
What is the Best DIY SEO Tool?
1. Mangools
Our Verdict — Best Of The Best
Price: Starts at $29/month
Mangools is an affordable yet comprehensive toolset that makes other SEO software feel like they’re from the 80s. We think it’s the best because of its accurate keyword research capabilities, SERP analysis for specific locations, and competitor analysis features.
The Best Part:
Simple, yet powerful. With Mangools' easy-to-use interface and clear data presentation, even those who are 100% new to SEO can hit the ground running without missing a beat.
The Worst Part:
No full-site SEO audit. Mangools drops the ball when it comes to giving your site a complete health scan for things like broken links or suggesting ways to improve on-page SEO.
Get it if you want a full set of DIY SEO tools that provides everything from keyword research to competitor analysis, backed up by a support team with hands-on experience in SEO.
I recommend you get started with a 10-day free trial, then get the Mangools Entry plan for $29/month.
(10-day free trial)
Best For
Mangools is best suited for bloggers and online business owners who are looking for a complete DIY SEO toolset that doesn’t cost an arm and leg.
Top Features
It finds the shortest paths to success. Mangools takes the guesswork out of choosing keywords by providing precise difficulty scores that you can easily assess on your own — no more shooting in the dark!
Local SEO genius. With Mangools, you can view Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) for any location or language, helping you tailor your strategy and attract more visitors from more specific markets.
Easy rank tracking. Mangools will keep an eagle eye on your search engine standings with their robust rank tracking feature, and they'll even give you a heads-up via email when there are shifts in your rankings.
Hunts down powerful backlinks. Use Mangools to unearth those valuable backlinks that can give your website's authority a significant boost. It pinpoints exactly where you should be fishing for backlinks.
Identifies traffic-driving content. Wondering what's clicking for your competitors? Mangools shows you their most successful posts and website pages, giving you new ideas for content or places to build links without manually digging through Google results.
Pricing
Mangools offers four pricing plans:
- Mangools Entry: $29/month for beginners in SEO who want a user-friendly toolset with 25 keyword lookups, 50 tracked keywords, and access to 25,000 backlink rows.
- Mangools Basic: $49/month for small business owners who need essential SEO tools including 100 keyword lookups, unlimited domain tracking, and 100,000 backlink rows.
- Mangools Premium: $69/month for growing businesses that want unlimited keyword suggestions and deep data access within Mangools that includes 500 keyword lookups and SERP lookups each, along with access to 500,000 backlink rows.
- Mangools Agency: $129/month for digital agencies and seasoned SEO professionals requiring high limits and additional seats with features like 1,200 keyword lookups and SERP lookups each plus impressive access to over a million backlink rows.
Annual subscriptions provide a 35% discount.
Try Mangools today with a free 10-day trial.
2. Semrush
Our Verdict — Best For Advanced SEO
Price: Starts at $129.95/month
Semrush is an advanced SEO tool designed for those who want to go the extra mile when it comes to SEO. We think it’s the best for advanced SEO because of its comprehensive keyword research capabilities, in-depth competitor analysis features, and detailed backlink audits.
The Best Part:
It’s like a private detective for your SEO. You get to see where your competitors’ traffic is coming from, which websites are referring the most visitors to them, and even how long people stick around on their site.
The Worst Part:
Steep learning curve. Semrush is like a high-tech sports car — it's powerful and impressive, but it might take some time before you're comfortable behind the wheel.
Get it if you want a robust SEO tool to dominate your niche and stay ahead of the competition.
I recommend you get started with a 7-day trial, then get the Pro plan for $129.95/month.
(7-day free trial)
Best For
Semrush is best for businesses that want to bring big results from SEO without having to hire an entire SEO team.
Top Features
Full website audits. Semrush’s Site Audit feature is like getting a health checkup for your website. With over 60+ technical SEO checks available, these audits ensure that everything is running smoothly, under the hood.
Uncovers untapped keyword opportunities. Unearth hidden treasures with the Keyword Gap tool which identifies keywords targeted by competitors but not by you — talk about finding gold nuggets with barely any work.
Cleans up your backlink profile. Semrush allows you to review all details of your backlink profile and quickly locate any toxic ones — consider it as spring cleaning for your website’s links!
Craft SEO-friendly content. Semrush makes creating optimized content a walk in the park by providing ready-to-use content templates and tips to improve keywords and structure.
