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Wappalyzer vs Mercury Reader

Wappalyzer logo

Wappalyzer

Software

Identify web technologies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
M

Mercury Reader

Software

Clear clutter from articles instantly

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Wappalyzer cannot detect server-side or hidden technologies without client-side footprints; Mercury Reader mercury Reader's underlying engine (Postlight Parser) is free open source software licensed under Apache License 2.0, per the GitHub repository, with no paid tier
  • They diverge on capability: Wappalyzer covers Technology detection, Mercury Reader covers Content extraction.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Wappalyzer and Mercury Reader actually diverge.

Attributes where Wappalyzer and Mercury Reader differ
AttributeWappalyzerMercury Reader
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsChrome, Firefox, Edge, WebChrome, Firefox, Edge
Founded20092015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Wappalyzer

  • Technology detection
  • CMS identification
  • Framework analysis
  • Analytics tracking

Only in Mercury Reader

  • Content extraction
  • Clean reading view
  • Custom themes
  • Font customization

Both cover

  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support

Where each one falls short

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

Wappalyzer

  • Cannot detect server-side or hidden technologies without client-side footprints
  • Went closed-source in 2023; self-hosting now difficult without maintaining community forks
  • Data export features locked to Business plan ($450/month) minimum

Mercury Reader

  • Mercury Reader's underlying engine (Postlight Parser) is free open source software licensed under Apache License 2.0, per the GitHub repository, with no paid tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Wappalyzer

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Wappalyzer review.

Mercury Reader

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Clutter removal
    • Clean reading
    • Custom themes

Which should you pick?

Choose Wappalyzer if

  • You need technology detection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Web.
  • You also want cms identification.
Wappalyzer review

Choose Mercury Reader if

  • You need content extraction.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
  • You also want clean reading view.
Mercury Reader review

Questions people ask

Is Wappalyzer or Mercury Reader better?
Neither clearly leads. Wappalyzer starts at Free and Mercury Reader at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Wappalyzer or Mercury Reader?
Wappalyzer starts at Free and Mercury Reader at Free.
Does Wappalyzer or Mercury Reader run on more platforms?
Wappalyzer runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Web. Mercury Reader runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
Can I use Wappalyzer for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Wappalyzer do that Mercury Reader cannot?
Wappalyzer covers Technology detection, CMS identification, Framework analysis, Analytics tracking. Mercury Reader covers Content extraction, Clean reading view, Custom themes, Font customization. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Wappalyzer: Does Wappalyzer have a free version?

Yes. Wappalyzer's browser extension is completely free and provides unlimited technology lookups with no account required. The free tier includes basic website technology detection across all categories.

Source
Wappalyzer: What are the paid pricing tiers for Wappalyzer?

Wappalyzer's paid plans start at $250/month for Pro (5,000 lookups, 1 user), $450/month for Business (20,000 lookups, 5 users, API access), and $850+/month for Enterprise (200,000+ lookups, 25+ users). Annual billing offers 17% discount.

Source
Wappalyzer: Can Wappalyzer detect all website technologies?

Wappalyzer detects over 1,000 technologies but cannot detect server-side or hidden technologies, backend infrastructure, internal databases, or ERP systems with no client-side footprint.

Source
Wappalyzer: Can Wappalyzer be self-hosted?

Wappalyzer went closed-source in 2023 when the GitHub repository was taken down. It can be deployed via Docker or npm, but the community-contributed fingerprint database is now part of the commercial product. Open-source forks are available but not officially maintained.

Source
Wappalyzer: What integrations does Wappalyzer offer?

Wappalyzer integrates with CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot, and supports lead list exports and API access for business users on paid plans.

Source
Wappalyzer: When does Wappalyzer data export become available?

Data export and lead list generation features are only available on the Business plan ($450/month) and above, not on the Pro tier.

Source
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