Did you know? Sitemaps are crucial for website owners and SEO professionals as they help search engines efficiently crawl and index a site's content. An up-to-date sitemap improves website crawlability, organization, and user experience. While sitemaps can be created manually, sitemap generator tools streamline the process, ensuring accuracy and saving time.
This article covers both free and paid sitemap generator options to cater to different budgets and website needs. Free tools like XML-Sitemaps.com and Screaming Frog's XML Sitemap Generator offer basic functionality for smaller sites. Paid tools like Slickplan and DYNOMapper provide more advanced features like visual sitemaps, collaboration tools, and unlimited page crawling for larger websites.
I'll objectively evaluate these tools based on factors like ease of use, feature set, and pricing to help you make an informed decision aligning with your specific requirements. Stay glued with this exploration!
What is a sitemap and why do you need one?
A sitemap is a file that lists all the important pages on a website, providing search engines with a roadmap to efficiently crawl and index the site's content. By creating a sitemap, website owners can ensure that search engines discover all their essential pages, even those that might be difficult to find through normal crawling methods.
Sitemaps work by outlining the structure and hierarchy of a website's pages, making it easier for search engine bots to navigate and understand the relationships between different pieces of content. This can lead to faster indexing of new or updated pages, as search engines can quickly locate and process the information provided in the sitemap.
Including a sitemap on your website offers several SEO benefits, such as improved visibility in search results, better organization of content, and enhanced user experience. As search engines rely on sitemaps to efficiently crawl and index web pages, having a well-structured sitemap can help boost your website's search engine rankings and drive more organic traffic to your site.
Free & Paid Sitemap Generator Tools
| Best Sitemap Generator Tools | Starting Price | USP | Average Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. XML-Sitemaps.com | Free (up to 500 pages) | No installation required | 4.5/5 |
| 2. Slickplan | $11.99/month | Drag-and-drop interface | 4.2/5 |
| 3. Screaming Frog | £149.00/year | Comprehensive SEO tool | 4.8/5 |
| 4. XML Sitemap Generator for Google (WordPress Plugin) | Free | Tailored for Google | 4.6/5 |
| 5. Inspyder Sitemap Creator | $39.95 (one-time) | Automated updates | 4.3/5 |
| 6. Sitemap Writer Pro | $24.95 (one-time) | User-friendly interface | 4.1/5 |
| 7. DYNOMapper | $49/month | Dynamic sitemap generation | 4.4/5 |
| 8. PowerMapper | $79/month | Supports large websites | 4.2/5 |
| 9. Octopus.do | $12/month | Multilingual support | 4.5/5 |
| 10. Writemaps | $14.99/month | Customizable templates | 4.3/5 |
| 11. Sitemap by BestWebSoft | $24/year | Robust WordPress plugin | 4.4/5 |
| 12. Rarchy | $12.50/month | Hierarchical visualization | 4.1/5 |
| 13. VisualSitemaps | $10.79/month | Interactive visual sitemaps | 4.5/5 |
| 14. Ucraft Sitemap Generator | Free (with Ucraft website) | Integrated with website builder | 4.2/5 |
| 15. Sitemap Generator by Mobilefish.com | Free | Mobile-friendly sitemaps | 4.0/5 |
| 16. MySitemapGenerator | $5.99/month | Simple and easy to use | 4.3/5 |
1. XML-Sitemaps.com
XML-Sitemaps.com is a powerful and user-friendly online tool that simplifies the process of creating XML, text, and HTML sitemaps for websites. This free sitemap generator service is designed to help website owners improve their site's visibility and search engine optimization (SEO) by making it easier for search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo to crawl and index their pages. With XML-Sitemaps.com, users can generate comprehensive sitemaps for websites with up to 500 pages at no cost.
The tool automates the sitemap creation process, making it accessible to users without technical expertise. XML-Sitemaps.com generates sitemaps that are ready to be submitted directly to search engines, ensuring that all important pages on a website are discoverable and indexed properly. By utilizing the XML format, which has been adopted by major search engines, XML-Sitemaps.com helps website owners optimize their SEO efforts and improve their search rankings.
