Most marketers think SEO tools start and end with Ahrefs, SEMrush, and maybe a sprinkling of Moz. These are the big three. They dominate the conversation, eat up the budget, and, for many, feel like the “only” option if you’re serious about SEO.
But let me introduce you to a scrappy underdog that deserves your attention: SEOUtils.
This isn’t another cloud-based, subscription-draining SaaS. It’s a desktop app that runs locally on Mac, Windows, and Linux. You pay once, you own it. No monthly “gotcha” charges. Just a one-time fee of $60 plus some credits for the actual data.
And for the right type of marketer, it’s a game-changer.
Why It Caught My Eye: The Local Grid Tracker
If you’re running local SEO campaigns, you know how much of a nightmare it is to accurately track rankings across Google Maps.
Most tools give you a high-level average. Others force you into a $30+ monthly plan per Google Business Profile. Multiply that by a handful of clients—or if you’re managing multiple locations—and suddenly you’re bleeding $100+ every month just for visibility.
SEOUtils solves this with a local grid tracker baked right in.
Run it on your machine, see real rank positions across the map, no extra monthly costs. It’s like having a drone’s-eye view of local search, minus the recurring bill.
More Than Just a One-Trick Pony
Don’t get me wrong, the grid tracker is my favorite feature—but this thing packs way more under the hood:
- Keyword Research & Clustering – Unlimited clustering by SERP similarity. That means you can group keywords based on actual overlap in rankings. And it integrates with Google Search Console, pulling in all your data with no limits.
- Rank Tracking – For Google and Bing, desktop and mobile, specific locations included. Plus tagging by topic to keep campaigns organized.
- Content Gap Analysis – Drop in competitor domains, get the topics and keywords you’re missing. Works just like the big boys (Ahrefs/SEMRush).
- Auto Indexing – Unlimited URL indexing on autopilot. No need to buy credits from shady vendors.
- AI Content Writer – Runs locally or via your OpenAI key. Privacy-friendly, flexible, and fast.
- Entity Extraction – Powered by Google NLP and others, across 20+ languages. Great for semantic SEO plays.
- Backlink Gap Analysis – Find the link opps you’re missing out on.
- Sitemap Extractor + Content Outlines – Scrapes SERPs, pulls headings and metadata, then generates outlines with AI.
Oh, and did I mention? Unlimited keywords. Unlimited sites. White-label reporting.
Who It’s For
Let’s keep it real: SEOUtils isn’t built for everyone.
If you’re an enterprise running international SEO campaigns across 50 markets, you’ll probably still keep your Ahrefs seat. If you’re addicted to dashboards in the cloud, you may not vibe with a desktop-first workflow.
But if you’re:
- Running local SEO campaigns,
- Managing multiple Google Business Profiles,
- Freelancing or running a boutique agency where every dollar counts,
- Or just tired of SaaS fatigue…
Then this tool might be your secret weapon.
The Bottom Line
SEOUtils won’t replace every feature of Ahrefs or SEMrush—but it doesn’t have to. For $60 plus pay-as-you-go credits, you get rank tracking, clustering, analytics, backlink analysis, entity extraction, content gap research, and unlimited indexing.
In a world where marketers are drowning in subscriptions, SEOUtils is refreshingly old school: buy it once, use it forever, own your stack.
If you’re doing SEO without $100s to burn every month, this tool deserves a spot on your desktop.
Curious? Check it out here: seoutils.app