answerthepublic vs clearscope-keyword-discovery
AnswerThePublic vs Clearscope Keyword Discovery — features, pricing, and which to choose for your SEO workflow in 2026.
Quick Verdict
AnswerThePublic and Clearscope Keyword Discovery tackle keyword research from completely different angles. AnswerThePublic visualizes search questions and autocomplete suggestions in eye-catching wheel diagrams, making it popular for content brainstorming. Clearscope Keyword Discovery focuses on competitive gap analysis and topical relevance, identifying keywords your competitors rank for that you don't.
The choice between these tools depends on your research methodology. AnswerThePublic excels at the initial brainstorming phase, surfacing question-based content ideas that drive engagement. Clearscope Keyword Discovery is built for competitive intelligence and strategic content planning, helping you identify opportunities within your existing market position.
Feature Comparison
AnswerThePublic's signature feature is its visual mapping of search autocomplete data. Enter a seed keyword and get a comprehensive wheel showing questions, prepositions, comparisons, and alphabetical variations. The tool pulls from Google, Bing, YouTube, and Amazon autocomplete data, giving you a broad view of how people search around your topic. The CSV export functionality lets you process these suggestions at scale. Clearscope Keyword Discovery operates within the broader Clearscope ecosystem, analyzing your competitors' keyword portfolios to identify gaps in your content strategy. It shows which keywords competitors rank for that you don't, along with topical clusters and semantic relationships. The tool integrates with Clearscope's content optimization features, creating a seamless workflow from keyword discovery to content creation. AnswerThePublic provides broader keyword discovery across multiple search engines but lacks competitive analysis. Clearscope Keyword Discovery offers deeper competitive intelligence but focuses exclusively on Google search data and requires the full Clearscope platform.
Pricing Comparison
AnswerThePublic offers a free tier with basic functionality and paid plans starting at $5/month for the Individual plan. The Pro plan at $49/month removes search limits and adds team features, while Expert at $99/month includes API access and white-label reports. Clearscope Keyword Discovery isn't sold separately—it's bundled with Clearscope Business plans that start around $299/month. This makes it significantly more expensive for standalone keyword research but provides value if you're already using Clearscope for content optimization.
Best For
AnswerThePublic works best for content marketers and bloggers who need fresh content ideas and want to understand the full spectrum of how people search around their topics. Its visual approach makes it excellent for presentations and client reporting, while the low price point makes it accessible for individual creators and small agencies. Clearscope Keyword Discovery is ideal for established websites with significant organic traffic who need sophisticated competitive analysis. It's particularly valuable for SaaS companies and enterprise sites where understanding competitor keyword strategies drives content roadmap decisions.
The Verdict
Choose AnswerThePublic if you need affordable, visual keyword discovery for content ideation. Its question-focused approach and multi-platform data make it perfect for brainstorming and understanding search intent. Go with Clearscope Keyword Discovery if you're already invested in the Clearscope ecosystem and need advanced competitive keyword analysis integrated with your content optimization workflow.