Benefits of Using XML-Sitemaps.com:
Limitations of XML-Sitemaps.com:
XML-Sitemaps.com Pricing:
XML-Sitemaps.com offers a free version for websites with up to 500 pages, while paid versions are available for $4.19 per month, offering advanced features and support for larger websites.
2. Slickplan
Slickplan is another robust sitemap generator tool that eases the process of creating, customizing, and managing visual sitemaps for websites. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, Slickplan enables users to quickly plan and organize website structures, making it an ideal solution for web designers, developers, and content strategists. The tool offers a range of features, including the ability to create sitemaps from scratch or import existing websites using the built-in sitemap crawler. Slickplan also provides collaboration tools, allowing team members to work together on sitemap projects in real-time.
Additionally, the platform offers integration with popular content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, making it easy to migrate sitemap files and streamline the development process. With its comprehensive set of tools and templates, Slickplan is a go-to solution for creating SEO-friendly, user-focused website structures that enhance the overall user experience.
Benefits of Using Slickplan:
Limitations of Slickplan:
Slickplan Pricing:
Slickplan offers a 14-day free trial, with paid plans starting at $11.99/month for the Basic plan, $34.99/month for the Pro plan, $69.99/month for the Team plan, and $103.49/month for the Agency plan.
3. Screaming Frog
Screaming Frog is an advanced website crawler and technical SEO auditing tool that includes a comprehensive XML sitemap generator. With the ability to crawl websites with millions of URLs, Screaming Frog makes it easy to generate detailed XML sitemaps that help search engines efficiently discover and index all the important pages on a website.
Key features include the ability to create sitemaps with over 50,000 URLs, include/exclude specific URLs based on filters and rules, generate separate image sitemaps, and schedule crawls to keep sitemaps up-to-date automatically. Screaming Frog also offers advanced configuration options to customize sitemaps, crawl websites rendered with JavaScript, and integrate with Google Analytics and Search Console.
As an industry-leading tool trusted by top SEOs, Screaming Frog simplifies the process of generating optimized XML sitemaps to improve search engine visibility and site crawlability.
Benefits of Using Screaming Frog:
Limitations of Screaming Frog:
Screaming Frog Pricing:
Screaming Frog offers a free version limited to 500 URLs. The paid version with unlimited crawling and full features starts at £149.00 per year for a single license, with discounted multi-user license bundles available.
4. XML Sitemap Generator for Google (WordPress Plugin)
The XML Sitemap Generator for Google is a powerful WordPress plugin that automatically creates XML sitemaps to help search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Ask.com better index your website. With this comprehensive and easy-to-use tool, you can improve your site's SEO by ensuring that all your content is properly indexed and crawlable by search engine bots.
The plugin supports all kinds of WordPress-generated pages as well as custom URLs, and it notifies all major search engines every time you create a post about new content. It provides a variety of customization options to include/exclude specific pages, posts, custom post types, archived posts, and more.
Benefits of Using XML Sitemap Generator for Google:
Limitations of XML Sitemap Generator for Google:
XML Sitemap Generator for Google Pricing:
The XML Sitemap Generator for Google is a free, open-source WordPress plugin.
5. Inspyder Sitemap Creator
Inspyder Sitemap Creator is a top-tier and user-friendly desktop software for generating XML sitemaps. This intuitive tool simplifies the process of creating Google-compatible sitemaps for websites of any size and complexity. With its advanced features like multi-threaded crawling, automatic search engine pinging, and integrated FTP/SFTP uploading, Inspyder Sitemap Creator streamlines sitemap generation and submission.
The software runs directly on your PC, eliminating the need for server-side installations or script configurations. Inspyder Sitemap Creator accurately crawls your website, keeping track of content changes and populating the correct ‘Last Modified' dates for each URL. It supports standard XML sitemaps as well as Google-specific mobile, image, and video sitemaps. The tool's coarse and fine-grained configuration options allow you to prioritize entire website sections using wildcards and partial URLs.
Benefits of Using Inspyder Sitemap Creator:
Limitations of Inspyder Sitemap Creator:
Inspyder Sitemap Creator Pricing:
Inspyder Sitemap Creator offers a free trial for a limited version and a one-time payment of $39.95 for the full version with unlimited sitemap size and pages.
