Indexing

CrawlWP review

IndexNow and Google indexing automated inside WordPress, free for the safe half.

Checked 19 August 2026 Alston testedAlston videoFree plan

CrawlWP at a glance

Every row is a verified field or an honest absence. A row is dropped rather than filled with an em dash, so the length of this table says how complete the record is.

Quick facts about CrawlWP
What it is IndexNow and Google indexing automated inside WordPress, free for the safe half.
Category Indexing
Best suited for You publish frequently and want indexing requests automated
Starting price Free plugin; lifetime licences from $59
Free plan Yes
Free trial None offered
Main strength The free version covers IndexNow completely, which is the part with no downside
Main limitation Google Indexing API setup is complex, and misuse can lead to a manual penalty
Evidence Alston tested
Alston video Yes — embedded below
Closest alternatives Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools, ClickRank
Pricing checked 19 August 2026
Record checked 19 August 2026

What CrawlWP is

CrawlWP automates indexing requests from inside WordPress. The free version covers IndexNow in full, which submits new and updated URLs to Bing and Yandex the moment you publish — a job most sites either do by hand or never do at all. Setup takes minutes and it supports custom post types and WooCommerce products.

Pro adds a Search Console data dashboard inside WordPress, which is genuinely useful for anyone managing client sites: the client sees their search performance without you granting separate Search Console access, and you can audit indexing status at scale.

The Google Indexing API side needs care. It is more complex to set up, Alston hit 403 errors during testing, and misuse of that API on ordinary blog content carries a real risk of a manual action. His recommendation is to use IndexNow freely, use CrawlWP to find indexing gaps, and submit to Google selectively or manually through Search Console.

What you can use it for

  • Submit new and updated posts to Bing and Yandex automatically as you publish
  • Audit which pages are indexed across a site, or across a portfolio of client sites
  • Put Search Console performance data in a client's own WordPress dashboard
  • Automate indexing requests for WooCommerce products and custom post types

The features that matter for SEO

Each one says what it does and the SEO job it serves. A vendor feature list without that second half tells you nothing you could not read on their own site.

IndexNow submission

Submits new and updated URLs to Bing and Yandex automatically on publish, in the free version.

The safe half of the product and the reason to install it on any active WordPress site. Bing indexing is fast, the setup takes under five minutes, and there is no penalty risk.

Google Indexing API

Submits URLs to Google's Indexing API from WordPress.

Genuinely fast when it works, and worth using selectively on pages that matter.

Complex to configure, returned 403 errors in testing, and bulk use on ordinary blog content risks a manual action. Use it to find gaps and submit through Search Console instead.

Indexing configuration

Controls which post types, taxonomies and products get submitted.

Stops the plugin from spending submissions on tag archives and thin pages nobody needs indexed.

Pro SEO Stats dashboard

Shows Search Console performance data inside the WordPress admin.

The strongest Pro feature for agencies — clients see their own data without being handed Search Console access, and you audit indexing status at scale.

WooCommerce and custom post type support

Extends automatic submission to products and custom content types.

Necessary on ecommerce catalogues, where new products are exactly the URLs you want discovered quickly.

Alston’s video on CrawlWPAlston video

Pricing and limits

Starting price: Free plugin; lifetime licences from $59 Checked 19 August 2026 Vendor’s own pricing page

CrawlWP plans, as published on 19 August 2026
Plan Price What it includes
Free $0 /mo
  • Full IndexNow support for Bing and Yandex
  • Custom post types and WooCommerce products
Lifetime, 1 site $59
  • 1 site
  • Pro features including the SEO Stats dashboard
Pro $159
  • 5 sites
Agency $259
  • Unlimited sites

Strengths and limitations

Strengths

  • The free version covers IndexNow completely, which is the part with no downside
  • Clean, simple WordPress integration with setup in minutes
  • IndexNow is safe to use at scale, unlike Google's Indexing API
  • The Pro SEO Stats dashboard is a real value-add for client management
  • Active plugin with 40,000-plus installs

Limitations

  • Google Indexing API setup is complex, and misuse can lead to a manual penalty
  • Returned 403 errors during testing on the Google API side
  • Pro pricing is high for a single-purpose plugin
  • WordPress only — no Shopify or standalone site support

Who it is for, and who should skip it

Worth it if

  • You publish frequently and want indexing requests automated
  • You have just launched a site and need discovery to happen quickly
  • You manage client sites and want Search Console data in their dashboard

Skip it if

  • Your site is not WordPress
  • You publish rarely enough to submit URLs by hand
  • You want a full SEO plugin — this does one job

Alternatives to CrawlWP

Each one answers when it is the better choice, which is the only thing a list of competitors is useful for.

  • Google Search Console Choose it when you would rather submit manually and free. It is also the safe route for Google specifically.
  • Bing Webmaster Tools Choose it when you want the same first-party picture for Bing without a plugin.
  • ClickRank Choose it when the bottleneck is on-page optimisation rather than indexing.

Sources and verification

Last verified 19 August 2026 1 day ago

Pricing 19 August 2026 Plans 19 August 2026 Features 19 August 2026

Questions

Is the free version of CrawlWP enough?

For most sites, yes. The free version covers IndexNow in full, which submits new content to Bing and Yandex automatically and carries no risk. Pro is worth it if you manage client sites and want Search Console data in their WordPress dashboard, or need to audit indexing at scale.

Is the Google Indexing API safe to use for blog posts?

Google intends it for job postings and livestreams, and bulk use on ordinary content carries a real risk of a manual action. Alston hit 403 errors testing it and recommends using CrawlWP to find indexing gaps, then submitting through Search Console — which is risk-free.

How much is CrawlWP?

The plugin is free for IndexNow. Lifetime licences are $59 for one site, $159 for five and $259 for unlimited sites, verified on the vendor's pricing page on 19 August 2026.