Comparison
Screaming Frog alternative: OpenSEO vs Screaming Frog
Screaming Frog SEO Spider is the standard desktop crawler for technical SEO. OpenSEO runs a hosted site audit with a health score and prioritised issues, next to keyword, rank and backlink tools. Here is how they differ.
Starting price
Screaming Frog pricing vs OpenSEO
Screaming Frog SEO Spider licence: $279 (£199) per user per year; free up to 500 URLs.
- A desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux
- Scheduling, JavaScript rendering and saved crawls need the paid licence
- An MCP server since version 24 (May 2026)
List prices, checked in October 2026. Screaming Frog sets its own prices and changes them; check its pricing page for current figures. OpenSEO's data costs are at the time of writing; see Pricing.
OpenSEO vs Screaming Frog: feature comparison
| Screaming Frog | OpenSEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | On your computer | In your browser, hosted or on your own server |
| Price | $279 a year per user; free up to 500 URLs | The crawler costs nothing; Lighthouse runs $0.05 each |
| Crawl size | Limited by your machine’s memory | Up to 5,000 pages per audit (500 when rendered) |
| Depth and configuration | Very deep: custom extraction, JavaScript, crawl comparison | 59 checks, a health score and the worst issues first |
| Beyond audits | Technical crawling only | Keywords, rank tracking, backlinks, AI visibility and Search Console too |
| AI agents | Local MCP server | 66 MCP tools and a REST API, hosted or self-hosted |
When to choose Screaming Frog
- You audit large or complex sites and need custom extraction, JavaScript rendering at scale or crawl comparison.
- You prefer a desktop tool and want full control of crawl settings.
When to choose OpenSEO
- You want a health score and a fix list without installing anything.
- Your site has more than 500 URLs and you don’t want to buy a licence for an occasional audit.
- You want the audit next to your rankings, keywords and Search Console data.
FAQ
OpenSEO vs Screaming Frog FAQ
Is OpenSEO a free Screaming Frog alternative?
For audits, yes: the crawler and site audit cost nothing, on the hosted app or self-hosted, up to 5,000 pages per audit. Lighthouse runs cost $0.05 each. Keyword, rank and backlink data is paid per lookup.
Can it replace Screaming Frog completely?
Not for every job. Screaming Frog goes deeper on crawl configuration, custom extraction and very large sites. Many people use both: OpenSEO for regular health checks and everything else, Screaming Frog for the deep dives.
Screaming Frog is a trademark of its owner. OpenSEO is not affiliated with or endorsed by Screaming Frog.