Today there are 372 different SEO tools for small businesses. We spent 117 hours comparing the top 50 to find the seven best you can use to boost your traffic and search engine rankings.
What is the Best SEO Tool for Small Business?
1. Mangools
Our Verdict — Best Of The Best
Price: Starts at $49/month
Mangools is the best solution for small businesses wanting to increase their organic rankings on a budget. We think it’s the best because of its easy-to-use interface, affordable pricing, and comprehensive set of features.
The Best Part:
Location-specific SERP analysis. Mangools allows you to analyze search results and uncover insights specific to over 52,000 locations, helping your small business reach top search results on your location.
The Worst Part:
Limited rank tracking functionality. SERPWatcher, Mangools' rank tracking tool, does not allow simultaneous tracking of both your domain and search competitors. This limitation requires you to set up separate tracking systems for each.
Get it if you want a comprehensive SEO toolset for your small business, with features designed to help you dominate local search results.
I recommend you start with the 10-day free trial, then get the Mangools Basic plan for $49/month.
(10-day free trial)
Best For
Mangools is best for small businesses that want an affordable, easy-to-use SEO toolset to improve their organic traffic.
Top Features
Uncover hidden gems with KWFinder. Discover low-competition, high-impact keywords to help your small business rise above the competition.
Always know your next step with SERPChecker. Dive deep into the search engine results pages (SERPs) and make data-driven decisions to boost your online presence.
Keep an eye on your rankings with SERPWatcher. Stay informed about your website's search engine rankings and tweak as needed to climb the ranks.
Amp up your business presence with LinkMiner. Dig up powerful backlinks that give your small business' website a competitive edge.
Assess your online authority with SiteProfiler. Get an insightful snapshot of your website's overall performance and identify areas for improvement to strengthen your online presence.
Pricing
Mangools offers three pricing plans:
- Mangools Basic: $49/month for small business owners who need essential tools to get started with SEO.
- Mangools Premium: $69/month for growing small business owners who want unlimited keyword suggestions and deep data access within Mangools
- Mangools Agency: $129/month for digital agencies and experienced SEO professionals who require high limits and additional seats.
Annual plans provide a 35% discount.
Try Mangools today with a free 10-day trial.
2. Semrush
Our Verdict — Best For Keyword Research
Price: Starts at $119.95/month
Semrush is the ultimate tool for small businesses that already have experience with SEO. We think it’s the best for keyword research because of its in-depth competitive research capabilities, powerful keyword research features, and efficient link-building tools.
The Best Part:
Unrivaled keyword research capabilities. Semrush is widely regarded as the best in the market for keyword research, making it easy for you to discover top keywords and bring in more visitors to your website.
The Worst Part:
Steep learning curve. Semrush comes loaded with tons of awesome features, but getting the hang of all of them may take some time.
Get it if you want to tap into Semrush's unbeatable keyword research capabilities and shoot your small business rankings to the top.
I recommend you get started with our exclusive offer of a 14-day free trial, then get the Pro plan for $119.95/month.
(14-day free trial)
Best For
Semrush is best for small business owners who want a comprehensive toolkit to gain a competitive edge with tons of new keyword opportunities.
Top Features
Draw in new customers. Use Semrush's Keyword Magic Tool to find untapped keyword suggestions for your small business to rank for, giving you that extra edge.
Get your site ranking-ready. With Semrush's Site Audit you can analyze and pinpoint on-page and technical SEO issues that stand between you and top search rankings.
Peek at competitors' traffic sources. Snoop on where your rivals are scooping up their visitors from so you can plot your counter-attack like a boss.
Snatch low-hanging fruits. Use Semrush's Keyword Gap tool to reveal keywords your competitors are targeting but you haven't targeted yet.
Spot new kids on the block. Stay one step ahead by spotting emerging players in your niche or area, so you're ahead of the curve.
Pricing
Semrush offers four pricing plans:
- Pro: $119.95/month for small businesses and startups that want a versatile toolkit for SEO, social, and PPC, including competitor analysis, keyword research, website audit, advertising, and social media tools.
- Guru: $229.95/month for growing small businesses and agencies that require everything in the Pro plan, plus advanced SEO features like extended historical data, multi-location support, and search device tracking.
