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The Google Trends Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Google Trends in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Google Trends

The Insider’s Guide

Free charts of relative Google search interest by time and place

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among keyword research tools, read from Google Trends’s own pages.

Made by Google · checked Oct 23, 2026 · toolgpa.com

3.0GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Google Trends’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Google Trends’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 23, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

3.0

GPA, above 48 of the 51 other keyword research tools we grade

Google Trends shows how interest in a search term or topic has changed over time and where it is searched most, from a sample of real Google searches. Results are scaled from 0 to 100 rather than given as search counts, and terms can be compared side by side. A Trending now page lists searches that are rising in more than 100 countries and regions.

To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Google Trends, taken from its own pages and our grades.

No rating on record, but there's nothing to sign up for.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for spotting rising and seasonal searches

    Google Trends shows whether interest in a search is rising, falling or seasonal, and where it's searched most, from a sample of real Google searches, free and with no account.

  2. 2

    It is free

    Google Trends has no paid plan at all. Explore, Trending now and Year in Search are open to anyone in a browser at no charge, and charts can be downloaded as CSV files.

  3. 3

    It runs on Web

    Web.

  4. 4

    Explore and compare terms

    Chart search interest for a term over a chosen period and compare up to 8 groups of terms, each holding up to 50 terms, across languages and places.

  5. 5

    Interest by region

    See where a term is searched most, from country level down to subregions and cities, and compare two locations or two time periods.

  6. 6

    Related searches and categories

    Find searches related to a term, and narrow results to a category of topics to cut out unrelated meanings.

  7. 7

    A 3.0 GPA, above 48 of 51

    That is against the other keyword research tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  8. 8

    Keep it

    Google Trends is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

Google Trends at a glance

Pricing
Free
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
Web
Made by
Google
Category
Keyword Research Tools
Our grade
3.0 GPA, very good

The report card

Best for spotting rising and seasonal searches

Google Trends shows whether interest in a search is rising, falling or seasonal, and where it's searched most, from a sample of real Google searches, free and with no account. But it gives a 0 to 100 score, not search counts, low-volume terms show as 0, small terms can spike from added noise, and the API is open only to accepted testers. Look elsewhere if you need volumes.

ToolGPA report cardGoogle TrendsGraded Oct 23, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyAFree, from Google, with no paid tier: charts, comparisons, regions, related searches, Trending now and CSV export all cost nothing.
Free plan and trialAEverything is open to anyone in a browser, with no account and no cap a normal person would reach. Only the API is closed, to an alpha group of applicants.
FeaturesCCompare up to 8 groups of terms, see interest by region down to cities, related searches and Trending now in 100+ countries. It does trends fully, but gives no volumes, low-volume terms show as 0, and small terms can spike from added noise.
Ease of useBNo rating on record, but there's nothing to sign up for. Type a term and a chart appears. The 0 to 100 scale takes a minute to get used to.
Platforms and integrationsCWeb only. Charts export to CSV and embed on a web page, and trending searches go out by RSS, but the API is an alpha open only to accepted developers.
Grade point averageVery good, out of 4.03.0

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who Google Trends is for

  • Fits if you want to know whether a topic is growing before you write about it
  • Works for timing seasonal content, like gift guides or summer gear

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you need search volumes, since it only shows a 0 to 100 score
  • Not for you if you need an API, as it's an alpha for accepted developers
  • Too light for tiny niches, where low-volume terms show as 0 and small ones can spike from added noise
  • Watch out: reused data must be credited to Google Trends, and Google asks you not to cite it alongside Ads data

Good to know

Good for

  • Checking whether interest in a topic is rising, falling or seasonal
  • Comparing the relative popularity of several terms or places
  • Journalists and researchers looking at what people search for

Worth knowing

  • Shows relative interest on a 0 to 100 scale, not search volumes; Google points to Google Ads for monthly volume figures.
  • Low-volume terms show as 0, and small terms can show random spikes because Google adds statistical noise for privacy.
  • The API is an alpha that only accepted applicants can use; everyone else works through the website.
  • Reused data must be credited to Google Trends, and Google asks that it not be cited together with Google Ads data.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

Free

No paid plan at all

Google Trends is free to use.