Master your keywords. Semrush makes it easy to understand how your keywords are performing, showing you all the important details in one place and even suggesting similar words that could boost your website's visibility.
Pricing
Semrush offers three pricing plans:
- Pro: $129.95/month for newbies and small teams who want a full suite of SEO, social, and PPC tools to get their digital presence off the ground.
- Guru: $249.95/month for agencies and businesses that want advanced features like Semrush’s Content Marketing Toolkit, historical data, and multi-location tracking.
- Business: $499.95/month for large agencies and businesses that need top-tier capabilities such as extended feature limits, API access, and comparison features for competition analysis.
Annual subscriptions provide up to a 17% discount.
Try Semrush today with a free 7-day trial.
3. Serpstat
Our Verdict — Best For Beginners
Price: Starts at $59/month
Serpstat is designed to make SEO simple. We think it’s the best for beginners because of its user-friendly interface, easy-to-understand ranking tracking system, and comprehensive set of tools.
The Best Part:
It simplifies complex SEO tasks. Serpstat makes it easy for beginners to navigate the often complicated world of search engine optimization by breaking down complex tasks into simple steps.
The Worst Part:
Technical audit results. For those new to SEO, Serpstat's audit results might come across as too technical and could use a bit more explanation to make them easier to understand.
Get it if you're looking for a user-friendly DIY tool to understand and implement effective SEO strategies.
I recommend you get started with a 7-day free trial, then get the Individual plan for $59/month.
(7-day free trial)
Best For
Serpstat is best for SEO beginners who want to gain a competitive edge without getting tangled up in complex technicalities.
Top Features
Navigate through calm waters. Serpstat’s user-friendly interface makes it simple to find what you're looking for, even if you're new to SEO.
Comprehensive audit reports. Get a clear picture of your website's SEO health with Serpstat's detailed and easy-to-understand audit reports.
Create solid baselines. Understand where your website stands in the digital landscape and plan your next steps and SEO growth effectively, with Serpstat’s domain analysis tool.
Where you stand. Whether sending quick reports to your client or integrating them into your other tools, exporting data in various formats is a breeze with Serpstat.
All the tools you need. Serpstat provides everything you need for DIY SEO, including rank tracking, search volume crawling, domain and keyword batch analysis, and even AI content creation tools.
Pricing
Serpstat offers four pricing plans:
- Individual: $59/month for solo SEO practitioners and freelancers who need to manage a handful of projects and want insights into their competitors' online strategies.
- Team: $119/month for small teams that require additional tools such as batch analysis, branded reports, and team management features.
- Agency: $479/month for marketing agencies and big teams who require extensive features, including more projects, credits, team members, and the ability to use Serpstat's platform under your own brand with white label capabilities.
- Custom: Custom pricing, for large businesses and agencies that have specific demands and needs beyond Serpstat’s fixed price plans.
Annual subscriptions provide up to a 16% discount.
Try Serpstat today with a free 7-day trial.
Our Top Three Picks
Here’s a quick summary of our top three picks:
Here’s a quick comparison of our top seven picks:
Tool | Entry Offer | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
Mangools | 10-day free trial | Starts at $29/mo |
Semrush | 7-day free trial | Starts at $129.95/mo |
Serpstat | 7-day free trial | Starts at $59/mo |
Ahrefs | Free plan | Starts at $99/mo |
Moz | 30-day free trial | Starts at $99/mo |
SpyFu | Free plan | Starts at $39/mo |
Raven Tools | 7-day free trial | Starts at $49/mo |
Here are the top 50 DIY SEO tools we considered in this review:
- Mangools
- Semrush
- Serpstat
- Ahrefs
- Moz
- SpyFu
- Raven Tools
- Buzzsumo
- Majestic SEO
- BrightLocal
- Long Tail Pro
- Yoast SEO
- Ubersuggest
- Google Search Console
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider
- Google Analytics
- Google Keyword Planner
- Seobility
- SEOquake
- Google Trends
- Keywords Everywhere
- SEO PowerSuite
- WooRank
- Siteliner
- LinkResearchTools
- CognitiveSEO
- SEOmator
- SEOlium
- SERanking
- DeepCrawl
- Nightwatch.io
- OnCrawl
- WebCEO
- Advanced Web Ranking
- Rank Ranger
- SEOProfiler
- CanIRank
- Ryte
- AccuRanker
- Keyword Tool
- Answer The Public
- Monitor Backlinks
- SEObility
- ClickFlow
- Clearscope
- Sitebulb
- Varvy SEO tool
- MobileMoxie
- Linkody
- SEO Site Checkup
What is the most effective tool for SEO?
