Google Keyword Planner is how many people first discover keyword research. It's free, it's backed by Google's data, and it requires just a Google Ads account to access. Here's what it tells you and where its limitations matter for SEO work.
Best for
Google Ads campaign planning and as a free starting point for broad keyword research
Skip it if
You need accurate search volumes or organic keyword difficulty for SEO content decisions
Google Keyword Planner pricing plans
Not sure which plan covers your sites and keywords? Use the plan finder
- Prices read from vendor site; some terms not published thereGoogle Keyword Planner: source information reviewed from support.google.com on .
What can make it cost more
- Keyword Planner is free. Google asks for billing details to finish setting up the Google Ads account it needs.
Keyword Planner: strengths and limits for SEO
Useful for
- Keyword ideas from Google's own data
- Rough demand estimates
- Seasonality hints
Limits for SEO
- Built for advertisers
- Needs a Google Ads account with billing details
- No ranking difficulty or competitor data
Strengths and drawbacks
What you get
- Free with a Google Ads account: no ad spend required to access
- Keyword ideas directly from Google's own data
- Useful for ad campaign planning and broad keyword direction
What holds it back
- Rounds search volumes to broad ranges (1K-10K): too imprecise for SEO decisions
- Competition metric reflects ad competition, not organic SEO difficulty
- No keyword difficulty scores, SERP analysis, or competitor organic data
The verdict
Google Keyword Planner is a useful free tool for getting keyword ideas and ad planning. For professional SEO work, the bucketed volume ranges are too imprecise. Use Mangools or Ahrefs for accurate organic data.
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Google Keyword Planner compared with its rivals on price
Each row shows the cheapest plan that publishes its site and keyword limits, so the prices compare like with like.
| Tool | Price of that plan | Sites or projects | Tracked keywords | Full comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Keyword Planner | no published price | not published | not published | This page |
| AhrefsLite plan | £99/mo | 5 non-verified, unlimited verified | 750 | Ahrefs vs Google Keyword Planner |
| SemrushSEO plan | £113.40/mo | 5 | 500 | Semrush vs Google Keyword Planner |
Prices are shown in the currency each vendor published. Swipe sideways to see every column.