Free, from Google, with no paid tier: charts, comparisons, regions, related searches, Trending now and CSV export all cost nothing.
From our grade for value for money

  • Free

    $0

    Search interest charts, comparisons, interest by region, related searches, trending searches and CSV export.

The free plan

Explore, Trending now and Year in Search are open to anyone in a browser at no charge, and charts can be downloaded as CSV files.

Read from trends.google.com on Oct 23, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

1

Place it runs: Web

Free charts of relative Google search interest by time and place. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: research, keyword research.

Charts export to CSV and embed on a web page, and trending searches go out by RSS, but the API is an alpha open only to accepted developers.
From our grade for platforms and integrations
Explore and compare terms
Chart search interest for a term over a chosen period and compare up to 8 groups of terms, each holding up to 50 terms, across languages and places.
Interest by region
See where a term is searched most, from country level down to subregions and cities, and compare two locations or two time periods.
Related searches and categories
Find searches related to a term, and narrow results to a category of topics to cut out unrelated meanings.
Trending now
Searches rising in 100+ countries and regions over the past 4 hours to 7 days, refreshed about every ten minutes, with a volume bucket and growth figure.
Export, embed and RSS
Download charts as CSV, embed many charts on a web page, and export trending searches by clipboard, CSV or RSS feed.
Trends API alpha
An alpha API with 5 years of consistently scaled data is open to a limited set of developers who apply to test it.

Where it runs

  • Web

What it works with

Its own pages name no integrations.

Google Trends is made by Google.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

48/51

Other keyword research tools it is graded above

Google Trends's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 48 of the 51 other keyword research tools we grade, and level with 3.

It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 45 of 51) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 0).

Google Trends has no paid plan.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 52 keyword research tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Google Trends’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 37 of 51
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 45 of 51
  • CFeaturesAbove 6 of 51
  • BEase of useAbove 28 of 51
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 51

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 44 keyword research tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Google Trends is the marked dot.

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$5$10$20$50$100More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessGoogle TrendsAluraYandex Wordstat

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

Google Trends is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 48 of the 51 other keyword research tools we grade.

What you could not

  • Search volumes for millions of keywords, gathered and kept up to date.
  • A library of papers and sources to search.

What this rests on. Google Trends’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Exploding Topics, Glimpse, Treendly, Pinterest Trends and Google Keyword Planner

The 5 tools Google Trends is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

11

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is Google Trends free?

Yes. Google Trends is free to use.

How much does Google Trends cost?

Google Trends lists one plan. Free: $0.

What platforms does Google Trends work on?

Google Trends is available on Web.

Does Google Trends have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Google Trends is listed for Web.

Does Google Trends have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Google Trends is listed for Web.

Is Google Trends open source?

Google Trends is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 23, 2026.

Who makes Google Trends?

Google Trends is made by Google.

What are the alternatives to Google Trends?

The closest alternatives to Google Trends in our directory are Exploding Topics, Glimpse, Treendly, Pinterest Trends and Google Keyword Planner.

How does Google Trends compare with other keyword research tools?

Google Trends's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 48 of the 51 other keyword research tools we grade, and level with 3.

Is Google Trends good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Google Trends A for value for money. Google Trends has no paid plan.

Could I make my own version of Google Trends?

Google Trends is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Google Trends’s own pages on Oct 23, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 23, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Google's own pages on 23 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Google. Prices change, so check trends.google.com before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 3,189

    tools graded

  • 94

    categories

  • 426

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "Google Trends: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 23, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/google-trends

Know someone choosing between keyword research tools?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/google-trends/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded keyword research tools after Google Trends, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Google Trends’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Google Trends is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Google. Prices and plans change: check trends.google.com before you buy.