6. Sitemap Writer Pro
Sitemap Writer Pro is an XML sitemap generator that simplifies the process of creating comprehensive sitemaps for websites. This efficient tool offers a range of advanced features to ensure your website's pages are properly indexed by search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. With support for various types of sitemaps, including standard, Google News, Google Code, Google Geo, Google Mobile, Google Images, and Google Video sitemaps, Sitemap Writer Pro caters to the specific needs of your website.
Its integrated crawler effortlessly retrieves information about all the pages on your site, while the intuitive interface allows you to manually add URLs, import URL lists, and verify links to prevent broken links in your sitemap. Sitemap Writer Pro generates both XML and HTML sitemaps, making it a versatile tool for improving your website's visibility and search engine rankings.
Benefits of Using Sitemap Writer Pro:
Cons:
Sitemap Writer Pro Pricing:
Sitemap Writer Pro is available for a one-time purchase of $24.95
7. DYNOMapper
DYNOMapper is one of the most advanced and feature-rich sitemap generator tools on the market. It enables users to efficiently create XML and HTML sitemaps, perform content audits, integrate with Google Analytics, track keywords, and test website accessibility. DYNOMapper's powerful crawler can map out websites with up to 25,000 URLs, including private and password-protected pages.
The visual sitemap editor allows reworking the site hierarchy, categorizing pages, and assigning workflow statuses for seamless collaboration. With customizable templates and the ability to import existing sitemaps, DYNOMapper streamlines the discovery and planning phases of web development projects.
Benefits of Using DYNOMapper:
Cons:
DYNOMapper Pricing:
Plans range from $49 to $369 per month, with a free trial available.
8. PowerMapper
PowerMapper is a versatile, one-click sitemap generator trusted by 30% of the Fortune 100 and major organizations like NASA and MIT. This comprehensive tool automatically creates visual sitemaps, XML sitemaps for search engines, and HTML sitemaps for website visitors. With support for Windows and Mac, PowerMapper makes it simple to map websites of any size, even behind firewalls.
Its advanced scanning engine collects page data, checks for broken links, and generates vibrant, interactive sitemaps in a variety of styles. PowerMapper's intuitive interface and dynamic mapping capabilities provide an effective solution for information architects, usability analysts, and web developers looking to optimize site structure and enhance the user experience.
Benefits of Using PowerMapper:
Cons:
PowerMapper Pricing:
PowerMapper offers both a web application and desktop version. Pricing for the web app starts at $79/month. The desktop version is available for Windows and Mac, with the price varying based on the edition and number of users.
9. Octopus.do
Octopus.do is a powerful visual sitemap building tool that enables companies and individuals to efficiently plan and design their website structure in real-time. This intuitive sitemap generator utilizes the Content Brick Method, allowing users to create a comprehensive website blueprint with ease. Octopus.do offers a range of features, including low-fidelity wireframes for visualizing page layouts, the ability to export sitemaps as high-quality print and vector PDFs, and a built-in XML sitemap generator.
The platform also facilitates seamless collaboration, enabling large teams to share sitemaps with colleagues and clients for valuable feedback. With its user-friendly interface and robust functionality, Octopus.do streamlines the process of website planning and mapping, making it an essential tool for web developers, designers, and content strategists looking to optimize their site architecture, UX design, and SEO.
Benefits of Using Octopus.do:
Limitations of Octopus.do:
Octopus.do Pricing:
Octopus.do offers four pricing plans: Free (1 project, unlimited pages), Pro ($12/month, 8 projects), Team ($16/month, unlimited projects), and Agency ($114.99/month, unlimited users and projects).
10. Writemaps
WriteMaps offers a sitemap generator tool that helps in creating and managing sitemaps for websites. With its intuitive visual interface, WriteMaps allows users to effortlessly organize and structure their website's pages, ensuring optimal navigation and improved search engine optimization (SEO).
The tool offers a range of key features, including drag-and-drop functionality, color coding, and the ability to add content and metadata to each page. WriteMaps also enables users to collaborate with team members, making it an ideal solution for web designers, developers, and content creators working on projects together.
