answerthepublic vs keysearch
AnswerThePublic vs Keysearch — features, pricing, and which to choose for your SEO workflow in 2026.
Quick Verdict
AnswerThePublic and Keysearch represent two different philosophies in keyword research. AnswerThePublic excels at visual discovery of long-tail questions and autocomplete suggestions, making it perfect for content ideation. Keysearch focuses on traditional keyword metrics with difficulty scoring and SERP analysis, targeting bloggers who need actionable data over creative inspiration.
The choice often comes down to workflow preference: visual brainstorming versus data-driven keyword validation. AnswerThePublic sparks content ideas through its distinctive wheel visualizations, while Keysearch provides the metrics needed to assess keyword viability and competition.
Feature Comparison
AnswerThePublic's signature feature is its visual mapping of autocomplete data into searchable wheels and lists, organized by question types (what, how, why), prepositions (for, without, near), and comparisons. This creates a comprehensive view of how people actually search for topics, but provides minimal traditional keyword metrics like search volume or difficulty scores. Keysearch delivers standard keyword research functionality with search volume, keyword difficulty scores, CPC data, and detailed SERP analysis showing competitor domains and page metrics. It includes a content assistant for optimizing existing pages and YouTube keyword research capabilities. Where AnswerThePublic shows you what questions people ask, Keysearch tells you which keywords you can realistically rank for based on your domain authority and competition analysis. The depth difference is significant: AnswerThePublic processes thousands of autocomplete variations but doesn't validate their search potential, while Keysearch provides fewer suggestions with comprehensive ranking feasibility data for each keyword.
Pricing Comparison
AnswerThePublic starts at $5/month for 100 searches daily with data exports, while their free tier allows 3 searches per day without downloads. This makes it extremely accessible for content creators who need inspiration more than exhaustive keyword lists. Keysearch begins at $17/month with no free tier, but includes 200 keyword lookups, rank tracking for 100 keywords, and comprehensive SERP analysis. The price gap reflects their different value propositions: AnswerThePublic monetizes creative discovery, while Keysearch charges for actionable SEO intelligence that directly impacts ranking strategies.
Best For
AnswerThePublic works best for content creators, copywriters, and marketers who need fresh angles on familiar topics. If you're building editorial calendars, developing FAQ sections, or exploring how audiences think about your niche, its visual question mapping is unmatched. The tool excels when you know your general topic but need to understand the specific questions and concerns your audience has. Keysearch suits bloggers and small business owners who need to validate keyword opportunities before creating content. If you're operating on limited resources and need to ensure every piece of content targets winnable keywords, Keysearch's difficulty scoring and competition analysis prevents wasted effort on impossible rankings.
The Verdict
Choose AnswerThePublic if content ideation is your primary challenge and you have other tools for keyword validation. Its unique visualization of search behavior provides insights that traditional keyword tools miss, and the $5 entry point makes it a no-brainer addition to most content workflows. However, if you need one tool that both discovers opportunities and validates their ranking potential, Keysearch's comprehensive approach justifies the higher cost for serious SEO practitioners.