BuiltWith is a popular tool for website technology analysis that uncovers the tech stack behind any website. As a result, businesses, marketers, and developers rely on it for competitor research, market trends, and lead generation.
However, BuiltWith isn’t perfect: its high pricing, limited free plan, and data depth issues often push people to seek alternatives.
If you’re looking for a BuiltWith alternative, several other tools offer similar or even better functionality—some for free and others with paid options.
If you need a full-scale technology tracker or a niche tool for specific insights, this guide explores the top BuiltWith alternatives for 2025:
Why Look for a BuiltWith Alternative?
Before exploring alternatives, you must understand BuiltWith’s strengths and limitations.Let’s break them down:
BuiltWith Capabilities
1. Website Technology Stacks
BuiltWith offers detailed identification of a website’s tech stack, which includes a broad range of tools and technologies that power a site. This covers the Content Management System, hosting providers, and the programming frameworks.
Additionally, it identifies analytics tools, ad networks, and third-party plugins or integrations, such as payment processors, live chat services, and marketing automation tools.
2. Competitor Analysis
BuiltWith is especially valuable for competitive intelligence. It tracks the technologies competitors are using, and provides a clear view of what’s trending in a particular industry or market segment.
BuiltWith’s analysis also shows adoption trends thatidentify whether technology is gaining traction within their industry.
3. Lead Generation
BuiltWith also excels in lead generation by helping businesses segment potential clients based on their technology stack.
For example, a company offering a new plugin or service for a specific platform like Shopify can use BuiltWith to identify all Shopify stores and reach out to them directly, maximizing the chances of converting those leads.
The Limitations of BuiltWith
Despite its powerful features, many users look for an alternative to BuiltWith due to:
1. Pricing
One of the main deterrents for many users is BuiltWith’s premium pricing, which can cost hundreds of dollars per month depending on the plan you select. Although BuiltWith’s advanced features offer valuable insights, these features come at a significant financial cost.
This pricing structure can be prohibitive, especially for small businesses or startups with limited marketing budgets. For companies that don’t need the full suite of advanced features, the cost may outweigh the benefits.
2. Data Depth Issues
Another limitation of BuiltWith is that, while it offers a broad array of technology detection, it may not always provide comprehensive insights into certain technology stacks. Some niche tools or newly emerging technologies may not be fully detected or may be listed only in broad categories.
Additionally, some data points might be missing or outdated, which can impact the overall accuracy and reliability of the analysis. These limitations can be frustrating for conducting detailed research or target emerging trends in the tech landscape.
3. Ease of Use
Despite being a powerful tool, BuiltWith’s interface is often described as complex and unintuitive compared to some of its competitors. Although the tool is packed with features, the learning curve can be steep—especially for users who aren’t familiar with the technical aspects of website technology.
In contrast, many BuiltWith alternatives are designed with simpler, more intuitive interfaces, allowing users to quickly access and understand their website technology insights without extensive training.
4. Limited Free Plan
While BuiltWith does offer a free plan, the data it provides can be highly limited. Users on the free plan are restricted to basic insights—often seeing a snapshot of a website’s technology stack without the depth required for strategic decision-making.
The limited scope of the free version makes it less effective for anyone who requires in-depth analysis or detailed competitor tracking. For businesses wanting to go beyond the surface-level data and gain actionable insights, the free plan likely falls short.
How to Choose the Best BuiltWith Alternative
Not all BuiltWith alternatives offer the same features. Before picking one, consider these key factors:
1. Full Scale vs. Specific Use Case
Do you need a complete website technology analysis, or are you looking for something specific, such as:
- Security-focused scanning (e.g., Netcraft)
- Competitor research for eCommerce (e.g., Koala Inspector)
- Lead generation through technology tracking (e.g., SimilarTech)
2. Pricing (Free vs. Paid Options)
If you need a BuiltWith com alternative, tools like WhatRuns or Wappalyzer provide free insights. However, paid tools offer more advanced tracking, historical data, and automation features.
3. Integration with Other Tools
Some alternatives integrate with CRM systems, sales tools, and marketing platforms for better workflow automation. If you need seamless integration, prioritize tools with API access.
4. Ease of Use & Data Accuracy
A user-friendly interface is critical, especially if you’re not a technical user. Data accuracy varies between tools—some detect more in-depth details than others.