Benefits of Using WriteMaps:
Limitations of WriteMaps:
WriteMaps Pricing:
WriteMaps offers a free plan that allows users to create up to 3 sitemaps with a maximum of 50 pages each. Paid plans start at $14.99 per month for the Professional plan, which includes 10 active sitemaps, and $29.99 per month for the Premium plan, which offers unlimited sitemaps.
11. Sitemap by BestWebSoft
Sitemap by BestWebSoft is a cutting-edge WordPress plugin that automatically generates an XML sitemap for your website, helping search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo effectively index your pages, posts, custom post types, and taxonomies. This SEO-optimized sitemap generator supports default WordPress pages as well as custom URLs, and seamlessly integrates with Google Search Console.
With its intuitive interface and advanced features, Sitemap by BestWebSoft streamlines the process of creating and managing sitemaps, making it an essential tool for improving your website's search engine visibility and rankings.
Benefits of Using Sitemap by BestWebSoft:
Limitations of Sitemap by BestWebSoft:
Sitemap by BestWebSoft Pricing:
Sitemap by BestWebSoft offers a free version with essential features, while the Pro version with advanced functionality is available for $24 per year for a single site license.
12. Rarchy
Rarchy is a state-of-the-art visual sitemap generator and website planning tool that assists in creating, collaborating on, and optimizing website structures and customer journeys. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, Rarchy enables users to quickly generate up-to-date visual sitemaps by crawling existing websites or creating them from scratch.
The tool captures full-page screenshots of every page, providing a truly visual representation of the website's architecture. Rarchy's features include easy sitemap editing, page content planning with wireframe templates, real-time collaboration with comments and permissions, and efficient navigation for large websites.
Benefits of Using Rarchy:
Limitations of Rarchy:
Rarchy Pricing:
Rarchy offers a free forever plan with basic features and generous limits, a Pro plan at $12.50/month ($150 billed annually), and custom Enterprise plans starting at $49/month ($590 billed annually).
13. VisualSitemaps
VisualSitemaps is an innovative web planning tool that enables users to quickly create detailed visual sitemaps, providing a clear overview of any website's structure, content, and design. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, VisualSitemaps simplifies the process of generating comprehensive sitemaps, making it an essential tool for web designers, developers, and SEO professionals.
By automatically crawling websites and capturing screenshots, VisualSitemaps delivers a visual representation of the site architecture, allowing users to easily audit, optimize, and collaborate on their sitemaps. The tool offers a range of features, including custom tagging, search options, and editing tools, empowering users to efficiently plan and prototype their online presence.
Benefits of Using VisualSitemaps:
Cons:
VisualSitemaps Pricing:
VisualSitemaps offers a 14-day free trial, with paid plans starting at $10.79 per month.
14. Ucraft Sitemap Generator
Ucraft is a user-friendly website builder that offers a built-in Sitemap Generator to help improve your website's SEO rankings and visibility in search results. This powerful tool makes it easy to create and submit a sitemap to Google Search Console, even if you're not a tech expert.
With Ucraft's Sitemap Generator, you can customize and configure your sitemap, choosing which types of content to include and exclude on a page-by-page basis. The generator automatically updates periodically to add your new content, ensuring your sitemap stays up-to-date. Ucraft's Sitemap Generator is a valuable tool for any website owner looking to boost their SEO and attract more organic traffic.
Benefits of Using Ucraft Sitemap Generator:
Limitations of Ucraft Sitemap Generator:
Ucraft Sitemap Generator Pricing:
Ucraft's Sitemap Generator is included for free with all Ucraft website plans. Paid plans start at $10/month for the Pro Website plan.
15. Sitemap Generator by Mobilefish.com
Mobilefish.com offers a free online XML sitemap generator and CSV to XML sitemap converter tool that helps search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing better crawl your website and discover hard-to-find pages faster. This powerful service generates XML sitemaps that fully comply with the Sitemap protocol, making it an effective solution for websites with many hidden or difficult-to-locate pages. The intuitive interface allows you to quickly generate a comprehensive XML sitemap by simply entering your website URL.
Benefits of Using Sitemap Generator by Mobilefish.com:
Limitations of Sitemap Generator by Mobilefish.com:
Sitemap Generator by Mobilefish.com Pricing:
The XML sitemap generator tool by Mobilefish.com is completely free to use.
