Best keyword research tools (2026)

Which keyword research tools are worth it in 2026? The honest list: Ahrefs and Semrush for the full picture, Google Keyword Planner and Search Console as a free foundation, DataForSEO if you want to pull your own data for Belgium and the Netherlands, and AnswerThePublic and Also Asked for questions. No single tool is objectively the best. What matters is which data you need and whether you can read the search intent from it. Below we explain each tool’s strengths and rough price, so you choose based on your goal and not on a marketing page.

How do you recognise a good keyword research tool?

Before you look at prices, check whether a tool does these five things well.

Accurate search volume. Every tool estimates, and those estimates vary. What matters is that the figures are consistent and that you understand what search volume means before you steer on it.
Intent and SERP analysis. A term says little without the search results underneath it. A good tool shows you who ranks, so you can read the search intent from the SERP and see whether your type of page belongs there.
A difficulty score. A keyword difficulty figure helps you estimate how much authority you need. Treat it as a direction, not a law.
Local data for Belgium and the Netherlands. Many tools are strong for the US and weaker for the Benelux. For a Belgian B2B market with small volumes, that makes a big difference.
A price that fits your usage. Do you run one research project per quarter or work in it daily? That determines whether a free tool is enough or a subscription pays for itself.

A tool does not do the research for you. We describe the process behind it in our article on keyword research, and for the sales context in B2B keyword research.

The keyword research tools compared

The prices below are rough indications. Packages and rates change often, so always check the tool’s own up-to-date page.

1. Ahrefs

For many SEOs, Ahrefs is the standard. The keyword explorer combines volume, difficulty score, related terms and a strong SERP analysis in a pleasant interface. The backlink index is one of the largest, which is handy if you also want to build your authority. For Belgium and the Netherlands the data is usually usable, though small B2B volumes always remain an estimate. Reckon on roughly 100 euros per month for the entry package, rising for teams.

2. Semrush

Semrush is the broader all-rounder: keyword research, competitor research, ads, content ideas and rank tracking in one package. The keyword magic tool delivers enormous lists of variants, which is great for mapping out a theme. The depth per feature is sometimes slightly less than Ahrefs, but the breadth is greater. Price-wise you are in the same range, roughly from 120 euros per month. Strong when multiple disciplines in your team want to use the same tool.

3. Google Keyword Planner

The free classic, meant for Google Ads but usable for SEO. You get volume indications and ideas straight from the source. Two caveats: without an active ad campaign, Google often shows broad ranges instead of precise figures, and there is no real difficulty score. As a starting point or as a free check alongside a paid tool, it is excellent. For in-depth SEO work it feels limited.

4. DataForSEO

DataForSEO is not a dashboard but an API: you pull your own search volumes, SERP data and difficulty scores and process them in your own sheets or scripts. That takes some technical skill, but it pays off if you want to collect large quantities of keywords for the Belgian and Dutch market without a per-seat subscription. You pay per query, which means the costs scale with your usage rather than with the number of colleagues. For teams that work data-driven and build their own reporting, this is often the most economical route to reliable local data.

5. AnswerThePublic

AnswerThePublic is not about volume but about questions. You enter a theme and get a fan of who, what, how and why questions that people ask around that topic. Perfect for finding content ideas and for understanding how your audience thinks. There is a free version with daily limits; unlimited use sits behind a subscription or one-off payment. Combine it with a volume tool, because ATP itself says little about how often something is searched.

6. Google Search Console

Search Console is free and shows something no external tool has: your own real search queries. You see which terms already get you impressions and clicks, often including words you were not even targeting. That is a goldmine for finding striking distance keywords and quick wins. It is not a replacement for a research tool, but it is the first place you should look.

7. Also Asked

Also Asked maps the “other questions” from Google and shows how those questions branch into related questions. Handy for covering a topic exhaustively and for seeing which sub-questions are connected. Like AnswerThePublic, it is a question tool, not a volume tool. There is limited free use and a paid plan for those who work with it intensively. Strong in combination with question keywords as a content strategy.

Which tool do you choose?

For most B2B companies, a combination works better than a single tool. Start for free with Search Console for your own data and Google Keyword Planner for rough volumes. If you want to get serious about SEO, a paid subscription to Ahrefs or Semrush pays for itself: the intent analysis and the difficulty scores save you months of guesswork. If you work data-driven or want clean Benelux data without an expensive per-seat model, DataForSEO is the smart choice. And for content ideas, put AnswerThePublic or Also Asked alongside.

Above all, remember this: for B2B, intent and SERP fit weigh more heavily than raw volume. A search term with forty searches per month and clear buying intent often generates more than a popular term where nobody is looking for your product. The tool gives you the figures, you choose the opportunities.

What this means for AI visibility

Keyword research is changing now that AI answers take over a growing share of the search journey. AI engines like ChatGPT and Google’s AI overviews reason in question form: people type whole questions instead of loose keywords. That is exactly why question tools like AnswerThePublic and Also Asked are becoming more important, and exactly why content that clearly answers a question is easier to cite in an AI answer. Whoever links their keyword research to that question form builds both classic SEO and GEO, being found in generative engines.

Want to know which keywords and questions your customers really use, and how to turn them into leads? Schedule your free intake and we will look together at where your opportunities lie.