What is this?
An open source alternative to Semrush and Ahrefs: an all-in-one SEO tool you can use yourself or plug into an AI agent, paying as you go instead of a big subscription.
Is this a website I log into, or something my AI agent runs?
Both. There is a hosted web UI at openseo.so, plus an MCP server so agents like Claude Code, OpenClaw and Hermes can use your SEO data directly. You can also self-host the whole thing.
How do I start using OpenSEO — hosted or self-hosted?
Try the hosted version free on openseo.so, or self-host: Docker is the simple path for testing, while Cloudflare is recommended for internet-facing or team use and works on the free plan.
Do I need a DataForSEO API key for this to work?
Yes — self-hosting requires a DataForSEO API key; OpenSEO pulls its SEO data through it and you pay DataForSEO directly for what you use.
Is any self-hosting platform fine, or are there catches?
The README recommends Cloudflare over Railway, Coolify or Dokploy for internet-facing hosting — simpler support for those is still planned. Docker is best for testing or personal use on your own machine.
What SEO workflows does OpenSEO cover?
Six: keyword research, rank tracking, competitor insights, backlinks, site audits and AI visibility — focused workflows instead of one bloated suite.
What are OpenSEO Agent Skills?
Reusable workflows that walk your AI agent through SEO tasks over the OpenSEO MCP server. Pre-built skills ship with the project, and you can write your own to tailor OpenSEO to your needs.
What will it cost me compared to Semrush or Ahrefs?
Self-hosting is pay-as-you-go: you only pay DataForSEO for the requests you make, slightly less than the estimates on openseo.so/pricing. The hosted version is free to try, then $10/month — it is funded by a 28% surcharge on every DataForSEO request.
Why build an open source clone of Semrush instead of just paying for it?
Per the README: Semrush and Ahrefs feel too expensive and bloated. OpenSEO bets on focused workflows, no subscriptions, your own DataForSEO key, and a codebase you can fork and vibe code into your own custom tool.
What are similar projects?
rankme.fast, seo-skills, seo-monster, open-seo-mcp-skills, geo-score, bisibility, marketingskills, backlink_skills
Which topics is it in?
seo-audit, ai-sdk, keyword-research, seo-tools, seo, hermes-agent, openrouter, marketing, cloudflare-workers, saas, cloudflare, analytics