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

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

Compare Screaming Frog SEO Spider ($23.55/mo) vs Screaming Frog SEO Spider Free ($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 | Screaming Frog SEO Spider Free |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 data lives in the local running session and can be exported to spreadsheets; the free edition cannot save and reopen crawl projects |
| GitHub Stars | Closed Source | ★ $0 forever |
| Code Repository | None | — |
| The Catch / Trade-off | Recurring subscription cost | The permanent free edition stops at 500 URLs and withholds JavaScript rendering, saved crawls, scheduling, custom extraction and API integrations. |

## About Screaming Frog SEO Spider Free
The same frog, permanently free for 500 URLs; JavaScript rendering, saved crawls and scheduling stay licensed.

- **Installation**: Native Windows, macOS or Linux installer
- **Data Storage**: Crawl data lives in the local running session and can be exported to spreadsheets; the free edition cannot save and reopen crawl projects
- **Supported Platforms**: desktop, cli, one-click install
- **The Catch vs Screaming Frog SEO Spider**: The permanent free edition stops at 500 URLs and withholds JavaScript rendering, saved crawls, scheduling, custom extraction and API integrations.

## Cost Savings Breakdown
Switching from Screaming Frog SEO Spider to Screaming Frog SEO Spider Free 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 Screaming Frog SEO Spider Free a good free alternative to Screaming Frog SEO Spider?
Yes. Screaming Frog SEO Spider Free is a verified free replacement for Screaming Frog SEO Spider. The same frog, permanently free for 500 URLs; JavaScript rendering, saved crawls and scheduling stay licensed.

### What is the catch when switching from Screaming Frog SEO Spider to Screaming Frog SEO Spider Free?
The permanent free edition stops at 500 URLs and withholds JavaScript rendering, saved crawls, scheduling, custom extraction and API integrations.

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