Best market research tools in 2025

The goal of market research is to find out what people actually want so you can build a product that fits the market. Market research used to take hundreds of hours and a team of analysts. In 2025, powerful tools make it faster, smarter, and accessible to anyone. These tools will help you find out if people actually want what you’re building or if you're just wasting your time.

Here are the best market research tools in 2025:

1. Buildpad

An AI co-founder that helps you go from vague idea to validated opportunity. Buildpad guides you through structured market research to help you find gaps in the market, untapped opportunities, and real problems to solve.

Use it to:

• Identify real problems worth solving
• Validate startup ideas through real-world data
• Analyze market gaps and positioning

2. Perplexity AI

An AI-powered research assistant that gives concise, cited answers to complex questions. It’s like Google, but with clarity and context. For startups, it’s a goldmine for competitive research, industry overviews, and strategic insight.

Use it to:

• Analyze competitors’ strengths and weaknesses
• Research industry trends and forecasts
• Explore regulatory environments

3. Exploding Topics

This tool surfaces rapidly growing trends before they hit the mainstream. It’s especially useful for founders who want to ride a wave rather than fight for scraps in saturated markets.

Use it to:

• Discover emerging product categories
• Spot early signals of niche demand
• Inspire content or product ideas based on search momentum

4. Ahrefs

This SEO giant provides deep keyword data, traffic analysis, backlink insights, and more. It’s essential for evaluating market demand through online behavior. 

Use it to:

• Measure search volume for potential products
• Analyze competitors’ content strategies
• Identify high-intent keywords in your niche

5. Statista

A trusted platform for curated statistics and market data across virtually every industry. You’ll find charts, reports, and forecasts backed by research firms and government sources. 

Use it to:

• Reference credible data in pitch decks
• Understand industry trends and consumer behavior
• Estimate total addressable market (TAM)

6. Google Trends

A free tool that lets you visualize interest over time for specific keywords or topics. It’s perfect for spotting seasonal demand or validating how much traction an idea is getting. 

Use it to:

• Compare product ideas or feature sets
• Identify search trends and seasonality
• Validate long-term relevance of a topic

7. Typeform

Market research isn’t just numbers, it’s stories and feedback from real people. This survey tool helps you collect that feedback in an engaging way.

Use it to:

• Run customer discovery interviews
• Test value propositions and messaging
• Gather input from early adopters

8. G2

This review platform offers firsthand insights into existing tools and competitors. By reading reviews, you can identify unmet needs, pain points, and opportunities for differentiation.

Use it to:

• Find gaps in competitor offerings
• Understand what users value most
• Learn how to improve your own product experience

Final Thoughts

The goal of market research is to find out what people actually want so you can build a product that fits the market. If you want to find a real problem to solve and guidance through market research, try Buildpad for free and get it done right away.