Struggling to keep up with your website’s SEO ranking with all the constant algorithm updates?
We get it—it’s like trying to hit a moving target.
That’s exactly why we tested 10 best rank tracking tools and rated them on accuracy, ease of use, and features. In this post, we’ll share our findings to help you choose the best SEO rank tracker for your needs.
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
10 Best Rank Trackers at a Glance
Below are our top 10 recommendations for best rank tracking software. Each of these tools are discussed in detail in the next section.
Complete SEO toolkit with rank tracking, keyword research, and site audit.
All-in-one SEO software with rank tracking, competitor analysis, and keyword research.
Accurate and reliable rank tracking with keyword suggestions and competitor analysis.
All-in-one SEO platform with rank tracking, site audit, and keyword research.
Comprehensive SEO tool that provides rank tracking, keyword research, and AI content creation features.
Real-time rank tracking, advanced reporting, and integrations.
SEO toolset with rank tracking, keyword research, backlink analysis, and site audit.
Powerful rank tracking software that offers real-time updates and advanced reporting.
Rank tracking software with advanced reporting features.
Let’s examine each of these rank tracking tools to see which one best suits your needs and provides the most accurate and comprehensive data about your website’s ranking performance.
10 Best SEO Rank Tracking Tools
1. Semrush
Semrush is one of the most comprehensive SEO tools out there, offering a wide range of features to help you optimize your website for search engines. One of its most powerful features is its rank tracking capabilities.
With
Semrush gives you a comprehensive view of your website’s ranking positions by tracking the number of search terms that are in the top 3, 10, 20, and 100 search results.
Plus, you can easily monitor your website’s ranking distribution, allowing you to identify trends and make data-driven decisions to improve your SEO strategy.
But that’s not all.
In addition to tracking your own website’s search engine performance,
This is the primary rank tracking tool we use at 99signals and our digital marketing agency, and if I could recommend just one tool from this list, it’d be
Semrush Pros:
- Extensive SEO toolkit for comprehensive analysis
- Exceptional competitor and keyword tracking
- Flexible reporting on keyword positions
Semrush Cons:
- Steep pricing for small businesses and bloggers
- Initial learning curve for new users
Pricing: Starts at $129.95/mo (500 keywords). Normally,
[99signals & Semrush Special Offer] Try
2. SE Ranking
SE Ranking is an all-in-one SEO platform designed to help businesses and marketers improve their website’s search engine performance. One of its standout features is its robust rank tracking tool, which allows you to track your website’s search engine performance on a daily basis.
With SE Ranking’s rank tracking feature, you can track your website’s rankings for specific keywords and phrases, and receive alerts whenever there are any changes in your search engine performance.
After adding your website and the selected keywords for tracking, SE Ranking will provide precise reports on your ranking progress across various locations and devices. You can choose from summary, detailed, or overall reports depending on your preferences.
Additionally, SE Ranking’s rank tracking tool offers powerful competitor analysis features, allowing you to track your competitors’ keyword rankings and search engine performance.
In addition to analyzing search results on Google, SE Ranking also takes into account Google Maps results and the rankings of Google Ads. Plus, it has the ability to assess your performance on SERP features, such as videos and snippets.
Overall, SE Ranking’s rank tracking tool is a powerful and reliable solution for marketers looking to stay ahead of the competition and improve their SEO efforts.
SE Ranking Pros:
- Affordable pricing plans suitable for all business sizes
- User-friendly interface, ideal for beginners in SEO
- Accurate rank tracking with frequent updates
SE Ranking Cons:
- Some advanced features may lack the depth found in more expensive tools
- Reports can be basic and might not meet the needs of advanced users
Pricing: Starts at $39/month (250 keywords). You can try SE Ranking for free for 14 days (no credit card required).
Get 14-day free access to SE Ranking's complete toolkit
(No credit card required)
Related: The Ultimate Showdown: SE Ranking vs Ahrefs
3. ProRankTracker
ProRankTracker is an advanced SEO tool designed to assist you in monitoring the search engine ranking positions of your website and your competitors’ sites. It offers a wide range of features such as daily rank tracking, local and mobile tracking, Google Maps tracking, and more.
