Screaming Frog SEO Spider

screamingfrog.co.uk

Free plan WindowsmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted

Spec score 9.5 #1 of 245 in SEO tools

What it is

Screaming Frog SEO Spider crawls websites to audit more than 300 SEO issues and support improvements to search performance and user experience. It finds broken links and server errors, checks redirects, and flags page titles and meta descriptions that are missing, duplicated, or too long. For JavaScript-heavy sites, it can render pages with its integrated Chromium WRS, including sites using Angular, React, and Vue.js. Data extraction supports CSS Path, XPath, regular expressions, and custom JavaScript. The crawler connects to Google Analytics, Search Console, and PageSpeed Insights APIs, with link-metrics integrations for Majestic, Ahrefs, and Moz. Crawls can be scheduled, automated from the command line, exported to destinations such as Google Sheets, and compared across runs or between staging and production. The free version costs nothing and allows 500 URLs per crawl; saving crawls, configuration, and advanced features are restricted. The paid version costs $279 a year per licence, with unlimited crawl size subject to allocated memory and storage. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Spec sheet

What it does: SEO Spider is a desktop website crawler that audits more than 300 SEO issues.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Purpose: The SEO Spider is a website crawler that audits sites for over 300 SEO issues to help improve SEO and user experience.Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Intended users: The maker describes the tool as designed for experienced SEOs and says it is trusted by professional SEOs, agencies, and brands for technical SEO audits.Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Free plan: YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Integrations: It connects to Google Analytics, Search Console, and PageSpeed Insights APIs, and lists link metrics integrations for Majestic, Ahrefs, and Moz APIs.Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Support: Paid users receive technical support, while official self-help includes a user guide, tutorials, FAQ and issue library.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Headquarters: Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, UKRead 23 Sep 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Founded: 2010Read 23 Sep 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Accessibility: The tool uses the open-source axe accessibility rule set for automated checks against Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Accessibility auditing: Automated accessibility checks use the open-source AXE rule set against WCAG-related issues.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
AI integrations: AI crawling supports OpenAI, Gemini, Ollama and Anthropic prompts.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
API access: YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
API extensibility: CLI configuration supports Google Analytics, Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, Ahrefs, Majestic and Moz credentials.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Automation: It can schedule crawls, export data to locations including Google Sheets, automate via command line, and compare crawl results or staging with production.Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Backlink analysis: YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Broken-link auditing: The crawler finds 404 links and server errors and exports the errors with their source URLs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
CLI and headless operation: The application can be fully configured, run headlessly, saved and exported from command-line tools on all three supported operating systems.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Company founded: LinkedIn lists Screaming Frog as founded in 2010.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company headquarters: The company lists its headquarters in Henley-on-Thames, England.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company size: LinkedIn lists the company size as 11–50 employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Custom extraction: Users can extract HTML data with CSS Path, XPath or regular expressions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Data extraction: It extracts page data using CSS Path, XPath, or regular expressions and supports custom JavaScript while crawling.Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Documentation: The official guide covers installation, crawling, storage, scheduling, exporting, robots.txt, user agents, memory, visualisations, reports and CLI use.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Duplicate-content detection: It uses MD5 checks and other analyses to find exact, partial and low-content duplicates.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Free version limits: The free version is available without signup or email capture and is limited to 500 URLs per crawl; saving crawls, configuration, and advanced features are restricted.Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Google integrations: Native connections are provided for Google Analytics, Search Console and PageSpeed Insights APIs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
JavaScript crawling: It can render pages using its integrated Chromium WRS to crawl dynamic JavaScript sites and frameworks including Angular, React, and Vue.js.Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
JavaScript rendering: Integrated headless Chromium renders JavaScript sites and frameworks including Angular, React and Vue.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Large-crawl hardware: The maker recommends a 1TB SSD and 16GB RAM, with database storage and 4GB allocated memory for crawls up to about two million URLs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Legal entity: The maker identifies itself as Screaming Frog Ltd, company number 07277243.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Licence model: The EULA grants a non-exclusive, non-transferable single-user licence and prohibits redistribution, modification, reverse engineering and shared use.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Limit: learning curve and interface: Independent reviews say the interface looks dated or technical and can take beginners time to learn.Read 15 Oct 2026 · techradar.com
Limit: local-resource usage: Reviewers report that large crawls can consume substantial memory and slow the host computer.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Limit: pricing complaint: A Trustpilot reviewer says the 500-URL free limit is too small for meaningful work and pushes users toward the paid licence.Read 15 Oct 2026 · uk.trustpilot.com
Limit: speed and scale: TrustRadius reviewers cite crawl speed, slow restoration of previous crawls and the need for more robust tooling around million-page sites.Read 15 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Link-metrics integrations: The crawler can pull link metrics from Majestic, Ahrefs and Moz APIs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Metadata analysis: It checks page titles and meta descriptions for missing, duplicate, short or long values.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Notable release: Version 24.0, released 19 May 2026, added an SEO Spider MCP, automatic crawl comparison, email change notifications, export attachments, uncrawlable-link discovery, usage statistics and Arm64 Linux support.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Praise: support: Trustpilot reviewers report fast, helpful email support and quick bug responses.Read 15 Oct 2026 · uk.trustpilot.com
Praise: technical depth: Capterra reviewers repeatedly praise the detailed technical audits, broad metrics and broken-link detection.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Praise: value and updates: GetApp reviewers describe the product as comprehensive, frequently updated and affordable for the capabilities supplied.Read 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Rating on Capterra: 4.9 out of 5 from 134 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on G2: 4.7 out of 5 from 187 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on GetApp: 4.9 out of 5 from 134 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Rating on Software Advice: 4.9 out of 5 from 134 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Rating on Trustpilot: 4.2 out of 5 from 14 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · uk.trustpilot.com
Redirect auditing: It identifies temporary and permanent redirects, redirect chains, loops and migration URL lists.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Robots and directives: The tool reports robots.txt blocks, meta-robots and X-Robots-Tag directives, canonicals and pagination links.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Scheduling and automation: Crawls can be scheduled, exported automatically and run through the command line.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Security and privacy: The privacy policy says software use may involve checks of username, licence key, IP address, anonymised machine ID, and timestamp, and that data is stored in secure data centres in the UK and US with access restricted to authorised personnel.Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Self-hosting: Every release can run locally, on a dedicated server or in the cloud, including remote concurrent crawls.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Site audit: YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
System requirements: A 64-bit operating system is required; supported systems are Windows 10/11 and Server 2016/2019/2022, macOS 11 or later, and Ubuntu or Fedora Linux.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Technical audits: It finds broken links and server errors, audits redirects, and identifies missing, duplicated, or overly long page titles and meta descriptions.Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
Visualisations: Interactive crawl and directory diagrams visualize internal linking and URL structure.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk
XML sitemaps: It creates XML and image sitemaps with configurable URL, last-modified, priority and change-frequency fields.Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk

Plans and prices

Free Free 500 URLs per crawl Read 20 Sep 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk

Paid licence Price not published Unlimited URLs Read 20 Sep 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk

Free Version Free 500 URLs per crawl · advanced configuration restricted · crawl saving restricted · API integrations restricted Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk

Free Version Free 500 URLs per crawl Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk

Paid licence (20+) $235 a year per licence, per year Unlimited URLs subject to memory/storage · one user per licence · renew annually Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk

Paid licence (10–19) $249 a year per licence, per year Unlimited URLs subject to memory/storage · one user per licence · renew annually Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk

Paid licence (5–9) $265 a year per licence, per year Unlimited URLs subject to memory/storage · one user per licence · renew annually Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk

Paid licence (1–4) $279 a year per licence, per year Unlimited URLs subject to memory/storage · one user per licence · renew annually Read 15 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk

Paid Version $279 a year $279 per year per licence Unlimited crawl limit subject to allocated memory and storage · 1-year licence requiring renewal · bulk discounts for 5+ licences Read 3 Oct 2026 · screamingfrog.co.uk

Every Screaming Frog SEO Spider plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

Audits more than 300 SEO issues.
Renders JavaScript pages with integrated Chromium WRS.
Supports CSS Path, XPath, regex, and custom JavaScript.
Offers crawl scheduling and command-line automation.
Free plan needs no signup or email capture.

Limits

Free crawls are limited to 500 URLs.
Free version restricts saving crawls and configuration.
Paid licence costs $279 a year.
Technical support is for paid users.

Who it suits

It suits experienced SEOs, agencies, and brands that need technical site audits, including JavaScript crawling and custom data extraction. The free plan can suit smaller crawls; larger crawl limits require the paid licence.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider in depth

Read the full write-up

Overview

Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a website crawler for technical SEO audits, best suited to experienced SEOs, agencies, and brands working with detailed site data. Its broad audit and automation tools make it a strong fit for crawl-led work; the 500-URL free limit makes the paid licence the practical option for larger sites.

Made by Screaming Frog, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, UK, it audits more than 300 SEO issues and also runs automated accessibility checks against Web Content Accessibility Guidelines using the open-source axe rule set. For category comparisons, see SEO Audit Software, SEO Analytics Software, SEO tools, Technical SEO Software, and SEO Crawler Software.

