The Keyword Chef Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Keyword Chef 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.
Keyword Chef
The Insider’s Guide
Credit-based long-tail keyword finder for bloggers and niche sites
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among keyword research tools, read from Keyword Chef’s own pages.
Made by Keyword Chef · checked Oct 23, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Keyword Chef’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Keyword Chef’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
2.2
GPA, above 12 of the 51 other keyword research tools we grade
Keyword Chef finds long-tail keywords with clear search intent, filters out broad or junk terms, and scores each one by how many forums and other easy-to-beat sites rank on page one. It is aimed at bloggers and niche site builders, and charges per keyword returned through credits bought monthly or once. Monthly plans also include Niche Insights, a tool for exploring trends, topics, products and brands in a niche.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Keyword Chef, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, but there's nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for low-competition long-tail keywords for bloggers
Keyword Chef finds long-tail keywords with clear intent, filters out the junk, and scores each one by how many forums and other weak pages rank on page one.
- 2
Paid plans start at $29 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $29 per month for 5,000 credits, or $20 once for 1,200 credits.
- 3
You can try it first
Free trial: 1,000 one-time credits with no time limit and up to 30 SERP lookups; no credit card needed
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Automatic keyword filtering
Removes broad, competitive and junk keywords and groups the rest into categories such as questions, best-of and how-to.
- 6
SERP Score
Counts the easy-to-outrank results, such as forums and user-generated content, on page one for each keyword, and can be customized.
- 7
Bulk SERP checks
Paid users can pull the search results for every keyword in a report at once with Get All SERPs, at no extra credit cost.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 12 of 51
That is against the other keyword research tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Keyword Chef you would be making search volumes for millions of keywords, gathered and kept up to date. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Keyword Chef at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $29 per month for 5,000 credits, or $20 once for 1,200 credits
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free trial: 1,000 one-time credits with no time limit and up to 30 SERP lookups; no credit card needed
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Keyword Chef, since 2021
- Category
- Keyword Research Tools
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for low-competition long-tail keywords for bloggers
Keyword Chef finds long-tail keywords with clear intent, filters out the junk, and scores each one by how many forums and other weak pages rank on page one. You pay per keyword: $29 a month for 5,000, or $20 once for 1,200 that never expire. But it's English only, country volumes cover just 7 countries, monthly credits don't roll over, and there's no API or integrations.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Starter is $29 a month for 5,000 keywords, at the dearer end of this category. If you only dip in now and then, $20 buys 1,200 credits once and they never expire. Monthly credits don't roll over. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan, but the trial needs no card and has no time limit: 1,000 credits and up to 30 SERP lookups. That's enough to see if it suits you, not to run on. |
| Features | C | Automatic filtering, a SERP Score for weak results on page one, bulk SERP checks, wildcard searches and Niche Insights. It does long-tail hunting fully, but the listing names the gaps: English only, and country volume for just 7 countries. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but there's nothing to set up. Type a seed and it does the sorting for you, grouping what's left into questions, best-of and how-to. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only. No desktop or phone app, and no integrations or API on record. |
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 Keyword Chef is for
- Fits if you run a niche site and want topics where forums rank on page one
- Works for occasional research, as pay-as-you-go credits never expire
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you write in anything other than English, as that's all it supports
- Tight if you target a country outside its 7, which only get global volume
- Pricey if you want Niche Insights without a subscription, as that's $97 a year on its own
- Watch out: monthly credits don't roll over, and pay-as-you-go credits cost more per keyword
- Watch out: the free trial allows only 30 SERP lookups and no bulk SERP checks
Good to know
Good for
- Bloggers and niche site builders looking for low-competition topics
- Writers who want to find keywords where forums rank on page one
- Occasional users who prefer credits that never expire
Worth knowing
- Only English is supported, and country-level search volume covers just 7 countries; other countries get global volume.
- Monthly credits do not roll over, while pay-as-you-go credits never expire but cost more per keyword.
- The free trial allows only 30 SERP lookups and no bulk SERP checks.
- Niche Insights is not included with pay-as-you-go credits; on its own it costs $97 a year.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$29
A month to start
Keyword Chef is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $29 per month for 5,000 credits, or $20 once for 1,200 credits.
That's enough to see if it suits you, not to run on.
Starter
$29
per month for 5,000 credits
1 credit is 1 keyword in a report. Monthly credits expire each cycle; includes Niche Insights, Domain Age and queue priority.
Plus
$69
per month for 20,000 credits
The same features as Starter, at about $0.0034 a credit.
Pro
$119
per month for 50,000 credits
The same features as Starter, at about $0.0024 a credit.
Pay As You Go Starter
$20
one-time, for 1,200 credits that never expire
Lifetime credits for occasional use. Pay-as-you-go packs do not include Niche Insights.
Pay As You Go Plus
$100
one-time, for 10,000 credits that never expire
Lifetime credits at $0.01 each, without Niche Insights.
Pay As You Go Pro
$250
one-time, for 50,000 credits that never expire
Lifetime credits at $0.005 each, without Niche Insights.
Trying it first
Free trial: 1,000 one-time credits with no time limit and up to 30 SERP lookups; no credit card needed
Read from app.keywordchef.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
Credit-based long-tail keyword finder for bloggers and niche sites. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, keyword research.
