What’s the best free keyword research tool recommended on Reddit?

General
2

Short answer from lots of Reddit lurking and testing stuff on my own blog:

If you want one “best free tool” Reddit people shout about most, it’s usually:

  1. Google Search Console for real queries
  2. Keywords Everywhere (paid now) used to be #1, so the current “free darlings” are:
    • Keyword Surfer
    • AlsoAsked
    • AnswerThePublic alternatives like AlsoAsked / SEO Minion

But for a single top pick for free keyword research that Reddit still loves:
Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator + Google Search Console combo.

Here is what I’d do step by step.

  1. Start with Google Search Console

    • Go to Performance → Search results
    • Filter last 28 or 90 days
    • Sort by Impressions
    • Look for queries where:
      • Impressions are high
      • Average position is between 10 and 25
    • Those are “low hanging” keywords.
    • Create new posts or improve existing ones around those exact queries.
      Reddit users who share case studies often show that GSC mined keywords drive most of their easy wins.

  2. Use Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator

    • Plug in your main topic or seed keyword
    • Set your country
    • Export the 100 results you get
    • Sort by Keyword Difficulty from low to high
    • Filter by words that match your blog niche and experience
    • Target KD 0–10 with at least 50–200 search volume when your blog is small.
      This mirrors what a lot of “I grew from 0 to 50k” Reddit posts do.

  3. Use Keyword Surfer (Chrome extension)

    • Search your topic in Google
    • Keyword Surfer shows volume and related keywords in the sidebar
    • Copy the phrases that:
      • Have some volume
      • Match the “People also ask” questions you see
    • Blend those into your content as subheadings and FAQs.
      Reddit likes Keyword Surfer because it is simple and lives right in search results.

  4. Use AlsoAsked for topic clusters

    • Type one main keyword
    • Export the People Also Ask tree
    • Use each node as a section or separate post idea
    • Group similar questions into one post instead of spamming thin posts.
      This helps cover a topic fully, which threads on r/SEO keep pushing.

  5. Quick free stack a lot of Redditors recommend

    • GSC for real queries you already show for
    • Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator for new topics
    • Keyword Surfer for quick checks right in SERPs
    • AlsoAsked for question-based content and structure

Stuff you tried:
Google Keyword Planner is built for ads, not content.
It lumps similar keywords together and often hides true volume for low search terms, which most small blogs rely on.

If you want to stay 100 percent free and pick only one starting point, pick Google Search Console.
If you want a “Reddit-approved” research workflow, pair GSC with Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator and Keyword Surfer.