In the Screaming Frog vs. Sitebulb speed test, Screaming Frog finishes website crawls in 49.59 seconds, while Sitebulb takes 70.21 seconds.
Screaming Frog has ruled the SEO crawler space since 2010 with its unlimited crawling power. Sitebulb steps up as the newer challenger, checking 300+ technical factors at $135 yearly compared to Screaming Frog’s $259 price tag.
These tools work differently despite both connecting to Google Analytics and Search Console. Screaming Frog shows its strength in pure crawling muscle. Sitebulb wins with a simple interface and clear “Hints” feature that explains SEO problems in plain English.
My thorough testing of both crawlers reveals exactly what you need to pick the right tool for your website. The next sections break down their features, speed, and value to help you decide.
Core Features That Matter
Screaming Frog and Sitebulb take different paths to website crawling and technical SEO checks. Here’s what makes each tool special.
Screaming Frog vs. Sitebulb: Basic Crawl Setup
Screaming Frog keeps things simple. You accept the terms, plug in your URL, and start crawling. Sitebulb needs more setup time – checking site settings and grabbing robots.txt files before showing audit options.
Speed tests show clear winners for small sites under 1,000 URLs. Screaming Frog finishes in 49.59 seconds versus Sitebulb’s 70.21 seconds, though Sitebulb adds 2 extra minutes for audit prep. Sitebulb makes up for slower speed with deeper data collection.
Power User Settings
Screaming Frog packs a serious customization punch. You control:
- Internal and external link crawls
- Canonical tag checks
- Hreflang attributes
- AMP URLs
- Meta refresh rules
- Iframe crawling
- Mobile alternate URLs
Sitebulb matches with its own powerful options:
- URL volume limits
- Crawl speed controls
- Site speed tests
- Mobile checks
- International SEO tools
Sitebulb adds project folders for easier audit tracking. You get PDF reports, audit comparisons, and visual data tools too.
Screaming Frog vs. Sitebulb: JavaScript Handling
Both tools use Chrome crawlers but differently. Sitebulb runs Evergreen Chromium technology matching Google’s crawler. This comes with all plans – Desktop and Cloud.
Screaming Frog gives you two choices:
- Text Only: Raw HTML crawls
- JavaScript: Full Chrome browser rendering
The tools show JavaScript data differently. Screaming Frog uses spreadsheets. Sitebulb creates visual maps with hints about JavaScript SEO issues – perfect for explaining problems to clients and developers.
React sites and other JavaScript-heavy builds need special setups. Both tools must turn on JavaScript rendering to catch dynamic content. This matters because JavaScript changes key SEO parts:
- Meta robots
- Canonical tags
- Page titles
- Meta descriptions
- Internal links
- External links
Both connect to Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Ahrefs for full data analysis. They check mobile issues too.
SEO Issue Detection Face-Off
Screaming Frog and Sitebulb find SEO problems differently. Their unique approaches show clear winners for specific tasks.
Screaming Frog vs. Sitebulb: Technical SEO Checks
Screaming Frog shows technical issues in spreadsheet format across multiple tabs. You’ll need to:
- Sort URL lists manually
- Spot patterns yourself
- Figure out issue’s importance
- Dig deeper when needed
Sitebulb makes life easier with smart issue sorting. The tool groups and ranks problems automatically. You see what hurts your website right away.
Content Problem Spotting
Both tools catch content issues well. Screaming Frog spots:
- Copy duplicates
- Thin content
- Spelling mistakes
- Grammar problems
- Reading level issues
Sitebulb digs deeper into content checks with full page audits and link structure reviews. The hint system explains each problem clearly – perfect for SEO pros and beginners alike.
Website Structure Checks
These tools map websites differently. Sitebulb creates interactive visual site audit showing how pages connect. You see page relationships and problems at a glance.
Data looks different in each tool. Screaming Frog sticks to spreadsheets – SEO veterans love this detailed view. Sitebulb turns data into charts and graphs, making tough concepts click faster.
Both tools plug into Google Analytics, Search Console, and Ahrefs. This connection brings all your SEO data together.
Sitebulb shines for businesses new to SEO. The clear data display helps anyone run website checks and find fixes. Screaming Frog stays strong for power users who want total control.
Real Website Testing Results
Screaming Frog and Sitebulb show big differences in actual website tests. Here’s what happens with small and large sites.
Small Sites (Under 1000 URLs)
Screaming Frog’s free version handles small sites efficiently. You get solid checks for:
- Broken links and redirects
- Page titles and meta descriptions
- Duplicate pages
- XML sitemap generation
Sitebulb organizes small site checks into projects, helping you focus on specific SEO parts. The desktop version crawls up to 10,000 URLs – plenty for small websites.
Test crawls run smoothly on both tools. Sitebulb sorts issues right after finishing. Screaming Frog gives you raw data to sort yourself.
Screaming Frog vs. Sitebulb: Big Sites (Over 100k URLs)
Big websites push these tools to their limits. Screaming Frog needs specific RAM setups:
- 4GB RAM: Crawls 2-3 million URLs
- 8GB RAM: Handles 5 million URLs
- 16GB RAM: Manages 10 million URLs
Screaming Frog works best with database storage for big sites. This setup crawls 1-2 million URLs even with basic RAM.