Automatic filtering, a SERP Score for weak results on page one, bulk SERP checks, wildcard searches and Niche Insights.
- Automatic keyword filtering
- Removes broad, competitive and junk keywords and groups the rest into categories such as questions, best-of and how-to.
- SERP Score
- Counts the easy-to-outrank results, such as forums and user-generated content, on page one for each keyword, and can be customized.
- Bulk SERP checks
- Paid users can pull the search results for every keyword in a report at once with Get All SERPs, at no extra credit cost.
- Wildcard search
- Search patterns like 'best * for chefs' or 'can you cook * in the oven' to find best-of topics and clusters, with minus signs to exclude words.
- Keyword import
- Upload keywords from other tools to check their volume and SERP Score.
- Niche Insights
- Ten years of trend data, keywords by intent, topic lists, products and affiliate brands for a niche. Included in monthly plans or $97 a year on its own.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Keyword Chef is made by Keyword Chef, and has been around since 2021.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
12/51
Other keyword research tools it is graded above
Keyword Chef's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 12 of the 51 other keyword research tools we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 28 of 51) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $29 a month, against a middle price of $18 for the category: 23 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 9 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 52 keyword research tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Keyword Chef’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 4 of 51
- CFree plan and trialAbove 11 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. Keyword Chef is the marked dot.
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
To replace Keyword Chef you would be making search volumes for millions of keywords, gathered and kept up to date. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 29 of the 51 other keyword research tools grade higher. It costs $348 a year.
What you could not
- Search volumes for millions of keywords, gathered and kept up to date.
What this rests on. Keyword Chef’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
KeySearch, LowFruits, Answer Socrates, Keyword Revealer and Ubersuggest
The 5 tools Keyword Chef is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
KeySearch
Free trial · from $20/mo
Low-cost keyword research tool with rank tracking and site audits.
- Keyword Chef can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- KeySearch also covers rank tracking, site audit, backlink analysis, content optimization and youTube SEO.
- 2.2GPA
LowFruits
Free plan · from $20.75/mo
Keyword tool that finds easy-to-rank searches by reading the results.
- LowFruits has a free plan. Keyword Chef does not, though it has a free trial.
- Keyword Chef can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- LowFruits also covers rank tracking.
- 2.4GPA
Answer Socrates
Free plan · from $15.83/mo
Question and keyword ideas with clustering and AI brand tracking.
- Answer Socrates has a free plan. Keyword Chef does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Answer Socrates lists a browser extension.
- Keyword Chef can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
Keyword Revealer
Free plan · from $12.50/mo
Keyword research tool that now also tracks AI search citations.
- Keyword Revealer has a free plan. Keyword Chef does not, though it has a free trial.
- Keyword Chef can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Keyword Revealer also covers rank tracking, backlink analysis, AI search visibility and content optimization.
- 2.4GPA
Ubersuggest
Free plan · from $29/mo
Low-cost SEO tool for keyword ideas, site audits and rank tracking.
- Ubersuggest has a free plan. Keyword Chef does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Ubersuggest lists a browser extension.
- Keyword Chef can be bought with a one-time purchase.
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 Keyword Chef free?
No, Keyword Chef is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free trial: 1,000 one-time credits with no time limit and up to 30 SERP lookups; no credit card needed.
How much does Keyword Chef cost?
Keyword Chef lists 6 plans. Starter: $29 per month for 5,000 credits.
What platforms does Keyword Chef work on?
Keyword Chef is available on Web.
Does Keyword Chef have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Keyword Chef is listed for Web.
Does Keyword Chef have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Keyword Chef is listed for Web.
Is Keyword Chef open source?
Keyword Chef is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 23, 2026.
Who makes Keyword Chef?
Keyword Chef is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2021.
What are the alternatives to Keyword Chef?
The closest alternatives to Keyword Chef in our directory are KeySearch, LowFruits, Answer Socrates, Keyword Revealer and Ubersuggest.
How does Keyword Chef compare with other keyword research tools?
Keyword Chef's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 12 of the 51 other keyword research tools we grade, and level with 10.
Is Keyword Chef good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Keyword Chef C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $29 a month, against a middle price of $18 for the category: 23 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Keyword Chef?
To replace Keyword Chef you would be making search volumes for millions of keywords, gathered and kept up to date.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Keyword Chef’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 Keyword Chef'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 Keyword Chef. Prices change, so check keywordchef.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
- Keyword Chef, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/keyword-chef
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
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, "Keyword Chef: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 23, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/keyword-chef
Know someone choosing between keyword research tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/keyword-chef/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded keyword research tools after Keyword Chef, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Keyword Research Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 52 keyword research tools we grade, compared
- another keyword tool Insider's GuideFree keyword generator with live Google Keyword Planner data3.0 GPA
- Google Trends Insider's GuideFree charts of relative Google search interest by time and place3.0 GPA
- Pinterest Trends Insider's GuideFree view of what people search and save on Pinterest, by region3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Keyword Chef’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. Keyword Chef is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Keyword Chef. Prices and plans change: check keywordchef.com before you buy.