A simpler free LibreCrawl alternative
Both Crawly and LibreCrawl are free with unlimited crawling. The difference: Crawly is a native Mac app you download and use immediately. LibreCrawl needs a server. Crawly also includes Claude Code MCP, crawl comparison, and security header auditing.
Crawly vs LibreCrawl: what is the difference?
LibreCrawl is an open-source SEO crawler with impressive credentials: unlimited URLs, JavaScript rendering via Playwright, multi-session support, and a modern web-based interface. It is free and MIT-licensed. For teams who want a self-hosted crawler accessible from any browser, it is a legitimate option.
The catch is setup. LibreCrawl requires a server running Python, Playwright, and its own browser binaries before you can crawl a single page. That is fine for technically confident users or agencies with infrastructure, but it is a significant hurdle for individual SEOs who just need to audit a site now.
Crawly is a native macOS desktop app. Download it, open it, enter a URL. No server, no Python, no configuration. It also ships with features LibreCrawl does not have: crawl comparison for diffing audits over time, security header checks, hreflang validation, and a Claude Code MCP server that lets you query your crawl data in plain English from your terminal.
Crawly vs LibreCrawl
Both free, both unlimited. Different philosophy.
| Feature | Crawly Free | LibreCrawl |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Platform | Native macOS app | Self-hosted web app |
| Setup | Download and open | Server install required |
| Page limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Claude Code MCP | ||
| Crawl comparison (diff) | ||
| Issues dashboard | Basic | |
| Security header checks | ||
| Hreflang audit | ||
| Saved crawl history | Per session | |
| JavaScript rendering | ||
| XML sitemap export | ||
| Open source | ||
| Self-hosted / team access |
Based on publicly available feature documentation as of May 2026.
See it in action
Native macOS. No server. No setup. Just crawl.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the main difference between Crawly and LibreCrawl?
- Both are free with unlimited URL crawling, but they are very different tools. Crawly is a native macOS desktop app - download it and you are crawling in seconds. LibreCrawl is a self-hosted web application that requires a server, Python, and Playwright to be set up before you can use it. For most individual SEOs and small teams, Crawly is the faster, simpler option.
- Does LibreCrawl have an MCP integration?
- No. LibreCrawl does not have any AI integration. Crawly ships with a built-in MCP server that connects to Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and Windsurf. You can query your crawl data in plain English directly from your terminal.
- When would LibreCrawl be a better choice than Crawly?
- LibreCrawl is open source and self-hostable, which makes it useful for teams who want to share access to crawls via a browser, run crawls on a central server, or modify the tool to fit a custom workflow. If you need a self-hosted, team-accessible crawler with no software to install on individual machines, LibreCrawl is worth considering.
- Does Crawly support JavaScript rendering?
- Yes. Crawly renders JavaScript during crawls, making it suitable for auditing React, Next.js, and other JS-heavy sites.
- Is Crawly really free with no limits?
- Yes. Crawly is completely free to download and use with no URL cap, no licence fee, and no paid tier. There is no trial period.
Also comparing? Crawly vs Screaming Frog · Crawly vs Sitebulb · Crawly vs BeamUsUp · Crawly vs SEO Tracer · Crawly vs SEOnaut
Want to use Crawly with Claude Code? Read the Claude Code MCP setup guide
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