What Is SEOquake? A Practical Guide for 2026

SEOquake is a free browser extension, made by Semrush, that shows you SEO data for any web page or search result right inside your browser. Install it, and every page you visit gets an instant overlay of metrics — traffic estimates, keywords, links and more — without opening a separate tool.

It is one of the fastest ways to size up a page, spot on-page problems, or check what competitors are doing. Here is what it actually does and how to get value from it.

What SEOquake shows you

Once installed, SEOquake adds a toolbar and a set of on-demand reports. The useful parts are:

• SEObar — a small bar on every page showing key stats: estimated traffic, number of indexed pages, backlinks, domain age and more.
• Page audit — a quick on-page check that flags issues like a missing meta description, no H1, images without alt text, or a slow page.
• SERP overlay — when you search on Google, SEOquake shows metrics next to each result, so you can see how strong the pages ranking above you really are.
• Keyword density — a breakdown of which words a page uses most, useful for understanding what a page is optimised around.
• Internal and external links — a list of the links on a page, handy for spotting structure and outbound links.

How to install and use it

It takes about a minute:

1. Open your browser's extension store (Chrome, Firefox or Edge).
2. Search for "SEOquake" and add it. It is free and does not require a paid Semrush account for the basics.
3. Visit any web page. Click the SEOquake icon to open the SEObar, or run a page audit.
4. Do a Google search to see the SERP overlay in action.

A good first exercise: search for a keyword you want to rank for, then look at the SEOquake numbers next to the top results. If those pages have thousands of backlinks and huge traffic, that keyword will be hard. If they look thin, you have found an opening.

What SEOquake is good for — and what it is not

SEOquake is a quick-look tool. It shines when you want a fast read on a page or a competitor without committing to a full research session. It is genuinely useful for:

• Sizing up how competitive a keyword is at a glance.
• Running a fast on-page check before publishing.
• Comparing your page against the ones outranking you.

It is not a replacement for a full SEO tool or a proper audit. Its traffic and link numbers are estimates, so treat them as directional, not exact. And a page audit that says "no issues" does not mean the page will rank — ranking depends on content quality, intent and authority, which no extension can measure for you.

Free alternatives worth knowing

If you like SEOquake, a few other free tools pair well with it:

• Google Search Console — your own real data on which queries bring you impressions and clicks. This is the most valuable free tool you have.
• Keyword Surfer — shows search volumes directly in Google results.
• MozBar — a similar overlay extension with domain and page authority scores.

Used together, these cover most of what a small business needs before deciding where to invest.

Is SEOquake worth using?

For a free tool, yes. It lowers the effort of checking a page from "open a tool and paste a URL" to "glance at the bar." That convenience means you will actually check pages more often, which is the whole point. Just remember what it is: a fast estimate, not the final word. The real work — deciding what to fix and doing it well — still needs judgement.

Frequently asked questions

Is SEOquake free?

Yes. The core features work for free. Some data links through to Semrush, which has paid plans, but you do not need to pay to use the extension for everyday checks.

Is SEOquake accurate?

Its metrics are estimates, so use them for comparison rather than as exact figures. For your own site, trust Google Search Console over any extension's estimate.

What is the difference between SEOquake and Semrush?

SEOquake is a free browser extension for quick checks. Semrush is the full paid platform behind it, with deep keyword research, tracking and audit tools. SEOquake is the taster; Semrush is the full kitchen.

Can SEOquake improve my rankings?

Not on its own — it is a measurement tool, not an optimisation one. It helps you find problems and understand competitors. Fixing what it reveals is what improves rankings.

Want someone to do the finding and fixing for you? That is our job — see our SEO services or get a free review.