Some jobs rely solely on personal cunning, physical prowess, or ambition, but SEO marketing isn’t one of them.
In today’s digital era, marketers like myself cannot operate effectively without the necessary tools. These tools enable us to monitor performance metrics, identify issues, recommend enhancements, generate progress reports, and automate repetitive tasks that consume valuable time.
I meticulously evaluated numerous SEO software choices, including those I frequently use, to pinpoint what I consider to be the top SEO tools available. Here’s what I discovered:

List of Top SEO Plugins for 2024

1. Google Search Console
2. Semrush
3. Surfer SEO
4. Rich results test
5. Google PageSpeed Insights
6. Answer The Public
7. Screaming Frog
8. Seobility
9. SE Ranking
10. Yoast SEO
11. Rank Math
12. Ahrefs

Google Search Console

Google Search Console has become one of the best SEO tools. Much has improved in the last couple of years. It is Google’s own, and it provides some benefits. Among other things, no tool can equal the size of their keyword list or the accuracy of traffic and visibility that they receive.
However, there is one constraint that impacts all features: you can only collect information from websites that you control (or have been invited to), rendering this tool useless for competition analysis and, for example, finding new keywords or links. Many cool features inside Google Search Console are only found here.
The UX could be better. Most beginners I have shown it to during the last year get lost right away and it takes time for them to learn how to properly use it. So go carefully into it.

SEMrush

SEMrush offers a comprehensive SEO toolkit that presents a detailed overview of your keywords and backlinks. Personally, I hadn’t initially ranked SEMrush among the top SEO tools due to its somewhat fragmented user experience, featuring around 50 different sub-sections. Nonetheless, SEMrush has robust data and is arguably the largest SEO tool in the market, making it essential to include in any list of notable tools.
Like Ahrefs, SEMrush has adjusted its pricing frequently, leaving many users dissatisfied. The general sentiment is that you must subscribe to the $249 per month plan to fully leverage the tool’s capabilities. This price is reasonable given the extensive database and historical data available, but it may not fit everyone’s budget.

Surfer SEO

I’ve dabbled a bit with Surfer SEO, and I can confidently say it’s intuitive and widely hyped online. This tool analyses your content against top-ranking Google pages, pinpointing where your content falls short. The concept is straightforward but challenging to execute, and the Polish developers have done a commendable job. If you deal with content regularly, this tool is definitely worth exploring.
In 2023, we witnessed a surge in prices for SEO tools. When I initially reviewed this tool last year, it was priced at $29 per month. Now, the starting price has nearly tripled to $89 per month. This remains reasonable for those serious about their SEO content strategy, especially given the addition of numerous new features over the past year. However, for small business owners with basic needs, I no longer recommend SEO Surfer.

Rich results test

If you’re new to SEO, avoid beginning here. One challenging aspect of SEO involves using tools like Schema, also known as structured data. Schema acts as an additional “invisible layer” on your website, providing Google with extra information to boost your rankings. The Rich Results Test can determine if your site qualifies for these enhanced positions on Google.
Some argue that Schema will only grow in significance during this era of AI. Therefore, this tool remains relevant. However, don’t panic if you’re unfamiliar with Schema—it’s not something to stress over when starting with SEO.

Google PageSpeed Insights

The importance of website speed in SEO has increased significantly, with Google placing greater emphasis on this aspect. You can evaluate your website’s speed using a tool that provides a score ranging from 0 to 100. It’s essential to note that this tool assesses both mobile and desktop speed, as both are crucial for SEO performance. This aspect remains pertinent in 2024, highlighting the ongoing significance of website speed for search engine optimisation. By regularly checking and improving your site’s speed, you can enhance its performance and visibility in search engine results.

Answer The Public

Answer The Public represents an excellent free tool for discovering additional “question keywords”. For instance, if you input the keyword “real estate agent,” the tool will generate numerous suggestions for related questions that people are likely searching for. While this tool does not provide search volume data for the suggested keywords, you can transfer them to another tool to obtain this information.

