Download SilkCrawl
Free to download. No account required. Start auditing your website in minutes.
The free version includes the complete feature set with a 200-page limit. Upgrade to Pro for unlimited pages and additional crawl modes.
Outgrowing Free?
You'll need Pro if:
- ✓ Your website has more than 200 pages
- ✓ You need URL list or sitemap crawl modes
- ✓ You need to start crawls from any URL (deep-start)
Getting Started
Follow these steps to run your first website audit.
Install SilkCrawl
Download the version for your operating system and install it. On Windows, run the .exe installer. On macOS, open the .dmg and drag SilkCrawl to Applications. On Linux, make the AppImage executable and run it.
Enter your website URL
Open SilkCrawl and type your website address. Choose a scan mode: full website scan (discovers all pages), page list scan (check specific URLs), or sitemap scan (crawl from your XML sitemap).
Configure your scan (optional)
Adjust settings if needed: maximum pages to scan, scan speed, URL exclusions, or authentication headers for password-protected sites. The defaults work great for most websites.
Start scanning
Click Start and SilkCrawl will visit every page on your site, just like Google does. You'll see real-time progress as pages are crawled and analyzed.
Review your report
When the scan finishes, SilkCrawl generates an interactive HTML report you can open in any browser. See all issues at a glance: missing titles, broken links, security problems, and more. Export to CSV or JSON to share with your team.
Scan Modes
Three ways to scan your website, depending on what you need.
Full Website Scan
Enter your homepage URL and SilkCrawl automatically discovers all pages by following links. Best for a complete site audit. Set depth and page limits to control the scope.
Page List Scan
Upload a text file with specific URLs you want to check (one per line). Perfect for auditing a specific section of your site or verifying a list of important pages.
Sitemap Scan
Enter your XML sitemap URL and SilkCrawl will crawl every page listed in it. Great for verifying that all pages in your sitemap are accessible and properly configured.
Understanding Your Reports
SilkCrawl generates several types of reports to help you take action.
Interactive HTML Report
A visual dashboard that opens in your browser. See summary statistics at the top (pages crawled, errors found, missing titles, etc.), then dig into a sortable table with every page and its issues. Filter by URL to find specific problems. Color-coded status makes it easy to spot what needs attention.
CSV Reports
Open in Excel or Google Sheets. The main report includes all pages with their metrics. Pro users also get separate reports for internal links, external links, images, inlink counts, and static resources — perfect for detailed analysis or client deliverables.
JSON Export
A complete data dump in structured format. Useful for integrating SilkCrawl results with other tools or building custom reports.
XML Sitemap
Automatically generate a new XML sitemap from all successfully crawled pages (status 200). Useful for creating or updating your sitemap based on what's actually live on your site.
Activating Pro
Already purchased a Pro license? Here's how to activate it.
Find your license key
After purchase, your license key is sent to the email you provided during checkout. Check your inbox (and spam folder) for an email from SilkCrawl.
Enter your key in SilkCrawl
Open SilkCrawl, go to Settings, and paste your license key. Click Activate. All Pro features will be unlocked immediately.
Start using Pro features
The page limit is removed, all crawl modes are unlocked, and you can start from any URL. Enjoy!