What’s the best all-round SEO tool for tracking rankings and audits?

Seeking Advice
1

Hi everyone, I’m looking for a solid all-round SEO tool that can handle:

  • Tracking ranking positions
  • Auditing pages
  • Identifying growth opportunities

Some additional points to consider:

  • It should be able to manage multiple sites
  • I’m based in the UK (if that matters)
  • We’re an e-commerce company

There’s so much info online, but I’d love to hear recommendations from people who actually use these tools every day. Thanks in advance!

2

For technical SEO and onsite tools, Screaming Frog and Google Search Console are great options.

3

Ahrefs is my favorite for SEO. Semrush is great too, especially if you also need paid advertising insights. If it’s just for SEO, I’d recommend Ahrefs.

4

Brielle said:
Ahrefs is my favorite for SEO. Semrush is great too, especially if you also need paid advertising insights. If it’s just for SEO, I’d recommend Ahrefs.

Any recommendations for free tools for hobbyists?

5

@James
The best free tool by far is Google Search Console.

6

Moses said:
@James
The best free tool by far is Google Search Console.

Even better, use the Google Search Console API for deeper insights.

7

Garrett said:

Moses said:
@James
The best free tool by far is Google Search Console.

Even better, use the Google Search Console API for deeper insights.

Completely agree!

8

Brielle said:
Ahrefs is my favorite for SEO. Semrush is great too, especially if you also need paid advertising insights. If it’s just for SEO, I’d recommend Ahrefs.

Thanks for the suggestion! I’m only focusing on organic SEO, so I’ll check out Ahrefs.

9

I recommend SpyFu. You’ll get excellent keyword coverage, and it’s more affordable than other tools.

10

SEOstan said:
I recommend SpyFu. You’ll get excellent keyword coverage, and it’s more affordable than other tools.

Interesting, I’ll take a look. Thanks!

11

SEOstan said:
I recommend SpyFu. You’ll get excellent keyword coverage, and it’s more affordable than other tools.

I’ve found SpyFu’s data to be off compared to other tools.

12

Nelson said:

SEOstan said:
I recommend SpyFu. You’ll get excellent keyword coverage, and it’s more affordable than other tools.

I’ve found SpyFu’s data to be off compared to other tools.

SpyFu includes SERP screenshots for verification, which is useful. I think it’s comparable to other tools and not paywalled, so you can try it without signing up.

13

Ahrefs is one of the best tools out there, although it’s pricey.

14

Ahrefs is a strong choice.

15

For auditing, Bing Webmaster Tools provides free HTML audits. It’s worth a look.

16

Sean said:
For auditing, Bing Webmaster Tools provides free HTML audits. It’s worth a look.

I didn’t know Bing offered that. Thanks for the tip!

17

I’ve been managing SEO with free tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, Keyword Planner, and Screaming Frog. It’s a cost-effective combination that works well for me.

18

Messiah said:
I’ve been managing SEO with free tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, Keyword Planner, and Screaming Frog. It’s a cost-effective combination that works well for me.

Agreed! Tools like Ahrefs and Semrush are convenient but not strictly necessary for smaller budgets.

19

For small to mid-sized businesses, I’d suggest:

  • SEMrush
  • Ahrefs
  • Agency Analytics

For larger organizations:

  • Conductor
  • BrightEdge
  • Ryte
20

Forrest said:
For small to mid-sized businesses, I’d suggest:

  • SEMrush
  • Ahrefs
  • Agency Analytics

For larger organizations:

  • Conductor
  • BrightEdge
  • Ryte

We’re in the small to mid-sized range. I’ll check those out. Thanks!