Free Ways to Research Etsy Keywords Before You Pay for Anything

Last verified 2026-10-23 · Seller tools · Published with AI assistance, sourced from official pages (how we work)

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You do not need a paid tool to start. Here is a process that costs nothing and uses only what the vendors publish.

Step 1: Use the free plans, with their limits in mind

• eRank free plan: 5 keyword lookups per day, 1 shop with up to 50 listings, 5 listing audits per day and 1 AI Listing Helper use per day.
• Alura free plan: 5 daily keyword and product searches, about 20 AI listing optimizations, a profit calculator and a Chrome extension.

Five lookups a day is enough to do a focused research session on one product line. Pick your five most promising terms before you open the tool.

Step 2: Start from how buyers actually talk

• Type a plain description of your product into Etsy's search bar and note the suggested completions that appear. These reflect what real shoppers type.
• Look at the listings that appear for your idea and note the words in their titles, but do not copy them. Write your own title for your own item.
• Write down who the buyer is and the occasion (gift, wedding, nursery, desk). Buyer-and-occasion phrases are often more specific than generic product names.

Step 3: Use tags and titles honestly

• Describe the item accurately. Misleading keywords produce clicks that do not turn into sales, and Etsy's policy says listing photos and descriptions must honestly represent what the buyer receives.
• Put the most specific, natural description first in the title, and use all the tag slots Etsy gives you for different phrases, not repetitions.

Step 4: Change one thing, then wait

Change one listing's title or tags, note the date, and look at views and sales a few weeks later in Shop Manager. If you change many things at once you will not know what worked. Etsy search is influenced by many factors we cannot see, so treat any keyword tool as a guide, not a guarantee.

When to pay

Upgrade only if you keep hitting the daily limit and can point to listings you would improve with more data. Compare plans in eRank vs Alura vs Marmalead. Remember also to price your product to survive fees: pricing guide.