Free Keyword Difficulty Checker

Google Keyword Planner is a common first stop for keyword research. It’s useful because it shows search volume, trend data, and related keyword ideas. Sometimes it also gives CPC, which can hint at how valuable a keyword might be.

But there’s a catch: Keyword Planner is made for Google Ads, not SEO. So while it helps you discover keywords, it doesn’t answer the most important SEO question:

How hard will it be to rank?

That’s where a free keyword difficulty checker online helps. It estimates how competitive a keyword is, so you can avoid wasting time on impossible targets and focus on keywords you can realistically win—especially if your site is still growing.

What Is Keyword Difficulty?

Keyword difficulty is an SEO score that shows how hard it may be to rank for a keyword in Google. It helps you understand the level of competition before you spend time creating content.

The score is usually based on signals like how strong the top-ranking pages are, how many quality backlinks they have, and the overall authority of their websites.

A higher score means tougher competition. A lower score means you may have a better chance to rank—especially if your content is helpful, well-written, and matches what people are searching for.

In simple words, keyword difficulty tells you how big the “ranking challenge” is for that keyword.

How to Use the Keyword Difficulty Checker (Single Keyword)

Enter One keyword

Type one keyword into the Target Keyword box (for example: “keyword difficulty checker”).

Click Check Difficulty

Press Check Difficulty to start the check.

To remove the keyword and start again, click Reset.

Read your difficulty score (0–100)

You’ll get a keyword difficulty score on a 0–100 scale:

• Lower score = easier to rank
• Higher score = harder to rank
• The closer to 100, the tougher it is to compete on Google’s first page.

Review the key details shown below

The tool also displays quick supporting data to help you decide:

Word Count (how many words are in the keyword)

Estimated Search Volume (a rough demand range)

Competition (Low / Medium / High)

Difficulty Breakdown (a simple bar showing ranking pressure)

How to Use Keyword Difficulty for SEO

A keyword difficulty score is only useful if you compare it with what your website can realistically rank for. After you get a score, the next step is simple: ask whether your site can compete with the pages already ranking in Google’s top results.

Use difficulty scores the smart way

List your best non-branded keywords

Pick the keywords that already bring you steady organic traffic (not your brand name). These keywords show what Google already “trusts” your site to rank for.

Check their difficulty scores

Run those proven keywords through the difficulty checker and note the scores.

Compare with new keyword ideas

Now check the difficulty scores for the keywords you want to target.

If the new keywords are close to your “proven” range, they’re realistic goals.

For the best accuracy, compare keywords that are in the same topic area.

If your site is new or low authority

Focus on low difficulty and long-tail keywords. These usually have fewer strong competitors and are easier to rank for, even if the search volume is smaller. This approach helps you build traffic, trust, and backlinks over time. To make smarter choices, confirm demand first using the search volume checker.

If your site is established or high authority

You can target medium to higher difficulty keywords, especially if they are closely related to topics you already rank for. Since your site already performs well in competitive areas, you have a stronger chance of winning similar keywords. While planning these pages, keep your writing natural and avoid repeating the same phrase too much. You can check the balance with the free keyword density checker so your content stays clean and readable for users.

Keyword Difficulty Index Score Guide

This guide explains what each keyword difficulty score range means. It also shows what you may need to rank.

0 to 15 Easy

These keywords have very low competition. You can often rank with clear, helpful content and good on-page SEO. Search volume may be small, but the traffic can be highly targeted.

16 to 30 Relatively easy

These keywords have some competition, but they are still a smart choice for newer websites. If your content answers the search well and your page is well built, you have a good chance to rank.

31 to 50 Medium

Competition is stronger here. Many keywords are broad and often informational. To rank, your site usually needs trust, steady content quality, and a page that covers the topic better than most results.

51 to 70 Difficult

These keywords often bring more traffic and more business value. That also means more competition. To compete, you usually need strong topical relevance, a complete page that solves the search intent, and in many cases, a few quality links to support the page.

71 to 85 Hard

These keywords have high traffic potential and strong competitors. Ranking usually requires excellent content, clear expertise, and strong backlinks from trusted websites.

86 to 100 Very hard

Powerful websites and brands dominate this range. To rank, you typically need an established domain, strong authority in the topic, and high-quality backlinks. You may also need promotion to earn attention and links. Results can take time, even with great content.

Powerful sites and well-known brands often lead the results in this range. To compete, your site usually needs a solid track record, real topical strength, and trustworthy backlinks that point to the page. You may also need to promote the content so the right people discover it and link to it. Even with strong work, rankings can take time.

When you target difficult keywords, make sure your page matches what searchers want and covers the topic in full. One simple way to stay on track is to use the word counter tool to keep your content clear, complete, and easy to read.