- Business: $449.95/month for established small businesses or agencies with multiple clients that require features in the Guru plan, plus extended limits, API access, and product listing ads (PLA) analytics.
- Custom: Custom pricing for small business owners who have unique requirements that need a tailored plan to fit their specific needs and goals.
Annual plans provide up to a 17% discount.
Try Semrush today with a free 14-day trial.
3. SpyFu
Our Verdict — Best For Competitive Analysis
Price: Starts at $39/month
SpyFu is a powerful SEO spying tool designed for small businesses aiming to outsmart their competition. We think it’s the best for competitive analysis because of its robust competitor spying tools, affordable pricing plans, and intuitive tools that uncover profitable keywords.
The Best Part:
The name is Bond. SpyFu is crafted to spy on your competitors' search engine strategies, providing you with unmatched insights to level up your SEO game and become the search engine leader in your industry.
The Worst Part:
Tricky data sharing. Small business owners may face some hurdles when it comes to sharing specific reports and insights with their team or clients.
Get it if you want an affordable, user-friendly tool that empowers you to uncover your competitors' secret SEO tactics.
I recommend you get started with the Basic plan for $39/month.
(30-day money-back guarantee)
Best For
SpyFu is best for small business owners who want reliable software to stay on top of what their competitors are doing with their search engine ranking efforts.
Top Features
Devise a master plan. Dig into your competitors' domains with SpyFu's SEO workflow to learn the ins and out of their tactics and create a killer content strategy.
Hijack link-building opportunities. Spy on the pages linking back to your competitors, so you know the best places to retrieve your links from.
Steer clear of trouble. Spot the slip-ups in your competitors' SEO, thanks to Google updates, so you don't repeat their mistakes.
Broaden your scope. Sniff out new competitor sites to keep an eye on and stay a step ahead in the SEO race.
Size ‘em up. Gauge your competitors' SEO authority, so you know who's nailing it and what they're doing so right.
Pricing
SpyFu offers three pricing plans:
- Basic: $39/month for small business owners who need essential SpyFu features but don't require custom branded reporting or API access, covering up to 5k weekly keywords.
- Professional: $39/month for the first month, then $79/month for small businesses that require long-term historical competitor data, custom branding, and API access, covering up to 15k weekly keywords.
- Team: $299/month for small business teams and agencies that require access for up to five user accounts, supporting up to 40k weekly keywords.
Annual plans provide up to a 50% discount.
Try SpyFu today with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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 $49/mo |
Semrush | 14-day free trial | Starts at $119.95/mo |
SpyFu | 30-day money-back guarantee | Starts at $39/mo |
Ahrefs | Free plan | Starts at $99/mo |
Moz | 30-day free trial | Starts at $99/mo |
Long Tail Pro | 60-day money-back guarantee | Starts at $59.99/mo |
Majestic | Free preview | Starts at $49.99/mo |
Here are the top 50 SEO tools for small business we considered in this review:
- Mangools
- Semrush
- SpyFu
- Ahrefs
- Moz
- Long Tail Pro
- Majestic
- Google Search Console
- Ubersuggest
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider
- Yoast SEO
- Answer The Public
- WooRank
- SEOptimer
- Google Trends
- Keywords Everywhere
- Google Keyword Planner
- SEOquake
- Google Analytics
- SERProbot
- DeepCrawl
- Siteliner
- BrightLocal
- Schema.org
- BuzzSumo
- SEObility
- Rank Math
- SEO PowerSuite
- SERanking
- OnCrawl
- SEOProfiler
- Varvy SEO tool
- Linkody
- Keyword Hero
- CanIRank
- Bing Webmaster Tools
- Botify
- Raven Tools
- Netpeak Spider
- Dareboost
- GTmetrix
- MarketMuse
- SEO Panel
- Serpstat
- Conductor
- CognitiveSEO
- Nightwatch
- Advanced Web Ranking
- Sitechecker
- LinkResearchTools
How do I set up SEO for my small business?
Setting up SEO for your small business involves a series of steps.
