The Beam Us Up Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Beam Us Up in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Beam Us Up
The Insider’s Guide
Free desktop SEO crawler for Windows, Mac and Linux
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among technical SEO tools, read from Beam Us Up’s own pages.
Made by BeamUsUp · checked Oct 23, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Beam Us Up’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Beam Us Up’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 73 of the 83 other technical SEO tools we grade
Beam Us Up is a free SEO crawler that runs on your own computer and checks a site for broken links, redirects, duplicate content, missing titles and descriptions, headings, canonicals and sitemap problems. Version 2.0 added JavaScript rendering, a check of which AI bots robots.txt lets in, crawl comparisons, a command-line crawler and a connection to AI apps over MCP. It has no paid plans or crawl limits.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Beam Us Up, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It's one developer's personal project, with support through comments on the site.
- 1
Best for free desktop crawls with no limits
Its own site says paid crawlers such as Screaming Frog are more capable.
- 2
It is free
Beam Us Up has no paid plan at all. The whole crawler is free with no stated crawl limits; PageSpeed scores need your own free Google API key.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 4
Technical crawl checks
Finds broken links, server and client errors, redirects, duplicate content, page titles, meta descriptions, H1 to H3 headings, canonicals and blocked URLs.
- 5
PageSpeed scores in bulk
Pulls Google PageSpeed results, including Core Web Vitals from real visitors, for crawled pages using a free Google API key.
- 6
JavaScript rendering
Version 2.0 can render pages using a Chrome or Edge browser already installed on the computer, set to never, auto or always.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 73 of 83
That is against the other technical SEO tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Beam Us Up is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Beam Us Up at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- BeamUsUp, since 2013
- Category
- Technical SEO & Site Audits
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for free desktop crawls with no limits
Beam Us Up is a free desktop crawler for Windows, Mac and Linux that finds broken links, redirects, duplicates and missing tags, and version 2.0 added JavaScript rendering and AI bot checks. Its own site says paid crawlers such as Screaming Frog are more capable. It's one developer's personal project, with support through comments on the site.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free, with no paid plans and no crawl limits stated. You download it and run it on your own computer, which counts as free and substantial on our ladder. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright. The only extra is a free Google API key of your own if you want PageSpeed scores. |
| Features | C | Finds broken links, redirects, duplicates, missing tags and canonical problems, with bulk PageSpeed, JavaScript rendering, AI bot checks, crawl comparison, a command line and MCP. Its own site says paid crawlers such as Screaming Frog are more capable, and Excel exports stop at 65,536 rows. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record. You install it, type a site address and crawl, with nothing else to set up unless you want PageSpeed scores. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Windows, Mac and Linux, plus a command-line crawler and MCP links to Claude, Cursor, VS Code and Gemini CLI. Computers only, though: no web or phone version. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Beam Us Up is for
- Fits if you want a site crawler without a subscription
- Works for developers who want to run crawls from the command line or a server
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you need support you can count on, as it's one developer's project answered through site comments
- Too light for very big audits, since crawls use up to half your computer's memory and Excel exports stop at 65,536 rows
- Skip it if you want crawls run in the cloud, as it only runs on your own computer
- Watch out: its own site says paid crawlers such as Screaming Frog and Netpeak do more
Good to know
Good for
- Site owners and freelancers who want a crawler without a subscription
- Small and mid-sized sites audited from a desktop computer
- Developers who want to run crawls from the command line
Worth knowing
- It is desktop software only: crawls run on your own computer and can use up to half of its memory.
- The Excel export stops at 65,536 rows per sheet.
- It is a personal project of its developer, and support is offered through comments on the site.
- Its own site says paid crawlers such as Screaming Frog and Netpeak are more capable.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Beam Us Up is free to use.
Free, with no paid plans and no crawl limits stated.
Free
$0
The full desktop crawler for Windows, macOS and Linux, with no limits stated on the site.
The free plan
The whole crawler is free with no stated crawl limits; PageSpeed scores need your own free Google API key.
Read from beamusup.com on Oct 23, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Free desktop SEO crawler for Windows, Mac and Linux. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: site audit, page speed.
Windows, Mac and Linux, plus a command-line crawler and MCP links to Claude, Cursor, VS Code and Gemini CLI.
- Technical crawl checks
- Finds broken links, server and client errors, redirects, duplicate content, page titles, meta descriptions, H1 to H3 headings, canonicals and blocked URLs.
- PageSpeed scores in bulk
- Pulls Google PageSpeed results, including Core Web Vitals from real visitors, for crawled pages using a free Google API key.
- JavaScript rendering
- Version 2.0 can render pages using a Chrome or Edge browser already installed on the computer, set to never, auto or always.
