Honest comparison · Updated March 2026
MAYORDOMOLocal vs Free SEO Tools
Google Search Console. PageSpeed Insights. GTmetrix. Google Business Profile. Each one checks a piece of your SEO — but none gives you the full picture or tells you what to fix first. MAYORDOMOLocal combines it all into one scan, in plain English, with a priority action plan — from £49/mo with a free scan and no signup.
The short version
MAYORDOMOLocal
One scan covers everything. Plain-English results, prioritised fix plan, progress tracking, competitor benchmarking. From £49/mo. Free scan, no signup.
Free SEO Tools
Powerful individually, but scattered across 4–5 tools. Raw data without prioritisation. Built for SEO professionals who already know what to look for.
Sound familiar?
Free SEO tools are genuinely useful — Google built some of the best diagnostic tools available. But they were designed for developers and SEO professionals, not the person who actually runs the business. If any of these ring true, you're not alone:
"I don't know which tool to use first"
Search Console for indexing. PageSpeed Insights for performance. GTmetrix for load times. Google Business Profile for your listing. Each gives you a piece — none gives you the plan.
"I got a score but don't know what to do with it"
A 72 on PageSpeed. "Needs Improvement" on Core Web Vitals. But which issue matters most? What should you fix first? The tools assume you already know.
"I fixed something but can't tell if it helped"
You made changes, now you have to re-run every tool manually to see if anything improved. There's no single view showing what changed and what's left to do.
"My Yelp page still shows my old address"
Google Business Profile only covers Google. Your Bing, Yelp, and Facebook listings could be wrong and you'd never know — because no free tool checks them all.
What changes when it's all in one place
One scan. Everything checked.
Technical SEO, on-page issues, performance, and NAP consistency — all from one URL. No switching between tools, no combining spreadsheets, no guessing what you missed.
Fix this first. Then this. Then this.
Every issue is ranked by how much it's hurting your ranking. No more guessing which of 47 recommendations actually matters. Fix the top one, re-scan, see the improvement.
Written for you, not your developer
Every issue comes with a plain-English explanation and step-by-step fix instructions. No "reduce render-blocking resources" — just clear guidance you can act on or hand to someone who can.
One link. Your developer sees everything.
Send a magic link and your web developer gets full access to your audit — no account needed, no screenshots, no PDFs, no back-and-forth. They see what's broken and in what order to fix it.
Show up when people ask AI
More people are asking ChatGPT, Google AI, and Perplexity for local recommendations. Pro makes sure your business is the one they mention. No free tool offers this.
What each free tool does — and where it stops
Google Search Console
free · google.com/webmasters
Shows which queries bring traffic, which pages are indexed, and flags crawl errors. Essential data — but it's a dashboard for monitoring, not an audit tool. It doesn't tell you what to fix or in what order.
Google PageSpeed Insights
free · pagespeed.web.dev
Tests page load speed and Core Web Vitals for a single URL. Great for performance, but it only checks one page at a time and the recommendations are written for developers, not business owners.
GTmetrix
free · gtmetrix.com
Similar to PageSpeed Insights but adds waterfall charts and historical reports on paid plans. The free tier is limited to one test location and basic metrics. Overlaps heavily with PageSpeed Insights for most users.
Google Business Profile
free · business.google.com
Lets you manage your Google listing, reply to reviews, and post updates. Critical for local businesses — but only covers Google. Your Bing, Yelp, and Facebook listings could be wrong and you'd never know.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | MAYORDOMOLocal | Free Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | From £49/mo (free scan included) | Free |
| Account required | Not for the free scan | Google account for most |
| All-in-one SEO audit | ✓ Technical + on-page + performance | ✗ Split across 3–5 tools |
| Prioritised action plan | ✓ Ranked by impact | ✗ Raw data only |
| Plain-English explanations | ✓ Written for business owners | ✗ Technical jargon |
| NAP listing check | ✓ Google, Bing, Yelp, Facebook | ✗ Manual checking only |
| Progress tracking / re-scans | ✓ Monthly with history | ✗ Manual re-runs, no history |
| Competitor benchmarking | Pro (£99/mo) | ✗ |
| Sector league tables | ✓ Auto-ranked against your industry | ✗ |
| Gamified fixes | ✓ Mark fixes, earn points | ✗ |
| Share with your developer | ✓ Magic link, full access | ✗ |
| AI SEO optimisation | Pro (£99/mo) | ✗ |
| Page speed / Core Web Vitals | ✓ Included in audit | ✓ PageSpeed Insights / GTmetrix |
| Search query data | ✗ | ✓ Google Search Console |
| Indexing / crawl data | ✗ | ✓ Google Search Console |
| Time to first insight | 30 seconds — one URL, one scan | 30+ minutes across multiple tools |
| SEO knowledge required | None | Intermediate to advanced |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | N/A (free) |
Which approach is right for you?
Choose MAYORDOMOLocal if you…
- Are a business owner, not an SEO professional
- Want one scan that checks everything — not five tools giving five scores
- Need a priority action plan — not just raw data
- Want to track progress without re-running every tool monthly
- Need NAP consistency across Google, Bing, Yelp, and Facebook
- Care about showing up in AI search results
Stick with free tools if you…
- Are an SEO professional who already knows how to read the data
- Only need performance metrics, not a full audit with fix guidance
- Need search query and indexing data from Search Console
- Have the time to switch between tools and combine results yourself
Common questions
Can free SEO tools really replace a paid tool?
For SEO professionals who know how to interpret raw data, yes — Google Search Console and PageSpeed Insights are powerful. But for business owners who just want to know what's wrong and how to fix it, free tools give you pieces of the puzzle without the picture on the box. MAYORDOMOLocal combines those pieces into one report, in plain English, with a priority action plan.
What does MAYORDOMOLocal do that Google Search Console doesn't?
Search Console shows you what Google sees — indexing status, search queries, crawl errors. MAYORDOMOLocal audits your actual website for SEO issues, explains each one in plain English, ranks them by impact, and gives you step-by-step fix instructions. They're complementary — we recommend keeping Search Console alongside MAYORDOMOLocal.
Is MAYORDOMOLocal worth paying for if the free tools are... free?
Run the free scan first and decide for yourself. If your site scores well and you're comfortable interpreting Search Console data, you may not need us. Most business owners find 10+ issues they didn't know about, and the time saved not juggling five tools pays for the subscription many times over.
Do I still need Google Search Console if I use MAYORDOMOLocal?
Yes — we recommend it. Search Console gives you search query data and indexing status that no third-party tool can replicate. MAYORDOMOLocal focuses on auditing your website and giving you a fix plan. They work well together.
Can I try MAYORDOMOLocal before paying?
Yes — run a free scan from our homepage with no signup required. You'll see your top 3 issues in about 30 seconds. Paid plans unlock the full audit with fix instructions and tracking. No credit card, no trial period, no strings.
What is AI SEO optimisation?
Our Pro plan includes AI search optimisation — making sure your business shows up when people ask ChatGPT, Google AI, or Perplexity for recommendations. No free tool offers this. More people are using AI assistants to find local businesses, and this feature ensures you're visible in those results.
See it for yourself
Everything those 5 tools tell you.
One scan. 30 seconds.
Run a free scan right now and see what's holding your website back. If everything looks perfect, you won't need us. Most businesses find issues they didn't know about.
Free scan with no signup · 30-day money-back guarantee · Cancel any time
vs BrightLocal · Full pricing details · About MAYORDOMOLocal