"Is my keyword in a safe range?"
How we check it
Set a goal range and the meter shows where your primary keyword sits. You also get a plain sentence: add 3 uses, cut 2, or leave it alone.
Keyword Density Checker
Paste text or a URL. See the density of every phrase and exactly how many uses to add or cut.
Text is analysed as you type and saved only in this browser.
2. Target keywords optional
–%
Analysis settings Stop words off · English
3. Results
Paste the text of a page that ranks for your keyword, or fetch its URL. Same settings, side by side.
What it checks
The questions writers ask before they hit publish
Most checkers stop at a list of percentages. This one answers the question behind the list.
"Will this read as keyword stuffing?"
How we check it
Any word or phrase that runs hot gets flagged, including the ones you didn't target. Stuffing is usually an accident, a phrase repeated in every subheading.
"Is it in the places that matter?"
How we check it
Nine placement checks for every target keyword: title tag, meta description, URL slug, H1, subheadings, first 100 words, last 100 words, image alt text and spread.
"Did I front-load it and then forget it?"
How we check it
The distribution map shows where the keyword appears from start to end, the longest stretch without it, and density for each H2 section.
"How does the page that ranks do it?"
How we check it
Drop in a ranking page and compare densities term by term. Terms it uses and you never mention are marked as gaps, a quick way to find missing subtopics.
"Is it actually readable?"
How we check it
Word, sentence and paragraph counts, reading and speaking time, a Flesch reading-ease score and the share of sentences over 25 words.
How it works
From draft to fixed in four steps
01 / 04
Paste or fetch
Paste plain text, Markdown or full HTML, upload a file, or fetch a live URL. HTML is cleaned down to its visible text.
02 / 04
Set your targets
Add a primary keyword and any secondary keywords, then set your ideal range. 0.5–2.5% is the default.
03 / 04
Read the verdict
The panel shows density, status and the one fix that matters most. Tabs go deeper: phrases, placement, distribution.
04 / 04
Edit and re-check
Numbers update as you type. Export a CSV, copy a report for your editor, or share a link with your settings.
Keyword density, explained
What is keyword density, and what's a good number?
Keyword density is how often a word or phrase appears in a text, as a share of the total word count. Use "cold brew" 10 times in a 1,000-word article and its density is 1%.
Google has never published an ideal percentage, and density isn't a ranking factor on its own. It's still a useful check for two real problems. One is a page that never clearly names its topic. The other is a page that repeats a phrase so often it reads as keyword stuffing, which Google's spam policies call out.
Standard formula
density = (uses ÷ total words) × 100The default here and in most checkers. 10 uses in 1,000 words = 1.0%.Word-share formula
density = (uses × words in phrase ÷ total words) × 100Counts a 2-word phrase twice. 10 uses of "cold brew" in 1,000 words = 2.0%. Switch to it in settings.Working ranges for a primary keywordGuardrails used by SEO editors, not rules from Google
0%
MissingThe page never names its main topic. Add it to the title, H1 and opening paragraph first.
< 0.5%
LightFine for long guides that use variants. Check that the key placements are covered.
0.5–2.5%
Natural rangeWhere most well-written pages land. Long-tail phrases usually sit at 0.5–1.5%.
2.5–3%
Running hotRead it aloud. Swap some repeats for pronouns, synonyms or more specific terms.
> 3%
Stuffing riskLikely to read as repetitive to people and to spam filters. Cut repeats or add substance.
Criterion
Four ways to check keyword density
Each has a place. Here's what you get from each.
| Criterion | This checker | Typical free web checker | CMS SEO plugin | Find in page (Ctrl+F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limits | No word cap, no daily cap, no account | Word caps, daily check limits or sign-up walls are common | Tied to your CMS install | None |
| Phrase lengths | 1, 2, 3 and 4 words | Usually 1–3 words | Focus keyword only | One phrase at a time |
| Goal check | Range meter + exact uses to add or cut | Percentages only | Pass / fail light | A raw count |
| Placement checks | 9 checks per keyword, incl. slug and alt text | Some check title, meta and headings | Title, meta, intro for the focus keyword | No |
| Distribution | Heatmap, longest gap, density per section | Rare | No | No |
| Competitor compare | Side by side, with gap terms | Rare, often paid | No | No |
| Where text goes | Stays in your browser tab | Sent to their server | Your CMS | Stays in your browser |
| Export | CSV, copy report, share link, PDF | Sometimes | No | No |
Open method
How we count, so you can trust the number
Different checkers disagree because they count differently. Here are our rules, written down.