Screaming Frog

This tool is called Screaming Frog, a software you can download onto your computer to assess your website’s “onsite” health actively. It operates by crawling your website akin to Google’s web crawlers, enabling you to evaluate your onsite SEO quality—essentially how your website appears to search engines. Through this analysis, you can pinpoint common errors, review metadata, and generate XML sitemaps. The tool offers a free version, allowing you to scan up to 500 landing pages. If you’re keen to delve deep into on-page SEO, Screaming Frog is your go-to. There are numerous alternatives available that simplify this task, such as SEObility and Ahrefs.
I’ve used Screaming Frog extensively over the past year. It’s not flawless—there are quite a few “false positives,” but that’s because the internet is incredibly intricate, so don’t let that deter you from this innovative tool created by our British friends. It’s undeniably nerdy, and while I don’t particularly enjoy using it, one aspect I appreciate is its incredible speed!

SEObility

SEObility began as a technical SEO tool designed to scan websites and identify areas for improvement. I found it effective during my time as a customer. Today, SEObility has evolved into a comprehensive “all-in-one” SEO tool. However, I find their user interface somewhat dull—it’s too grey for my taste. The team behind SEObility is based in Germany. While it doesn’t personally inspire me, this is purely a matter of preference. Nonetheless, the tool offers reliable data at an affordable price, including a free version, which is why it has earned a place on this esteemed list.

SE Ranking

SE Ranking offers a comprehensive suite of SEO tools, presenting an all-in-one solution. I used their services for 2 years. However, I particularly admired their rank tracker. The link tools were somewhat confusing, and the data quality was not outstanding. The technical SEO aspect was average. Things may have evolved since my time as a customer. The price-to-quality ratio is competitive, likely contributing to SE Ranking’s substantial growth in recent years.
There have been changes in pricing and plans, now starting at $55. I haven’t had sufficient time to thoroughly evaluate the latest version, so I’m unsure about the newly introduced features.

Yoast SEO

Yoast ranks as one of WordPress’s most popular SEO plugins. This plugin enables you to enhance the technical aspects of your SEO and guides you on optimising keywords within your written content. If you manage a WordPress website, Yoast proves indispensable, automatically boosting your site’s SEO-friendliness.

Rank Math

In 2023, I made the switch from Yoast to Rank Math because of the growing popularity surrounding Rank Math these days. Although the tool-assisted with the migration, the process was not entirely smooth, and in my opinion, the hype surrounding Rank Math doesn’t fully live up to expectations. The free version doesn’t offer much value, so we decided to upgrade. Surprisingly, the Pro version of Rank Math is quite affordable and comes packed with a range of useful features that save time. For instance, it automatically adds alt tags to images and identifies videos on the page to communicate with Google using Schema. It also provides Schema templates and displays basic statistics like the number of internal and external links on pages. Overall, I’m content with Rank Math. However, if you’re currently using Yoast and are satisfied, I recommend sticking with it.
While Rank Math does offer a free plan, it’s so limited that I wouldn’t recommend it here. We’ve been using Rank Math for a year and, honestly, I still believe Yoast SEO does a better job for the WordPress community. Yoast is an excellent tool with cleaner design and code, although I can’t say this with absolute certainty.
Although Rank Math encountered several issues, its core functionality performed well. However, some of its additional features like website traffic analytics and the AI content helper didn’t work on our site.

Ahrefs

Ahrefs offers top-notch data quality and stands out as a favourite tool for tracking backlinks and keyword research. It also enables you to analyse your competitors’ SEO strategies. Ahrefs proves invaluable when you have specific goals in mind. However, it doesn’t provide guidance and requires a good deal of expertise to leverage fully. For seasoned users, Ahrefs ranks among the best SEO tools available.
Ahrefs has revised its pricing significantly, leading to dissatisfaction among many users. The argument is that you must subscribe to the $199/month plan to fully use the tool. While this price is reasonable for accessing a vast database, it may strain some budgets.

My Final Verdict

SEO might appear intimidating, but armed with knowledge and the appropriate tools, you can harness its transformative power to propel your WordPress website towards success. Although SEO plugins provide a solid foundation, they yield optimal results when coupled with a commitment to crafting outstanding content, maintaining a technically proficient website, and embracing a culture of constant enhancement. SEO demands persistent effort, but the benefits are significant: heightened visibility, targeted traffic, and the consolidation of your brand as a respected authority in your specific field.