The best rank checking tools make it simple and easy for you to monitor your keyword rankings and help increase traffic to your website.
The top spot on Google's search results gets around 31.7% of all clicks, while websites on the second page get less than 1%. This makes it super important for you to keep a firm track of your website’s ranking on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) regularly. This is where the rank-checking tools come into play.
Rank-checking tools are software applications designed to monitor and report on the positions of websites in SERPs for specific keywords. These tools work by simulating searches on various search engines for predetermined keywords and recording the position of the target website(s) in the search results. They can provide insights over time, showing how rankings change in response to SEO efforts, algorithm updates, or competitive movements.
With this in mind, our team examined several rank-checking tools closely to find the best ones for you. We tested each tool for accuracy, ease of use, and affordability. Our goal was to create a list of top tools that can help you improve your website's online visibility with best SEO practices. So, let’s get started with our guide and help you find the right rank-tracking tool for your website’s needs.
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The best rank checking tools of 2024 in full:
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Best SERP checker
Semrush is one of the few tools that offers in-depth insights into search engine rankings across multiple platforms. Its strength lies in its extensive database, which allows detailed analysis of keywords, competitor strategies, and market trends. With this, you can track your website's performance in both organic and paid search results to gain information on improving ranking.
As you onboard Semrush, you can instantly utilize its Position Tracking tool to keep a daily tab on your domain's rankings, alongside your competitors', across different search engines, locations, and devices. This immediate feedback loop delivers critical insights into ranking changes, visibility scores, and estimated traffic. Alongside, you'll find the Competitor Discovery feature, which identifies your primary organic and paid search competitors based on your chosen keywords. Simultaneously, you also get a Keyword Cannibalization Report, which alerts you to any internal content conflicts where multiple pages on your site are competing for the same keywords.
Processing all this data is also easy, thanks to the user-friendly interface. What we like the most about it is that reports are customizable and comprehensive. This provides actionable insights that can guide your SEO strategies. However, it lacks keyword list management, which could affect efficiency when handling extensive SEO campaigns.
Plus, if you have no previous experience with any SEO tool, you can get help from Semrush's responsive and helpful customer support to make the most of the tool. For pricing, its basic plan costs $129.95/month and includes access to daily ranking updates, site auditing capabilities, keyword analytics, and much more.
Read our full SEMrush review.
Best position tracker
Serpple sets itself apart when it comes to position tracking with its focus on user experience and precise keyword tracking. It's designed for both beginners and experienced SEO practitioners. It stands out by offering granular insights into SERP features, such as rich snippets and local packs, which are crucial for strategizing beyond traditional organic rankings. Its tool meticulously tracks your website’s performance for each targeted keyword, pinpointing fluctuations and trends that could indicate broader algorithmic shifts or competitive movements.
Moreover, Serpple differentiates itself with an Alert System that not only notifies you about ranking changes but even provides contextual insights, suggesting potential causes and recommending actionable strategies. Whether it's a sudden drop due to a Google update or a gradual decline countered by a competitor’s site, Serpple ensures you're not just informed but also equipped to respond effectively.
Another reason for its appeal among a wide audience is the affordable price plans. The basic plan starts at $19 per month, offering daily keyword updates, comprehensive SEO reports, and customer support that’s both responsive and helpful. Despite its positives, we noticed some minor inaccuracies in the data. These instances are rare and generally do not detract from the overall utility of the tool.
Another area where this tool needs improvement is the functionality to filter keywords by individual pages, which is currently absent. Still, Serpple is a solid tool that offers insightful recommendations and helps you in identifying and act on optimization opportunities. This blend of features and support, coupled with competitive pricing, positions Serpple as a leading tool for maintaining and improving search engine rankings efficiently.
