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Free Keyword Difficulty Checker
Find out how hard it is to rank for any keyword before you commit. Enter a keyword and get a real difficulty score from 0–100 with a plain-English interpretation. Free: 3 lookups per day.
What is keyword difficulty?
Keyword difficulty (KD) estimates how hard it would be to rank on the first page for a term, on a scale of 0–100. It is based largely on the authority and strength of the pages already ranking. A high KD means established, heavily-linked competitors; a low KD means more realistic openings.
Checking difficulty before you write saves you from pouring effort into terms you cannot realistically win yet.
How to use the score
- 0–15 (very easy): strong targets for new and low-authority sites.
- 15–30 (easy): achievable with solid, well-optimized content.
- 30–50 (possible): need good content plus some authority and links.
- 50+ (hard): usually require established authority — pursue with a content cluster strategy.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good keyword difficulty to target?
It depends on your site’s authority. New sites should focus on KD under ~30; more established sites can win mid-range terms. Always weigh difficulty against the keyword’s volume and intent.
How is difficulty calculated?
It is based on the strength of the pages currently ranking for the term — primarily their backlink authority. Stronger incumbents mean a higher score.
Why only 3 checks a day?
Live difficulty data has a per-lookup cost, so the free tool is capped at 3 per day. Writelio subscribers get unlimited difficulty data inside the full keyword toolkit.
Is the score reliable?
It is a strong directional guide based on real ranking data. Combine it with a look at who actually ranks (via our SERP Checker) for the fullest picture.