With the recent fluctuations in Google search results, it's pretty obvious why you need a rank-tracking tool.
The right rank tracker tool helps you monitor the performance of your content or website, as well as your search engine optimization(SEO) efforts.
But with the hundreds of ranking tracking software out there, how can you pick one that’s tested and sure?
Good thing you’re here. We tested some top-rank tracking tools and have the best recommendations for you.
Specifically, we'll share:
- How we evaluated and selected each tool.
- A comprehensive comparison of each tool, including their pros, cons, pricing, and unique features.
What’s even more interesting?
Sandwiched between these expert-recommended position tracking tools, we’ve provided some pro tips on how to improve your Google rankings.
Ready? Let's dig in!
How we evaluated and selected the best rank-tracking tools
Why should you listen to us?
It’s simple. We have tested out these tools and spoken to lots of users and experts.
Here are some specific features we looked out for:
- Competitor Benchmarking: Some rank-tracking tools limit the number of competitors you can track, so we made sure to look for tools that allow you to monitor more competitor websites at a cost-effective price.
- Daily Updates: With daily updates, you have the most recent ranking information at all times. We searched for tools that offer daily ranking (or real-time tracking) updates– they are your best because search engine rankings can fluctuate frequently. Real time updates always trump weekly or monthly updates.
- Integrations: Tools which seamlessly integrate with other applications increase the depth of your SEO analysis. We looked out for rank tracking tools which integrate with platforms like BigQuery, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and others.
- User-Friendly Interface: We looked through the User Interface (UI) of each tool to ensure it presents complex data in a way that's easy to understand and navigate.
- Unlimited Keywords and Domains: We understand the need for tracking keywords and domains and opted for tools that will allow for you to monitor a wide range of keywords and domains without additional constraints and excessive charges.
Now that you know these features, let’s go on to the tools proper.
Best rank tracker tools at a glance
This is a comprehensive comparison table that shows the best SEO rank-tracking software. You can already pick a favorite.
Want to get a detailed overview of each of these tools? Keep reading.
12 Best SEO Rank Tracking Tools
1. Ahrefs
If you’ve never heard about Ahrefs, you probably live under a rock. Ahrefs is at the top of our list because of the stellar reviews and results many customers attest to.
Ahrefs helps you understand how your entire website is performing on the SERPs. You also see how well your website is ranking for your target keyword.
The dashboard gives an overview of how your website is performing compared to your competitors. With this information, you can identify opportunities, adjust your strategies (based on facts and not guesses) and measure your efforts.
So, as you regularly track your rankings, you'll constantly monitor the performance of your SEO efforts (you understand what is working and what isn't) and increase your website visibility.
What we love
Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker allows you to have a clear view of your keywords and overall SEO performance thanks to its historical graphs.
This way, you quickly identify the keywords you're ranking for and it also supports tracking of competitors and includes features like keyword tags for grouping and filtering data.
Pros
- Provides a holistic view of SEO performance.
- Allows for tracking on a per-country basis and by city/town.
- Provides daily, weekly, or monthly updates on search engine rankings via email.
Cons
- No free trial.
- Complex user interface
- Relatively expensive.
Pricing
Starts at $129/month.
There is no free trial.
Ahrefs Rating
G2: 4.5
Capterra: 4.7
2. Nightwatch
Next on our list is the Nightwatch rank-tracking tool. We picked this tracker because of the competitor benchmarking features.
With Nightwatch, you can collect competitors’ data and compare it with your keyword rankings.
The highlight of this feature is how it presents the results of its findings in a graphical representation so you can easily understand how well you’re ranking for keywords compared to your competitors.
What we love
Nightwatch rank tracking tool tracks rankings at a granular level, down to ZIP codes.
Pros
- Highly accurate keyword ranking tracking across desktop and mobile.
- Import data from other platforms like Moz and Ahrefs.
- Allows monitoring of local competitor websites
Cons
- It may not offer comprehensive features like Ahrefs.
- Adding more keywords can become expensive.
Pricing
The starter plan begins at $39 per month for 250 keywords.
Nightwatch Rating
G2: 4.8
Capterra: 4.8
3. Keyword.com
Keyword.com allows you to track your rankings on mobile devices, desktops, and Google local Maps.
The platform focuses on effective keyword tracking at a cost-effective price.
