In SEO and website management, the importance of sitemaps cannot be overstated. A sitemap is essentially a roadmap of a website, outlining all its pages and content to search engines.
This not only aids in better indexing by search engines but also the visibility and accessibility of a website.
As we venture into 2024, a huge variety of sitemap generator tools, both free and paid, have emerged, each offering unique features and benefits to cater to the diverse needs of webmasters and SEO professionals.
From plugins for popular content management systems like WordPress to standalone applications, the options are vast and varied.
To help you on your journey, we’ve picked our top 14 sitemap generator tools for 2024, examining their key features, pros and cons, and pricing to help you make an informed decision in optimizing your website’s SEO strategy.
How to generate a sitemap
Making a sitemap is both easy to do and necessary for better SEO! Here’s a simple guide on how to generate a sitemap:
- Pick a sitemap generator tool: Based on your website’s platform and specific needs, select a sitemap generator tool from the list we’ll explore below. Each tool has its unique features and benefits, so consider what fits best for your site.
- Install or access the tool: If you’re using a website platform like WordPress, you might opt for a plugin such as Yoast SEO or RankMath. For other websites, standalone tools like Screaming Frog or an online service such as XML-Sitemaps.com might be better for you.
- Configure your preferences: Most sitemap generators offer various settings, such as setting priorities for pages or excluding certain pages. Configure these options to suit your website’s structure and SEO strategy.
- Generate the sitemap: Once configured, run the tool to generate your sitemap. This can typically be done with the click of a button.
- Review and edit (if necessary): After generation, review the sitemap to double-check that it accurately reflects your site’s content. Some tools allow you to edit the sitemap directly if changes are needed.
- Submit the sitemap to search engines: Finally, submit your sitemap to search engines like Google and Bing through their respective webmaster tools. Without this step, your site won’t be indexed correctly.
Tip: To check whether (and where) the sitemap is correctly nested, you can utilize our Mangools SEO extension.
Simply sign up for our Mangools SEO suite, install the free extension into your browser, and open the tool to check the sitemap status for any website under the ‘On-page SEO‘ tab.
Moreover, the extension can provide numerous useful SEO data about your website or your competitors, such as:
Best sitemap generators
1. Yoast SEO
Yoast SEO is a popular WordPress plugin that simplifies SEO efforts for website owners.
It extends beyond mere sitemap generation to offer a full suite of tools aimed at optimizing your site’s SEO.
Ideal for WordPress users, Yoast SEO helps in making your site as search-engine-friendly as possible.
Best features:
- Automated XML sitemap generation.
- SEO analysis for optimizing content.
- Readability checks to ensure content is user-friendly.
Pricing:
- The free version is available with basic features.
- Premium version starts at EUR 99 per year, including advanced features such as keyword.
- optimization and 24/7 support.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Helpful SEO tools beyond sitemaps. | Premium features can be costly for multiple sites. |
| User-friendly interface for beginners. | Mainly beneficial for WordPress users. |
| Regular updates and strong community support. | Some features might be overwhelming for beginners. |
2. RankMath
RankMath is another powerful SEO plugin for WordPress, designed to enhance a site’s search engine rankings with ease.
Its intuitive setup and user-friendly interface make it a go-to for webmasters seeking to optimize their sites with minimal effort.
RankMath offers a wide set of features, including detailed sitemap generation, which makes it a strong competitor in the SEO plugin arena.
Best features:
- Easy-to-use setup wizard for optimal SEO settings.
- Advanced XML sitemap features.
- Automated image SEO for improving image search rankings.
Pricing:
- A generous free version with comprehensive features.
- Pro version at $5.75 per month for additional functionalities and support.
- Business version $19.08 per month.
- Agency version for $45.75 per month with full features.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| User-friendly with a setup wizard. | Advanced features require the Pro or higher version. |
| Comprehensive SEO tools including Google Schema Markup. | Primarily for WordPress, limiting its use for other CMS. |
| Excellent customer support and documentation. | Some features may require a learning curve for complete utilization. |
3. SEOptimer
SEOptimer is an SEO audit tool that provides a deep dive into a website’s performance and offers actionable insights for improvement.
More than just a sitemap generator, it’s an all-in-one SEO toolkit designed to help improve a website’s visibility online.
With its user-friendly interface, SEOptimer makes it easy for businesses of all sizes to understand and implement SEO best practices.
Best features:
- Detailed SEO auditing to identify issues and opportunities.
- Embeddable SEO audit tool for lead generation.
- White label reporting for digital marketing agencies.
Pricing:
- Free basic tools, including an XML sitemap generator, are available.
- Paid plans start from $19 per month, offering more detailed insights and features.
- Other plans are priced at $29 per month and $59 per month for larger operations
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Full-blown SEO analysis tool. | Not exclusively a sitemap generator. |
| Useful for agencies with white-label reports. | Paid plans are required for full features. |
| Easy-to-understand reports for non-experts. | Focuses more on auditing than ongoing SEO management. |
4. Screaming Frog
Screaming Frog is a highly versatile desktop program that crawls websites’ links, images, CSS, script, and apps from an SEO perspective.
