If you have been researching Etsy SEO tools, you have almost certainly landed on the eRank vs Marmalead debate. Both tools have been around for years, both have loyal user bases, and both claim to give Etsy sellers the keyword data needed to rank on page one. The reality? They approach the same problem differently, and which one is better depends on what stage your shop is at. This is an honest, feature-by-feature comparison — not a paid promotion for either.
Choose eRank if you are a beginner or on a tight budget — the free tier is the best free Etsy keyword research available. Choose Marmalead if you are an established seller who wants deeper keyword engagement data and can invest £14/month. Use ListifyAI alongside either to turn keyword research into finished, optimised listings automatically rather than manually.
eRank launched in 2016 and is the most widely used third-party Etsy SEO tool. Its Keyword Explorer shows search volume, CTR, competition, and trend data sourced from Etsy's API. The Listing Audit grades your existing listings with specific flags for empty tags, weak titles, and missing attributes. Competitor Analysis lets you paste any Etsy listing URL and see its tags and title analysis. The Trend Data tool tracks Etsy search trends over time for seasonal planning. Free tier available, paid from ~£6/month.
The data presentation can feel overwhelming for beginners. Search volume numbers are relative rather than absolute, making them harder to compare to external tools. The free tier limits daily searches quickly once you are in active research mode.
Marmalead focuses on keyword 'engagement' — a composite score considering search frequency, days with activity, and competition to estimate whether a keyword drives sales rather than just impressions. The Storm brainstorm feature generates keyword variations ranked by engagement score, useful for discovering keyword angles you had not considered. The Grader evaluates listing titles and tags with a cleaner interface than eRank, making it faster to act on recommendations. Paid from ~£14/month, no free tier.
No free tier — you pay from day one. Fewer peripheral features than eRank (less competitor analysis, fewer trend tools). The engagement score is a proprietary metric — you cannot cross-reference it against external data. Harder to justify for shops generating under £300/month in revenue.
Keyword research quality: eRank shows volume, CTR, and competition as separate metrics — you make the judgement call. Marmalead synthesises these into an engagement score — faster for decision-making but less transparent. Listing audit: Marmalead provides more keyword-specific improvement suggestions; eRank has better letter-grade flagging. Competitor research: eRank wins clearly. Pricing: eRank wins with a free tier and lower paid price. Data freshness: tie — both update from Etsy's API with similar lag.
Both eRank and Marmalead give you keyword data but do not write your listings. After 20 minutes of research, you still have to write your title, 13 tags, and description manually. ListifyAI combines both steps — upload your product photo and get a complete listing in 30 seconds with keyword research included. Many sellers use eRank or Marmalead for strategic niche research and ListifyAI for execution — writing the actual listings.
eRank free tier: just starting, £0 budget, want to understand keyword research without commitment. eRank paid: active shop, want competitor analysis and listing audit combined. Marmalead: consistent revenue, want keyword engagement depth over feature breadth, prefer simpler interface. ListifyAI alongside either: want to generate complete optimised listings rather than just keyword ideas, manage a large catalogue, want listing quality scored and improved automatically.