First, conduct keyword research using tools like Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, or Mangools to find relevant keywords with a high search volume. Long-tail keywords can be particularly effective as they attract organic traffic with more specific user intent.
Set up Google My Business to increase visibility in search engine results and on Google Maps. Regularly update your Google Business Profile with accurate information and customer reviews to improve your local SEO.
Use Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track SEO performance and user behavior. These tools can help you understand which pieces of content are top-performing, where your organic traffic is coming from, and how your organic rankings are improving over time.
You'll also want to check your website for technical issues. Use a tool like Frog SEO Spider to conduct technical SEO audits, identifying broken links and other issues. Google PageSpeed Insights can help you assess your site's loading speed, a key part of user experience.
Additionally, maintain a healthy backlink profile by utilizing link building strategies, which can include earning backlinks from other sites or creating internal links within your own content. Tools like Ahrefs or Moz can be helpful for this. Finally, consider the use of artificial intelligence in your SEO efforts. AI can help automate and enhance various aspects of SEO, from content creation to keyword research.
Does SEO really work for small business?
Yes, SEO definitely works for small businesses. SEO, or search engine optimization, is a powerful tool for increasing your business's visibility on major search engines like Google.
The right SEO strategies can help your business rank higher in search results, attracting more organic search traffic and potential customers.
One of the key aspects of SEO is the use of relevant keywords. By using a keyword research tool such as Semrush or Long Tail Pro, you can identify the keywords that potential customers are using in their searches. By incorporating these keywords into your content, you can make your website more visible to these potential customers.
Other valuable features of SEO include the ability to track keyword rankings and improve user experience on your website. By monitoring your SEO performance and making necessary adjustments, you can continue to improve your organic rankings and attract more customers.
What is the best SEO tool to use?
There are several business SEO tools available, each with its own valuable features and benefits.
However, based on our research, Mangools is the best SEO tool for small businesses. Its affordable monthly plans, comprehensive toolset, and ease of use make it particularly attractive.
Mangools includes tools like KWFinder for keyword research, SERPChecker for SERP analysis, and SERPWatcher for rank tracking, among others. It's a comprehensive tool for SEO that can help improve your visibility in search engine results.
Which is the cheapest SEO tool?
Among the best SEO tools for small businesses, SpyFu offers the most affordable starting plan at $39/month.
It's best for competitor analysis, allowing you to understand the strategies of your competitors and leverage that information to improve your own SEO efforts. Despite its lower price point, SpyFu offers a wealth of features, including unlimited search results, keyword tracking, and backlink analysis tools.
Can I do SEO on my own?
Yes, you can absolutely handle SEO on your own, especially if you're running a small business. Tools like Mangools and Semrush offer user-friendly interfaces that make it easy for beginners to navigate the complexities of SEO.
However, keep in mind that SEO involves a variety of tasks, including keyword research, link building, technical audits, and content creation. These tasks can be time-consuming and may require ongoing learning as SEO best practices continue to evolve. If you find it difficult to manage SEO on your own, you may want to consider hiring an SEO agency or a professional with expertise in this area.
How much should a small business pay for SEO?
The cost of SEO for a small business can vary widely depending on the specific services needed and the tool or agency providing them.
For example, Mangools starts at $49 per month for its basic plan, while Semrush starts at $119.95 per month. Some agencies may charge a few hundred dollars per month for basic services, while comprehensive SEO plans might run into the thousands.
However, it's important to consider SEO as an investment rather than a cost. Effective SEO can significantly increase your organic traffic, attract more potential customers, and ultimately lead to increased sales and revenue.
How much should I budget for SEO for small business?
Budgeting for SEO depends on your specific business needs, the competitive landscape, and your financial capabilities.
As a small business, you may start with an affordable SEO tool like Mangools, which costs $49/month for the basic plan. As you grow, you might invest in more advanced features, which can cost a few hundred dollars per month.
Consider the ROI of your SEO efforts. Good SEO can significantly improve your visibility in search engines, leading to increased organic traffic and potential revenue. It's a long-term strategy that can bring significant benefits over time. Always reevaluate your SEO budget in relation to the growth and changes in your business.
The Bottom Line
To recap, here are the best SEO tools for small business to try this year:
