crawler.sh vs Screaming Frog SEO Spider (2026): Pricing, Features & Which to Choose

Who comes out ahead

Based only on the facts in our directory. The right pick still depends on the job you need done.

Lower starting price
crawler.sh
From $8.25/mo against from $23.25/mo
Free plan
Tie
Both have one
Higher rating
Screaming Frog SEO Spider
3.9 against 4.6
Same job?
Yes
Both are SEO tools

Side by side

Compared on	crawler.sh	Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Our rating	3.9	4.6Better
Starts at	$8.25/moBetter	$23.25/mo
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Category	SEO	SEO
Plans	Free$0 CLI Pro$99/year Desktop Pro$99/year	Free$0 Paid licence$279 per user/yr (£199); $265 each for 5-9 licences, $249 for 10-19, $235 for 20+
Key features	Local-first crawling with no cloud service or per-page fees 24 automated SEO checks including thin content and duplicate description detection Clean Markdown extraction built for AI training and RAG pipelines Native desktop app plus terminal and CLI access built on Rust and Tauri JavaScript rendering through a custom engine, no headless Chrome dependency	Desktop software crawling a site locally, not a cloud SaaS dashboard Granular control over crawl speed, depth, and specific URLs Free tier for crawls up to 500 URLs Operating since 2010 Widely used as a technical SEO diagnostic standard
Pros	Running locally avoids the recurring cloud costs typical crawlers charge Free tier's 400-pages-per-session limit covers most small-to-mid site audits Markdown output is purpose-built for feeding AI training and RAG pipelines	Local execution gives granular crawl control cloud tools don't expose Free tier is genuinely usable for smaller sites up to 500 URLs Long operating history as a trusted technical SEO standard
Cons	Built and maintained by one developer, a continuity risk versus funded competitors New product launched March 2026, limited independent long-term reviews Local-only architecture means no built-in team collaboration or shared dashboards	Desktop-only architecture lacks the collaborative, cloud-based access of SaaS competitors Larger sites beyond 500 URLs require a paid license Steeper learning curve for users without technical SEO background
Company	crawler.sh, founded 2026	Screaming Frog Ltd, founded 2010

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 20260730. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is crawler.sh better than Screaming Frog SEO Spider?

In our reviews crawler.sh scores 3.9 and Screaming Frog SEO Spider scores 4.6. The better pick depends on the job. crawler.sh: Crawler.sh runs SEO audits and Markdown content extraction from a local Rust-based crawler instead of a cloud crawling service. Screaming Frog SEO Spider: The industry-standard desktop crawler, not another cloud SaaS dashboard.

Which is cheaper, crawler.sh or Screaming Frog SEO Spider?

crawler.sh has the lower starting price: from $8.25/mo for crawler.sh and from $23.25/mo for Screaming Frog SEO Spider.

Do crawler.sh and Screaming Frog SEO Spider have free plans?

Yes, both have a free plan.

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