16. MySitemapGenerator
MySitemapGenerator is a pioneering online tool that specializes in creating XML sitemaps, visual sitemaps, product feeds, RSS feeds, and podcasts to improve search engine visibility and expand e-commerce channels. Founded in 2009 by an international team of experienced programmers and internet marketers, MySitemapGenerator has become one of the most popular sitemap generator tools trusted by webmasters, SEO experts, and website owners worldwide.
It offers a range of features including automatic sitemap generation, drag-and-drop visual sitemap creation, product feed optimization, and RSS feed management. MySitemapGenerator uses unique AI-based algorithms to efficiently crawl and process large amounts of data and leverages a powerful CDN to ensure fast and reliable content delivery. It also prioritizes data security, complying with GDPR, CCPA, and PCI DSS standards.
Benefits of Using MySitemapGenerator:
Limitations of MySitemapGenerator:
MySitemapGenerator Pricing:
MySitemapGenerator offers flexible pricing options including pay-as-you-go for infrequent use, monthly subscription plans starting at $5.99/month, and custom enterprise pricing for larger websites, retailers, and agencies.
How to submit a sitemap to Google and other search engines?
Submitting a sitemap to Google and other search engines is a straightforward process that can significantly improve your website's visibility and search rankings. To submit your sitemap, first ensure that it is properly formatted in XML and accessible to search engine bots.
For Google, you can submit your sitemap through the Google Search Console. After verifying your website ownership, navigate to the “Sitemaps” section and enter the URL of your sitemap file. Google will then crawl and index your sitemap, making it easier for the search engine to discover and prioritize your website's content. Other search engines, such as Bing and Yahoo, have similar submission processes.
Bing allows sitemap submission through the Bing Webmaster Tools, where you can add your sitemap URL after verifying your site ownership. Yahoo uses the same process as Bing, as both search engines are powered by the Microsoft Bing search platform.
It's important to keep your sitemap up to date as your website grows and changes. Regularly updating your sitemap and resubmitting it to search engines ensures that new or modified pages are quickly discovered and indexed. This can lead to faster visibility in search results and better overall search engine optimization for your website.
By following these simple steps to submit your sitemap to Google and other search engines, you can effectively communicate your website's structure and content, ultimately improving your search rankings and driving more organic traffic to your site.
FAQs on Sitemap Generator Tools
What are the benefits of using a sitemap generator tool for SEO?
A sitemap generator tool can help search engines crawl and index your site more efficiently. It ensures all important pages are discovered, speeds up the indexing of new content, and can reveal SEO issues like broken links or duplicate content. Using a sitemap tool is an easy way to boost your site's visibility and rankings in search results.
What are the best free sitemap generator tools?
Some of the top free sitemap generator tools include:
👉🏼 XML-Sitemaps.com: Generates sitemaps for up to 500 pages
👉🏼 Screaming Frog: Crawls up to 500 URLs for free
👉🏼 Google XML Sitemaps WordPress plugin
👉🏼 Yoast SEO plugin for WordPress
These tools make it easy to create a sitemap at no cost, especially for smaller websites.
Can I create a sitemap for a website that isn't built yet?
Yes, many sitemap generator tools allow you to plan out the structure and URLs for a website that doesn't exist yet. For example, Slickplan, GlooMaps, and Octopus offer visual sitemap creators to map out your site architecture before development begins. This is helpful for information architecture and planning site navigation.
How often should I update my sitemap?
Best practices recommend updating your sitemap whenever you make significant changes to your website, such as:
👉🏼 Publishing new pages or posts
👉🏼Updating or removing outdated content
👉🏼Changing the URL structure
👉🏼 Launching a redesign
For frequently updated sites, like e-commerce or news sites, setting your sitemap to automatically update daily or weekly keeps it current for search engines.
Is it better to have one big sitemap or multiple smaller ones?
For very large websites, it's best to break your sitemap into smaller, more focused sitemaps. Recommendations include:
👉🏼 Keeping each sitemap to under 50MB or 50,000 URLs
👉🏼 Grouping related pages into separate sitemaps (e.g. products, articles, videos)
👉🏼 Creating a sitemap index file to organize multiple sitemaps
Multiple sitemaps help search engines process your content more efficiently and isolate any errors.
