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Keyword Insights vs Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Keyword Insights logo

Keyword Insights

SEO

AI keyword clustering tool that groups keywords by live SERP overlap

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Screaming Frog SEO Spider logo

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

SEO

Desktop crawler for technical SEO audits and site analysis

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Screaming Frog SEO Spider has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Keyword Insights it has no keyword research or search volume data of its own; keywords must be exported from another tool such as Ahrefs or Search Console first.; Screaming Frog SEO Spider free version limited to 500 URL crawl limit for meaningful analysis
  • They diverge on capability: Keyword Insights covers SERP-based clustering, Screaming Frog SEO Spider covers Crawl up to 500 URLs (free) or unlimited (paid).
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Keyword Insights and Screaming Frog SEO Spider actually diverge.

Attributes where Keyword Insights and Screaming Frog SEO Spider differ
AttributeKeyword InsightsScreaming Frog SEO Spider
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer month by credit volume, with pay-as-you-go availablesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWindows, macOS, Linux

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (SEO).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Keyword Insights

  • SERP-based clustering
  • Intent classification
  • Content brief generation
  • Bulk keyword upload
  • Pay-as-you-go credits
  • Competitor content gap analysis

Only in Screaming Frog SEO Spider

  • Crawl up to 500 URLs (free) or unlimited (paid)
  • 300+ SEO issue checks
  • JavaScript rendering with Chromium
  • XML sitemap generation
  • Custom data extraction
  • Google integrations
  • Scheduled crawls and comparisons
  • Multi-language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Keyword Insights

  • A content team building topic clusters for a content calendar from a large exported keyword listnot Screaming Frog SEO Spider
  • An agency needing intent classification to decide whether a keyword warrants a blog post or a product pagenot Screaming Frog SEO Spider
  • A team that wants SERP-reality clustering rather than word-embedding-based grouping that can miss what Google actually treats as one topicnot Screaming Frog SEO Spider
  • A one-off project needing to cluster a single large keyword export without committing to a monthly subscriptionnot Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

  • Identify broken links and server errors on large sitesnot Keyword Insights
  • Audit redirect chains during site migrationsnot Keyword Insights
  • Analyze and fix duplicate content issuesnot Keyword Insights
  • Extract and validate structured data on pagesnot Keyword Insights
  • Monitor site health with scheduled crawlsnot Keyword Insights

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Keyword Insights

  • It has no keyword research or search volume data of its own; keywords must be exported from another tool such as Ahrefs or Search Console first.
  • SERP-based clustering requires a live Google SERP pull per keyword, which is why it is credit-metered and can get expensive fast on very large keyword lists.
  • The pay-as-you-go credit tier only covers clustering; content briefs and other features require a full subscription, which is easy to miss when comparing the entry price.
  • It has no rank tracking, backlink data or technical crawling, so it is a single-purpose tool that must sit alongside a broader SEO stack.
  • As a small, specialised vendor, its roadmap and support resourcing are thinner than a full suite like Semrush that bundles clustering as one feature among many.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

  • Free version limited to 500 URL crawl limit for meaningful analysis
  • Desktop application required, not available as web-based tool
  • Unlimited crawls depend on system memory and storage capacity
  • Annual licensing model with no monthly option
  • Learning curve for advanced features like custom extraction

Pricing, plan by plan

Keyword Insights

On request
  • Basic$58/month
    • 10,000 credits a month
    • Keyword clustering and intent classification
    • Content brief generation
  • Professional$99/month
    • 20,000 credits a month
    • All Basic features
    • Higher project and export limits
  • Pay As You Go$7.99/month
    • 1,000 clustering-only credits, no subscription required
    • 7-day trial available for 1 US dollar
    • Other features require a subscription plan

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 500 URL crawl limit
    • Core features included
    • Link checking and metadata analysis
  • Paid License$199/year
    • Unlimited URL crawls (limited by system memory/storage)
    • All free version features
    • Advanced features unlocked

Which should you pick?

Choose Keyword Insights if

  • You need serp-based clustering.
  • You also want intent classification.
Keyword Insights review

Choose Screaming Frog SEO Spider if

  • You need crawl up to 500 urls (free) or unlimited (paid).
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want 300+ seo issue checks.
Screaming Frog SEO Spider review

Questions people ask

Is Keyword Insights or Screaming Frog SEO Spider better?
Neither clearly leads. Keyword Insights starts at On request and Screaming Frog SEO Spider at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Keyword Insights or Screaming Frog SEO Spider?
Screaming Frog SEO Spider has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Keyword Insights and Free for Screaming Frog SEO Spider.
Does Keyword Insights or Screaming Frog SEO Spider run on more platforms?
Keyword Insights runs on Web. Screaming Frog SEO Spider runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Screaming Frog SEO Spider for free?
Yes. Screaming Frog SEO Spider has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Keyword Insights starts at On request.
What is Keyword Insights best used for?
Keyword Insights is most often used for a content team building topic clusters for a content calendar from a large exported keyword list, an agency needing intent classification to decide whether a keyword warrants a blog post or a product page, a team that wants serp-reality clustering rather than word-embedding-based grouping that can miss what google actually treats as one topic, a one-off project needing to cluster a single large keyword export without committing to a monthly subscription. Of those, a content team building topic clusters for a content calendar from a large exported keyword list and an agency needing intent classification to decide whether a keyword warrants a blog post or a product page are not what Screaming Frog SEO Spider is typically brought in for.
What can Keyword Insights do that Screaming Frog SEO Spider cannot?
Keyword Insights covers SERP-based clustering, Intent classification, Content brief generation, Bulk keyword upload. Screaming Frog SEO Spider covers Crawl up to 500 URLs (free) or unlimited (paid), 300+ SEO issue checks, JavaScript rendering with Chromium, XML sitemap generation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Keyword Insights: Do I need another SEO tool to use it?

Yes, for keyword data. Keyword Insights clusters and classifies keyword lists you supply; it does not generate keyword lists with search volume itself.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider: What is the difference between free and paid Screaming Frog licenses?

The free version crawls up to 500 URLs with core features. The paid license (GBP 199/year) includes unlimited URL crawls limited only by system memory and storage, plus advanced features.

Source
Keyword Insights: How is pricing calculated?

By credits, at 1 credit per keyword clustered, either through a monthly subscription with a credit allowance or a pay-as-you-go top-up.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider: Can Screaming Frog crawl JavaScript-rendered content?

Yes. Screaming Frog renders JavaScript through headless Chromium, enabling crawls of React, Angular, Vue.js, and other JavaScript frameworks.

Source
Keyword Insights: Is there a free tier?

No permanent free tier; a 7-day trial for 1 US dollar is offered instead.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider: What platforms does Screaming Frog support?

Screaming Frog SEO Spider is available for Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), and Linux (Ubuntu and Fedora).

Source
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