13 Free SEO Extensions I Have Used For Developing Websites & Conducting Competitor Analysis
Learning how to leverage SEO tools is great, but not everyone is an SEO expert or knows what tools to use. Whether you are a small business owner or just looking for some quick information about your competitors’ websites, these free SEO extensions on Google Chrome and Firefox will help. As a full-time SEO, I still use the free versions of the extensions I am going to mention in this article.
Table of Contents:
What Are SEO Browser Extensions?
SEO browser extensions are browser-based tools that are usually added to Chrome or Firefox, which help marketers, developers, and SEOs analyze and optimize websites directly from their browser. These lightweight tools offer quick insights into on-page SEO, technical issues, backlinks, metadata, keyword data, and competitor performance without needing to open a separate application.
They help workflows by providing real-time information on elements like headings, structured data, canonical tags, link attributes, and more. Whether you're auditing your own site or investigating a competitor, SEO extensions save time and bring data to your fingertips.
The Free SEO Browser Extensions I Use
Each of the extensions I am listing is a free SEO extension that I have used for years as my go-to setup. While there are numerous others out there you can use, these tools are a part of my personal SEO toolbox. Of course, this is outside of my paid and Google tools like Google Search Console, Google Analytics, etc. I have broken them down into categories as well to help you determine which you may want to try for your own use case. They are also linked with the Chrome Store URLs for your convenience to try them out.
1) Metadata SEO Extensions
Metadata SEO tools are some of the most helpful tools that you will keep in your toolbox as you are optimizing a website. Things like title tags, meta descriptions, URL slugs, canonical tags, heading structures, images, and internal links are all areas that can easily be overlooked by website owners. I typically use Detailed SEO Extension and Ahrefs SEO Toolbar.
Detailed SEO Extension
Detailed SEO provides a quick and easy view of the metadata for the webpage you are using. I typically use this strictly for their overview section since I use Ahrefs more; however, this tool is great for a simpler alternative. Below are a few of the things this extension covers.
Title tag view
Meta description
URL slug
Canonical tags
Word count
Heading Structure Overview
Etc
Ahrefs SEO Toolbar
The Ahrefs SEO Toolbar is my other go-to option from my SEO toolbox. It is slightly better than Detailed SEO Extension in my opinion because while it also shows the title tag, meta description, URL slug, canonical tags, word count, headings, etc, it also has a few other great features. For instance, they also
Published and modified dates for viewing when competitors last updated their pages.
Missing Alt Text quick view to see which images need alt text.
User agent switcher to switch the crawl bot information.
Internal and external link checker that has a highlight feature to show you where links are in case you have broken links on a page.
Structured data checker for a quick overview of the JSON-LD information.
The paid version can also show you other key information like domain rating, page URL rating, keywords, search traffic, and various other metrics, but the free version itself is powerful. The free version just requires you to download the extension, and you should be good to go!
2) Keyword Research Extensions
Keyword research is a core component of ranking any website or even social media if you use the right tools. Otherwise, you will be creating content without building a strategy to scale. For some businesses, you can get away with a simple setup, but if you are looking to use digital marketing to expand then you’ll want to perform keyword research. Keyword research takes various forms across search, ads, and social media, but regardless of what you choose, small businesses and large businesses should develop a strong plan for SEO. Below are the free keyword research tools that you can use and are a part of my toolkit.
Ahrefs SEO Toolbar
Ahrefs SEO Toolbar makes the list here as well. While you may need to switch this function on in the extension settings, you can get keywords directly in the Search Engine Results Page (SERPs). The tool allows for your search queries to also show related keywords and People Also Ask questions in a side widget on the SERPs.
Keyword Surfer
Keyword Surfer is a newer one in my collection, and it is great! It will also show you related searches to your initial search query, but it also includes the estimated Monthly Search Volume (MSV). It will also show you the overlap of those keywords with the initial query you input. While the Ahrefs tool is great for general keywords from the SERP and its paid keyword research tool, Keyword Surfer has them beat here with their free keyword information from the SERPs.
Keyword Surfer also lists below the URLs in the SERP information about the number of times the search query was used on the page, whether Google rewrote the title tag, the word count, and the estimated search volume of the ranking domain.
3) Google Business Profile & Local SEO Extensions
Google Business Profiles are a cornerstone for local SEO. Ensuring your digital footprint is sound is an important part of optimizing your business for growth. That entails for users to find directions, call your business, find your hours of operations, or leaving you a review. Below are a few tools that I use for Google Business Profiles and local SEO overall.
GMB Spy
GMB Spy is a tool I use specifically for local SEO on Google Maps. I think that it is alright to be honest, but it falls short when compared to GMB Everywhere. With GMB Spy, you need to open Google Maps, click on a Google Business Profile (GBP), and then click on the extension to view the categories for the chosen competitor. From there, it will tell you its primary category and secondary categories.
GMB Everywhere
GMB Everywhere is my go-to option for local SEO on Google Maps and GBP. It has a free version that shows the main category and secondary categories directly from the search results. I know, it’s a small thing, but seeing it directly on Google Maps is such a big barrier to usage for me. They also have other features with their tool that you can explore, but I personally don’t.
