The Best 8 Website Crawlers for Mac – Unleash Your Web Data Harvesting Potential!

Are you looking for a way to extract data from the web? A website crawler software is what you need! With the right website crawler, you can access valuable information from websites without tedious manual work. The software will automatically go through web pages, extract data, and store it in an organized way.

Website crawlers, also known as web spiders, web bots, or web robots, are essential tools for web scraping, data mining, and SEO analysis. With a website crawler, you can analyze competitors’ websites, gather market insights, extract product information, track changes, and more.

If you’re using a Mac, you might wonder which website crawler is the best one for you. In this blog post, we will introduce the top 8 website crawlers for Mac and provide a comprehensive comparison to help you find the perfect tool for your needs.

Video Tutorial:

What is a Website Crawler?

A website crawler is a software program that automatically navigates through the internet to collect and index web page content and other web-related data. Crawlers typically start at a known URL and then follow the hyperlinks on that page to find other pages on the same site or on other sites.

The data collected by crawlers are then indexed and organized in databases that can be searched and analyzed by humans or other software programs.

Website crawlers are essential for search engines, as they help search engines understand the content and structure of web pages. But website crawlers are used for many other purposes, such as web scraping, data mining, market analysis, and content management.

Top 8 Website Crawlers for Mac Recommendation

Here are the top 8 website crawlers for Mac that we’ve selected based on their features, ease-of-use, and value for money.

1. Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a powerful website crawling tool that can analyze any website’s structure and SEO efficiency. This tool can analyze websites of any size and identify errors, missing elements, and other issues that affect your website’s SEO health.

Moreover, it can provide valuable data on keywords, title tags, meta descriptions, and other on-page SEO elements. As a website crawler, it can find broken links, 404 errors, duplicate content, and other issues that need to be addressed.

This website crawler tool is easy to use and provides a user-friendly interface to help you navigate through your website’s pages and extract data. It comes in both free and paid versions, with the latter offering advanced features such as custom extraction, authentication, and integration with Google Analytics.

Download Link: https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/

Pros:
-Provides detailed insights and analysis on website structure and SEO performance
-Can crawl websites of any size
-Comes with a user-friendly interface and a range of advanced features
-Offers free and paid versions

Cons:
-Requires some learning curve to utilize all its features

2. Sitebulb

Sitebulb is a comprehensive website crawler that can analyze any website’s structure, content, and performance. It offers a broad range of data insights, including technical SEO, content quality, performance, and security.

The tool provides a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to navigate through your website’s pages and extract data. It comes with several advanced features such as crawl scheduling, custom data extraction, and export to CSV, XLSX, or Google Sheets.

Sitebulb is available in both free and paid versions, with the latter offering additional features such as website comparisons, historical data analysis, and crawl allocation.

Download Link: https://sitebulb.com/

Pros:
-Provides a comprehensive data analysis on website structure, content, and performance
-Offers a user-friendly interface and advanced features
-Can export data to CSV, XLSX, or Google Sheets
-Available in both free and paid versions

Cons:
-Not suitable for beginners or casual users

3. Netpeak Spider

Netpeak Spider is a professional website crawler that enables you to analyze your website’s structure, content, and SEO. This tool can help you identify technical issues, content gaps, and on-page SEO opportunities to optimize your website’s performance.

Netpeak Spider provides a simple and intuitive interface that is easy to use even for beginners. The tool offers advanced features such as custom data extraction, integration with Google Analytics, and unlimited number of simultaneous crawls.

Netpeak Spider is available in both free and paid versions, with the latter offering additional features such as website comparison, integration with Ahrefs and Majestic, and free training.

Download Link: https://netpeaksoftware.com/spider/

Pros:
-Provides a comprehensive analysis on website structure, content, and SEO
-Simple and intuitive interface
-Offers advanced features and integration with other SEO tools
-Available in both free and paid versions

Cons:
-Some features are only available in paid versions

4. Majestic Site Explorer

Majestic Site Explorer is a website crawler that specializes in backlink analysis and link building. This tool can help you analyze your website’s backlink profile, identify link opportunities, and track your link building progress.

Majestic Site Explorer provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to navigate through your website’s pages and extract data on backlinks, referring domains, and anchor texts. The tool comes with advanced features such as custom data extraction, integration with other marketing tools, and daily or weekly reconnaissance.

Majestic Site Explorer is available in both free and paid versions, with the latter offering additional features such as custom report building, integration with Ahrefs, and API access.

Download Link: https://majestic.com/reports/site-explorer

Pros:
-Specialized in backlink analysis and link building
-Provides a user-friendly interface and advanced features
-Offers both free and paid versions

Cons:
-Not suitable for users looking for a comprehensive website analysis tool

5. Ahrefs Site Audit

Ahrefs Site Audit is a powerful website auditing tool that can help you analyze your website’s structure, content, and SEO. This tool can identify technical issues, content gaps, and on-page SEO opportunities to help you optimize your website’s performance.

Ahrefs Site Audit provides a simple and intuitive interface that allows you to navigate through your website’s pages and extract data on keywords, on-page SEO, and backlinks. The tool comes with advanced features such as custom data extraction, integration with Google Analytics, and unlimited number of simultaneous crawls.

Ahrefs Site Audit is only available in a paid version, which offers additional features such as competitor analysis, keyword research, and content gap analysis.

