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Open SEO

v1.0.0•Marketing & SEO•stable

Open source alternative to Semrush and Ahrefs

backlink-analysiskeyword-researchmcpseoseo-tools
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What is Open SEO?

Open SEO is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to open source alternative to semrush and ahrefs

Open source alternative to Semrush and Ahrefs

This server falls under the Marketing & SEO category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.

Features

  • Open source alternative to Semrush and Ahrefs

Use Cases

Analyze backlinks and conduct keyword research.
Perform site audits without expensive SEO tools.
every-app

Maintainer

LicenseMIT
Languagetypescript
Versionv1.0.0
UpdatedMay 21, 2026
Statushealthy
Maintenanceactive

Works with

ClaudeOpenAIwindowsmacoslinux
View SourceBrowse All Servers

Installation

Manual Installation

npx open-seo

Configuration

Configuration Details

Config File

claude_desktop_config.json

Performance

Response Metrics

Response Time< 200ms
ThroughputMedium

Resource Usage

Memory UsageLow
CPU UsageLow

How to Set Up and Use Open SEO

Open SEO is an open-source MCP server that provides AI assistants with professional SEO analysis capabilities powered by the DataForSEO API, offering an affordable alternative to tools like Semrush and Ahrefs. It exposes keyword research, SERP inspection, backlink analysis, competitor analysis, domain comparison, site audits, and AI brand visibility monitoring as MCP tools that agents can call directly. Marketing teams and developers use it to automate SEO research and reporting workflows inside Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible AI client.

Prerequisites

  • A DataForSEO account with API credentials (base64-encoded login:password as DATAFORSEO_API_KEY)
  • Docker installed (for the docker compose deployment), or Node.js 18+ for npx usage
  • An MCP client such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf
  • Git for cloning the repository if running locally
1

Obtain DataForSEO API credentials

Sign up at dataforseo.com and navigate to the API credentials section. Encode your login and password in base64 format (login:password) — this becomes your DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.

echo -n 'your_login:your_password' | base64
2

Clone the repository and copy the env file

Clone the Open SEO repository and create your environment file from the example template.

git clone https://github.com/every-app/open-seo.git
cd open-seo
cp .env.example .env
3

Set your DataForSEO API key

Edit the .env file and set the DATAFORSEO_API_KEY variable to your base64-encoded credentials string.

# In .env:
DATAFORSEO_API_KEY=your_base64_encoded_login_colon_password
4

Start the server with Docker

Launch the Open SEO MCP server using Docker Compose. The server will start and expose the MCP endpoint.

docker compose up -d
5

Connect via Claude Code or add remote MCP

Add Open SEO as an MCP server in your client. For the hosted version at openseo.so, use the remote HTTP transport. For self-hosted, connect to your local endpoint.

claude mcp add --transport http --scope user openseo https://app.openseo.so/mcp

Open SEO Examples

Client configuration

Claude Desktop config using the Open SEO remote hosted endpoint.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "open-seo": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "open-seo-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "DATAFORSEO_API_KEY": "your_base64_encoded_credentials"
      }
    }
  }
}

Prompts to try

Example prompts for SEO research and analysis using the Open SEO tools.

- "Research keywords related to 'email marketing automation' and cluster them by intent."
- "Analyze the backlink profile of competitor.com and identify their top linking domains."
- "Compare the domain authority of site-a.com vs site-b.com."
- "Run a site audit on mysite.com and list the top technical SEO issues."
- "Show me the SERP results for 'best project management tools' and identify featured snippets."

Troubleshooting Open SEO

API calls return 401 or forbidden errors

Your DATAFORSEO_API_KEY must be the base64 encoding of 'login:password' (with a colon separator, no spaces). Re-encode your credentials and update the .env file, then restart the container.

Docker compose up fails to start

Check that Docker Desktop is running and that the .env file exists in the project root. Run 'docker compose logs' to see specific error messages from the container startup.

Keyword research returns no results

Ensure your DataForSEO plan includes the Keywords Data API. Some endpoints require specific API products to be enabled on your account. Check your plan at dataforseo.com.

Frequently Asked Questions about Open SEO

What is Open SEO?

Open SEO is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that open source alternative to semrush and ahrefs It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.

How do I install Open SEO?

Follow the installation instructions on the Open SEO GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.

Which AI clients work with Open SEO?

Open SEO works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.

Is Open SEO free to use?

Yes, Open SEO is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.

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Quick Config Preview

{ "mcpServers": { "open-seo": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "open-seo"] } } }

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json

Read the full setup guide →

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