metatron-open-seo/README.md
Ben Senescu d24cdc9ac7
Revise README for clarity and updated information
Updated README to clarify OpenSEO's purpose, pricing, and self-hosting instructions.
2026-02-27 14:42:32 -05:00

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# OpenSEO
OpenSEO is an SEO tool for *the people* (non-seo professionals). If tools like Semrush or Ahrefs are too expensive or bloated, OpenSEO is a pay by usage alternative that you actually control.
![OpenSEO demo (placeholder)](https://placehold.co/1200x675?text=OpenSEO+Demo+GIF+Coming+Soon)
## Why Use This
- Open source and self-hostable.
- No subscriptions.
- Focused workflows instead of a giant, complex SEO suite.
- AI Native - Use your own tools like Claude Code / Cowork for more powerful AI features than what other platforms provide.
## Main SEO Workflows
- Keyword research
- Find topics worth targeting, estimate demand, and prioritize what to write next.
- Domain insights
- Understand where your domain is gaining or losing visibility so you can focus on the pages that move revenue.
- Site Audits
- Catch technical issues early so your site is easier for search engines to crawl and rank.
## Roadmap
Top priorities:
- Rank tracking
- AI content workflows
If something important is missing, please join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/c9uGs3cFXr) or email me at ben@everyapp.dev and request it.
## Pricing / Costs
OpenSEO is totally free to use. It works by using DataForSEO's APIs, which is a paid third-party service unaffiliated with OpenSEO.
There are two separate things:
1. OpenSEO app cost: $0, you host it yourself.
2. DataForSEO API: pay-as-you-go based on usage.
For cost estimates, see [DataForSEO API Cost Reference](#seo-api-cost-reference).
## DataForSEO API Key Setup [5 minutes]
OpenSEO expects `DATAFORSEO_API_KEY` as a Basic Auth value.
1. Go to [DataForSEO API Access](https://app.dataforseo.com/api-access).
2. Request API credentials by email (`API key by email` or `API password by email`).
3. Use your DataForSEO login + API password, then base64 encode `login:password`:
```sh
printf '%s' 'YOUR_LOGIN:YOUR_PASSWORD' | base64
```
Set that output as `DATAFORSEO_API_KEY` in your environment/secrets.
Note: even though the env var is named `DATAFORSEO_API_KEY`, this app sends it as HTTP Basic auth, so the value should be the base64 form of `login:password`.
## Self Hosting (Deploy on Cloudflare) [5-10 minutes]
OpenSEO is built on [Every App](https://github.com/every-app/every-app), a platform for easily self-hosting open source apps like OpenSEO in your own Cloudflare account. Cloudflare enables much more powerful functionality than is possible running on your own computer or on a VPS.
*Windows Users*
This has not been tested on Windows. Please let me know if you run into problems. Using WSL will likely work better. Also, try using [fly.io Sprites](https://sprites.dev/) to get a linux sandbox for free if you get totally stuck.
### Prerequisites
If you don't want to make a Cloudflare account yet (its easy!) and just want to test out OpenSEO, skip to the [Run Locally](#seo-api-cost-reference) section.
Note: If you're not comfortable with the terminal or these phrases, ChatGPT or Claude will do a good job coaching you through this.
1. Install [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) (includes `npx`).
2. Create a Cloudflare account: [dash.cloudflare.com/sign-up](https://dash.cloudflare.com/sign-up)
3. Authenticate Wrangler:
```sh
npx wrangler login
```
4. Deploy the Every App Gateway (one-time per account):
```sh
npx everyapp gateway deploy
```
Follow the link returned by that command to create your gateway account.
### Deploy OpenSEO
```sh
git clone https://github.com/bensenescu/super-seo.git
cd super-seo
npx everyapp app deploy
```
After deploy, set your DataForSEO secret:
```sh
npx wrangler secret put DATAFORSEO_API_KEY
```
When prompted, paste the base64 value of `login:password` (using your DataForSEO login + API password).
## Local Development
### Prerequisites
- Node.js 20+
- [pnpm](https://pnpm.io/)
- A DataForSEO account/API credentials
### Run Locally (Quick Test)
1. Copy env template:
```sh
cp .env.example .env.local
```
2. Install and run:
```sh
pnpm install
# This runs in BYPASS_GATEWAY mode so that you don't need to set up the Every App gateway. This is fine for local use.
pnpm dev:agents
```
App runs on `http://localhost:3001` by default (or `PORT` from `.env.local`).
Running locally is the fastest way to test core flows. In the future, local mode will not include some Cloudflare-backed capabilities (for example cron-based rank tracking and infrastructure-powered performance improvements for heavier audits).
### Local Development Workflow (for coding agents)
```sh
# This log file make it easier for your coding agent to debug.
mkdir .logs
touch .logs/dev-server.log
# terminal 1: start once and keep running
pnpm dev:agents
```
- `pnpm dev:agents` mirrors output to `.logs/dev-server.log` (gitignored).
- The log file is overwritten on each run.
- If you need a different port, set `PORT` in `.env.local` and restart.
### Database Commands
Generate migration:
```sh
pnpm run db:generate
```
Migrate local DB:
```sh
pnpm run db:migrate:local
```
## Contributing
Contributions are very welcome.
- Open an issue for bugs, UX friction, or feature requests.
- Open a PR if you want to implement a feature directly.
- Community-driven improvements are prioritized, and high-quality PRs are encouraged.
If you want to contribute but are unsure where to start, open an issue and describe what you want to build.
## SEO API Cost Reference
Use this section to estimate DataForSEO spend per request type. OpenSEO itself remains free; these are API usage costs only.
As of February 26, 2026, DataForSEOs public docs/pricing pages say:
- New accounts include **$1 free credit** to test the API.
- The minimum top-up/payment is **$50**.
That means you can try OpenSEO for free with the starter credit, then decide if/when to top up.
### Pricing sources
- DataForSEO Labs pricing: https://dataforseo.com/pricing/dataforseo-labs/dataforseo-google-api
- Google PageSpeed Insights API docs: https://developers.google.com/speed/docs/insights/v5/get-started
### 1) Site audit
- No paid API calls in the current implementation.
### 2) Keyword research (`related` mode)
- Current billed cost pattern (from account usage logs):
- `0.02 + (0.0001 x returned_keywords)` USD
- Default app setting: `150` results per search (`$0.035` each).
- Available result tiers:
- 150 results = `$0.035`
- 300 results = `$0.05`
- 500 results = `$0.07`
### 3) Domain overview
- Standard domain overview request (with top 200 ranked keywords): `$0.0401` per domain.
- General formula if needed:
- `0.0201 + (0.0001 x ranked_keywords_returned)` USD
### Planning examples
- 100 keyword research requests at the default 150 results: `$3.50`
- 100 keyword research requests at 500 results each: `$7.00`
- 100 domain overviews (200 ranked keywords each): `$4.01`