Sitebulb takes a different path. The tool saves straight to your hard drive. For 100,000+ URL sites, you need:
- 250 MB to 2 GB for basic crawls
- Up to 36 GB with full link checking
Sitebulb tells you to test sample crawls first on big sites. This shows how long full crawls take. At 8 URLs per second, a 930,000-URL site needs 32 hours.
Both tools pack features for big site crawls. Screaming Frog lets you:
- Set crawl depth
- Control URL length
- Limit folder depth
- Handle query strings
Sitebulb matches with URL path blocks and parameter controls. The cloud version beats desktop, checking 250,000 URLs versus just 10,000.
Data Display and Reports
Screaming Frog and Sitebulb show SEO data differently. Their unique approaches make each tool better for specific users.
Dashboard Look
Screaming Frog keeps its classic spreadsheet-based interface looking like Excel. The simple layout packs powerful sorting tools SEO experts love.
Sitebulb builds a modern dashboard anyone can use. The clean interface puts important data front and center, making SEO work easier for beginners and pros alike.
Report Options
Screaming Frog gives you solid export choices:
- Multiple data formats
- Custom reports
- Client presentations
- Google tool connections
Sitebulb steps up the game with white-label reports. Your brand shows on every PDF report, making client updates clear and professional.
Screaming Frog vs. Sitebulb: Data Pictures
Sitebulb wins the visualization battle hands down. You get:
- Live site structure maps
- Website blueprints
- Lost page finder maps
- Redirect chain views
Screaming Frog adds basic charts and graphs for quick data checks. Word clouds show text patterns across your pages.
The “Hints” system sets Sitebulb apart. Technical SEO problems turn into plain English explanations anyone can follow.
SEO agencies love Sitebulb’s workflow. Problems pop up during crawls, letting you fix issues faster and keep clients happy.
Both tools plug into Google Analytics, Search Console, and Ahrefs. Screaming Frog focuses on raw numbers while Sitebulb tells your site’s story through pictures.
Pricing and Value Breakdown
The price tags tell a different story for each SEO crawler. Here’s what you get for your money.
Cost Details
Screaming Frog keeps pricing simple with two choices. The free version crawls 500 URLs including pages, images, CSS, and JavaScript files. Want unlimited crawls? Pay $259 yearly.
Buy more licenses, save more money. The price drops to $225 per license when you grab 20+. Each license works on multiple computers and moves easily between team members.
Sitebulb splits into two versions:
- Desktop: $135 yearly
- Cloud: $2,940 yearly
Monthly payments work too, but yearly deals save you cash. Cloud users get desktop features plus extra power.
What Each Plan Gives You
The free Screaming Frog lets you:
- Find broken links
- Check titles and meta descriptions
- Spot duplicate pages
- Build XML sitemaps
That 500 URL limit hits hard if your site packs lots of media or fancy design stuff.
Sitebulb desktop handles 10,000 URLs per audit. Cloud users get 250,000 URLs. Cloud costs more but adds:
- Bigger crawl power
- Faster processing
- Desktop version included
- Better reports
Trial offers differ too. Sitebulb gives 14 days free, no credit card is needed. Screaming Frog sticks with a limited free version forever.
Watch your budget. Both tools work. Screaming Frog wants $259 once yearly. Sitebulb starts at $35 monthly for flexible spending.
Big companies love Sitebulb’s cloud crawler – it beats typical enterprise tool prices. Smart pricing puts pro features within reach for any size business.
Quick Feature Comparison: Screaming Frog vs. Sitebulb
Here’s how Screaming Frog and Sitebulb stack up against each other:
| Feature | Screaming Frog | Sitebulb |
| Price Tag | $259/year | Desktop: $135/yearCloud: $2,940/year |
| Crawl Time | 49.59 seconds* | 70.21 seconds* |
| Free Stuff | 500 URLs | 14-day trial |
| URL Power | Up to 10M URLs (16GB RAM needed) | Desktop: 10,000 URLsCloud: 250,000 URLs |
| JavaScript | Pick your mode:- Text Only- JavaScript (Chrome) | Evergreen Chromium tech |
| Look & Feel | Spreadsheet style | Modern visual dashboard |
| Data View | Classic spreadsheets | Charts and graphs |
| Finding Issues | Manual tab checking | Auto-sorted problems |
| Connects To | Google Analytics, Search Console, Ahrefs | Google Analytics, Search Console, Ahrefs |
| Reports | Basic exports plus custom | White-label visual reports |
| Best At | Raw crawl power and deep data | Easy interface with “Hints” |
| Getting Started | Quick start, instant crawl | Setup needed first |
*Times shown for sites under 1,000 URLs
The Final Verdict
Screaming Frog and Sitebulb excel at different SEO tasks. Screaming Frog wins the speed race – crawling sites in 49.59 seconds while Sitebulb takes 70.21 seconds.
Your perfect tool depends on what you need. Screaming Frog fits teams wanting deep data control through spreadsheets. Sitebulb works better for folks who like visual data and simple explanations through its “Hints” system.
Money matters too. Sitebulb’s desktop version costs $135 yearly. Screaming Frog asks for $259 but crawls unlimited URLs. Both plug into Google Analytics and Search Console for complete SEO checks.
These tools keep getting better with new features rolling out regularly. Screaming Frog stays king of technical SEO analysis. Sitebulb proves its worth for teams wanting clear visuals and automatic problem spotting.
