The right Chrome extensions don’t just save you time—these powerful tools give you a tactical edge in the competitive SEO landscape. Whether you’re deep in an audit or scanning a competitor’s tech stack, the right SEO tools streamline your workflow, unlock smarter insights, and keep your on-page and technical SEO game sharp. These 11 chrome extensions aren’t just hype—they’re free, fast, and functional. Let’s take a closer look at these awesome tools you should add to your arsenal.
1. Google Lighthouse – Built-In SEO and Performance Audits
Google Lighthouse, built right into Chrome DevTools, ranks among the best ways to run quick SEO, performance, and accessibility audits without leaving your browser. Google Lighthouse delivers Core Web Vitals, SEO best practice checks, and red flags within seconds. Since it’s developed by Google, the data lines up with what the algorithm actually prioritizes. For the best results, run Lighthouse in Incognito mode with all extensions turned off to avoid interference.
2. Wappalyzer – Tech Stack Detection for Competitive Intelligence
For competitive research and sales intelligence, Wappalyzer will become your new best friend. This chrome extension instantly tells you what CMS, plugins, analytics tools, and other tech a website currently runs—Shopify, WordPress, Hotjar, you name it. It’s especially useful for agencies looking to build pitch decks around competitor tech stacks, helping identify tool gaps or upsell opportunities fast.
3. Redirect Path – Spot Redirect Chains and HTTP Errors Instantly
If you need to identify redirect chains and HTTP status issues, Redirect Path by Ayima is an absolute must. The chrome extension highlights 301s, 302s, JavaScript redirects, meta refreshes, and canonical errors in real-time, making identifying issues easy before they cost you rankings—like that unnecessary 302 in your checkout flow that’s quietly killing PageRank.
4. Check My Links – Quick Broken Link Detection
Check My Links might be old-school but still delivers. With a single click, the chrome extension color-codes all valid and broken links on a page. Use this tool for content audits, broken link building outreach, and quick technical scans. Pro move: Export the broken links and run them through ChatGPT to generate personalized outreach templates for backlink replacement.
5. SEO Pro Extension – On-Page SEO at a Glance
SEO Pro Extension offers a compact yet comprehensive on-page snapshot. You’ll get metadata, H1-H6 structure, alt text, robots directives, and internal link data—perfect for QA before content goes live. Use this extension to catch duplicate titles or missing image tags fast without digging through source code.
6. PageSpeed Insights – Performance Optimization for UX and Rankings
For deeper performance insights, the PageSpeed Insights panel (also available via DevTools) breaks down real-world loading issues—CLS, LCP, unused scripts, and more. It’s especially useful for flagging oversized images, bloated hero sections, or inefficient JavaScript that kills load times and user experience. And since UX correlates with high rankings, this one’s critical.
7. MozBar – Domain Metrics and SERP Overlay
MozBar overlays key SEO metrics like Domain Authority, Page Authority, spam score, and backlink counts directly on the SERP. It’s great for sizing up competition and vetting potential link targets. That said, DA isn’t gospel—use the software directionally, not religiously.
8. Keywords Everywhere – Real-Time Keyword Research in the SERP
When you’re conducting real-time keyword research, Keywords Everywhere will be an indispensable tool. This chrome extension adds volume, CPC, and competition metrics directly in the SERP, plus shows related terms, long-tail keywords, and trending queries on Google, YouTube, Amazon, and more. It’s a fast way to validate content ideas or optimize headlines without leaving your browser tab.
9. SEOQuake – SERP and On-Page SEO Comparison
SEOQuake, developed by SEMrush, is like MozBar on steroids. The tool gives you on-page data, link metrics, keyword density, schema markup, and indexed page counts—all in a single overlay. Use SEOQuake in tandem with Keywords Everywhere to analyze intent, competition, and structural data all at once. It’s also a smart way to spot E-E-A-T weak spots in top-ranking content that doesn’t deserve its spot.
10. SerpTrends – Track Ranking Movements Over Time
SerpTrends tracks SERP changes over time by placing up/down arrows next to search results based on previous positions. You’ll easily spot ranking volatility or track a competitor’s content strategy in real time without a dedicated rank tracking tool. It’s perfect for smaller sites that still need visibility insights without bloated software.
11. SimilarWeb – Estimate Traffic and Vet Link Opportunities
SimilarWeb gives you estimated traffic, bounce rates, average visit durations, traffic sources, and more. While the data isn’t 100% accurate, it’s directionally useful—especially when qualifying backlink targets, vetting affiliate sites, or pitching new leads. If a domain gets zero traffic, it’s probably not worth your time.
Tips to Harness These Free SEO Chrome Extensions
Even the best tools won’t help if you use them blindly or overload your workflow. To get the most out of these extensions without sabotaging your setup, follow these best practices:
- Use a dedicated Chrome profile for SEO work: This prevents memory bloat, reduces conflicts with unrelated extensions, and keeps your workspace clean.
- Don’t chase vanity metrics: Metrics like search volume, Domain Authority, and CPC can be helpful for direction—but they aren’t definitive. Use them as clues, not absolutes.
- Stack tools for layered insights: Combine extensions for deeper analysis. Example: Use Keywords Everywhere with SEOQuake on the same SERP to see intent, keyword volume, and content structure all in one pass.
- Run regular website checks: After launches or migrations, things break—redirects get messy, metadata gets overwritten, links disappear. These tools help catch issues fast.
These SEO Chrome Extensions Don’t Make You Good—You Do
Bottom line: these free Chrome extensions don’t make your SEO efforts good—a holistic strategy does. Use these tools smartly. Stay lean. And always let strategy lead the tools—not the other way around. But if you’re in the trenches doing audits, fixing tech debt, planning content, or mapping backlink targets, these extensions will make you faster, sharper, and more efficient. They’re free. Use them. Master them. And know when to ignore them.
Need help putting these SEO tools to work? Don’t just install extensions—build a real SEO strategy that drives results. Call Premiere Creative’s SEO team at (973) 346-8100 to sharpen your edge and start ranking smarter today.