AuditHQ FAQ
Common questions about AuditHQ - how the audit engine works, what the report contains, pricing, white-label, agency workflows, and how it differs from free tools like Lighthouse.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an audit take?
Around 5 to 8 minutes for the full nine-suite audit. The engine runs every check first, then the AI writes the report around the verified findings, crawling up to 8 pages from your sitemap. The free quick scan samples all nine suites and is faster, about 60 seconds, if you want a preview first.
Is this just a website audit?
No. The website is the starting point, but the report covers public signals across visibility, technical health, AI search readiness, security, privacy, reputation, social footprint, and employer brand. We pull from your sitemap, Google PageSpeed Insights, Google Safe Browsing, the NIST vulnerability database, your DNS records, and external presence searches, then turn it all into one prioritised action plan.
What is included in the report?
An overall score and grade, an executive summary in plain English, nine suite scorecards, individual findings with severity and effort estimates, supporting evidence, quick wins, and a prioritised action plan. The goal is not just to show what is wrong, but what deserves attention first and who should fix it.
What websites can be audited?
Any publicly accessible website with an https:// URL: client sites, your own site, and prospect sites are all supported. AuditHQ does not log into private systems, submit forms, or modify the target website.
Are the findings based on real data or AI guesswork?
Real data. Every finding is verified against a live source before the AI writes a word. Core Web Vitals come from Google PageSpeed Insights, malware and phishing flags from Google Safe Browsing, known CVEs from the NIST National Vulnerability Database, and SPF/DMARC and email authentication from live DNS lookups. The AI interprets verified results; it does not speculate.
Is this just a Lighthouse report?
No. Lighthouse-style signals are useful and we use them where relevant, but AuditHQ combines nine specialist suites into one prioritised report with severity, business context, and report export. Lighthouse covers part of the technical suite, not the other eight.
Does AuditHQ guarantee compliance or security?
No. AuditHQ checks visible website signals and common risk indicators. It is not a legal compliance review, penetration test, or formal security certification. Findings should be reviewed before being relied on for legal, security, or compliance decisions.
How do agencies use AuditHQ?
Common agency use cases are pre-pitch audits, paid diagnostic offers, and new-client baselines. It gives strategists and account leads a faster way to walk into conversations with evidence and a clearer priority list.
How do owners and in-house teams use it?
To see what customers and search engines can already spot online before spending more on traffic, redesigns, or outside help. It is useful for getting a baseline before a relaunch, sharpening an internal brief, or sanity-checking where effort should go next.
Can I white-label the reports with my agency branding?
Yes. The Agency plan includes full white-label control: your logo, your brand colours, and a custom domain on the report. The one-time Single Audit tier uses AuditHQ branding.
What does "unlimited" mean on the Agency plan?
No hard monthly cap; it is built for regular client audit workflows. Fair-use terms apply, so it is not intended for bulk automated scraping or resale of raw data.
Will the website owner know I ran an audit on their site?
AuditHQ uses standard read-only HTTP requests against publicly accessible URLs and identifies itself with a recognisable User-Agent. The target site is not notified, no cookies are set on it, and no login is attempted.
Are reports private?
Reports are private to your account by default. They become viewable outside your account only when you export a report or create a shareable link, and anyone who receives that link or file may be able to view it.
Can I cancel at any time?
Yes. Subscription plans are month-to-month with no contracts or lock-in. Cancel from your account settings and access continues until the end of your current billing period.
What if an audit fails or produces an incomplete report?
If a scan fails for reasons within our control, we will rerun it at no charge or refund the relevant amount. If a report completes with limited data, contact support and we will review it. See the Terms for the full failed-scan and refund handling.