You open Small SEO Tools, click “Keyword Position Checker,” and it gives you a blank screen. Or a captcha loop. Or a result that says your site ranks #1 for “cheap dental implants” when you know it doesn’t.
That sinking feeling is familiar.
Free tools like Small SEO Tools are great when they work. But they break often. They get blocked. They serve outdated data. And when you’re a beginner, you don’t know if the problem is you or the tool.
This guide is a practical checklist to find a Small SEO Tools alternative that won’t ghost you mid-project. No fluff. No brand loyalty. Just a repeatable method to switch and keep moving.
Why this matters
Reliable SEO data is the difference between fixing the right problem and chasing ghosts.
If your keyword tool says “easy to rank” but the search results show high-authority domains, you’ll waste weeks. If your backlink checker misses 60% of your links, you’ll think you’re doing fine when you’re not.
Beginners often stick with a broken tool because it’s free or familiar. That’s a trap. A Small SEO Tools alternative doesn’t have to be expensive, but it must be accurate enough to trust.
Step-by-step checklist to switch to a Small SEO Tools alternative
Step 1: Identify your most-used tool
Write down the one Small SEO Tools feature you use daily. Is it the keyword research tool? The backlink checker? The SERP checker?
Do not look for an all-in-one replacement yet. Pick one job.
Example: If you use the “Keyword Position Checker” every morning to track 10 keywords, that’s your starting point.
Step 2: Find one free alternative that does that exact job
Search for “[job] tool free” and test the top three results. Do not compare features. Compare how fast and accurately it answers your single question.
For keyword tracking: try Google Search Console (free, accurate, but limited to your own site). For competitor keywords: try Ubersuggest free tier or Keyword Sheeter (raw data, no filtering).
For backlinks: try Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free tier, shows 100 backlinks per domain) or OpenLinkProfiler (free, no login needed but slower).
For site audits: try Screaming Frog SEO Spider (free up to 500 URLs) or Sitebulb Lite (free up to 100 URLs).
| Job | Small SEO Tools | Free Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword tracking | Position Checker | Google Search Console |
| Backlink check | Backlink Checker | Ahrefs Webmaster Tools |
| Site audit | Website Analyzer | Screaming Frog (free) |
| Keyword research | Keyword Generator | Keyword Sheeter |
Step 3: Test the data accuracy with a known page
Take a page you already know the ranking for. Maybe your own blog post that ranks #3 for “best running shoes.”
Run that query through your new alternative. If the result is within 5 positions of what you see in incognito mode, it’s good enough.
If the new tool says your page ranks #45, it’s broken. Move to the next candidate.
Pro tip: Test at the same time of day. Rankings fluctuate. Compare the trend, not the exact number.
Step 4: Migrate your project history manually
This is the boring part.
If Small SEO Tools had a project dashboard with 50 keywords, export that data as a CSV or copy it into a spreadsheet. Most free alternatives do not import from Small SEO Tools.
You will lose historical data. Accept that. It’s better to start fresh with accurate data than to keep a broken history.
One exception: If you have a paid plan on Small SEO Tools, ask their support for a data export before canceling. Some will give you a JSON or CSV file.
Step 5: Set a 30-day trial rule before committing
Do not buy the first alternative you test. Use it for 30 days free (most offer a trial or limited free tier).
Check three things after 30 days:
– Did the data stay accurate?
– Did it save you time compared to Small SEO Tools?
– Did it break at least once?
If it broke once and you lost a day of work, it’s not a reliable alternative. Move on.
Common mistakes beginners make when switching tools
Mistake 1: Switching to another free tool that does the same thing.
You’re not solving the reliability problem. You’re just moving from one captcha loop to another.
Fix: Accept that you may need to pay a small amount ($5-$10/month) for one core tool if you depend on it daily.
Mistake 2: Trying to replace everything at once.
You replace keyword research, backlinks, audits, and SERP tracking in one afternoon. Now you have four new tools you don’t know how to use, and none of them talk to each other.
Fix: Replace one tool at a time. Use the old tool for the other jobs until you stabilize the first one.
Mistake 3: Ignoring data export before canceling.
You cancel your Small SEO Tools account, then realize you lost six months of rank tracking history.
Fix: Export everything before you switch off. Even if you think you won’t need it.
Mini scenario: How a blogger replaced a broken keyword tool in one morning
Marta runs a fitness blog. She uses Small SEO Tools’ keyword generator to find low-competition topics. Last week, the tool stopped showing search volume. It just showed “—”.
She panicked.
She followed this checklist:
– Step 1: Her most-used tool was keyword research.
– Step 2: She tested Ubersuggest free tier and Keywords Everywhere (browser extension, $10 one-time payment for 100,000 credits).
– Step 3: She compared results for “home workout no equipment.” Ubersuggest showed 1,200 searches/month. Google Keyword Planner (free) showed 1,500. Close enough.
– Step 4: She copied her 30 best keywords into a spreadsheet. No export from Small SEO Tools available.
– Step 5: She used Ubersuggest free for 30 days. It didn’t break once.
Result: She lost one morning but gained a reliable workflow. She later bought Keywords Everywhere for the one-time fee.
FAQ
Q: Is Small SEO Tools completely broken?
A: Not completely, but it’s unreliable. Many users report captcha loops, outdated data, and random downtime. It’s fine for occasional use, but not for daily tracking.
Q: What is the best free Small SEO Tools alternative for keyword research?
A: For volume and competition data: Ubersuggest free tier. For raw keyword ideas without filters: Keyword Sheeter. For your own site’s data: Google Search Console.
Q: Do I have to pay for a Small SEO Tools alternative?
A: Not necessarily. Free alternatives like Google Search Console, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools, and Screaming Frog (free tier) cover most beginner needs. You may only need to pay if you want to track 100+ keywords daily.
Q: Can I use multiple alternatives at the same time?
A: Yes, and it’s smart. Use one for keyword research, another for backlinks, and a third for site audits. Just don’t try to learn them all in one week.
Q: How do I know if an alternative is accurate?
A: Test it against a known ranking page. If the result is within 5 positions of what you see in a private browser window, it’s accurate enough for a beginner.