It generates sitemaps, identifies broken links, redirects, and analyzes page titles and metadata.
Ideal for SEO audits, it provides deep insights and analytics that are crucial for optimizing websites.
Best features:
- Comprehensive SEO crawling capabilities.
- Can generate XML sitemaps for large websites.
- Identifies broken links, errors, and redirects.
Pricing:
- Free version available with limited features.
- Paid version starts at £149 per year.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| In-depth SEO analysis and error detection. | The interface can be overwhelming for beginners. |
| Free version available for small websites. | Paid version is required for full features and larger sites. |
| Can handle large sites and complex sitemaps. | Desktop-based, requiring software installation. |
5. Inspyder Sitemap Creator
Inspyder Sitemap Creator is designed for ease of use, offering an automated way to generate sitemaps for any website without the need for coding.
It’s tailored for users seeking a straightforward solution for creating sitemaps that ensure their sites are indexed correctly by search engines.
The tool also offers automatic ping features to notify search engines of sitemap updates.
Best Features:
- User-friendly interface and easy setup.
- Automatic update notifications to search engines.
- Supports large websites and generates various sitemap types (XML, image, video).
Pricing:
- Offers a free trial for up to 25 pages.
- One-time payment of $39.95 plan.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use for beginners and professionals. | Software must be installed on a desktop. |
| No recurring fees. | Lacks some advanced features compared to competitors. |
| Comprehensive sitemap options including image and video sitemaps. |
6. XML-Sitemaps.com
XML-Sitemaps.com is a highly accessible online tool that provides a convenient way to generate sitemaps for websites with up to 500 pages for free.
It’s ideal for small to medium-sized websites looking to improve their SEO without significant investment.
This tool automates the process of sitemap creation, making it accessible to users without technical expertise.
Best features:
- Free for websites up to 500 pages.
- No installation required; operates directly from the browser.
- Generates sitemaps ready to be submitted to search engines.
Pricing:
- Free for websites with up to 500 pages.
- Paid versions for $4.19 per month, offering advanced features and support for larger websites.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Free version available for small websites. | Limited features in the free version. |
| User-friendly and no technical skills are required. | Paid plans are required for larger websites and advanced features. |
| Directly generates sitemaps without needing software installation. | May not be as customizable as other tools. |
7. Sitemap Writer Pro
Sitemap Writer Pro offers an efficient and user-friendly downloadable tool for creating XML sitemaps.
It’s designed to streamline the sitemap creation process, which means it’s accessible to users of all skill levels.
With its intuitive interface, it simplifies the steps needed to generate sitemaps, making for a silky-smooth experience.
Best features:
- User-friendly interface that simplifies the sitemap creation process.
- Supports large website sitemap generation with ease.
- Automatic sitemap updates to keep track of website changes.
Pricing:
- Available for a one-time purchase of $24.95.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Intuitive interface, ideal for new users. | Limited to sitemap generation without additional SEO tools. |
| Efficiently handles large websites. | One-time purchases might deter those seeking free tools. |
| Automated updates keep sitemaps current. | May lack advanced customization options for complex sites. |
8. XML Sitemap Generator for Google
This plugin from WordPress is specifically designed to cater to Google’s guidelines for XML sitemaps, ensuring that your website meets the search engine’s requirements for indexing.
It’s straightforward and focuses on creating sitemaps that help improve your website’s visibility in Google search results.
Best features:
- Tailor-made for Google’s sitemap specifications.
- Easy to use, great for beginners.
Pricing:
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Designed specifically for Google optimization. | Focus on Google might limit versatility with other search engines. |
| Simple to install the plugin. | May not offer the depth of features found in more comprehensive tools. |
| User-friendly interface for easy sitemap creation. |
9. Octopus.do
Octopus.do stands out as a visual sitemap generator, providing a more intuitive way of planning and visualizing website structures.
It’s particularly helpful for web designers and developers looking to create a blueprint of their site architecture before diving into detailed sitemap generation.
Best features:
- Visual sitemap creation for better planning and organization.
- Real-time collaboration features for team projects.
- Export options to various formats for easy integration.
Pricing:
- Free plan available with basic features
- Pro plan starts at $10 per month, with a top tier Teams plan for $14 per month.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Intuitive visual interface for easy planning. | Primarily a planning tool, might require another tool for XML sitemaps. |
| Supports collaboration, ideal for teams. | Pro version is needed for full feature access. |
| Versatile export options enhance workflow. | May not be as detailed in SEO-specific features as other tools. |
10. XML Sitemap & Google News
Another WordPress plugin, XML Sitemap & Google News is designed to cater specifically to the needs of news websites and blogs that aim to be featured in Google News.
It generates sitemaps that comply with Google’s guidelines, bringing ease and organization to news websites and increasing search result visibility.
Best features:
- Optimized for Google News, but works with many other search platforms.
- Automatically updates sitemaps with new articles.