Download Link: https://ahrefs.com/site-audit

Pros:
-Provides a comprehensive analysis on website structure, content, and SEO
-Simple and intuitive interface
-Offers advanced features and integration with other SEO tools

Cons:
-Not available in a free version

6. WebSite Auditor

WebSite Auditor is an all-in-one website crawler and SEO tool that can analyze any website’s structure, content, and performance. This tool can help you identify technical issues, content gaps, and on-page SEO opportunities to optimize your website’s performance.

WebSite Auditor provides a simple and intuitive interface that allows you to navigate through your website’s pages and extract data on keywords, on-page SEO, and backlinks. The tool comes with advanced features such as custom data extraction, integration with Google Analytics, and export to CSV, XLSX, or PDF.

WebSite Auditor is available in both free and paid versions, with the latter offering additional features such as website comparison, social media stats, and white-label reports.

Download Link: https://www.link-assistant.com/website-auditor/

Pros:
-Provides a comprehensive analysis on website structure, content, and SEO
-Simple and intuitive interface
-Offers advanced features and integration with other SEO tools
-Available in both free and paid versions

Cons:
-Some features are only available in paid versions

7. DeepCrawl

DeepCrawl is a website crawler and SEO platform that can analyze any website’s structure, content, and performance. This tool can help you identify technical issues, content gaps, and on-page SEO opportunities to optimize your website’s performance.

DeepCrawl provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to navigate through your website’s pages and extract data on keywords, on-page SEO, and backlinks. The tool comes with advanced features such as custom data extraction, integration with Google Analytics, and real-time reporting.

DeepCrawl is only available in a paid version, which offers additional features such as competitor analysis, keyword research, and content gap analysis.

Download Link: https://www.deepcrawl.com/

Pros:
-Provides a comprehensive analysis on website structure, content, and SEO
-Simple and intuitive interface
-Offers advanced features and integration with other SEO tools

Cons:
-Not available in a free version

8. OnCrawl

OnCrawl is a website crawler and SEO platform that can analyze any website’s structure, content, and performance. This tool can help you identify technical issues, content gaps, and on-page SEO opportunities to optimize your website’s performance.

OnCrawl provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to navigate through your website’s pages and extract data on keywords, on-page SEO, and backlinks. The tool comes with advanced features such as custom data extraction, integration with Google Analytics, and export to CSV, XLSX, or PDF.

OnCrawl is only available in a paid version, which offers additional features such as log file analysis, website comparison, and white-label reports.

Download Link: https://www.oncrawl.com/

Pros:
-Provides a comprehensive analysis on website structure, content, and SEO
-Simple and intuitive interface
-Offers advanced features and integration with other SEO tools

Cons:
-Not available in a free version

Comprehensive Comparison of Each Software

Here’s a table comparing the top 8 website crawlers for Mac, based on their free trial, price, ease-of-use, and value for money.

Our Thoughts on Website Crawlers for Mac

Choosing the right website crawler for your needs depends on several factors, such as your budget, your expertise level, and your specific goals. All the website crawler tools we’ve listed above are excellent choices with their unique features and capabilities.

If you’re looking for a website crawling tool that can provide valuable insights on your website’s SEO performance, Screaming Frog SEO Spider and Sitebulb are excellent picks. These tools offer user-friendly interfaces and advanced features, including custom data extraction, website comparison, and Google Analytics integration.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a website crawling tool that can specialize in backlink analysis and link building, Majestic Site Explorer is an excellent choice. This tool offers a user-friendly interface and advanced features, including competitor analysis, keyword research, and content gap analysis.

If you’re on a tight budget, Netpeak Spider and WebSite Auditor are excellent choices that offer valuable features and capabilities while being more affordable than other tools.

Overall, the best website crawler for your needs depends on your goals, expertise, and budget. Consider the factors we’ve outlined above and choose the tool that aligns best with your goals, expertise, and budget.

FAQs about Website Crawlers

Q1: What is the difference between a website crawler and a web scraper?

A: A website crawler is a tool that automatically navigates through the internet to collect and index web page content and other web-related data. A web scraper, on the other hand, is a tool that extracts specific data from web pages, such as product prices, reviews, or contact information.

Q2: Are website crawlers legal?

A: Generally, website crawling is legal as long as it’s done for personal or research purposes and doesn’t violate any copyright laws or terms of service of the websites being crawled.

Q3: Can website crawlers harm my website?

A: Website crawlers alone cannot harm your website. However, if a crawler sends too many requests to your website’s server at once, it can cause performance issues and slow down your website’s loading speed.

Q4: Can website crawlers be used for SEO?

A: Yes, website crawlers are essential for SEO, as they help search engines understand the content and structure of web pages. By analyzing your website’s structure and SEO efficiency, you can identify issues that affect your website’s SEO health and optimize it accordingly.

Q5: Can website crawlers extract data from dynamic websites?

A: Website crawlers can extract data from dynamic websites, but it requires more advanced crawling techniques and sometimes custom data extraction tools.

In Conclusion

Website crawlers are essential tools for web scraping, data mining, and SEO analysis. With a website crawler, you can access valuable information from websites without tedious manual work. The software will automatically go through web pages, extract data, and store it in an organized way.

In this blog post, we’ve introduced the top 8 website crawlers for Mac and provided a comprehensive comparison to help you find the perfect tool for your needs. Consider the features, ease-of-use, and value for money of each tool and choose the one that aligns best with your goals and expertise.