Do I need a separate sitemap for mobile pages?
If your website has separate mobile URLs, creating a mobile sitemap helps search engines understand your mobile site structure. However, if you use responsive design or dynamic serving, your regular sitemap will suffice. Just ensure your sitemap includes the mobile:mobile/ tag to indicate mobile-friendly pages.
Can I use a sitemap to get non-indexable pages crawled?
No, a sitemap should only include pages you want indexed and shown in search results. If a page is blocked from indexing by robots.txt or meta tags, don't include it in your sitemap. Doing so could look like an attempt to manipulate search engines. Focus your sitemap on your most important, indexable content.
How can I optimize my sitemap for SEO?
Some ways to optimize your sitemap for SEO include:
👉🏼 Only include canonical URLs
👉🏼 Prioritize important pages with higher <priority> values
👉🏼 Use accurate <lastmod> dates for freshness signals
👉🏼 Ensure all URLs are working, indexable links
👉🏼 Include an accurate <changefreq> for each URL
👉🏼 Keep your sitemap updated as your site changes
An optimized sitemap helps search engines find and prioritize your key content.
Do I need both an HTML and XML sitemap?
An XML sitemap is primarily for search engines, while an HTML sitemap helps users navigate your site. Including both is ideal because:
👉🏼 XML sitemaps help search engines find all your site's pages
👉🏼 HTML sitemaps improve user experience and site navigation
👉🏼 HTML sitemaps provide an additional way to discover pages
👉🏼 HTML sitemaps can include more pages than XML sitemaps
Having both types of sitemaps is optimal for SEO and usability.
Can a sitemap help get my site indexed faster?
Yes, submitting a sitemap can speed up the indexing process, especially for new websites or pages. A sitemap provides search engines with a list of all your URLs in one place, making it easier for them to find and crawl your content. This is particularly helpful if your site has limited external links pointing to it.
How do I know if my sitemap is working correctly?
To check if your sitemap is functioning properly:
👉🏼 Validate your sitemap's formatting with a tool like XML-Sitemaps.com
👉🏼 Check for crawl errors or warnings in the Google Search Console
👉🏼 Monitor your sitemap's indexation status in the Search Console
👉🏼 Ensure your sitemap is referenced in your robots.txt file
👉🏼 Regularly audit your sitemap for outdated or broken links
Monitoring your sitemap's status helps identify any issues impacting indexation.
Can I create a sitemap for a site that requires a login?
Yes, you can create a sitemap for pages behind a login, but there are a few things to keep in mind:
👉🏼 Use the <loc> tag to list the URLs as they appear when logged out
👉🏼 Include a <lastmod> tag to signal when content has changed
👉🏼 Don't block the pages by robots.txt so search engines can crawl them
👉🏼 Consider using the “Unavailable_after” meta tag for time-sensitive content
Search engines can index content behind a login if you provide them proper access through your sitemap.
Recommended Readings:
Your Turn Now!
I've covered a wide range of sitemap generator tools, both free and paid, to cater to different website needs and budgets. From user-friendly WordPress plugins like XML Sitemap Generator for Google to powerful desktop applications like Screaming Frog and Inspyder Sitemap Creator, there's a tool for every website owner and SEO professional.
The importance of having an up-to-date, well-structured sitemap cannot be overstated. It ensures that search engines can efficiently crawl and index your website, improving visibility and user experience. A sitemap acts as a roadmap, guiding visitors and search bots through your site's content, making it easier for them to find what they're looking for.
Now it's your turn to take action. Evaluate your website's current sitemap situation and choose the tool that best fits your needs. Don't have a sitemap yet? No problem! Many of the recommended tools offer free trials or limited free versions, allowing you to test them out before committing.
Once you've implemented your chosen sitemap generator, monitor its performance and make adjustments as needed. Remember, a sitemap is a living document that should evolve alongside your website's content and structure.
I encourage you to share your experiences with these tools and ask any lingering questions you may have. What challenges have you faced in creating and maintaining an effective sitemap? How has implementing a sitemap impacted your website's performance and user experience?
