Keyword Insights Alternative: Faster Clustering, Lower Price
Keyword Insights is a powerful keyword clustering tool. But at $58+/month with credit limits, many SEOs are looking for alternatives. Topical Map AI offers similar clustering with unlimited generation and visual topical maps.
Quick Comparison:
- Keyword Insights: Upload keywords → get clusters ($58+/mo, credit-based)
- Topical Map AI: Enter topic → get full topical map with clusters ($29/mo, map-based)
- Key difference: Topical Map AI discovers AND clusters; Keyword Insights only clusters
Keyword Insights vs Topical Map AI
Both tools use AI for keyword clustering, but the approach is different:
Keyword Insights
You bring keywords, it clusters them:
- 1. Export keywords from Ahrefs/Semrush
- 2. Upload CSV to Keyword Insights
- 3. Wait for clustering (can take hours)
- 4. Get clustered keywords + search intent
Topical Map AI
Discovers AND clusters automatically:
- 1. Enter your main topic
- 2. AI generates 800-1,200 keywords
- 3. Keywords clustered in 60 seconds
- 4. Get visual topical map + briefs
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Keyword Insights | Topical Map AI |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword discovery | No (BYOK) | Yes (800-1,200 per map) |
| AI clustering | Yes (NLP-based) | Yes (semantic) |
| Search intent | Yes | Yes |
| Visual topic map | No | Yes |
| Content briefs | Add-on ($) | Included |
| Processing speed | Minutes to hours | 60 seconds |
| Bulk upload | Yes (up to 50k) | No (generates instead) |
| Pricing model | Credit-based | Map-based |
When Topical Map AI is Better
- Starting from scratch: You don't have a keyword list yet
- No Ahrefs/Semrush: You don't want to pay for keyword research tools too
- Speed matters: Get complete topical maps in 60 seconds
- Visual planning: You want to see your content strategy visually
- Content briefs: You need briefs included, not as an add-on
When Keyword Insights is Better
- You have existing keyword exports to cluster
- You need to process 10,000+ keywords at once
- You want to cluster competitor keywords
- You already pay for Ahrefs/Semrush and just need clustering
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | Keyword Insights | Topical Map AI |
|---|---|---|
| Free | No | 1 topical map |
| Basic | $58/mo (6,000 credits) | $29/mo (30 maps) |
| Pro | $116/mo (12,000 credits) | $59/mo (100 maps) |
| Expert | $239/mo (25,000 credits) | $99/mo (200 maps) |
Total Cost Comparison:
Keyword Insights workflow: $58/mo + Ahrefs ($99/mo) = $157/month
Topical Map AI: $29/month (discovers AND clusters)
Annual savings: $1,536
The Verdict
If you already have Ahrefs/Semrush and need to cluster existing keyword exports, Keyword Insights works well.
If you want an all-in-one solution that discovers keywords AND clusters them into topical maps - without needing other tools - Topical Map AI is more efficient and cost-effective.
Keyword discovery + clustering in one tool