Several SEO tools can be effective, depending on your needs, experience level, and budget. One of the most comprehensive tools for SEO is Mangools. This platform has been lauded for its precise keyword research capabilities, Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) analysis, and competitor analysis features. The interface is user-friendly, which can benefit beginners to hit the ground running. Mangools provides precise keyword difficulty scores, SERP insights from any location, robust rank tracking features, and valuable backlink identification.
Mangools' entry plan starts at $29/month and includes 25 keyword lookups, 50 tracked keywords, and access to 25,000 backlink rows. Other plans offer more features and higher limits. Although there is no full-site SEO audit feature, the tool provides a 10-day free trial for users to explore its functionalities.
Other effective tools for SEO include Semrush and Serpstat. Semrush is great for advanced SEO, with comprehensive keyword research, in-depth competitor analysis, and detailed backlink audits. Serpstat, on the other hand, is excellent for beginners due to its user-friendly interface and a comprehensive set of SEO tools.
Can I do SEO by myself?
Yes, you can do SEO by yourself using various SEO software. Mangools is a perfect example of a DIY SEO tool that provides everything from keyword research to competitor analysis, and it's backed up by a support team with hands-on SEO experience. It's an affordable option and has a user-friendly interface, perfect for beginner bloggers and online business owners. Key features include assessing your market with precise difficulty scores, getting SERP insights, monitoring your rankings, hunting down powerful backlinks, and identifying traffic-driving content.
Another DIY SEO software is Serpstat. It's a powerful platform that simplifies complex SEO tasks, provides comprehensive audit reports, and has a user-friendly interface, making it ideal for beginners.
How do I SEO myself on Google?
To do SEO yourself on Google, you will need to employ a few strategies, such as using SEO tools like Mangools, Semrush, or Serpstat. These tools will help you find relevant keywords with high monthly search volumes and low keyword difficulty scores.
You will need to create a content strategy based on these keywords, making sure to avoid duplicate content and technical SEO issues that could harm your search rankings. You can also use a content editor feature in tools like Semrush for creating SEO-friendly content.
Track your keyword rankings and search traffic using the Google Search Console and adjust your strategy based on the data you gather. Monitor your domain authority and backlink profile, using a backlink checker to identify opportunities for acquiring high-quality external links.
How do you build a strong SEO strategy?
Building a strong SEO strategy involves several key steps:
- Start by identifying your target audience and their search queries.
- Use an effective keyword research tool like Mangools or Semrush to find relevant keywords and long-tail keywords that have high search volumes and low keyword difficulty.
- Create a content marketing strategy based on your keyword research. The strategy should involve creating high-quality, unique content that provides value to your target audience.
- Regularly check for technical SEO issues and fix them promptly. Tools like Semrush offer site audits that can help identify these issues.
- Monitor your keyword rankings, search traffic, and domain authority. Make necessary adjustments to your SEO strategy based on the data.
- Use the Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools to monitor your site's performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Aim to improve your site's load speed as it's a crucial factor in SEO.
- Use a backlink checker to identify and acquire high-quality external links.
How can I start SEO as a beginner?
Starting SEO as a beginner can be made simpler with user-friendly tools like Mangools and Serpstat. These tools offer a host of features for keyword research, SERP analysis, rank tracking, backlink checks, and competitor analysis. Their interfaces are easy to use, and they provide detailed reports that can help you understand your SEO performance.
Begin by learning about keyword research and how to find relevant keywords for your content. Look into the concept of "seed keywords" and how to expand them into a list of target keywords. Use Google Trends to identify popular search terms related to your niche.
Once you have your keyword list, focus on creating high-quality content around these keywords. Also, learn about technical SEO and how to avoid common issues like broken links or slow loading speed.
Use Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools to monitor your site's performance and to fix any technical issues that may arise. Always remember that SEO is a long-term process and takes time to show results. Stay patient, continue learning, and persistently apply the best SEO practices.
The Bottom Line
To recap, here are the best DIY SEO tools to try this year:
