Dashword vs Topic in 2026: A free tier and rank monitoring against deeper SERP research
One lets you run three real content reports for free and tracks rankings after publish. The other pulls from the top 30 Google results for every brief but has no free tier at any price.
Dashword
Topic- Topic has no free tier at any price; plans start at $99/month for Starter. Dashword includes a free tier with 3 content reports a month and no credit card required.
- Topic analyzes the top 30 Google results per keyword to build briefs and grade content against specific named gaps. Dashword's brief builder analyzes top-ranking content without documenting the same result-count depth.
- Dashword tracks keyword rankings for published pages over time and flags declines. Topic has no post-publish rank monitoring feature.
- Topic integrates with both Google Docs and WordPress, with WordPress arriving on the Plus tier. Dashword does not document a Google Docs or WordPress integration.
- Topic's API access is available starting on its $299/month Premium tier. Dashword gates API access to its $349/month Business tier, a similar price point for a similar limitation.
- Dashword includes an AI writer with a 100,000 word monthly allowance on Startup. Topic positions itself as a research and grading layer and does not include a standalone AI writer.
- Dashword's Business tier adds an automated page crawler for content decay detection. Topic has no equivalent automated crawling feature.
Dashword and Topic both automate the research stage of content creation, but they diverge on depth versus accessibility. Topic analyzes the top 30 Google results for a target keyword and compiles a brief from real heading structures and recurring topics, then grades a draft against that same competitive set with specific, named gaps rather than a vague score. Dashword's brief builder does similar work without documenting the same research depth, but it adds two things Topic does not have: a genuine free tier with 3 real reports a month, and keyword rank monitoring that flags declining pages after they publish. Neither tool tracks AI platform citations, so the decision comes down to whether you want to test before paying, and whether you need to watch published pages or just produce new ones.
The tools at a glance
Dashword
SEO content briefs, real-time scoring, and keyword rank monitoring
Dashword's workflow covers brief building, an AI writer with a 100,000 word monthly allowance on Startup, real-time content scoring that updates on each keystroke, and keyword rank monitoring for published pages. That last stage is the clearest advantage over Topic, which stops once a brief and grade are delivered and has nothing that watches a page after it goes live.
The free tier is the more immediate differentiator: 3 real content reports a month with no credit card lets a team test Dashword against an actual target keyword before spending anything. Topic has no equivalent; the only way to evaluate it is to commit to the $99/month Starter plan or whatever trial period is currently offered.
Where Dashword is thinner is documented research depth and integrations. Its brief builder does not specify how many competing pages it analyzes the way Topic's top-30 approach does, and it has no Google Docs or WordPress integration listed, which limits how directly it fits into an existing editorial workflow compared to Topic.
| Feature | Free $0/mo | Startup $99/mo | Business From $349/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content Reports | 3 | 30/mo | Unlimited |
| Keyword rank monitoring | No | Yes | Yes |
| AI writer | No | 100k words | Unlimited |
| Google Docs / WordPress integration | No | No | No |
| API Access | No | No | Yes |
Topic
SEO content briefs from top Google results, with AI outlines and content grading
Topic's research process is explicit about its depth: it pulls the top 30 Google results for a target keyword, extracts heading structures and recurring topics, and compiles a brief a writer can act on immediately, replacing the manual work of opening 30 tabs and taking notes. The Content Grader then scores a draft against that same competitive set and names specific missing terms, questions, and subtopics rather than returning a vague percentage.
Google Docs and WordPress integrations, WordPress arriving on the Plus tier at $199 a month, keep Topic inside the tools an editorial team already uses, and API access on Premium at $299 a month opens it up to custom content workflows. This is a more built-out integration story than Dashword documents.
The trade-off is accessibility. Topic has no free tier at any price, so the only way to evaluate fit is to commit to at least $99 a month or rely on whatever trial period is currently advertised. Topic also has no keyword rank monitoring, so once a page publishes based on a Topic brief, there is nothing in the tool that tells you if it starts slipping.
| Feature | Starter $99/mo | Plus $199/mo | Premium $299/mo | Enterprise Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content grader (top 30 results) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| WordPress integration | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Keyword rank monitoring | No | No | No | No |
| Team seats | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| API Access | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Head-to-head feature comparison
| Feature | Dashword | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Content brief builder | Yes | Yes |
| Documented SERP research depth | Not specified | Top 30 Google results |
| Content grading against competitors | Yes (real-time scoring) | Yes (named gaps vs top-ranking pages) |
| AI writer | Yes (100k words/mo on Startup) | No (research and grading layer only) |
| Keyword rank monitoring after publish | Yes | No |
| Google Docs integration | No (not listed) | Yes |
| WordPress integration | No (not listed) | Plus tier and above |
| Free tier | Yes (3 reports/mo) | No |
| API access | Business tier only ($349/mo) | Premium tier and above ($299/mo) |
| Starting price | $0/mo (free tier) | $99/mo |
Which should you choose?
DashwordDashwordTopicTopicDashwordDashwordTopic and Dashword are closer in spirit than in specifics: both replace manual competitor research with an automated brief, and both grade a draft against what is actually ranking. Topic is more explicit about how it does that research, naming the top 30 results as its input, which gives it an edge for teams that want to know exactly what a brief is built from. Dashword answers a different question, whether a team can test the approach at all before paying, and whether anyone is watching a page after it goes live. Neither answer makes the other tool wrong; it depends on whether research transparency or workflow completeness matters more to the team buying.
Bottom line
Start with Dashword if you want to run three real content reports for free before committing budget, or if keyword rank monitoring after publish matters to your workflow, since Topic has neither. Choose Topic if you want briefs built from a named, specific research process, top 30 Google results every time, and your team is ready to commit at least $99 a month without testing first. Teams that need both a free evaluation period and top-30 research depth will not find either tool complete on its own.
Frequently asked questions
Does Topic have a free plan like Dashword does?
No, Topic has no free tier at any price; plans start at $99 a month for Starter, with whatever trial period is currently advertised as the only way to test it beforehand. Dashword's free plan includes 3 real content reports a month with no credit card, making it the easier tool to evaluate before paying anything.
Is Topic's content research more thorough than Dashword's?
Topic documents a more specific research process, analyzing the top 30 Google results for a keyword and extracting heading structures and recurring topics directly from that set. Dashword's brief builder analyzes top-ranking content as well but does not specify a result count, so Topic is the more transparent option if research depth is the deciding factor.
Which tool tracks keyword rankings after a page is published?
Dashword does, Topic does not. Dashword's keyword rank monitoring tracks position changes for connected pages over time and flags declines, while Topic's feature set stops at brief generation and content grading, with nothing that checks on a page once it is live.
Does Dashword or Topic integrate with Google Docs and WordPress?
Topic integrates with both: a Google Docs sidebar is available on all plans, and WordPress integration arrives on the Plus tier at $199 a month. Dashword does not document a Google Docs or WordPress integration, so teams that want the grader visible inside their existing editor should lean toward Topic.
Which tool has cheaper API access, Dashword or Topic?
Topic's API access starts on its Premium tier at $299 a month, slightly cheaper than Dashword's API access on its Business tier at $349 a month. Both gate programmatic access to their highest published pricing tier, so neither is a budget-friendly option for API access specifically.
Is Dashword or Topic better for an agency managing freelance writers?
Dashword is the better fit for agencies onboarding freelance writers, since briefs can be shared via link and accessed without a Dashword account, and the free tier lets a new client relationship start without upfront cost. Topic's brief output is also easy to hand off, but its lack of a free tier and $99/month minimum make it a bigger commitment before a client relationship is confirmed.