Hello! We are VH Info, and we help SaaS (software) companies build links to their websites. A big part of any good link-building and SEO strategy is knowing where your website stands on Google. How do you know if your work is paying off? You check your keyword rankings.

If you want to get more organic traffic (visitors from Google), you need to know which target keywords you are ranking for. This is where a free rank tracker tool comes in. This guide will show you the best free tool options to help you watch your ranking positions.

Here at VH Info, we know that link building is powerful. But it’s even more powerful when you know which pages to build links to. A rank tracker gives you that ranking data, so you can focus your SEO efforts and see your search visibility grow.

Let’s look at these simple SEO tools.

What Is A Rank Tracker Tool (and Why Is A Free One Worth It?)

A rank tracker tool (or rank checker) is a piece of SEO software that helps you see where your website pages appear in search engine results. You tell the tool your domain name (your website’s address) and the specific keywords you care about.

The tool then checks the search engine (like Google Search) and finds your page. It tells you, “For the search term ‘best accounting software,’ your website is position #7.” This is your keyword rank. A free rank tracker tool does this for you without any cost.

For a new website or a small business, this is a great way to start measuring SEO performance without spending money.

How Rank Tracking Works?

Rank tracking is pretty simple on the outside. You put in your list of relevant keywords.

The rank tracker then goes to the search engine (like Google) and performs a search for each search term, just like a person would. It then looks through all the organic results (the regular links, not the ads) to find your domain name.

When it finds your page, it records the position.

This is your keyword position. Good rank tracker tools can even check for local rank (your position in a specific city) and see if you are in SERP features like featured snippets. It saves this ranking data so you can see if your search engine rankings go up or down over time.

The Benefits of Monitoring Your Keyword Rankings

Watching your keyword rankings is a very important part of any SEO strategy.

• First, it shows you if your SEO efforts are working. When you write a new blog post or, like we do at VH Info, build new links to a page, you want to see the keyword rank go up.
• Second, it helps you find opportunities. A page that moves from #20 to #11 is good, but it still needs a push to get on page 1. This data tells you where to focus.
• Third, it helps you watch your search visibility. As you rank for more target keywords, more people can find you. Monitoring your ranking positions helps you see your SEO performance improve and get more organic traffic.

Free Vs. Paid Tools: Setting Expectations

A free rank tracker tool is a wonderful starting point. But it’s good to know what you get.

A free tool will almost always limit the number of keywords you can track. You might only get to track 10 or 20 specific keywords. They also might not give you daily updates; maybe they update your ranking data once a week.

Paid SEO tools let you track thousands of keywords, give daily updates, and let you track your competitors. Many paid SEO software companies offer a free trial, so you can test their SEO features.

But to begin, a free rank tracker gives you enough keyword data to make good decisions.

Our Top Picks: The 7 Best Free Rank Tracker Tool Options

Here are some of the best rank tracker options that are free. They each work a little differently.

Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) is the best 100% free tool because it comes directly from Google. It is not a classic rank tracker tool in the same way as others. Instead of you giving it keywords, GSC tells you which search terms people are already using to find your site.

It gives you the most accurate data on your average position for all your keywords.

It’s a goldmine for keyword suggestions and for seeing your true search performance. Every website owner must use Google Search Console. It doesn’t just show keyword performance; it also helps you find technical problems on your site.

Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (AWT)

Ahrefs is a very famous SEO software company.

Their Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (AWT) is a very generous free tool. You have to verify you own your website. Once you do, it acts as a powerful SEO rank tracker. It will scan your site and show you all the keyword rankings it can find.

It gives you a lot of keyword data, including search volume and difficulty. AWT is more than just a rank checker; it also includes a site audit feature to find problems. For a free service, it provides a huge amount of SEO metrics and is one of the best rank tracker options available.

Semrush (Free Plan)

Semrush is another top-tier SEO tool used in digital marketing. Their free plan is more limited, but still useful. It lets you set up one “Project” and track up to 10 target keywords. The rank tracking feature will give you daily updates on those 10 keyword positions.

This is a great way to test their user experience and see how their SERP tracking works. The free account also gives you a few free uses of their other tools, like the keyword research tool and site audit tool, each day. It’s a small taste of a very powerful SEO software suite.

Ubersuggest (Free Tier)

Ubersuggest, run by marketing expert Neil Patel, is a very friendly SEO tool for beginners. The free tier lets you track a small number of keywords. You can add your domain name and a few of your most important relevant keywords to watch.

It’s best known as a strong keyword research tool. It gives you lots of keyword suggestions, search volume data, and even content ideas. The rank tracker part is simple, but it does the job for basic keyword tracking. It’s a good all-in-one free tool if your SEO efforts are just starting.

Moz Keyword Explorer (Free Community Account)

Moz is one of the oldest and most respected companies in SEO. They are famous for SEO metrics like “Domain Authority.” Their free community account gives you a limited number of “queries” per month for their Keyword Explorer.

This is not a full-time rank tracker that updates automatically. Instead, it’s a keyword research tool where you can check the keyword rank for specific keywords on demand. You can type in a keyword, see its search volume, and use a live SERP checker to see who ranks in the top 10.

It’s useful for checking your search performance on a few key terms.

SEO PowerSuite (Rank Tracker – Free Desktop Version)

This one is different. SEO PowerSuite is SEO software that you download and run on your computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux), not on a website. Their Rank Tracker module has a free version that is very powerful.