AWR Search Anywhere
AWR Search Anywhere tool is one of my favorite tools for working with local SEO clients. Whether you are working on a local business, your own small business, or an international client, this tool will be beyond helpful. It essentially acts as a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and allows you to switch your device’s location. This can help with seeing what types of local competitors are ranking in those areas specifically, instead of using your current location. I have used this tool many times as I have worked with clients in Europe, Australia, and across the US.
4) Website Development & Competitor Development Extensions
It’s always good to know a little bit about how your competitors’ sites are built so you can compete. The tools below are my top choices for identifying what website’s are “made of,” excuse my pun.
Toggle JavaScript
Since you are likely to come across various websites as you look for competitors, you will want to cover all of your bases. A tool that I use heavily when performing an SEO competitor analysis is the Toggle JavaScript tool. Lots of websites use a mixture of JavaScript and HTML code on their websites to add various features. However, while search engine crawlers are able to crawl the pages and understand them, HTML is the preferred format. Not only that, but depending on your website, the code-heavy JavaScript may slow down your website and make it harder to rank. It’s a fine balance between web design and SEO, but it’s important since it can affect the way you appear in the search results. From a competitor analysis perspective, this can show you whether the competitor site is functional or if it completely disappears when JavaScript is disabled. There are workarounds like using CDNs, but since page speed is a ranking factor for SEO, you need to be mindful of using to much reliance.
The Toggle JavaScript, while simple, can open doors from a competitor analysis perspective.
Redirect Path
The Redirect Path tool is another favorite and a simple tool. This is designed to help identify whether there are URLs that are properly redirecting, if there is an error with redirects, or if there is a redirect loop. The tool has one function, but when reviewing your site or a competitor, it is important to keep track of your URLs.
Wappalyzer
Wappalyzer is a tool that can provide you with an easy-to-read overview of a website’s backend tools. You can find out what CMS is used, marketing automation tools, analytics, tagging tools, CDN usage, and various other website information. It is cleaner for those who aren’t looking for lots of information and just want to see the present site information. You can’t find specifics beyond the tools used since those are only for the site owners and is important.
BuiltWith
BuiltWith is similar to Wappalyzer, but it is the tech-savvy brother. It shows each of the tools used and also allows you to click on the tool to learn more about the number of websites that are using the tool. As an SEO, I use both tools to understand a competitor’s website or even my clients’ websites from a high-level. I also worked in sales in the past, and can say that BuiltWith was great for understanding my prospective clients’ current platforms used.
5) Google Set Up Extensions
It’s important to set up your suite of Google tools like Google Search Console, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, and maybe even Google Ads or other Google tools. While this is great to set up early on to access your website data, it’s always best to check if it is set up properly. Especially if you are a small business or individual who may not be as familiar with SEO tools. The tool below is definitely going to be helpful in this case. If you do end up needing help with setting up your Google Suite of tools, it is best to reach out to an SEO freelancer or an agency, even if you are looking to develop a larger SEO strategy for your business’s growth.
Google Tag Assistant
This tool is built buy Google itself and I highly recommend using it. It will save you so much time when setting up your suite of Google tools. It allows you to easily find the Google tags on your website or competitor websites. For businesses of any size, setting up your tools properly is important for an effective digital presence.
6) Nice To Have Extensions
While the other tools listed will help you with the SEO functionality of everything. I would be doing you all a disservice if I didn’t include two other extensions that I use daily for SEO. While there are many ways for brands to market their business, these two help me greatly.
Grammarly
I know it’s probably not a surprise, but Grammarly has such a great use for my work. Whether I’m writing content here, working on drafting my work for clients, Grammarly is a must-have tool. I have been using them for years and can say that they have definitely helped me improve my grammar. Plus, they have an AI Checker tool that is also handy if you want to review your text before publishing. Not to mention, if you run email marketing campaigns, it will be a lifesaver.
Awesome Screen Recorder
Awesome Screen Recorder is another tool that I use frequently. I primarily use the image capture feature for decks and general images for clients. However, they do have a video recorder option in case you ever need to record instances on a website for yourself or to simply relay information.
Final Thoughts
These free tools are all great options for you to use when optimizing your website, conducting competitor research, or simply want to enhance your browsing experience. While there are plenty of other options out there for your extensions, these free options can help you level up your SEO and digital marketing game. Good luck!
Free SEO Browser Extension FAQs
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Google Chrome is the most commonly used browser for SEO extensions because of its large extension library and compatibility with most SEO tools. However, many also work in Microsoft Edge or Firefox.
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Not entirely since there are going to be instances where you may wan to dive deeper into specific issues or research. Extensions are great for quick, surface-level insights, but they don’t replace the depth and reporting of full SEO platforms. Think of them as fast-access supplements to your broader toolset.
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A few ways to check include looking at the review count for positive reviews, see if there is a clear privacy policy, and check for developer transparency. You should also only download the extensions from the official web stores to minimize risks.