Now, let’s explore the top BuiltWith alternatives available in 2025:
Top 5 BuiltWith Alternatives
Tool | Pricing | Free Trial |
---|---|---|
Koala Inspector | $0 - $55 | ✔ |
WhatRuns | $0 | ✔ |
Netcraft | On Request | ✔ |
Wappalyzer | $250 - $850 | ✔ |
SimilarTech | $200 - $490 | ✔ |
If you’re looking for a BuiltWith.com alternative, here are the top 5 ranked by features, usability, and pricing:
1. Koala Inspector – Best Alternative for Competitor Research
Koala Inspector is a specialized tool for analyzing Shopify stores, making it an excellent alternative for eCommerce-focused competitor research.
Unlike BuiltWith, which analyzes a wide range of website technologies, Koala Inspector tracks Shopify competitors, uncovers best-selling products, and gains insights into marketing strategies, apps, and themes
Pricing
- There is a free version with Shopify insights
- There are paid plans available for advanced competitor tracking, including the Unlimited Plan for $55 per month and the paid plan for $17.
Pros
- The application is ideal for Shopify store analysis
- It detects product trends and sales estimates, making it fantastic for growing your business.
- It offers a free plan if you’re on a budget.
Cons
- The app is limited to Shopify, so it’s not the best option for non-eCommerce sites.
- It lacks deep tech analysis beyond Shopify-specific tools
2. WhatRuns – A Lightweight & Free Alternative
WhatRuns is a browser extension that allows users to instantly detect website technologies while browsing.
Unlike BuiltWith, which provides detailed reports and historical trends, WhatRuns is focused on quick, real-time identification of a site’s frameworks, analytics tools, CMS, and plugins.
Pricing
- It’s completely free
Pros
- It’s extremely lightweight (no heavy software installation)
- It’s free to use
- It covers a wide range of technologies
Cons
- It’s not as comprehensive as BuiltWith
- It lacks historical tracking and advanced reports
3. Netcraft – Best for Security & Fraud Detection
Netcraft is a cybersecurity-focused alternative to BuiltWith, specializing in detecting phishing attempts, fraud risks, and security vulnerabilities on websites.
While BuiltWith provides general technology tracking, Netcraft goes deeper into the security posture of a website, identifying malware risks, SSL certificate issues, and suspicious website activity.
Pricing
- The basic version is free to use and suitable for some users.
- There are paid plans available for detailed security reports
Pros
- It’s great for security analysis.
- It helps identify fraudulent websites
- It provides in-depth cyber threat intelligence
Cons
- It’s not a direct alternative to BuiltWith for marketing or sales
- Some reports require a paid subscription
4. Wappalyzer – The Most Popular Alternative
Wappalyzer is one of the most widely used BuiltWith alternatives. It functions as both a browser extension and an API-based tool, making it highly versatile for developers, marketers, and sales teams.
Unlike BuiltWith, which is primarily focused on large-scale data analysis and lead generation, Wappalyzer is designed to be quick, accurate, and easy to use.
Pricing
- There is a free version available
- The paid plans unlock more detailed insights, including Pro for $250 per month, Business for $450 per month, and Enterprise for $850 per month.
Pros
- It’s recognized as a strong competitor to BuiltWith
- It offers browser extensions & API access
- The accurate technology tracking
Cons
- The free plan has limitations
- Some users report occasional detection inaccuracies
5. SimilarTech – Best for Lead Generation
SimilarTech is a powerful alternative to BuiltWith, focusing on lead generation and sales intelligence by tracking website technology trends. Unlike BuiltWith, SimilarTech is specifically designed for businesses looking to identify potential leads based on their tech stack.
Pricing
- There is a free basic plan
- There are paid plans for more features, including the Basic Plan at $200 per month and the Ultimate Plan for $490.
Pros
- The application is excellent for lead generation
- The application tracks technology adoption trends
- It provides detailed company insights
Cons
- The free plan has limited access
- It focuses more on enterprise users than individuals
Final Thoughts
While BuiltWith is a powerful tool for website technology analysis, its high pricing, complex interface, and limited free plan make it less accessible for many businesses. For eCommerce businesses, Koala Inspector is the best alternative to BuiltWith. It provides real-time competitor tracking, product insights, and store analysis.
Ready to gain valuable insights into your Shopify competitors? Try Koala Inspector today and start optimizing your eCommerce strategy.