- Easy integration with WordPress websites.
Pricing:
- Free version is available, with a paid option.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Specialized for news sites aiming for Google News. | Limited appeal for non-news websites. |
| The auto-update feature keeps content fresh in search results. | Premium version is required for advanced features. |
| Works with multiple caching solutions. | Only offers sitemap generation. |
11. Slickplan
Slickplan is a full bundle of tools for website planning, including content planning and user flow diagrams.
It’s designed for web professionals who need to visualize and plan websites extensively before development starts.
Best features:
- Complete set of planning tools including sitemaps, content, and user flow.
- Collaboration features for team projects.
- Integration with CMS platforms for streamlined workflow.
Pricing:
- 14-day free trial
- Basic plan for $10.49 for 3 active projects and 1 GB of storage
- Pro plan for $31.49 per month, 10 active projects, and 25 GB of storage
Team, the most popular plan, for $62.99 per month, unlimited active projects, and 100 GB storage - Agency plan for $103.49 per month, unlimited active projects, storage, and the full suite of features.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Free SEO tools and templates. | Price point may be higher due to additional features. |
| Ability to create design mockups and collaborate together. | Can be complex for users needing only a sitemap generator. |
| Direct CMS integration for efficient planning of the publishing process. | Might be overkill for small projects or individual use. |
12. DYNO Mapper
DYNO Mapper stands out with its ability to generate visual sitemaps from URLs, allowing users to see the structure of their site in a more intuitive and graphical way.
It’s particularly useful for planning website redesigns or large site architectures.
Best features:
- Visual sitemap generation for easy understanding of site structure.
- Content inventory and keyword tracking for SEO optimization.
- Website accessibility testing.
Pricing:
- 14-day free trial
- Lite plan for $39 per month, includes 10 saved projects, content planning, and limited features.
- The $49 per month Pro plan includes more features like content inventory and audit and 500 keywords
- The Standard plan, for $99 per month, has unlimited users, 1,000 keywords, and much more.
- For large-scale operations, the Organization plan gives access to all features, allows for 50 projects, and 100 GB of storage.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Graphical view simplifies complex site structures. | Higher starting price point compared to some alternatives. |
| SEO features like keyword tracking add value. | May be more than needed for simple sitemap generation tasks. |
| Integrates with Jira. |
13. WriteMaps
WriteMaps is tailored for web designers and developers looking to outline websites quickly and efficiently.
It provides a straightforward platform for creating visual sitemaps, and facilitating early-stage web project planning.
Best features:
- Simple and easy for creating visual sitemaps.
- Allows for easy sharing.
- Supports the export of sitemaps in various formats for presentation or documentation.
Pricing:
- Forever free version for up to 2 projects
- $16 per month for unlimited projects and pages.
- Free trial is also available for the paid plan.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| User-friendly interface is ideal for quick sitemap creation. | Features may be too basic for very complex sites. |
| Quickly add title tags and meta descriptions. | Lacking advanced SEO tools found with other sitemap generator providers. |
| Export options enhance versatility in use. |
14. WonderWebWare
WonderWebWare is a desktop-based, SEO-focused sitemap generator that caters to users preferring offline tools for creating sitemaps.
It’s designed for simplicity and effectiveness, allowing for the generation of sitemaps without the need for an internet connection.
Best features:
- Desktop application allows for offline sitemap creation.
- Simple interface makes it easy to use for beginners.
- Supports the generation of both XML and HTML sitemaps.
Pricing:
- Free to use, and is donation-based.
Pros and cons:
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Offline functionality suits users without constant internet. | Lacks the collaborative features of online platforms. |
| Free to use, with a paid version for more advanced needs. | May not be as updated or feature-rich as web-based tools. |
| Simple and straightforward, good for beginners. | Limited functionality compared to more comprehensive tools. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sitemap generator?
A sitemap generator is a tool or software that creates a sitemap for a website. Sitemaps are files that list the pages of a website in a format that is readable by search engines.
They help search engines like Google understand the structure of a site, making it easier to crawl and index its pages.
How to choose the best sitemap generator?
Choosing the best sitemap generator depends on several factors, including the size and complexity of your website, your technical expertise, and your budget.
Consider whether you need a simple tool for a small website or a more advanced tool that offers detailed analysis and SEO recommendations. Also, decide if you prefer an online service or a software application.
What is the best sitemap generator?
The best sitemap generator is subjective and varies based on individual needs.
For WordPress users, Yoast SEO and RankMath are popular choices because of their ease of use and integration.
For more detailed sitemap creation and site analysis, Screaming Frog and DYNO Mapper are excellent choices. Evaluate your specific requirements and budget to determine the best tool for you.
What is the difference between visual and XML sitemap?
A visual sitemap is designed for human use, often used in the planning and design phase of a website to outline its structure and navigation.
An XML sitemap, on the other hand, is intended for search engines. It lists a website’s URLs in a format that allows search engines to crawl the site more efficiently.
While a visual sitemap helps in planning and organizing content, an XML sitemap is made for SEO.
