Keyword Difficulty (KD) is Mangools' own score for how hard it is to rank on the first page of Google for a keyword. It runs from 0 to 100. The higher the number, the harder it is. In KWFinder, selecting a keyword calculates or loads its KD, and that uses one SERP lookup.

KWFinder groups KD into six ranges. Each range has a label and a color:

The KD column header explains the score in one line: "Keyword SEO Difficulty developed by Mangools. Calculated from the Link Profile Strength (LPS) of URLs ranking in the 1st SERP."

KWFinder shows KD in two places. The KD column in the keyword list shows the number in its color. Hover over a number to see "Last calculated:" and the date.

The panel on the right shows the KD of the selected keyword as a gauge, for example "44 / 100", with its label under it. Select the gauge or its info icon to open the "Keyword SEO Difficulty" window with all six ranges.

The KD values in the list are stored from earlier searches. Some keywords are rarely checked, so KWFinder has no stored KD for them. Those keywords show a magnifying glass instead of a number.

To see the KD, select the keyword. KWFinder calculates a new KD for it, which uses one SERP lookup. KWFinder does not calculate KD for a whole list by itself. To check many keywords at once, use Refresh (see below).

A faded KD with a small refresh icon is more than 30 days old. KWFinder still shows it, as an older calculation. Select the keyword to get a new KD. That uses one SERP lookup, and the new number can differ from the faded one.

A KD that is not faded is up to 30 days old. Selecting the keyword can show that stored value and the results it came from. The date next to the SERP overview heading in the right panel shows how old they are.

To calculate the KD again, hover over that date and select Fetch new SERP. It loads new results and an updated KD, and uses no extra SERP lookup. If the results were already fetched today (counted in UTC), the button is not offered. The tooltip says "This SERP is pretty fresh, so re-fetching is disabled."

When it is done, KWFinder says "SERP data refresh is Complete!". Refresh also updates the search intent, content types and keyword opportunities of those keywords.

Refresh uses one SERP lookup for each keyword it refreshes. It skips keywords whose KD was already calculated today, counted in UTC. The button works only when you have more SERP lookups left than keywords selected. Otherwise, select fewer keywords.

KD uses SERP lookups, not keyword lookups. A KWFinder search loads the KD of the keyword you searched, which uses one SERP lookup. Selecting another keyword uses one more. Selecting a keyword you already opened in the same results uses nothing.

Basic includes 100 SERP lookups per 24 hours, Premium 500 and Agency 1,200. How lookups and limits work, and when they reset explains the counters.

Relative values adjust KD to the link strength of your own website or page. Under the gauge, select Relative values. In the "Adjust Keyword difficulty" window, type your domain or URL and select Set URL.

KWFinder then shows the adjusted KD in the gauge and in the whole list. The usual KD stays visible next to the adjusted number. The switch beside Relative values turns the adjustment on and off.

The window lists your last 10 URLs under Recent URLs, each with its LPS. If Mangools has no link data for a URL, KWFinder says "We haven't found any data for your URL." Checking a URL here uses a small allowance of its own, which the account menu does not show.

For the other columns in the list, see KWFinder columns explained. For the results behind a KD, see The SERP overview panel in KWFinder.