Free keyword difficulty tool
Check the Authority Bar Before You Write
Before you spend hours writing, see the authority behind Google's live top 10 and compare it with your site. Get the median DR, weakest result, your gap, and a plain verdict: write now or build authority first. One check free.
How the check works
Live top 10
We fetch the current Google top 10 for your keyword, not a stale index. What ranks today is the competition you would face.
DR per result
Every ranking domain gets a Domain Rating lookup. The median is the authority bar the page demands; the minimum shows whether a weak site already slipped in.
Your verdict
Your site's DR against that bar: winnable now, within reach, or build authority first. The same engine behind the Pro Keywords tab.
Reading the result
Difficulty scores that blend dozens of signals hide the decision you need to make. Authority-based difficulty keeps it concrete: if the median top-10 DR is 40 and you're at 45, write the page, because content is what's missing. If the median is 65 and you're at 30, no amount of on-page work closes that gap this quarter; the keyword belongs on next quarter's list while you build authority.
The minimum DR is the tell worth watching. A DR 20 site holding position 8 on a median-60 page means Google wants relevance it can't find from the big players, and that's an opening. You can verify any competitor's authority with the free domain rating checker.
Free check vs Pro keyword research
Free check
- One check per keyword and website
- Median and minimum top-10 DR
- Your DR, gap, and verdict
- Top 3 ranking sites with their DR
Pro keyword research
- 10 saved keywords per site, weekly snapshots
- Full top 10, search volume, CPC, demand trend
- Opportunity-sorted suggestions
- Competitor gap keywords
Keyword difficulty tool FAQ
What is a keyword difficulty tool?
A keyword difficulty tool estimates how hard it is to rank for a search term. This one measures the authority bar: it fetches the live Google top 10, looks up the Domain Rating behind each result, and compares the median with your site's DR. At or above the median, authority is less likely to be the blocker. Far below it, build authority before treating content alone as the fix.
Is this keyword difficulty check really free?
Yes. One check per keyword and website is free: we verify your email first because each check fetches a live Google top 10 and Domain Rating data on our side. You get the median and minimum DR, your own DR and gap, a verdict, and the top results with their authority. Saved keyword tracking, search volume, CPC, trend data, and suggestions are part of Pro.
How is DR-based difficulty different from other difficulty scores?
Most difficulty scores blend many signals into an opaque 0 to 100 number. Comparing DR with the live top 10 answers a narrower, practical question: does my site clear the page's current authority bar? A median DR of 40 is within reach for a DR 45 site. A DR 15 site has an authority gap to close before it commits the same effort.
What is a good DR gap for targeting a keyword?
At or above the median top-10 DR, the keyword is winnable on authority and worth writing for now. Up to about 10 points below the median, it is a stretch: possible with a strong, specific page, especially if the minimum DR in the top 10 is low. More than 10 points below, build authority first and keep the keyword for later.
Why does the minimum DR in the top 10 matter?
The minimum DR shows whether a lower-authority page is already competing. If the minimum is 20 while the median is 60, relevance may have created an opening worth investigating. If even the minimum is 55, authority is a more consistent feature of the current top 10.
How many keywords can I check?
The free tool runs one email-verified check per keyword and website. Free VerifiedDR accounts also get 3 keyword checks per month inside the dashboard. Pro tracks up to 10 saved keywords per site with weekly snapshots, search volume, CPC, trend, opportunity-sorted suggestions, and competitor gap keywords.