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Screaming Frog SEO Spider vs SISTRIX

Screaming Frog SEO Spider logo

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

SEO

Desktop crawler for technical SEO audits and site analysis

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SISTRIX logo

SISTRIX

SEO

German SEO toolbox built around a domain Visibility Index measured weekly since 2008

From
On request
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: Screaming Frog SEO Spider free version limited to 500 URL crawl limit for meaningful analysis; SISTRIX coverage is deepest in German-speaking Europe and thinner in the United States and Asia, so international teams still need Ahrefs or Semrush alongside it.
  • They diverge on capability: Screaming Frog SEO Spider covers Crawl up to 500 URLs (free) or unlimited (paid), SISTRIX covers Visibility Index.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Screaming Frog SEO Spider and SISTRIX differ
AttributeScreaming Frog SEO SpiderSISTRIX
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb, REST API

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 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

Only in SISTRIX

  • Visibility Index
  • Competitor discovery
  • SERP feature tracking
  • Link module
  • Optimizer
  • Country coverage

What people use each for

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

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

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

SISTRIX

  • Reporting search visibility to a board in Germany where the Visibility Index is the expected metricnot Screaming Frog SEO Spider
  • Comparing a domain against competitors over years, including before you started tracking anythingnot Screaming Frog SEO Spider
  • Due diligence on an acquisition target where you need visibility history you did not collect yourselfnot Screaming Frog SEO Spider
  • Diagnosing whether a traffic drop coincided with a core update by comparing against the whole measured marketnot Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Where each one falls short

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

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

SISTRIX

  • Coverage is deepest in German-speaking Europe and thinner in the United States and Asia, so international teams still need Ahrefs or Semrush alongside it.
  • The Visibility Index is domain-level, so a dramatic chart movement can come entirely from pages that carry no commercial value and requires drilling down before it means anything.
  • The link index is smaller than the market leaders, which matters if backlink discovery rather than visibility measurement is your main use.
  • Modules are priced individually, so a team that needs SEO, links and the Optimizer pays a multiple of the entry price for one module.
  • Documentation, community material and support are German-first, and while English is available the depth of the two is not equal.

Pricing, plan by 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

SISTRIX

On request
  • SISTRIX Toolbox$undefined/month
    • Sold as monthly modules rather than one bundled plan
    • Additional countries and Optimizer projects priced on top
    • Monthly term without long commitment

Which should you pick?

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

Choose SISTRIX if

  • You need visibility index.
  • You work on Web, REST API.
  • You also want competitor discovery.
SISTRIX review

Questions people ask

Is Screaming Frog SEO Spider or SISTRIX better?
Neither clearly leads. Screaming Frog SEO Spider starts at Free and SISTRIX at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Screaming Frog SEO Spider or SISTRIX?
Screaming Frog SEO Spider has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Screaming Frog SEO Spider and On request for SISTRIX.
Does Screaming Frog SEO Spider or SISTRIX run on more platforms?
Screaming Frog SEO Spider runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. SISTRIX runs on Web, REST API.
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. SISTRIX starts at On request.
What is Screaming Frog SEO Spider best used for?
Screaming Frog SEO Spider is most often used for identify broken links and server errors on large sites, audit redirect chains during site migrations, analyze and fix duplicate content issues, extract and validate structured data on pages. Of those, identify broken links and server errors on large sites and audit redirect chains during site migrations are not what SISTRIX is typically brought in for.
What can Screaming Frog SEO Spider do that SISTRIX cannot?
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. SISTRIX covers Visibility Index, Competitor discovery, SERP feature tracking, Link module.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
SISTRIX: What is the Visibility Index actually measuring?

Rankings for a large fixed keyword set per country, weighted by expected traffic, measured weekly. It is not your keyword list, which is what makes it comparable.

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
SISTRIX: Can it replace Ahrefs or Semrush?

For German-language visibility reporting and competitor history, yes. For global keyword research and backlink analysis it is a complement rather than a replacement.

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
SISTRIX: How far back does the data go?

To 2008 for the earliest supported countries, which is longer than any rank tracker can offer on your own keyword list.

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