01
WordsA word is a run of letters or digits. Apostrophes and hyphens inside a word keep it whole, so "don't" and "e-commerce" count once. Every word, stop words included, counts toward the total.
02
Phrases2–4 word phrases never cross sentence ends, commas, colons or line breaks. With stop-word filtering on, phrases can't start or end with a stop word, so "cost of coffee" counts but "of the" doesn't.
03
Target keywordsMatched as exact word sequences, ignoring case. Turn on plurals to count simple variants. HTML is reduced to visible text: scripts, styles and, optionally, the nav and footer are dropped.
04
PrivacyEverything runs in your browser. Pasted text and files are never uploaded. A URL fetch goes through a public page reader so the browser can read the page.
$ kdc analyse draft.md --keyword "cold brew" words ......... 1,284 (unique 512) phrases ....... split at . , ; : ! ? and line breaks stop words .... filtered from 1-word list formula ....... uses ÷ total words × 100 cold brew ..... 18 uses → 1.40% placement ..... 8 / 9 (missing: image alt) longest gap ... 212 words (section 3) watch ......... "coffee" 3.4% status: IN_RANGE
Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
What is keyword density?
Keyword density is how often a word or phrase appears in a text, shown as a percentage of the total word count. A keyword used 10 times in a 1,000-word article has a density of 1%.
How is keyword density calculated?
The standard formula is (uses ÷ total words) × 100. Some tools use a word-share formula, where a multi-word phrase counts once per word it contains, so a 2-word phrase scores double. Pick either under Analysis settings. The panel always shows which one is in use.
What is a good keyword density for SEO?
Google publishes no ideal number. Most SEO writers keep a primary keyword between about 0.5% and 2.5% and treat anything above 3% as a warning sign. Long-tail phrases naturally sit lower. Treat the range as a guardrail, not a target to hit to two decimal places.
Does keyword density still matter in 2026?
Not as a ranking factor on its own. Search engines understand topics, synonyms and context. Density still catches two real problems quickly: a page that never clearly names what it's about, and a page that repeats a phrase until it reads as spam.
What is keyword stuffing, and how do I fix it?
Keyword stuffing means repeating a word or phrase unnaturally to try to rank, and Google's spam policies name it. To fix it, swap repeats for pronouns, synonyms or more specific terms. Cut the phrase from subheadings where it adds nothing, or add useful content so the same uses spread over more words.
How many times should I use my keyword?
Enter your keyword and the panel works it out from your word count and range. A rough rule is one use per 100–200 words, plus the title, H1, opening paragraph and URL slug.
Should stop words be counted?
They always count toward the total word count, so your percentages are honest. With filtering on, they're hidden from the 1-word list and phrases can't start or end with one. You see "cold brew coffee", not "the cold".
What's the difference between 1, 2, 3 and 4-word analysis?
One-word lists show which single terms dominate. Two- to four-word lists show the phrases you actually rank for, like "cold brew concentrate" or "how to make cold brew". Over-use usually shows up in the 2–3 word lists first.
Is my text stored or uploaded?
No. Pasted text and uploaded files are analysed by JavaScript inside your browser tab and never sent to a server. Your last draft is saved in your own browser's local storage so a refresh doesn't lose it. Clear removes it. Only the URL option requests a page, the one you name.
Can I check a live URL or a competitor's page?
Yes. Use "Fetch a URL" for any public page. Use the Compare tab to put a ranking page next to your draft. Some sites block automated readers. If a fetch fails, open the page, copy its text or HTML, and paste it instead.
Why do my numbers differ from another checker?
Checkers differ in three ways: whether stop words count toward the total, which formula they use, and whether phrases may cross punctuation. Our rules are listed under "Open method". Switch the formula to word share if you're matching a tool that uses it.
Is there a word limit or a daily limit?
No. No word cap, no daily check limit, no account. Very long texts are limited only by your device's memory.
Start your check
Paste it.Then polish it.
status: ANALYSING_LOCALLY·your text never leaves this tab