Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Sitebulb · 📈 seo & marketing
Sitebulb vs SEOnaut
Stores audits and sorts issues by severity; not as pretty as Sitebulb, equally capable of ruining your afternoon. Here is how SEOnaut ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Sitebulb ($18/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
Sitebulb vs SEOnaut Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-11
| Dimension | Sitebulb (Paid) | SEOnaut (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $18 / mo | $0 / mo |
| 1-Year Cost (1 seat) | $216 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $216) |
| 1-Year Cost (5 seats) | $1,080 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $1,080) |
| 1-Year Cost (10 seats) | $2,160 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $2,160) |
| Source & License | Proprietary SaaS | open source MIT |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Self-host (your server) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | webself-hosteddocker to self-host |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ 751 (active may 2026) |
Deep Dive: Switching from Sitebulb to SEOnaut
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
It produces a simpler severity list without Sitebulb's rich visual hints, explanations and guided investigation.
How to deploy SEOnaut
Docker Compose with MySQL 8.4, then expose the web UI behind HTTPS
What it takes to run
Docker, MySQL and a reverse proxy are required; its default exposed port is plain HTTP
Where your data lives
Sites, crawl results and audit history live in the self-hosted MySQL database
Why fork SEOnaut instead of vibe-coding a Sitebulb clone?
The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Sitebulb, crawl an owned site and turn technical findings into prioritized, evidenced hints. The hard boundary is rule depth, visualization, reporting, javascript crawling, and agency workflow, plus crawl scale, rule depth, and operational polish.
Sitebulb vs SEOnaut FAQ
Is SEOnaut a good free alternative to Sitebulb?+
Yes. SEOnaut is a verified open-source (MIT) replacement for Sitebulb. Stores audits and sorts issues by severity; not as pretty as Sitebulb, equally capable of ruining your afternoon.
What is the catch when switching from Sitebulb to SEOnaut?+
It produces a simpler severity list without Sitebulb's rich visual hints, explanations and guided investigation.
How much do you save switching from Sitebulb to SEOnaut?+
Sitebulb costs $18/mo ($216/yr) per seat, whereas SEOnaut is $0/mo. Switching saves $216/yr for a solo user, $1,080/yr for a 5-person team, and $2,160/yr for a 10-person team.
How do I install or self-host SEOnaut instead of Sitebulb?+
Install: Docker Compose with MySQL 8.4, then expose the web UI behind HTTPS. Setup: Docker, MySQL and a reverse proxy are required; its default exposed port is plain HTTP
