10 Best Free SEO Audit Tools [2026]

Short answer: Google Search Console is the essential free SEO audit tool, showing indexing problems straight from Google. Pair it with Screaming Frog's free crawler (up to 500 URLs) and Ahrefs Webmaster Tools' free cloud audit. SEO Runway's 14-day trial adds a full audit with issues ranked by impact and a written AI action plan. For paid audit tools, see our SEO audit tools guide.

Disclosure: SEO Runway is our product. We ranked it using the same criteria as every other tool, and noted where others do better.

Quick picks

• Essential free tool: Google Search Console
• Best free crawler: Screaming Frog (500 URLs)
• Best free trial with an action plan: SEO Runway
• Best free cloud audit: Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
• Best free speed check: PageSpeed Insights

Free SEO audit tools compared

*Approximate; verify.

How we chose these tools

We included tools with genuinely useful free usage or a free trial, and compared their published free page limits, issue depth, card requirements and export options.

1. Google Search Console: essential free tool

Verdict: indexing, coverage, Core Web Vitals and manual actions, straight from Google.

Limits: no full crawl of on-page issues.

2. Screaming Frog (free): best free crawler

Verdict: a deep desktop crawl of up to 500 URLs.

Limits: 500 URLs; some features paid.

3. SEO Runway (14-day trial): best free trial with an action plan

Verdict: a full cloud audit with a health score, issues ranked by impact, page-level fixes, a written Gemini action plan and AI-readiness checks.

After the trial: Core SEO from $49/month. See plans.

4. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools: best free cloud audit

Verdict: free scheduled audits for sites you verify.

Limits: verified sites only.

5. Seobility (free): best free on-page checks

Verdict: a generous free crawl with clear explanations.

Limits: page cap.

6. SEOptimer (free check): best quick one-page check

Verdict: an instant one-page report card.

Limits: one page.

7. Semrush (free): limited free crawl

Verdict: a small free Site Audit.

Limits: page cap.

8. Sitechecker (free check): quick website score

Verdict: a free site score with top issues.

Limits: limited depth free.

9. Lighthouse: best free page-level checks

Verdict: built into Chrome DevTools for performance, accessibility and SEO basics.

Limits: one page at a time.

10. PageSpeed Insights: best free speed check

Verdict: lab and real-user speed data for any URL.

Limits: speed only.

A free audit in 20 minutes

1. Minutes 0–5: in Search Console, check Pages (indexing) and Core Web Vitals for errors.
2. Minutes 5–12: crawl with Screaming Frog (free) and filter for 4xx/5xx, redirects, missing titles and duplicate titles.
3. Minutes 12–16: run PageSpeed Insights on your homepage and top landing page.
4. Minutes 16–20: write down the top five fixes: broken pages, indexing errors, titles, speed, internal links.

Related free tools

• Free rank checkers
• Free keyword research tools

Prefer to hire an expert? See the best SEO agencies in your city: [link to the matching published agency listicle].

Frequently asked questions

Can I audit my website for free?

Yes. Search Console, Screaming Frog's free version and Ahrefs Webmaster Tools together cover a thorough audit for small sites.

Is Screaming Frog free?

Yes, for up to 500 URLs per crawl. A paid licence removes the limit and adds features such as scheduling and integrations.

When should I pay for an audit tool?

When your site is larger than free limits, or you want scheduled crawls, prioritised fixes and reports.

The bottom line

• Always: Google Search Console.
• Free crawl: Screaming Frog or Ahrefs Webmaster Tools.
• A prioritised plan, free for 14 days: SEO Runway.

Start a 14-day free trial of SEO Runway and get your AI action plan.