Free trial web
Free source (opens in a new tab)
One-time
For: Testing the tool
Limits
- $0.50 of credits
Includes
- Test OpenSEO before subscribing
API included
Research & searchDocumented overviewLast checked Oct 1, 2026
OpenSEO: Pricing, Features & Best Use Cases
Open-source SEO platform with keyword research, rank tracking, backlinks and audits, usable from AI agents via MCP.
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Our take: OpenSEO suits freelancers, founders and small agencies who want an inexpensive, open-source SEO toolkit that their AI agent can drive through MCP, paying $10 per month with usage included.
Main limitation: Usage is metered on DataForSEO data, so heavy features such as ChatGPT brand checks at about $1.09 each can exceed the included $10 quickly.
Who should use OpenSEO
OpenSEO suits freelancers, founders and small agencies who want an inexpensive, open-source SEO toolkit that their AI agent can drive through MCP, paying $10 per month with usage included. Based on the vendor's documentation, not on a hands-on test.
Best for: Solo founders
Also a good fit for
- Freelancers and small agencies
- Users working through AI agents
Consider another tool if usage is metered; ChatGPT brand checks cost about $1.09 each
Or if
- Requests error when credits run out until topped up
- Trial credit is only $0.50
OpenSEO pricing and usage limits
Prices checked Oct 1, 2026 on the official US pricing page. Official pricing ↗ Prices and limits change often.
Free access and trial conditions
No free plan; a free trial includes $0.50 in credits.
Free trial with $0.50 credits, no credit card required to start.
Paid plans: what changes as you upgrade
Base Plan web
$10/mo source (opens in a new tab)
Month
For: Individual site owners and agencies
Limits
- $10 of usage included each month
- Requests error when credits run out until topped up
Includes
- Keyword research, backlinks, rank tracking and site audits
- Works inside Claude, Cursor and ChatGPT
2 more
- Google Search Console data does not use credits
- Extra usage never expires
API included
Usage caps, credits and extra costs
Top-up credits can be bought anytime and roll over; included monthly usage resets each billing cycle. Examples: keyword search about $0.05, domain backlink overview about $0.08, ChatGPT brand check about $1.09.
Not stated.
What is OpenSEO, and how does it work?
OpenSEO is an open-source SEO platform covering keyword research, saved keywords, rank tracking, domain overview, backlinks, site audits and AI-search brand visibility. It connects to AI clients such as Claude and Codex through an MCP server and skills. Data comes from DataForSEO. A single base plan includes monthly usage credit, and extra credit can be bought as needed.
What you provide and what you get back
You provide
- Seed keywords and domains
- Google Search Console connection
- Commands from an MCP-enabled agent
You get back
- Keyword volume and difficulty
- Backlink and domain reports
- Rank tracking history
- Saved agent reports
Where you can use it
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Account
- Required
- Data provider
- DataForSEO
- Agents supported
- Claude, Codex, OpenClaw, OpenCode, Gemini
- Cost examples
- Keyword search about $0.05; backlink overview about $0.08; ChatGPT brand check about $1.09
- License
- Open source, self-hostable
What people use OpenSEO for
Scenarios are worked out by our editors from the documentation; the actual result depends on your input and plan.
Keyword research
- Who
- Content marketers and founders
- You provide
- A seed keyword given to an AI agent
- Expected result
- Clustered keyword ideas with volume and difficulty saved to the workspace
- Plan needed
- Base Plan
- Limitation
- Each search costs about $0.05 source (opens in a new tab)
Rank tracking
- Who
- Site owners
- You provide
- Domains and tracked keywords
- Expected result
- Weekly position tracking with history
- Plan needed
- Base Plan
- Limitation
- Tracking checks use credits source (opens in a new tab)
Competitor and domain analysis
- Who
- Agencies and freelancers
- You provide
- Competitor domains
- Expected result
- Competitor keyword and backlink data from DataForSEO
- Plan needed
- Base Plan or top-ups
- Limitation
- Depends on DataForSEO data source (opens in a new tab)
Key features and their practical limits
Keyword research and SERPs
Finds keyword ideas with demand, difficulty, intent and live SERPs. Identifies topics worth writing about.
Rank tracking
Tracks keyword positions over time, weekly in the estimator. Shows progress after changes.
Backlinks
Inspects backlinks, referring domains and link quality. Supports link analysis.
Site audit
Crawls pages and surfaces technical issues. Finds on-page problems.
AI visibility and prompt explorer
Reviews AI mentions, citations and prompts across supported AI models. Shows brand presence in AI search.
Pros, cons and deal-breakers
Reasons to choose OpenSEO
- Single $10/mo plan with $10 usage included One plan covers typical use at a low monthly cost. documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Free trial with $0.50 credits You can verify it works for your site before paying. documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Open source with a GitHub repo You can self-host or customize it. documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Google Search Console data does not use credits Search performance data costs nothing extra. documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Open-source GitHub project The code can be inspected and extended. documented source (opens in a new tab)
Check before paying for OpenSEO
- Usage is metered; ChatGPT brand checks cost about $1.09 each Heavy AI-visibility use becomes expensive. documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Requests error when credits run out until topped up Work stops until you add credits. documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Trial credit is only $0.50 The trial only covers a few lookups. documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Depends on DataForSEO data Data quality and coverage rely on a third-party provider. documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Active subscription required Top-up credits are unusable without a subscription. documented source (opens in a new tab)
How to use OpenSEO for running keyword research from an AI agent
Set up OpenSEO
- Sign up at openseo.so; no credit card is needed for the trial.
- Copy the setup prompt for Claude, Codex, OpenCode, Gemini or OpenClaw.
- Paste it into your agent to install the OpenSEO MCP.
- Connect Google Search Console if you want your own data.
Example: running keyword research from an AI agent
- Ask the agent to find and cluster keywords for your site.
- Review the volumes and difficulty returned.
- Save promising keywords to your workspace.
- Add keywords to rank tracking and run an audit.
Review and export the result
- Open app.openseo.so to confirm saved keywords.
- Check the usage estimate against the included $10.
- Test an expensive action such as a ChatGPT brand check only once.
Find and cluster keywords for a hiking gear blog, show volume and difficulty, and save the best ten.
OpenSEO API
API access and separate billing
OpenSEO has no public API in its official documentation. MCP server for AI agents; a Google Search Console MCP is also offered. API documentation ↗
Privacy, data use and commercial rights
Summarized from the vendor's current policies; this is not legal advice and a vendor's badge is not an independent audit.
How your inputs and outputs are handled
Collects personal and non-personal information through the hosted service; self-hosted deployments are controlled by their operator.
Controls for business users
- Self-hosting option
Policies: openseo.so/privacy
Best OpenSEO alternatives for different needs
"Better suited" is based on documented features and pricing, not on a head-to-head test.
Perplexity: better suited to
Claude: better suited to
ChatGPT: better suited to
| Alternative | When to choose it | Pricing | Limitation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perplexity | — | — | Compare | |
| Claude | — | — | ||
| ChatGPT | — | — |
Explore OpenSEO further
OpenSEO pricing, plan by planEvery plan with USD prices, limits and what is free.Best OpenSEO alternativesTools for the same job, by need and starting price.Best AI research toolsOur picks in this category, compared by price and free tiers.Prompts for OpenSEOReady-to-copy prompts with their sources.
Tools and guides near OpenSEO
More research & search tools
Guides and comparisons
OpenSEO user reviews
No user reviews yet.
Used OpenSEO? Be the first to share your experience.
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OpenSEO FAQ
How much does OpenSEO cost?
The Base Plan is $10 per month and includes $10 of usage each month. source (opens in a new tab)
What happens when I run out of credits?
You see errors when trying tasks until you buy top-up credits, so there are no surprise bills. source (opens in a new tab)
Which features use credits?
Features that query DataForSEO's API such as backlinks, keyword volume, competitor data and site audits; saved projects and already fetched data do not cost credits. source (opens in a new tab)
Do unused credits roll over?
Top-up credits roll over indefinitely, while the included monthly credits reset each billing cycle. source (opens in a new tab)
Is there a free trial?
Yes, it includes $0.50 of credits. source (opens in a new tab)
Sources and review methodology
Official sources and verification dates
- OpenSEO homepage homepage · checked Oct 1, 2026
- OpenSEO pricing pricing · checked Oct 1, 2026
- https://openseo.so/privacy policy · checked Oct 1, 2026
- https://openseo.so/docs docs · checked Oct 1, 2026
Not verified: Training use; Retention periods; Limits on tracked keywords.
How we documented and maintain this page
Every fact about OpenSEO above comes from the 4 official pages listed here, last compared on Oct 1, 2026; we have not run OpenSEO ourselves, so it has no editorial score. How we check and re-check pages.
Article updated Oct 10, 2026; prices checked Oct 1, 2026. Outbound links to vendors are plain links; we do not earn commissions. How we review · Report an error