Stop paying $100+ a month for SEO.
OpenSEO is an open-source alternative to Ahrefs and Semrush that topped Product Hunt. Keyword research, backlinks, rank tracking and site audits — free to self-host, or $10 a month hosted, versus $130+ for the big names. Here is how to use it, honestly.
- 01
Try it free at openseo.so
OpenSEO is an open-source alternative to Ahrefs and Semrush. Open it at openseo.so and start with the free hosted version — no card, no commitment — to see your keywords and rankings.
- 02
Research a keyword
Type in a keyword or your domain. You get search volume, difficulty, and the keywords you can realistically rank for — the same core data the $100+ tools charge for.
- 03
Spy on competitors and audit your site
Check any competitor to see the backlinks they're winning, and run a technical site audit to find what's holding your rankings back. Rank tracking watches where you sit on Google over time.
- 04
Go free forever, or pay $10 hosted
Want it fully free? Self-host it with Docker and bring your own DataForSEO API key — you only pay per lookup. Prefer zero setup? The hosted version is $10/month. Either way you're miles under Ahrefs.
What you get
The honest caveats
It is genuinely capable, but it is younger than Ahrefs, so its backlink index and historical data are not as deep. Self-hosting means a little Docker setup and bringing your own DataForSEO key, and even the “free” route has small per-lookup data costs. For most founders doing their own SEO, though, it covers the core jobs at a fraction of the price — which is the whole point.
Want your SEO handled for you?
Klevere builds AI systems that research keywords, track rankings and produce the content to win them — wired into your business.
Features, star counts and pricing of OpenSEO and the tools it compares to change quickly; check openseo.so and the tools’ own sites for current details. Tool names are trademarks of their respective owners.