Best rank checker
Rank Tracker by Powersuite offers limitless desktop and mobile position tracking and over 597 search engines to track your local rankings. You can use its keyword research feature, which utilizes a diverse array of data sources, including Google Ads Keyword Planner, Google Analytics, and Google Search Console, to reveal various keywords. For more flexibility, Powersuite’s rank checker is highly customizable, allowing you to scan the top 10 or even the top 1,0000 search results from the SERP.
The keyword position checker is also dynamic, allowing daily, weekly, or monthly keyword performance. What makes this rank checking tool a great resource is the level of depth it offers when it comes to checking Google rankings. You can record various crucial results from the search engine, including Featured snippets, image packs, FAQs, paid ads, and much more.
Although many rank-tracking tools claim to offer analysis for various search engines beyond Google, they often fail to deliver it. However, while testing Powersuite, we found its rank tracker quite precise in tracking not only Yahoo and Bing’s keyword positions but even Yandex. This unlocks more opportunities for you if you want to target various search engines for better rankings.
Plus, the rank history module offers a detailed historical view of your keyword rankings, making it easier to correlate ranking changes with specific SEO activities or algorithm updates. This feature is great for post-campaign analysis and long-term strategy adjustments.
Read our full SEO Powersuite review.
Best for data
Nozzle.io goes beyond traditional rank tracking by measuring your listings' pixel depth and SERP occupancy. This means it doesn't just tell you your position on the SERP but it further calculates how much screen real estate your listings occupy on a user's screen. It doesn’t just monitor your rankings, but the entirety of the SERP landscape for each keyword. This includes data points like the presence of ads, knowledge panels, featured snippets, and even social media mentions within search results.
During our tests, we found an advanced attribution model for keywords that helps you assign value to keywords based on their position in the conversion funnel. By understanding not just the volume but the value of your keywords, you can prioritize SEO efforts on the terms most likely to drive conversions, aligning your strategy with business outcomes.
However, the complexity and amount of data that Nozzle.io provides can confuse newcomers. This is where Nozzle.io's support system comes in handy. It offers robust customer support, including detailed documentation, responsive email support, and helpful resources to guide you through its advanced features. The pricing structure is decent, as the basic plan starts at $49 monthly. This plan includes daily updates on keyword rankings, comprehensive competitor insights, and customizable data dashboards.
Best for reports
Advanced Web Ranking (AWR) offers precise ranking data that spans across any device, search engine, and language, eventually helping you monitor your website's SEO performance with confidence. Plus, it tracks both mobile and local rankings, which provides a granular understanding of a website's performance across diverse platforms and geographies. Additionally, AWR monitors tons of SERP features, including snippets, FAQs, images, videos, and carousels.
Plus, its reporting capabilities provide detailed, tailored reports so you can easily understand and act on the available dataset. This is further complemented by reliable ranking data from various search engines. We were also highly impressed by its accessibility and ease of use, which were possible due to its simple interface and cloud-based service. It's worth noting the software's emphasis is less on comprehensive marketing solutions and more on reporting and rank tracking. So, if you’re seeking a larger variety of marketing tools, AWR might not be the best option for you.
That said, AWR offers very responsive customer service 24x7 through email, live chat, and documentation. This level of support ensures you can maximize the tool's potential and easily resolve any issues.
You might find the starting price of $89/ month for the basic plan is a bit high, but with features like local and mobile ranking, competitor analysis, and unlimited projects, it's totally worth it. Overall, Advanced Web Ranking's combination of precision, ease of use, and supportive customer care makes it a great rank-checking tool.
Read our full Advanced Web Ranking review.
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Rank checking tool FAQs
Which rank checking tool is best for you?
When deciding which rank checking tool to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes cheaper software may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, higher-end software usually come with with a comprehensive range of additionally useful SEO tools, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require from your rank checking tool.
How we tested the best rank checking tools
To test for the best rank checking tools we first set up an account with the relevant provider, then we tested the service to see how well it could track rankings across a range of search engines, geolocations, and other important criteria. The aim was to push each platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools for general rank checking purposes.
Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.
We've also listed the best free SEO keyword research tools.
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