There are many paid SEO tools available, and it can be hard to know what to use and which ones are actually the best SEO tools. Often, if you want to test something new, you also have to pay a bit for it. During my time at Genero, I’ve had the chance to test many tools across different client projects, and through that I’ve found my own best SEO tools [paid] for daily SEO work.
On this page, I share the best SEO tools that I actually use in my work.
If you’re looking for:
- reliable SEO tools for professionals
- a better way to do keyword research
- effective solutions for link building
- or ways to scale SEO using automation
you’re in the right place.
How did I choose the best SEO tools?
I don’t choose tools based on what “everyone else is using”, but based on whether:
- the tool actually helps make better decisions
- it saves time or money
- it works at scale
- I personally use it weekly or daily
If a tool doesn’t bring clear value to SEO work, it’s not on this list. I’ve also switched from more expensive tools (like Semrush) to cheaper, less well-known ones (like Wincher) when they do the job just as well.
Best SEO tools – comparison
| Tool | Best use case | Who I recommend it for |
|---|---|---|
| WhitePress® | Link building & PR | Agencies, eCommerce, international SEO |
| Semrush | Keyword research & competitor analysis | SEO professionals |
| Wincher Use code “KATARINADAHLIN” to get 12 months with a 20% discount. | Rank tracking | In-house SEO, companies |
| Make | SEO automation & scaling | Advanced SEO specialists |
| AirOps | Content & research | Affiliate and content sites |
| AlsoAsked | Questions for SEO articles | For content creators and SEO professionals |
I’ve also built a couple of my own tools for SEO:
SEO ROI calculator
Redirect tool
WhitePress® is the best platform for link building
WhitePress® is the best link building marketplace. It’s a platform that connects publishers and advertisers, meaning you can find suitable publishers for guest posts based on different criteria. I’ve tested similar platforms and even managed link lists in spreadsheets during my time at Genero, but I eventually switched to WhitePress because it’s easy to use, articles are published quickly, and payments work smoothly.
WhitePress is the largest link building platform in Europe. They have over 30,000 clients, publishers in 34 languages, and more than 34,000 websites where you can order guest posts.
Okay, maybe I’m biased recommending WhitePress — but I did so even before I joined them 😉
How I use WhitePress in SEO:
- acquiring high-quality backlinks
- growing brand mentions
- international markets
Pros
- Large publisher network across multiple countries
- Enables strategic link building
- Easy to scale for larger sites
- Personal consulting and support for link projects
- Local experts in each market
Who is this for?
Companies and SEO agencies that want to build links and value ease of use, expertise, and personal consulting in link projects.
Semrush is the best SEO tool for keyword research
Semrush is the most comprehensive and versatile SEO tool for many types of SEO work. I mainly use it when I need deep data on keywords and competitors. Semrush has a larger keyword database than Ahrefs, while Ahrefs has better backlink data — though Semrush works well there too. I especially like Semrush’s keyword gap tools and backlink analysis. It’s also great for discovering alternative keywords and running site audits with technical SEO recommendations.
I use Semrush for:
- keyword research
- keyword gap analysis
- SERP analysis
- breaking down competitors’ SEO strategies
Pros
- Extensive keyword data
- Excellent competitor analysis
- Very useful for content planning
Cons
- A lot of features
- Rank tracking is expensive
Who do I recommend it for?
SEO professionals and teams that need one strong all-in-one SEO tool. For rank tracking, however, I recommend my next favorite: Wincher.
Wincher is the most affordable rank tracking tool
Wincher is a simple and effective rank tracking tool. I’ve moved all keyword tracking to Wincher because Semrush is too expensive for that purpose. You get the same insights at roughly one-third of the price.
Wincher is especially suitable for:
- rank tracking
- client SEO reporting
- in-house SEO work
Pros
- Easy to use
- Clean interface
- Great value for money
If you want to try Wincher, I have a 20% discount code for 12 months: KATARINADAHLIN
Make is the easiest tool for SEO automation
Make isn’t a traditional SEO tool, but it’s one of the most powerful ways to scale SEO through automation. I use Make to automate content, meta data, and data flows — I’ve also created several videos about this.
Read my article: How to optimize product descriptions with ChatGPT and Make
How I use Make in SEO:
- bulk content optimization
- automating repetitive SEO processes
- connecting different tools
Pros
- Enables massive scale
- Saves a huge amount of time
- Extremely flexible
Cons
- Requires technical thinking and time to learn
- Not beginner-friendly
AirOps is an all-in-one tool for content scaling
AirOps is a useful tool for research and content production. It works best as part of a well-designed SEO process. Compared to Make, it’s very easy to use and comes with many pre-built automations. The downside is the price, but it’s very effective if you don’t want to build everything yourself.
AlsoAsked is the best question-based SEO tool
Also Asked is an SEO tool I use especially when I want to understand what people are actually asking on Google around a specific topic. The tool is based on Google People Also Ask data and visualises questions in a logical, hierarchical structure.
I use AlsoAsked for planning article structures, building FAQ sections, and finding long-tail search queries. It’s an extremely useful tool when the goal is to create content that genuinely answers real user questions.
Pros
- Based on real Google search questions
- Easy and fast to use
- Excellent for SEO content planning
Who is it for?
SEO professionals and content creators who produce long-form, question-driven SEO articles.
Which SEO tools should you choose?
If you want a straight answer:
- Keyword research & all-in-one SEO tool: Semrush
- Link building: WhitePress®
- Rank tracking: Wincher
- Scaling & automation: Make
- Content & research: AirOps
- Questions: AlsoAsked
SEO tools won’t do SEO for you, but with the right tools you can make better decisions faster and at scale.
FAQ SEO tools
If you’re a beginner, I recommend starting with Google Search Console, which is a free SEO tool. For more comprehensive SEO work, Semrush is a good option even for beginners.
Yes and no — it depends on what you want to do. Semrush works well as an all-in-one tool, but it doesn’t do everything, so it’s often useful to add tools that fit your specific needs.
Google Search Console works well as a standalone tool. You can see which keywords you rank for and get alerts about technical issues. For competitor analysis, paid tools are better.