You can track an unlimited number of keywords, which no other free tool offers. It can also check ranking positions in major search engines, not just Google. The big limitation is that the free version does not let you save your rank tracking history.

So, it’s a great rank checker for a big, one-time check, but you can’t easily see your keyword performance over time.

What’s My SERP (WMS)

What’s My SERP (WMS) is a dedicated rank tracker tool.

Many other tools are part of a big SEO software bundle, but WMS focuses just on rank tracking. This makes it a simple free rank checker. The free plan gives you a limited number of keywords you can track with daily updates.

It is a no-frills free SERP checker that does one job: it checks your keyword positions in Google Search. If you do not need a full site audit or a complex keyword research tool, WMS is a good choice for simple, reliable SERP tracking.

What Are the Limitations of Using A Free Rank Tracker Tool?

A free rank tracker tool is helpful, but it’s important to know what it can’t do.

Limited Number of Keywords

This is the biggest limit.

Most free rank trackers will only let you track a very small number of keywords, like 10 or 20. This is fine for a small blog, but as your website grows, you will have hundreds of target keywords you want to track. You have to choose only your most specific keywords for your free tool.

Infrequent Data Updates

Your keyword rankings can change every day. Paid rank tracker tools often give you daily updates on your ranking data. Many free tool options only update your keyword positions once a week or even less.

If you are in a fast-moving industry or just launched a new SEO strategy, waiting a week for new ranking data can feel too slow.

Lack of Competitor Tracking

Knowing your own Google rankings is only half the story. You also need to know how your competitors are doing. Paid SEO tools let you add your competitors’ domain names and track their keyword performance right next to yours.

This is a very valuable SEO feature that is almost never included in a free rank tracker tool.

Limited Features (E.g., Reporting, Local Tracking)

Paid SEO software is packed with extra SEO features. You can get detailed reports, track SERP features (like featured snippets or video carousels), and do deep local SEO tracking. A free rank tracker tool usually just gives you the basic keyword rank.

Tracking your local rank (e.g., in “Boston” vs. “New York”) or your spot in the local pack is often a paid feature.

How to Choose the Best Free Rank Tracker Tool For Your Needs?

With many options, how do you pick the best rank tracker for you? Ask these questions.

Assess Your Keyword Tracking Volume

First, how many keywords do you really need to track right now?

If you are just starting and only care about your brand name and 5-10 main target keywords, a free tool like the Semrush free plan or WMS is perfect. If you need to check hundreds of keywords (even just one time), the SEO PowerSuite free desktop version is a good choice.

For all-around tracking, Google Search Console and Ahrefs Webmaster Tools give you the most keyword data for free.

Check For Data Accuracy and Update Frequency

You need accurate data. After you use a tool, do a quick Google Search yourself (in an “Incognito” window) to see if the ranking data matches. A good rank checker should be very close. Also, check how often it updates. If you need daily updates on a few key terms, make sure your free tool offers that. If you just want a general check-in on your SEO performance each week, most tools will be fine.

Consider Your Need For Other SEO Features

Do you just want a rank tracker, or do you need more?

Many of these free rank tracker tools come bundled with other SEO features. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools gives you a site audit. Ubersuggest gives you a great keyword research tool. Google Search Console helps you find technical errors. If you want one free tool that does many jobs, pick one of these. If you only care about rank tracking, a simple free rank checker is all you need.

FAQ’s:

What is the Best 100% Free Rank Tracker Tool?

For 100% free, Google Search Console is the best rank tracker. It gives you the most accurate data about your search performance because it comes straight from Google. It shows you your average position for all search terms.

For a more traditional rank tracker feel, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (AWT) is the best free tool, as it gives you a huge amount of keyword data, keyword rankings, and site audit features for free.

How Accurate Are Free Rank Tracker Tools?

Most high-quality free rank tracker tools are very accurate. The ranking data for your keyword positions should be very close to what you see in a real Google Search. Keep in mind that search engine results can change based on your location (local search) or device.

The most accurate data for your site’s average search performance will always be in Google Search Console.

Why Do I Need A Rank Tracker If I Have Google Analytics?

This is a great question. Google Analytics is a tool for tracking visitors. It answers, “How many people visited my site from organic search?” A rank tracker is a tool for tracking positions.

It answers, “Where do I show up in search engine results?” You need both. The rank tracker shows if your SEO efforts are working (your rank is rising), and Google Analytics shows if that work is leading to more organic traffic.

Can A Free Rank Tracker Tool Check Mobile Vs. Desktop Rankings?

Some can, but many cannot. This is often a feature of paid SEO tools.

Search engine rankings can be very different on a phone versus a computer. The best free tool for this is Google Search Console. It easily lets you filter your search performance to see your keyword performance and average position on mobile devices separately from desktop devices.

Conclusion

Knowing where you stand is the first step to getting where you want to go.

A free rank tracker tool is a perfect first step for any SEO strategy. It takes the guesswork out of your SEO efforts. You can watch your keyword rankings improve, see your search visibility grow, and get real ranking data to prove your work is paying off.

At VH Info, we work with SaaS clients to build high-quality links. Our most successful clients are the ones who track their keyword performance. They use ranking data from a rank tracker to find pages stuck on page 2. Then, we build high-authority links to that page.

Watching that page climb in the search engine results and bring in new organic traffic is the goal.

Start with a free tool from this list. Watch your keyword positions. And when you see a page that needs a boost, remember that a strong link-building strategy is the best way to climb the Google rankings.