# AiroPages vs Unlighthouse

> AiroPages vs Unlighthouse: hosted bulk Lighthouse audits compared with the open-source CLI. Setup, CI, MCP and monitoring. Checked 2026-11-14.

Last checked: 2026-11-14

## Summary

Unlighthouse is a free, MIT-licensed tool that finds your pages and runs Lighthouse on your own machine or in CI, with a local dashboard and an MCP server in its v1 beta. It is excellent if you are comfortable with Node.js. AiroPages does the same core job with no install: enter a URL, get results for every page on both devices, and add history, grouped issues, scheduled emails and shareable reports.

Unlighthouse: Open-source CLI that runs Lighthouse across a whole site.

## Side by side

| Feature | AiroPages | Unlighthouse |
|---|---|---|
| Price entry point | $5 one-time (25 URL scans) or $19.99/mo | Free and open source (MIT) |
| One-time option | Yes. From $5 for one site, no subscription | Not needed. Free to run |
| Site and URL limits | 500 URL scans/mo and 3 sites on Starter, up to 10,000 and 25 sites on Agency | No URL limit stated for the CLI; samples similar routes by default |
| Preview or free tier | No free tier. You see the exact price for your site before paying, one-time from $5 | Free. A separate web tool checks up to 10 URLs |
| Grouped issues | Yes. Identical issues grouped by page template | Groups paths by route for sampling; merging identical issues not stated |
| Coding agent export | Yes. Prompt, Markdown checklist or JSON | Publishes an agent skill file; copy-prompt export not stated |
| MCP server | Yes. Remote server; read on Starter, re-scans on Pro and Agency | Yes, local MCP server (v1 beta) |
| Scheduled frequencies | Monthly on every plan; smart weekly on Agency ($129.99/mo); re-scan on deploy | Not stated. Runs when you or your CI trigger it |
| White-label | Yes, white-label PDF on Agency | Not stated. Dashboard columns are customizable |
| Engine and devices | Runs Lighthouse itself. Every scan covers mobile and desktop with PageSpeed Insights settings | Runs Lighthouse locally with your Chrome. Mobile by default, desktop with a flag |
| Setup | None. Enter a URL in the browser | Node.js CLI: npx unlighthouse --site <url> |

## Where Unlighthouse is better

- Free and open source under the MIT license.
- Runs on your machine, including localhost and dev builds.
- CI integration with score budgets that fail the build.
- Results stay on your machine unless you choose to upload them.

## Who should pick which

**Pick Unlighthouse if:**

- You are comfortable with Node.js and want a free tool you control.
- You want to scan localhost or fail CI builds on score budgets.

**Pick AiroPages if:**

- You do not want to install or maintain anything.
- You want scheduled checks, email alerts and history without running your own infrastructure.
- You need white-label PDFs or share links for clients.