AI SEO Tools Hub

Comparison

Best Sitemap Generators

The sitemap tools worth knowing — browser builders, online crawlers, desktop apps and WordPress plugins — compared on what actually differs: whether they crawl, whether they show a visual tree, XML export and the free limit. No pay-to-play, no invented scores.

Last updated: 2026-06-21  ·  Our free sitemap generator  ·  How we test

How this is built: from each tool’s publicly documented features — type, crawling, visual view, export and free limits. Free-tier numbers change; confirm the current limit on each vendor’s site. Our own browser tools are included and described directly. No vendor paid for placement.

01 / How to choose

What actually decides the best tool for you

  • Do you already have your URLs? If yes, a browser tool builds XML instantly with no crawl. If no, you need a crawler to discover them.
  • Free limits: online and desktop crawlers are commonly free up to 500 URLs, then paid. Browser list-to-XML tools have no crawl, so no URL cap.
  • Visual vs XML: a visual tree helps you plan and audit structure; XML is what you submit to Search Console. The best tools do both.
  • Privacy: a browser tool keeps your URLs on your device; an online crawler sends your site to a third-party server.

02 / The tools

Sitemap generators — and who each is for

AI SEO Tools Hub (our free tools)

Free · in this browser

Best for: Turning a URL list or existing sitemap into clean XML — and seeing the structure as a tree — with no crawl and no signup.

  • TypeBrowser
  • Crawls siteNo
  • Visual treeYes
  • XML exportYes
  • FreeUnlimited URLs

Octopus.do

Best for: Planning a new site as a visual sitemap and collaborating on structure before build.

  • TypeBrowser (visual builder)
  • Crawls siteNo
  • Visual treeYes
  • XML exportYes
  • FreeFreemium (project limits)

XML-Sitemaps.com

Best for: Crawling a small live site online to discover URLs and export XML without installing anything.

  • TypeOnline crawler
  • Crawls siteYes
  • Visual treeNo
  • XML exportYes
  • FreeFree up to 500 URLs

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Best for: Crawling larger sites with full control, plus deep technical SEO auditing alongside sitemap export.

  • TypeDesktop app
  • Crawls siteYes
  • Visual treeNo
  • XML exportYes
  • FreeFree up to 500 URLs

Slickplan

Best for: Agencies planning information architecture and client-facing sitemap diagrams.

  • TypeVisual planning app
  • Crawls siteNo
  • Visual treeYes
  • XML exportYes
  • FreePaid (free trial)

Yoast SEO (WordPress)

Best for: WordPress sites that want an XML sitemap generated and kept up to date automatically.

  • TypeWordPress plugin
  • Crawls siteYes
  • Visual treeNo
  • XML exportYes
  • FreeFree plugin

03 / At a glance

Sitemap generator comparison

ToolTypeCrawlsVisualXMLFree limitSignup
AI SEO Tools Hub (our free tools)BrowserNoYesYesUnlimited URLsNo
Octopus.doBrowser (visual builder)NoYesYesFreemium (project limits)Yes
XML-Sitemaps.comOnline crawlerYesNoYesFree up to 500 URLsNo
Screaming Frog SEO SpiderDesktop appYesNoYesFree up to 500 URLsNo
SlickplanVisual planning appNoYesYesPaid (free trial)Yes
Yoast SEO (WordPress)WordPress pluginYesNoYesFree pluginNo

Free limits and features change — confirm the current details on each tool’s site.

04 / FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the best sitemap generator?
It depends on what you need. To turn a known URL list into clean XML without a crawl, a browser tool like ours is fastest and most private. To crawl an unknown site, a desktop tool (Screaming Frog) or an online crawler (XML-Sitemaps.com) discovers URLs for you — within their free limits. On WordPress, a plugin like Yoast generates and updates the sitemap automatically.
What is the best free sitemap generator?
For free XML output from a URL list, our browser-based Free Sitemap Generator has no URL cap and needs no signup. For free crawling, XML-Sitemaps.com and Screaming Frog both cover up to 500 URLs at no cost; beyond that they are paid. On WordPress, Yoast and Rank Math generate sitemaps free.
Do I need a sitemap generator that crawls my site?
Only if you do not already have your list of URLs. If you can export URLs from your CMS, analytics or an existing sitemap, a browser tool builds the XML instantly with no crawl. Crawling matters when you need to discover every URL on a site you do not have a clean list for.
How is this comparison made?
From each tool’s publicly documented features and positioning — type, crawling, visual view, export and free limits. Free-tier limits change, so confirm the current numbers on each vendor’s site. Our own browser tools are listed too; we built them, so we describe them directly. No vendor paid for placement and there are no invented scores.

05 / Our free sitemap tools

Build, visualize and extract — free, in your browser

If you already have your URLs, skip the crawl. These browser tools are free with no signup: build and validate XML, see your structure as a visual tree, or pull every URL out of an existing sitemap.