Best Pinterest Keyword Tools, Free & Paid

Updated August 2026 · 7 min read

Pinterest is a search engine, so the right keywords are the difference between a pin that gets found and one that disappears. The good news: you don't need to spend money to do keyword research well. Here's an honest comparison of the tools worth knowing — what each does best, where it falls short, and a sensible order to try them in.

Pinterest Trends (free, native)

This is Pinterest's own free trends tool, and it should be everyone's first stop. It shows relative search interest for terms over time, seasonal patterns, and related queries, straight from Pinterest's actual data. Nothing else on this list has that source of truth.

Pros: free, native, great for spotting seasonal timing and validating whether a term has real interest. Cons: it's built for exploration, not workflow — there's no pin scoring, no export, and coverage skews toward larger terms, so long-tail niche phrases can come back thin. Use it to confirm demand, then take those terms elsewhere to build titles.

PinRank (free — keyword ideas + pin SEO score)

Full disclosure: this is our tool, so weigh this section accordingly. PinRank is a free, no-login browser tool that does two things — generates keyword ideas around a seed topic, and scores a pin's title and description for whether they actually contain searchable terms. The Pin SEO score is the part most tools skip: it's one thing to find keywords, another to check you actually used them well.

Pros: free, no signup, combines idea generation with pin scoring, fast for drafting titles. Cons: it gives keyword ideas to guide you rather than precise historical search-volume numbers, and it's newer than the established players. As a free starting point to go from blank page to keyword-ready pin, it's hard to beat — pair it with Pinterest Trends to sanity-check demand.

PinClicks (paid, Pinterest-specific)

PinClicks is a paid tool built specifically for Pinterest, and it goes deeper than the free options. It surfaces keyword and interest data, top-pin analysis, and competitor research, which is genuinely useful once you're producing at volume and want to reverse-engineer what's working in your niche.

Pros: Pinterest-focused, deeper keyword and competitor data than free tools. Cons: it's a paid subscription, and for a beginner still finding their footing it's more than you need. Worth considering when free tools start feeling limiting, not before.

eRank (paid/freemium, Etsy-leaning)

eRank is popular with sellers, but be clear on what it is: it's primarily an Etsy SEO tool that also touches Pinterest. If you run an Etsy shop and use Pinterest to drive traffic to it, the overlap can be handy. If you're a blogger or a non-Etsy business, its Pinterest features are secondary and you'll get more from a Pinterest-native tool.

Pros: excellent if your world is Etsy; has a free tier. Cons: Etsy-first, so its Pinterest keyword coverage isn't the main event. Right tool, but only for the Etsy crowd — see Pinterest for Etsy sellers.

Tailwind's keyword features (paid)

Tailwind is best known as a scheduler, but its paid plans include keyword and hashtag suggestions and an AI assist for writing pin copy. If you're already paying for Tailwind to schedule, those features are a nice bonus baked into your workflow.

Pros: convenient if you already use Tailwind, ties keywords into scheduling. Cons: not worth buying for keywords alone, and the suggestions are a helper rather than a research engine. It's a feature of a scheduler, not a dedicated keyword tool.

Which should you use?

• Just starting and spending nothing: Pinterest Trends to confirm demand plus PinRank to generate ideas and score pins. That combo covers most beginners fully and free.
• Etsy seller: add eRank for the Etsy side, keep a Pinterest-native tool for pins.
• Scaling and producing at volume: PinClicks for depth, or Tailwind's built-ins if you already schedule there.

Honestly, most people over-tool this. Free-native plus a free keyword-and-scoring tool is enough until volume forces the question — then pay for depth, not before.

Frequently asked questions

What's the best free Pinterest keyword tool?

Pinterest Trends for native demand data and PinRank for keyword ideas plus a pin SEO score. Used together they cover most beginners without any cost or login.

Is eRank good for Pinterest?

eRank is primarily an Etsy SEO tool that also touches Pinterest. It's great if you sell on Etsy, but a Pinterest-native tool serves bloggers and other businesses better.

Do I need a paid keyword tool to grow on Pinterest?

Not to start. Free tools handle keyword research and pin scoring well. Consider paid tools like PinClicks once you're publishing at volume and want deeper competitor data.