- AI bot access checks
- An AI Access tab shows which of 27 search and AI bots the site's robots.txt allows, checks llms.txt, and can export an llms.txt draft.
- Crawl comparison
- Compares two crawls to show fixed, new and remaining issues and changed pages, with results exported as CSV files.
- Command line and MCP
- Installs a command-line crawler for scripts and servers, and can connect to AI apps such as Claude, Cursor and VS Code over MCP.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Google PageSpeed Insights
- Claude
- Cursor
- VS Code
- Gemini CLI
Beam Us Up is made by BeamUsUp, and has been around since 2013.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
73/83
Other technical SEO tools it is graded above
Beam Us Up's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 73 of the 83 other technical SEO tools we grade, and level with 7.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 62 of 83) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 3).
Beam Us Up has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 84 technical SEO tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Beam Us Up’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 54 of 83
- AFree plan and trialAbove 62 of 83
- CFeaturesAbove 10 of 83
- BEase of useAbove 62 of 83
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 3 of 83
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 73 technical SEO tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Beam Us Up is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Beam Us Up is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 73 of the 83 other technical SEO tools we grade.
What you could not
- A crawler that checks every page of a site.
- Speed tests run from real browsers on a schedule.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Google PageSpeed Insights, Claude and Cursor among them.
What this rests on. Beam Us Up’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Screaming Frog SEO Spider, Sitebulb, Netpeak Software, Visual SEO Studio and Xenu's Link Sleuth
The 5 tools Beam Us Up is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Free plan · from $279/yr
Desktop website crawler for technical SEO audits.
- Beam Us Up also covers page speed.
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider also covers reports.
- 2.6GPA
Sitebulb
Free trial · from $18/mo
Website auditing crawler for Windows and Mac, with a cloud edition.
- Beam Us Up has a free plan. Sitebulb does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Beam Us Up lists a Linux app.
- Only Sitebulb lists a web app.
- 2.4GPA
Netpeak Software
Free plan · from $20/mo
Desktop SEO apps: site crawler, bulk URL checker and link monitors.
- Only Beam Us Up lists a Linux app.
- Netpeak Software can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Beam Us Up also covers page speed.
- 2.4GPA
Visual SEO Studio
Free plan · from €149/yr
Desktop SEO crawler for Windows and Mac with XML sitemap tools.
- Only Beam Us Up lists a Linux app.
- Beam Us Up also covers page speed.
- Visual SEO Studio also covers reports.
- 2.6GPA
Xenu's Link Sleuth
Free
Free Windows program that checks a website for broken links.
- Only Beam Us Up lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Beam Us Up also covers page speed.
- Xenu's Link Sleuth also covers reports.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Beam Us Up free?
Yes. Beam Us Up is free to use.
How much does Beam Us Up cost?
Beam Us Up lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Beam Us Up work on?
Beam Us Up is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Beam Us Up have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Beam Us Up is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Beam Us Up have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Beam Us Up is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Beam Us Up open source?
Beam Us Up is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 23, 2026.
What does Beam Us Up integrate with?
Beam Us Up's listing names Google PageSpeed Insights, Claude, Cursor, VS Code and Gemini CLI.
Who makes Beam Us Up?
Beam Us Up is made by BeamUsUp. It dates from 2013.
What are the alternatives to Beam Us Up?
The closest alternatives to Beam Us Up in our directory are Screaming Frog SEO Spider, Sitebulb, Netpeak Software, Visual SEO Studio and Xenu's Link Sleuth.
How does Beam Us Up compare with other technical SEO tools?
Beam Us Up's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 73 of the 83 other technical SEO tools we grade, and level with 7.
Is Beam Us Up good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Beam Us Up A for value for money. Beam Us Up has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Beam Us Up?
Beam Us Up is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Beam Us Up’s own pages on Oct 23, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 23, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Beam Us Up's own pages on 23 October 2026. Its site turned our reader away (an HTTP 403) when we went back to check it the same day, so the listing was not compared again. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by BeamUsUp. Prices change, so check beamusup.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Beam Us Up, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/beam-us-up
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Beam Us Up: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 23, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/beam-us-up
Know someone choosing between technical SEO tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/beam-us-up/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded technical SEO tools after Beam Us Up, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Technical SEO & Site Audits Insider's GuideEvery one of the 84 technical SEO tools we grade, compared
- Lighthouse Insider's GuideGoogle's open-source audit of page speed, accessibility and SEO3.2 GPA
- PageSpeed Insights Insider's GuideFree Google speed test with real-user Core Web Vitals and Lighthouse3.2 GPA
- Yellow Lab Tools Insider's GuideFree open-source audit of a page's speed and front-end code3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Beam Us Up’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Beam Us Up is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by BeamUsUp. Prices and plans change: check beamusup.com before you buy.