It works great for SEO professionals because it can help build a track record by documenting all your SEO results from the onset. This way, you can easily share the saved documents with your clients.
What we love
Keyword.com finds your true competitors based on SERP data and goes back in time to see how they are performing (at no extra cost).
Pros
- Includes a free plan
- Well-designed
- Cost-effective
Cons
- The Forever Free plan has limited keyword tracking abilities.
- The feature suite is quite limited.
Pricing
Starts at $3/month for 100 keywords, with daily updates.
Keyword.com Rating
G2: 4.7
Capterra: 5.0
Write great content optimized for SEO with AI Writer 6.0.
It’s a no-brainer that content marketing improves your ranking on the SERPs. It's one of the most effective ways to tell stories about your brand, rank for target keywords, boost your website traffic, and improve your authority in the industry.
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With Writesonic AI Writer, you can create well-researched, high-quality articles and blogs in minutes. All you need to do is enter a topic, include the relevant details, and watch it do its thing.
You can fine-tune this draft to suit your writing style (you can also include your brand voice before generating your article).
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4. Semrush
If you're looking for a comprehensive rank-tracking tool, then you should check out Semrush.
Semrush is well known and also a great tool for rank tracking and overall SEO performance tracking, however, it's 4th on our list because some users prefer simple tools and find its countless features overwhelming.
So, while this tool works for most businesses, it may not be the best for others looking for basic functionalities, as it’s expensive compared to other tools.
What we love
Semrush rank tracking tool stands out for its advanced functionality, AI abilities, and wide range of SEO tools.
Pricing
Starts at $108.33 per month, and a 7-day free trial is available.
Semrush Rating
G2: 4.5
Capterra: 4.7
5. Nozzle
Nozzle is a keyword rank tracker that caters for businesses of different sizes. It's capable of tracking just a few keywords and also millions of keywords.
Also, it can help you monitor your social profiles, website, guest posts, press releases, and everything content.
Plus, Nozzle doesn't just track your rankings; the platform tracks the whole SERP.
With this, you won't just learn about your position on the SERP but also learn which of your competitors is ranking for most of your top keywords, have listings that show site links, own the most featured snippets and many others.
This information can help you design an effective strategy that will improve your website.
What we love
We love Nozzle because of its advanced data visualization capabilities. It provides detailed reporting widgets within the dashboard and this allows users to track different performance metrics.
Pros
- Simple and easy to use
- Provides detailed information to help design an effective SEO strategy.
- Awesome customer support
Cons
- Absence of local rank tracking
- Doesn't include “people also asked” and ‘featured snippets’ sections.
Pricing
Starts From $49/month. There’s a free trial available.
Nozzle Rating
G2: 4.6
Capterra: 4.8
6. Mangools
Mangools (SERPWatcher) provides detailed insights into your website's performance in Google search results.
With SERPWatcher, you can hone in on the keywords that are most significant for your business.
This feature allows you to prioritize and optimize your SEO efforts more effectively. This way, you'll ensure you direct your attention and resources towards the keywords that are most beneficial in achieving your business objectives.
Also, it provides estimates of the traffic you may receive for a specific keyword based on its ranking.
What we love
SERPWatcher offers daily updates and aggregate data tracking. Plus, it allows for location and device-based results.
Pros
- Very accessible even to newbies in the SEO field.
- Budget-friendly
- Powerful keyword research capabilities.
Cons
- Limited data for extensive and large-scale SEO analysis.
- Less comprehensive than specialized tools.
Pricing
Starts at $29 per month for a monthly plan. You save 35% with the annual plan.
Mangools Rating
G2: 4.6
Capterra: 4.7
7. SE Rankings
Unlike some other rank-tracking tools, SE Ranking allows you to track unlimited keywords and domains.
The tool provides daily updates on your keyword rankings, ensuring you have the most up-to-date information.
Additionally, it allows you to track your competitors' rankings, giving you valuable insights to tweak your SEO strategy.
It also provides automated alerts that notify you of significant ranking changes so you can quickly identify and address issues.
What we love
SE Ranking's rank tracking tool provides detailed insights into local search rankings, including visibility in Google Local Pack and mobile versus desktop SERP.
Pros
- User-friendly interface and simple design.
- Integrates with a range of other tools and platforms.
- Offers excellent customer support.
