screaming-frog vs sitebulb
Screaming Frog vs Sitebulb — features, pricing, and which to choose for your SEO workflow in 2026.
Quick Verdict
Screaming Frog and Sitebulb represent two different philosophies in technical SEO auditing. Screaming Frog, the veteran desktop crawler from 2010, offers raw power and comprehensive data extraction that's become the industry standard. Sitebulb, launched in 2017, focuses on making that same technical data accessible through visual reports and AI-powered prioritization.
The core difference is presentation versus depth. Screaming Frog gives you every piece of crawlable data imaginable but expects you to know what to do with it. Sitebulb takes a smaller subset of that data and packages it into digestible, actionable reports that non-technical users can actually implement.
Feature Comparison
Screaming Frog's desktop crawler can handle massive sites, extract custom data through XPath, integrate with Google Analytics and Search Console, and export data in multiple formats. Its JavaScript rendering, log file analysis, and structured data testing cover virtually every technical SEO scenario. The tool excels at deep technical audits where you need to examine specific elements across thousands of pages. Sitebulb covers the essential technical SEO basics — broken links, redirects, meta data, page speed insights — but wraps them in visual reports with clear priority scoring. Its AI-powered hints explain why issues matter and how to fix them. The automated scheduling and report generation make it ideal for agencies delivering regular audits to clients who want pretty reports, not CSV files. However, Screaming Frog's feature set is significantly broader. It can crawl forms, extract custom elements, analyze log files, and handle complex JavaScript sites that Sitebulb might struggle with.
Pricing Comparison
Screaming Frog offers exceptional value with a free tier that crawls up to 500 URLs and handles most small site audits. The paid version at £149/year ($185) removes URL limits and adds advanced features like JavaScript rendering and Google Analytics integration. There's no monthly option — you pay annually. Sitebulb starts at $13.50/month for 10 credits (roughly 10 medium-sized audits), scaling up to $62.50/month for unlimited audits. While more expensive than Screaming Frog for heavy users, the monthly flexibility and pretty reports justify the cost for agencies billing clients for audit reports.
Best For
Screaming Frog is better for technical SEO professionals who need comprehensive data extraction, handle large enterprise sites, or perform complex custom audits. If you're comfortable with CSV exports and technical interfaces, it offers unmatched depth at an incredibly low cost. It's the choice for in-house SEOs and consultants who prioritize functionality over presentation. Sitebulb is better for agencies, consultants delivering client reports, or SEOs who prefer visual data presentation. Its automated scheduling, beautiful reports, and AI-powered recommendations make it ideal when you need to communicate findings to non-technical stakeholders or want the tool to guide your optimization priorities.
The Verdict
Screaming Frog wins for most serious technical SEO work. Its comprehensive feature set, ability to handle enterprise-scale sites, and unbeatable pricing make it the superior choice for professional SEO auditing. Sitebulb's visual approach is appealing, but you're paying significantly more for prettier packaging of less comprehensive data. Unless client presentation is your primary concern, Screaming Frog delivers better value and deeper insights for technical SEO auditing.