One of its unique features is Google Maps tracking, which allows you to monitor your website’s performance on Google Maps. This feature is particularly useful for businesses with a physical location as it helps them track their local SEO performance and monitor their competitors’ performance in the same region.
ProRankTracker is also packed with comprehensive reporting options and in-depth white-label reports. For instance, you can fetch your current rankings reports, progress reports, comparison and benchmark reports, live reports, and other reports for niche scenarios.
Furthermore, you can download ProRankTracker’s mobile app to check your rankings and download reports on the fly.
ProRankTracker Pros:
- Accurate rank tracking for a wide range of search engines and locations
- Supports tracking for mobile and desktop results, including local search rankings
ProRankTracker Cons:
- Interface can feel outdated and less intuitive compared to competitors
- Primarily focused on rank tracking, lacking broader SEO tools integration
- Some users may find the setup and configuration process to be cumbersome
Pricing: Starts at $13.5/mo (100 keywords). You can sign up for a 30-day free trial where you can track rankings of up to 100 keywords and get access to premium features. Once the trial ends, you can track up to 20 keywords with basic reporting features.
Start your 30-day free trial of ProRankTracker
4. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is a popular SEO tool that is widely used by marketers across the globe. While Ahrefs is mainly recognized for its backlink analysis capabilities, it also includes a comprehensive rank tracking tool that helps you monitor the progress of your keywords.
To get started with Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker, you can add your website or integrate your Google Search Console account to monitor your Google rankings on desktop and mobile across 170 countries.
Through Ahrefs’ interactive graphs, you can visualize your SEO progress by getting an overview of your site’s organic visibility, average position & traffic, and positions distribution. You’ll also get to see how your website ranks in SERP features, including featured snippets, knowledge panels, sitelinks, and more.
The tool also charts your data against up to ten competitors and automatically reports on three key areas: ranking progress, search traffic, and SERP features.
Ahrefs Pros:
- Comprehensive SEO toolkit with robust features for keyword research and site audits
- In-depth competitor insights and backlink tracking capabilities
- User-friendly dashboard and intuitive navigation
Ahrefs Cons:
- Higher learning curve due to complex features and data presentation
- Usage-based pricing model can quickly become expensive for heavy users
- Limited keyword tracking capabilities on lower-tier plans
Pricing: Starts at $99/mo (750 keywords). Although Ahrefs doesn’t provide a free trial, they do have a no-cost option called Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (AWT), which provides restricted access to features such as Site Explorer and Site Audit.
5. Serpstat
Like most other digital marketing toolkits on this list, Serpstat offers a variety of features, including the ability to track keyword rankings.
Serpstat’s rank tracker works by regularly monitoring the search engine ranking positions of your website and your competitors’ websites. The tool uses its own database of keywords and search queries to track the performance of specific keywords and phrases.
You can set up the rank tracker by adding your website, target keywords, and locations. You can then start tracking your ranking progress over time.
Serpstat provides you with accurate and up-to-date data on your website’s ranking positions, alongside other key SEO metrics such as the number of clicks, impressions, and click-through rates (CTR) for each keyword.
Like
Serpstat Pros:
- Cost-effective solution with a wide range of SEO and PPC tools
- Easy to use interface, suitable for beginners and professionals alike
Serpstat Cons:
- Data accuracy can vary compared to more premium tools
- Some advanced features may lack the depth offered by higher-priced competitors
Pricing: Starts at $69/mo (15,000 keywords). Serpstat offers a 7-day free trial.
Get 22% discount on any annual Serpstat plan.
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6. GrowthBar
GrowthBar is an SEO and AI content creation tool that includes a decent rank tracking functionality.
GrowthBar’s easy-to-use rank tracking feature provides detailed insights into your rankings for specific keywords, and helps you track changes in your rankings over time. GrowthBar does this by using hundreds of proxy servers to fetch you the best results.
Like most other prominent rank tracker tools, GrowthBar lets you compare your rankings to those of your competitors, providing valuable competitive intelligence.
Combined with other useful features like AI content creation, keyword research, competitor research, and on-page SEO site audit, you can use GrowthBar to streamline your content creation efforts and gain an edge over your competitors.
