Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Sitebulb · 📈 seo & marketing
Sitebulb vs Crawly
A free Mac crawler that turns nineteen issue types into a clean findings list and keeps crawl diffs. Here is how Crawly ($0/mo free) stacks up against Sitebulb ($18/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
Sitebulb vs Crawly Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-11
| Dimension | Sitebulb (Paid) | Crawly (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 | free proprietary, free |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Local (on your machine) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | desktopone-click install |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ $0 forever |
Deep Dive: Switching from Sitebulb to Crawly
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
Its nineteen checks and simple findings list are much narrower than Sitebulb's visual hints, prioritization and evidence-rich reporting.
How to deploy Crawly
Download and install the native universal macOS app
What it takes to run
macOS only
Where your data lives
Crawl projects and history live in a local SQLite database on the Mac; there is no hosted account or cloud sync
Why fork Crawly 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 Crawly FAQ
Is Crawly a good free alternative to Sitebulb?+
Yes. Crawly is a verified free replacement for Sitebulb. A free Mac crawler that turns nineteen issue types into a clean findings list and keeps crawl diffs.
What is the catch when switching from Sitebulb to Crawly?+
Its nineteen checks and simple findings list are much narrower than Sitebulb's visual hints, prioritization and evidence-rich reporting.
How much do you save switching from Sitebulb to Crawly?+
Sitebulb costs $18/mo ($216/yr) per seat, whereas Crawly 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 Crawly instead of Sitebulb?+
Install: Download and install the native universal macOS app. Setup: macOS only