Cons
- Lacks some advanced SEO features.
- Limited integrations with non-Google platforms.
Pricing
Starts at $52 per month and offers a free trial.
SE Rankings Rating
G2: 4.8
Capterra: 4.7
Perform Keyword Research with Writesonic's keyword research tool.
Keyword research helps you learn the terms your target audience uses when searching for information related to your product or service.
When you identify and use the keywords strategically in your content, you'll increase the chances of your website appearing in search engine results for those queries.
With the Writesonic keyword research tool, you can perform in-depth keyword research to find the right keywords to target for your content and improve its position on the result pages.
Make sure to optimize on-page elements like meta titles, meta descriptions, and headers.
You can check out this blog on how to find your competitors' keywords.
8. SEO PowerSuite Rank Tracker
Just like SE Ranking, SEO Power allows you to track unlimited keywords.
It also checks keyword rankings in desktop and mobile search results, as well as alternative search engines like Bing and Yahoo.
Surprisingly, the tool is highly affordable compared to other premium rank-tracking solutions. This makes it a great choice for small businesses and individual websites.
While the interface may not be the most visually appealing, it’s user-friendly and provides comprehensive SEO rank-tracking capabilities.
What we love
The tool provides real-time insights into a website's search engine rankings daily. With this, you'll quickly identify trends, fluctuations, and the impact of SEO strategies or algorithm changes on a website's visibility.
Pros
- Tracking unlimited keywords.
- Detailed rank tracking and SERP history, including fluctuations and competitor rankings.
- Integrates with Google Analytics and Search Console for additional data.
Cons
- Has a steeper learning curve compared to web-based tools, especially for new users.
- Expensive subscription cost, especially for the higher-tier plans.
Pricing
Offers a free plan, while the paid plan starts at $299 per year.
SEO PowerSuite Rating
G2: 4.6
Capterra: 4.5
9. Ranktracker
Ranktracker monitors the progress of every stage of your SEO optimization, from the planning and analysis down to tracking and problem solving.
The platform finds the right keywords to attract new website visitors, gathers information from the SERP to show new ranking opportunities. You can also monitor your back links as well as those of your competitors.
What we love
The tool makes it easy to track every aspect of your SEO.
Pros
- Accessible to new users.
- Comprehensive features
- Ranktracker offers a lifetime payment option.
Cons
- Delayed results sometimes.
- Lacks a backlink explorer feature.
- Poor customer support.
Pricing
From $16/month for the beginner package.
Ranktracker Rating
G2: 2.8
Capterra: 4.1
10. Serpstat
The Serpstat Rank Tracker allows you to monitor rankings for any number of keywords, which you can organize into groups by topic.
This tool also allows you to see historical data on ranking changes for your tracked keywords and competitors.
You can also use this platform to analyze the distribution of keyword rankings and organic traffic across the top 100 of the search results.
What we love
It allows users to identify relevant keywords for their industry and analyze search volume, competition level, and keyword difficulty. It allows users to identify relevant keywords for their industry and analyze search volume, competition level, and keyword difficulty.
Pros
- Provides detailed reports on keyword rankings.
- Offers real-time updates on keyword rankings.
Cons
- Occasional Bugs
- Limited Data
Pricing
Pricing packages start from $50 for an individual plan when paid annually. There’s a free trial.
Serpstat Rating
G2: 4.6
Capterra: 4.7
Analyze, optimize, and rank higher with Writesonic's SEO checker and optimizer.
No matter how great your current strategy is, you must monitor, analyze, and optimize it to fit into the constantly changing result pages.
With Writesonic’s SEO checker and optimizer, you don’t need to go through the hassle of manually optimizing your SEO strategy at every whim.
Writesonic gives you real-time, AI-generated SEO insights to optimize your content, improve your ranking on SERPs, and boost your website traffic. The ‘Improve SEO’ feature automated the process of content SEO optimization. With just a click, you can get back to your desired SERP rank.
Click here to learn how to use Writesonic SEO Checker and Optimizer.
11. SEO Tester Online
SEO Tester Online is an all-in-one SEO software suite that includes a robust rank-tracking tool.
The rank tracker allows you to monitor your website's rankings across Google, Bing, Yahoo, and YouTube for desktop and mobile devices. You can track rankings in thousands of locations globally.