GrowthBar Pros:
- Simplified user interface, ideal for beginners and small businesses
- Offers unique features like AI content generation and keyword difficulty scores
GrowthBar Cons:
- Limited depth in keyword research and competitive analysis compared to more comprehensive tools
- Data granularity and historical tracking may not satisfy advanced users
Pricing: Starts at $48/mo (25 keywords). GrowthBar offers a 5-day free trial.
[Exclusive offer] Get 50% off on GrowthBar for the first three months. Use promo code 99signals at checkout. Click here to claim this deal.
7. Nightwatch
Nightwatch is one of the most affordable rank tracking tools on the market that boasts an impressive range of features.
Through its unique and intuitive user interface, Nightwatch provides accurate rank tracking data across multiple locations. The tool also allows you to create custom segments that uncover decaying content and low-hanging fruit ranking opportunities.
One of Nightwatch’s unique attributes is its sophisticated approach to local rank tracking. With its advanced location tracking technology, Nightwatch provides accurate real-time data for specific locations, allowing you to monitor your website’s performance in multiple regions simultaneously.
If local rank tracking is a major priority for your business, you can’t go wrong with Nightwatch’s rank tracking tool.
Nightwatch Pros:
- Highly customizable dashboards and reports for detailed SEO tracking
- Advanced segmentation and filtering options for precise rank tracking
- Integrates local and global search engine data, including Google Maps and YouTube
Nightwatch Cons:
- Steeper learning curve due to complex features and customization options
- Some users report occasional delays in data updates and accuracy issues
- Primarily focused on rank tracking, with fewer tools for site audits and backlink analysis compared to all-in-one platforms
Pricing: Starts at $39/mo (250 keywords). You can sign up for Nightwatch’s 14-day free trial and test out all the key features.
8. Mangools
Mangools is a full-fledged SEO toolkit that provides an extensive range of features, including keyword research, rank tracking, SEO analysis, and backlink checker. Mangools’ rank tracker tool, SERPWatcher, lets you monitor your website’s search engine rankings on Google.
With an easy-to-use interface, SERPWatcher helps you track your website’s performance, analyze competitor rankings, and identify opportunities for improvement.
To get started, simply add your website, enter the keywords you’d like to track, specify the location, and select the platform (desktop/mobile). SERPWatcher then provides detailed insights into your keyword rankings, including position changes, search volume, and estimated traffic.
You can also easily gauge the organic traffic potential of your website through Performance Index (PI), an aggregate metric developed by Mangools that represents your ranking performance in Google search results based on actual positions of your website and search volumes.
What sets SERPWatcher apart from other rank tracking tools is its interactive reporting options. This feature allows everyone with the link to see an interactive report in which they can select the timeframe, play with the filter options, or see the keyword details. This is a nifty feature for agencies as it enables effortless sharing of reports with clients or team members.
Mangools Pros:
- User-friendly interface, great for SEO beginners and intermediates
- Affordable pricing with a comprehensive set of tools including KWFinder, SERPChecker, and more
- Accurate keyword research tool with competitive analysis features
Mangools Cons:
- Limited in-depth features for advanced SEO professionals
- Some features, like rank tracking, have limits on keyword tracking numbers on lower-tier plans
Pricing: Starts at $49/mo (200 keywords). Mangools provides a 10-day free trial (no credit card required).
Related: Mangools vs Semrush: Which SEO Tool is the Best Choice?
9. AccuRanker
AccuRanker is a cloud-based SEO platform that provides advanced rank tracking and keyword analysis features. With a particular emphasis on SEO agencies and enterprise SEO, this rank tracking tool is widely recognized as one of the most reliable and trustworthy options in the industry.
With a user-friendly interface that requires minimal effort to get started, AccuRanker provides real-time insights into your search engine rankings, keyword performance, and competitor analysis.
The tool also comes with advanced reporting capabilities, allowing you to analyze and share data seamlessly with team members and clients.
AccuRanker Pros:
- Exceptional accuracy and speed in rank tracking for large volumes of keywords
- User-friendly interface with clear, actionable insights
AccuRanker Cons:
- Premium pricing model, making it less accessible for small businesses and bloggers
- Focuses primarily on rank tracking, with fewer additional SEO tools compared to comprehensive suites
- Some users may find the depth of data overwhelming
Pricing: Starts at $129/mo (1,000 keywords). You can try AccuRanker free for 14 days (no credit card required).
