Negative keyword tools compared: free generators, suites, and a reviewed report
By Abhishek Pal, performance marketer (apships.com). Last updated 2026-11-01.
Negative keyword tool pricing makes more sense once you separate the jobs. A generator helps build a list. A file analyzer examines searches you have already paid for. A connected account tool supports recurring management. The best negative keyword tool is the one that fits the work you need to do, with suggestions you can inspect.
This comparison is published by the maker of the $39 report. It compares published inputs, outputs and prices, not measured accuracy from a head-to-head test. Vendor pages were checked on 1 November 2026. Free tools can be sufficient; paying does not remove the need for review.
Prices, inputs and outputs
| Tool | Price and term | Input | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Stox | Free; no signup | Ads search-terms CSV; optional Search Console queries and brand allowlist | Ranked suggestions and negative-keyword CSV. Free-tool details |
| Clickem | Free; no signup | Industry, themes, custom terms and optional positive keywords | Deduplicated list, conflict check and Google Ads Editor CSV. Free-tool details |
| NegativeShield free analyzer | Free, up to 250 terms per run | Website address and search-terms CSV | Grouped negatives with reasons, ready to paste. Free limits |
| Keyword Cowboy | Free; no account | Selected categories, own terms; optional product or service scan | List in the chosen match type; copy or CSV download. Free-tool details |
| Should I Bid analyzer | Free; no signup | Search-terms export in CSV, TSV or Excel | Word and phrase cost/conversion totals; suggested negatives for copying or Editor import. Free-tool details |
| Optmyzr | Essentials plan, monthly or annual; the price is rendered by script on the pricing page and could not be read on 2026-11-01. A July 2026 reading put it at $200 to 250 a month; check the page before relying on it | Connected advertising accounts | Search-query tools, account optimization and reporting. Pricing |
| Karooya | $300 for six months, up to $10,000 monthly account spend | Account data, with analysis covering up to twelve months | Account/campaign negative recommendations and audit reports. Pricing |
| Adalysis | From $149 a month on the pricing slider for accounts up to $50,000 of monthly ad spend (monthly billing; 10 percent off for six months, 15 percent off annual), read on 2026-11-01 | Connected Google Ads or Microsoft Ads accounts | Search-term analysis, audits, budget tools and reporting. Pricing |
| Negative Keyword Check | Free summary; $39 once per full report | Google Ads search-terms CSV | Suggested negatives with reasons, full watchlist, bulk-upload file and row-level CSV. |
What the free tools do well
Patrick Stox's tool works locally in the browser and ranks candidates using spending, recorded conversions and optional topical context. It is a useful option when you already have an export and want a free review list. Browser-local analysis is not exclusive to our check. Patrick Stox's tool.
Clickem starts with industries and unwanted-search themes, then accepts your own terms. Its positive-keyword conflict check helps inspect whether an exclusion could block something you target. Keyword Cowboy offers category lists, custom terms and an optional autocomplete scan. Both can help prepare exclusions before a campaign has much history. Clickem; Keyword Cowboy.
NegativeShield's free analyzer takes a website and CSV, then returns negatives with a reason for each flagged term. Its free limit is 250 search terms per run. The connected paid service is separate: its published rate starts at $10 per month for 10,000 terms. Explanations and free account-free checks are therefore not unique to us either. Free analyzer; paid pricing.
Should I Bid's free analyzer groups a report into words and short phrases, adding their costs and conversions. That can expose repeated spending patterns spread across searches. It runs in the browser and offers negatives for review. This comparison concerns that free analyzer, not the company's separate paid keyword-analysis plans. Analyzer details.
When an account tool is worth the subscription
An agency managing many accounts may need recurring checks, reporting and coordinated account work. In that situation, comparing a suite's subscription only with the price of a negative list misses much of what the suite is for.
Optmyzr provides connected account-management tools with monthly or annual billing. Account access is part of that workflow. Compare the plan for your advertising spend and account needs, including reporting and recurring optimization. A suite can be the better purchase when those ongoing tasks are the work you need help with. Optmyzr pricing.
Karooya is more focused on negative-keyword management than a broad suite. Its entry price is $300 for six months for an account spending up to $10,000 monthly. That is equivalent to $50 per month over the term, not a $50 monthly-billing offer. Separate agency pricing is available. Karooya pricing.
Adalysis includes search-term analysis, audits, budget management and reporting. Its pricing depends on advertising spend and includes unlimited linked Google Ads and Microsoft Ads accounts. Monthly, six-month and annual terms are available. Compare the fee for your actual spend and billing term with the ongoing work the platform would cover. Adalysis pricing.
