# Screaming Frog SEO Spider vs Crawly (2026): Free Alternative to Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/vs/screaming-frog-seo-spider-vs-crawly
Last updated: 2026-08-11

Compare Screaming Frog SEO Spider ($23.55/mo) vs Crawly ($0/mo free alternative to Screaming Frog SEO Spider). Side-by-side breakdown of pricing, self-hosting setup, data storage, and practical trade-offs.

## Side-by-Side Comparison Matrix

| Feature / Metric | Screaming Frog SEO Spider | Crawly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $23.55/mo | $0.00 / month |
| 1-Seat Annual Cost | $283/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 5-Person Team Annual Cost | $1,413/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 10-Person Team Annual Cost | $2,826/yr | $0.00 / year |
| License Model | Proprietary Commercial SaaS | proprietary, free |
| Hosting / Runtime | Vendor Cloud | Local |
| Data Ownership | Stored on vendor servers | Crawl projects and history live in a local SQLite database on the Mac; there is no hosted account or cloud sync |
| GitHub Stars | Closed Source | ★ $0 forever |
| Code Repository | None | — |
| The Catch / Trade-off | Recurring subscription cost | It is macOS-only, lacks JavaScript rendering and offers far fewer crawl controls, extraction options, reports and integrations than Screaming Frog. |

## About Crawly
Unlimited local crawling, JavaScript rendering and crawl diffs in a native Mac app; other operating systems get nothing.

- **Installation**: Download and install the native universal macOS app
- **Setup Notes**: macOS only
- **Data Storage**: Crawl projects and history live in a local SQLite database on the Mac; there is no hosted account or cloud sync
- **Supported Platforms**: desktop, one-click install
- **The Catch vs Screaming Frog SEO Spider**: It is macOS-only, lacks JavaScript rendering and offers far fewer crawl controls, extraction options, reports and integrations than Screaming Frog.

## Cost Savings Breakdown
Switching from Screaming Frog SEO Spider to Crawly eliminates ongoing per-seat subscriptions:
- **Solo / 1-seat**: Save **$283/year**
- **5-person team**: Save **$1,413/year**
- **10-person team**: Save **$2,826/year**

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is Crawly a good free alternative to Screaming Frog SEO Spider?
Yes. Crawly is a verified free replacement for Screaming Frog SEO Spider. Unlimited local crawling, JavaScript rendering and crawl diffs in a native Mac app; other operating systems get nothing.

### What is the catch when switching from Screaming Frog SEO Spider to Crawly?
It is macOS-only, lacks JavaScript rendering and offers far fewer crawl controls, extraction options, reports and integrations than Screaming Frog.

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