SEO Tester Online can track the rankings of your competitors' websites and can automatically group your keywords by topic, making it easier to analyze performance at a category level.
SEO Tester Online integrates with Google Analytics and Google Search Console to provide a complete view of your organic search performance.
What we love
The comprehensive suite of SEO tools is a game changer as it provides a holistic approach to SEO. The suite includes advanced crawl analysis, SERP analysis, keyword suggestions, SEO copywriting assistance, and lead generation.
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Continuous Improvement
- Cost-Effective
Cons
- Limited Features
- Interpretation of Results
- Reliability
Pricing
Starts at 48 Euros and has a 7-day free trial.
SEO Tester Online Rating
G2: 4.3
Capterra: 4.5
12. WhatsMySERP
This tool tracks your current position on the SERPs. Also, you'll receive automatic daily updates to keep you informed of your SERP position.
With WhatsMySERP’s rank tracker, you get data on the number of times you hit the top three or ten positions on the SERP. It also delivers an estimated website traffic figure and a concise average position interpretation from real-time analytics.
WhatsMySERP offers a free SERP tracking tool where you can effortlessly monitor your website rankings.
What we love
The key feature of WhatsMySERP is its ability to provide valuable keyword metrics such as search volume and cost-per-click for the current search term, as well as a collection of related search terms.
Pros
- Precise and up-to-date data.
- Monitor multiple keywords simultaneously.
- Localized search engine results.
Cons
- Currently, it only supports the Google search engine, with limited support for other search engines like Yahoo and Bing.
- Users have to upgrade to a paid subscription for full access to features.
- Users have reported issues with functionality and login.
Pricing
Starts at $19.99 per month and has a free trial.
WhatsMySERP Rating
G2: Not Available
Capterra: Not Available
Factors To Consider In A Good Rank Tracking Tool
Choosing the right rank-tracking tool is important for improving your website's visibility in search engine results. Here are the key factors to consider:
Key Features
An ideal rank-tracking tool should offer features that meet your SEO needs. These include the keyword tracking feature, backlink analysis feature, competitor keyword tracking, domain comparison, SERP features monitoring and integration capabilities.
Also, pay attention to the reporting format and choose dashboards that are easy to see at a glance.
Cost
The pricing of rank-tracking tools varies widely, and it's important to choose one that fits your budget while offering the necessary features. Consider the pricing format, as most often, the subscription plans are based on a number of keywords, websites, and users.
Also, consider tools that have a trial period for you to test how a tool fits your business. Ensure the tool offers scalable options without a significant jump in cost. Be aware of any additional costs for extra features, support, or data exports. Transparency in pricing is key to avoiding unexpected expenses.
Customer Reviews
Customer reviews provide real-world insights into a tool's performance and reliability. Look for tools with high ratings and positive feedback on review sites like G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot.
Pay attention to comments about ease of use, customer support, and feature effectiveness.
The good thing is that many tools showcase case studies or testimonials from successful users. These can give you a better idea of how the tool performs in specific scenarios.
Data Accuracy
Accurate data is the basis of effective rank tracking. How often does the tool update keyword rankings? Daily updates are generally preferred for timely insights.
Reliable tools use trusted data sources and methodologies to gather rankings. Understand the tool's data collection process to ensure accuracy.
Go for a tool that provides sufficient historical data. If your business targets multiple regions, the tool should offer accurate tracking for different geographical locations and languages.
By carefully considering these factors, you can select a rank-tracking tool that not only meets your current needs but also adapts to your future SEO strategies.
How Writesonic can help you improve your Google rankings
If you’ve read up till this point, you probably already have a favorite tool in mind.
But, let’s be honest, the best thing about a rank tracking tool is seeing your content rank very high on the SERPs. So, you must also seek ways to improve your Google rankings.
If you’ve been paying attention to the Pro Tips, then you’ll want to sign up for Writesonic right away.
Here’s how Writesonic helps you rank high on the SERPs:
- It helps you write quality, search-optimized, and user-tailored content that satisfies search intent.
- Helps you conduct keyword research to ensure you’re targeting the right audience.
- Provides an effective SEO strategy that improves your overall on-page and off-page visibility.
- Automates routine tasks, giving you more time to invest in other business-growth ventures.
Try out Writesonic’s features and see how they give your rank tracker tools better results.