Key features

The crawler finds broken links and server errors, audits redirects, and flags missing, duplicated, or overly long page titles and meta descriptions. That makes it useful for diagnosing common technical and on-page problems across a site, rather than serving primarily as a search-rank tracker.

Integrated Chromium rendering lets it crawl dynamic JavaScript sites and frameworks such as Angular, React, and Vue.js. This matters for teams whose pages rely on client-side rendering, where a crawler that cannot render those pages may miss content.

For tailored audits, it can extract data with CSS Path, XPath, or regular expressions, and supports custom JavaScript during crawling. Integrations with Google Analytics, Search Console, and PageSpeed Insights APIs add performance and search data; Majestic, Ahrefs, and Moz API integrations provide link metrics.

Scheduled crawls, command-line automation, exports to destinations including Google Sheets, and comparisons between crawls or staging and production make it suitable for recurring audit workflows. Its accessibility checks broaden the audit beyond SEO, though they are automated checks rather than a substitute for a complete accessibility review.

Pricing

The Free plan costs free and allows 500 URLs per crawl, with no signup or email capture. It is useful for small sites or an initial crawl, but saving crawls and configuration and using advanced features are restricted, so it is a limited fit for ongoing work.

The Paid Version costs $279 a year, billed at $279 per year per licence. It removes the fixed crawl limit, subject to allocated memory and storage, and includes a one-year licence requiring renewal. Bulk discounts apply for five or more licences. For practitioners auditing larger sites or needing saved and advanced workflows, this is the relevant plan; the annual term and per-licence price are less suitable for occasional users or teams seeking a short commitment.

Platforms

Screaming Frog SEO Spider runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and supports API access. This range suits teams using different desktop operating systems, while the API supports integration into automated workflows.

Who it's for

This is a strong choice for experienced SEOs and agencies that need detailed technical crawls, custom extraction, integrations, or repeatable command-line and scheduled audits. Brand teams can also use it to compare staging and production or track changes between crawls. A small site owner who needs only an occasional check may find the free tier sufficient; users who need broader search analytics rather than a crawler-led audit should consider a different tool.

Technical support is for paid users, and the company aims to answer queries within 24 hours during usual business hours. The privacy policy says use may involve checks of a username, licence key, IP address, anonymised machine ID, and timestamp; data is stored in secure data centres in the UK and US, with access restricted to authorised personnel.

Pros and cons

Broad technical coverage: checks for links, server errors, redirects, and page metadata across more than 300 SEO issues.

Useful for JavaScript sites: integrated Chromium rendering handles dynamic pages and common frameworks.

Adaptable workflows: custom extraction, API integrations, scheduled crawls, command-line automation, and crawl comparisons support recurring audits.

Meaningful free trial by use: the no-signup free plan can crawl 500 URLs, but cannot save crawls or configurations and restricts advanced features.

Annual paid commitment: the $279-per-year licence renews after one year, and its unlimited crawl limit remains subject to memory and storage.

Support distinction: technical support is reserved for paid users.

Alternatives

Netpeak Spider is worth considering for a similar freemium crawler: its free plan also allows 500 URLs, with five threads and two devices per user on Windows and macOS.

Ahrefs is a better direction for readers who want a broader SEO suite with site data: its free plan offers limited Site Explorer and Site Audit access, and it supports web and API access.

Semrush may suit readers who want a web-based SEO service with a small free allowance: its free plan includes one demo project and 10 reports per day.

Moz Pro is an alternative for someone seeking a web and browser-extension product with a monthly entry plan for an individual managing one website; its Starter plan is $49 a month, billed monthly.

SiteGuru is a web-based alternative with a Small plan priced at $49 a month, billed monthly, covering five websites and 5,000 pages per site.

Click Insights is a paid web option with a Basic plan at $12 a month, including daily keyword tracking and project allowances.

Dragon Metrics is a paid web and API platform whose Starter plan includes 1,000 keywords, 200,000 URLs crawled per month, five campaigns, and three user seats for $99 a month.

LinkResearchTools is another paid alternative.

Verdict

Choose Screaming Frog SEO Spider if technical crawling is central to your SEO work and you need detailed checks, JavaScript rendering, flexible extraction, and repeatable automation. Its free tier is a practical starting point for small crawls, but the $279 annual licence is the clear choice for larger or ongoing audits. Look elsewhere if your priority is a broader SEO platform or a lighter commitment than an annual per-licence purchase.

Verdict

Screaming Frog SEO Spider specifies a broad set of technical audit, extraction, integration, and automation functions. The free plan has a clear crawl cap, while the paid licence removes the fixed URL limit subject to memory and storage.