10. Ranktracker
Ranktracker is a rank tracking software that’s used by marketers from some of the world’s leading companies. With Ranktracker, you can effortlessly keep an eye on your website’s rankings across Google, Bing, Yahoo, and other search engines.
Packed with powerful features and reporting options, you can seamlessly track your ranking performance for multiple keywords on both mobile and desktop devices, while gaining valuable insights into the search volumes for each keyword.
The team behind Ranktracker constantly tweaks their rank tracking algorithm to keep up with the evolving Google search algorithms. As such, the tool is constantly updated based on the latest search engine data so you can ensure that your site adapts to the changes and stays on top.
Once you add your website and keywords you’d like to track, Ranktracker generates an instant overview of how well your website is performing for your target keywords. You can then check your ranking progress on different platforms
In addition to tracking standard search engine rankings, Ranktracker also offers the ability to track rankings on Google Maps. This is particularly useful for local businesses that rely on local search traffic.
Ranktracker Pros:
- Precise tracking for keywords across multiple search engines
- Intuitive design and easy to navigate
- Offers useful SEO tools like keyword finder and site auditor
Ranktracker Cons:
- Some advanced features require higher-tier plans
- Reports customization could be more flexible
Pricing: Starts at $18/mo (100 keywords)
Final Thoughts on Best Rank Tracking Tools
Tracking your website’s ranking is a crucial aspect of SEO, and with the right tools, it can be made easier and more efficient.
After reviewing the 10 best rank tracking tools, we can confidently recommend them for their accuracy, customization options, and additional features.
Whether you’re an SEO professional or a business owner, these tools can help you achieve your ranking goals and improve your online visibility.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are rank tracking tools?
Rank tracking tools are specialized software designed to monitor the position of websites and web pages in search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords. They help you understand how well your site performs in search engines like Google, tracking changes over time and against your competition.
2. Why is rank tracking important for SEO?
Rank tracking is crucial for SEO because it provides insights into the effectiveness of your SEO strategies. By understanding your position in SERPs for targeted keywords, you can identify what’s working, what isn’t, and adjust your strategies accordingly to improve your visibility and drive more organic traffic.
3. How often should I check my website’s rankings?
The frequency of rank checks can vary depending on your industry’s competitiveness and the volatility of search engine algorithms. Most experts recommend at least a monthly check to keep up with gradual changes, but more frequent checks might be necessary for highly competitive or rapidly changing landscapes.
4. Can rank tracking tools help me beat my competition?
Yes, by using rank tracking tools, you can gain valuable insights into your competitors’ SEO strategies. Understanding the keywords they rank for, and their position changes, can help you refine your SEO tactics, discover untapped keyword opportunities, and ultimately outperform them in SERP rankings.
5. What features should I look for in a rank tracking tool?
Key features to look for include:
- Accuracy of rank tracking: Ensures the data you receive is reliable.
- Frequency of updates: The tool should offer daily or near-real-time updates.
- Competitor analysis: Ability to track and compare competitors’ rankings.
- Keyword segmentation: Organize keywords into groups for better analysis.
- Historical data: Access past ranking data to analyze trends.
- Multi-platform tracking: Track rankings across different search engines and devices.
- Reporting and alerts: Customizable reports and alerts for significant changes.
6. Are free rank tracking tools effective?
Free rank tracking tools can be effective for beginners or those with limited needs. However, they often come with limitations in terms of the number of keywords tracked, frequency of updates, and depth of analysis compared to paid tools.
7. How do rank tracking tools determine rankings?
Rank tracking tools simulate searches for your targeted keywords on various search engines and scrape the results to determine the position of your web pages. They often use localized servers to get accurate results for specific locations or devices.
8. Will using a rank tracking tool affect my website’s SEO?
No, using a rank tracking tool will not directly affect your website’s SEO. These tools are designed to gather data without interacting with your site, so they don’t influence your site’s performance or rankings.
9. Can rank tracking tools predict future rankings?
While rank tracking tools can’t predict future rankings with certainty due to the unpredictable nature of search engine algorithms, they can provide insights based on historical data and trends. This information can be invaluable for forecasting and planning your SEO strategy.
Editor’s Note: This article was first published on 14 April 2023 and has been updated regularly since then for relevance and comprehensiveness.
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