Keyword Difficulty Checker
Type a keyword to see how hard it is to rank for. You get the difficulty score, the monthly searches and how many sites link to the pages already on Google's first page, which is the number to read first.
- Calling keyword_difficultyLooking up the searches and the score
- Calling keyword_difficultyCounting the sites that link to the top 10
- Calling keyword_difficultyWorking out what that means for a newer site
ContextBolt SEO gives you keyword ideas ranked easiest first, with difficulty and monthly searches for each, inside Claude or Cursor, and in ChatGPT through its connectors.
The free site check gives your site one move to make first, sized, with the evidence behind it.
Need more checks? ContextBolt SEO checks keyword difficulty for 1 credit a keyword, inside Claude or Cursor, and the 7-day trial includes 100 credits.
What keyword difficulty means
The score says how hard. The linking sites say why.
Keyword difficulty is a score from 0 to 100 for how hard it is to get a page onto Google's first page for a search. The lower it is, the easier. It is an estimate, and nobody outside Google has its exact figures.
So next to the score we show the average number of other websites linking to each page in Google's top 10. That is the trust a new page would have to match.
Why the linking sites matter more than the score
A score folds a lot into one number, so two searches with the same score can be very different fights. The linking sites show the fight itself.
Take this tool's own search, keyword difficulty checker. In October 2026 it scored 22 out of 100, which reads as easy. The pages in its top 10 had about 157 linking sites each. The score said go, and the pages said not yet.
- Under 35 linking sites per page A newer site with a strong page can compete.
- 35 to 45 linking sites per page Only if the results look weak, like forum threads, thin pages or old posts. Look before you write.
- Over 45 linking sites per page The pages there have real authority. Look for a narrower search.
That is the rule we use to pick our own topics. It describes the search, not your site, so a site that already has plenty of links can aim higher.
How to read a result
- Linking sites The average number of other websites linking to each page in Google's top 10. Read it first.
- Difficulty The score from 0 to 100, with its band. Under 15 is very easy, under 30 easy, under 50 moderate, under 70 hard, and 70 or more very hard.
- Searches a month About how many times a month people search it on Google in the country you picked.
- Intent What the searcher wants. Informational is a question, navigational is one site, commercial is comparing options and transactional is ready to buy. Match your page to it.
- Change over a year How the monthly searches have moved compared with a year ago.
- Not enough data The database has no figure for that search. That is not zero, and it is not easy.
For more free ways to size up a keyword, read how to check keyword difficulty. To go from one keyword to a plan, see keyword research with Claude.
Frequently asked questions
Something else on your mind? Get in touch.
What is a good keyword difficulty score?
It depends on the site, which is why the linking sites come first. On this checker's scale, under 30 is easy and 50 or more is hard. For a newer site, a search whose top 10 pages have under about 35 linking sites each is worth a strong page.
Is this keyword difficulty checker free?
Yes. There is no account and no email. You can check 10 keywords an hour, and each result is kept for a week, so a keyword someone checked recently comes back at once.
Where does the data come from?
From DataForSEO's keyword database, the same data ContextBolt SEO uses. Searches and difficulty are estimates. Nobody outside Google has Google's exact figures.
Why does it say there is not enough data?
The database has no figure for that search, which is common for rare phrases and some languages. That is not the same as zero searches or an easy keyword. Try a broader phrase, or search it on Google and look at who ranks.
Can I check keyword difficulty for another country?
Yes. Pick the country before you check. Each country has its own searches and its own top 10, so the numbers can differ a lot from one to the next.
How do I check difficulty for a whole list of keywords?
This checker does one keyword at a time. ContextBolt SEO gives your agent keyword ideas ranked easiest first, with difficulty and monthly searches for each, inside Claude or Cursor, and in ChatGPT through its connectors. Here is what an SEO MCP server does.
Keep reading
- Guide How to check keyword difficulty Three free ways: read the results by hand, use a free checker, or ask your AI agent for a live score.
- Guide Keyword research with Claude Wire Claude to an SEO data source and it runs the whole job, from seed terms to a ranked content plan.
- Explainer What an SEO MCP server is Live keyword, SERP and backlink data for your agent, in plain English. What they cost and how to connect one.
- Free tool The free site check One move for your site, sized, with the evidence behind it.
- Free tool Google Index Checker Paste a URL and see whether Google can index it, and why not.
- Free tool The free GEO audit See what AI crawlers get from your page. No signup.
Try ContextBolt SEO free
ContextBolt SEO puts keyword research inside Claude, Cursor and Codex. Ask for keyword ideas and you get them ranked easiest first, with difficulty and monthly searches for each, and every lookup saves to your SEO Dashboard. Seven days free with 100 credits, then $35 a month.
Start your free trial See what ContextBolt SEO does