Where the $39 report fits
Our check is aimed at smaller advertisers, including those spending under about $10,000 monthly, and small agencies that want to review a file without connecting an account. The free browser page keeps data on the device and shows the summary plus the three most expensive suggested negatives.
The full report uses an upload and costs $39 once per report. It includes every suggested negative and its reason, the full watchlist, a paste-ready Google Ads bulk-upload file and a row-level CSV. No login or account access is required. Uploaded files are deleted after the run, with deletion checked; no language model reads the data.
The buyer reviews the report. The price does not include a personal audit by Abhishek or automatic account changes. It covers Search and Shopping terms, sets Performance Max rows aside, and suggests exact or phrase negatives only. Savings are estimates. The refund condition applies to US-dollar files when the waste found is under $39.
A practical buying rule
Start with the input you have and the decision you need. Use a free list builder for initial exclusions. Try a free file analyzer for an existing export. Consider a connected tool when recurring work across accounts justifies the subscription. Pay for this report when its reasons, watchlist and complete files help you make the decision.
Inspect the full report offer, or start with the free browser check. Keep a suggestion only when you can explain why it belongs in that account.
Questions
- What is the best negative keyword tool?
- It depends on the job. A free generator can help prepare exclusions. A file analyzer can help review existing search terms. A connected suite can support recurring work across many accounts. Compare the input, output and ongoing work before paying.
- Can a free tool analyze actual search-term spending?
- Yes. Patrick Stox's generator and Should I Bid's free analyzer accept report data. NegativeShield also offers a limited free CSV check. Free tools are not all generic word lists.
- What does the $39 report include?
- Every suggested negative with its reason, the full watchlist, a Google Ads bulk-upload file and a row-level CSV. The buyer reviews the output and applies any changes. The price is per report.
- Does flagged waste mean guaranteed savings?
- No. It is an estimate requiring review. For US-dollar files, this product offers a refund when the waste found is under $39. That condition does not guarantee a future reduction in ad spend.
Sources
- Patrick Stox: free negative keyword generator
- Clickem: free negative keyword generator
- NegativeShield: free analyzer and limits
- NegativeShield: paid pricing
- Keyword Cowboy: free negative keyword generator
- Should I Bid: free search terms analyzer
- Optmyzr: pricing and plans
- Karooya: negative keyword tool pricing
- Adalysis: pricing and plans
Have an export ready? The search-term review finds the wasted spend in it for free. The full report is $39. Run it on your file.
Guides
- Negative keywords not working? The checks, in order Check negative match types, campaign scope, list attachments, variants and reporting dates before deciding a Google Ads exclusion has failed.
- N-gram analysis for Google Ads search terms, in plain words Find repeated words and phrases across your Google Ads searches. Learn to read n-gram costs, check conversions and review a phrase before excluding it.
- What a search-terms review finds: a worked example A fictional lamp store's search-terms review: flagged spend, suggested negatives, watchlist decisions and the file to check before adding exclusions.
- Search terms insights versus the search terms report: which one to use for negatives Use search terms for negative keyword decisions and insights for themes. Learn what hidden-query coverage means and why a category label is not a query.
- Search terms missing from your Google Ads report: what is hidden and why Understand missing search terms, privacy limits and reporting gaps. Learn what a CSV review can recover, plus Performance Max and AI Max reporting checks.
- How to export the Google Ads search terms report (2026) Export Google Ads search terms as CSV. Set the last 30 days, keep review columns, separate Performance Max, and check spend before excluding terms.
- How many negative keywords per month: a review routine, not a quota Build a monthly search-terms review without a keyword quota. Protect converting, brand and live keyword traffic, and keep uncertain terms on a watchlist.
- How this review decides which search terms become negatives See the five rule layers behind the review: row checks, protected terms, intent patterns, statistical evidence and benchmarks from your own export.
- Negative keyword match types explained, with examples Learn negative broad, phrase, and exact match with examples. Review close variants, shared lists, Performance Max, and mistakes that can block searches.
- Starter negative keywords by industry, with the exceptions Review starter negatives for plumbers, dentists and ecommerce. Each intent group includes exceptions so you can avoid blocking customers you serve.
- Performance Max negative keywords in 2026: what you can do and what you cannot What Performance Max negatives, lists and brand exclusions control, how to read its search terms report, and why this tool sets PMax rows aside.