MST SERP Counter vs SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch (2026): which should you pick?
As of Oct 23, 2026, MST SERP Counter and SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch share a 2.8 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on which features you need.
Checked Oct 23, 2026 · graded Oct 23, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MST SERP Counter
Free Chrome extension that numbers Google search results
SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch
Free Chrome extension for Google searches as seen from anywhere
Which one is for you
Pick MST SERP Counter if
- Fits if you now and then check where a page sits for a keyword in live Google results
- Works for reading positions down a long results page without counting by hand
Look elsewhere if
- Too light for rank tracking, as it keeps no history and positions are read live each time
- Skip it if you need Bing or another engine, as only Google is named
- Watch out: it's Chrome only, and the last update was version 1.0.8 in February 2024
- Watch out: the developer hasn't identified itself as a trader, so EU consumer rights don't apply
Pick SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch if
- Fits if you need to see where a site ranks in another country or city now and then
- Works for agencies showing a client local Google results without a VPN
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need Bing or another engine, as it covers Google only
- Tight if you search a lot, as heavy use runs into Google rate limits or captchas
- Too light for tracking, since saved searches and rank history need Nightwatch's separate paid tracker
- Watch out: it's Chrome only, and the last update was version 1.3.1 in March 2025
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAMST SERP CounterGood | 2.8GPASEO Search Simulator by NightwatchGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree from the Chrome Web Store, which lists no in-app purchases, and there's no paid version anywhere. | AFree with no login. A Nightwatch account adds saved searches and rank history, but the simulator itself costs nothing. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright: position numbers on every Google results page, with no account and nothing to upgrade to. | AFree outright: searches from what Nightwatch counts as 107,000+ locations, on any Google domain and language, with recent searches kept and no account. |
| Features | DOne narrow function: a number beside each Google result for the search in front of you. No rank history, no saved keywords, no other search engine and no page checks. | DOne narrow function: unpersonalized Google results from any country, city and language, with recent searches kept. No other search engine, no page checks and no tracking over time. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record, but nothing to set up: install it and the numbers appear on your next Google search. | BNo rating on record, but nothing to set up: no account, no VPN and no private window, just pick a place and search. |
| Platforms and integrations | CChrome only, so computers only, working on Google Search alone with no integrations. | CChrome only, so computers only, in English, working on Google Search and linked to Nightwatch's own tracker. |
| Best for | numbering the results on a Google page | Google results as seen from another city |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: MST SERP Counter and SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch. How we grade
Price against what you get
MST SERP Counter has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other SEO browser extensions on the chart, none scores higher than MST SERP Counter for less, and none scores higher than SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
At a glance
| MST SERP Counter | SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free to install from the Chrome Web Store, which lists no in-app purchases for it. | The extension is free and works with no login; a Nightwatch account adds saved searches, rank history and multi-location monitoring. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | ahmed-sohag | Nightwatch |
| Price read from | chromewebstore.google.com | nightwatch.io |
| Checked | Oct 23, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 |
Worth knowing
MST SERP Counter
- It keeps no history: positions are read from the live results each time you search.
- The listing names Google only; no Bing or other search engine is mentioned.
- It is listed for Chrome only, and the listing was last updated on February 22, 2024 (version 1.0.8).
- The developer has not identified itself as a trader, so EU consumer rights do not apply, as the store listing notes.
SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch
- It covers Google only, according to Nightwatch's FAQ.
- Heavy use can run into Google rate limits or captchas, as the store listing warns; Nightwatch points such users to its paid app.
- Saved searches, rank history and ongoing monitoring need a Nightwatch account and its rank tracker, sold separately.
- It is listed for Chrome only, with an English interface; the last update was version 1.3.1 in March 2025.
Key features
MST SERP Counter
- Numbered Google results
- Adds a position number to the results on a Google search page, so each result's rank can be read without counting.
- Live rank checks
- Search any keyword and see where your page sits in the live results at that moment, rather than in a saved report.
- Works on the results page
- The numbers appear on Google's own results page as you search; there is no separate app or dashboard to open.
- Narrow data use
- The developer's store disclosure lists website content as the only kind of data it handles, and says it is not sold to third parties.
SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch
- Search from any location
- Pick a country, a language and a city to see the Google results a searcher there gets; Nightwatch counts over 107,000 locations.
- No personalization
- Results are not shaped by your IP address, browsing history or Google account, so you see a neutral ranking.
- No VPN or incognito needed
- Location targeting is passed to Google with the query, so there is no need for a VPN, cleared cookies or a private window.
- Recent searches
- The simulator keeps a list of recent searches with their country and language so they can be run again.
- Any Google domain and language
- Searches can run on any Google country domain and in local languages, to check international SEO.
Plans
MST SERP Counter
Free$0
Position numbers on Google search results, free from the Chrome Web Store.
SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch
Free$0
Location and language search simulation on Google with no account needed, free from the Chrome Web Store.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MST SERP Counter or SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch?
As of Oct 23, 2026, both MST SERP Counter and SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch are free to use.
Which has a free plan, MST SERP Counter or SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch?
As of Oct 23, 2026, both MST SERP Counter and SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch have a free plan.
More comparisons
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- MST SERP Counter vs SEOquake
- SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch vs SEO Minion
- SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch vs SEOquake
- SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch vs Nightwatch
- SEO Search Simulator by Nightwatch vs Detailed SEO Extension
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.