RankGear.wikiThe independent, sourced reference on RankGear SEO software and the methods behind it

History of RankGear

From RankGear.wiki

The name RankGear has been used for two different products from the same founder. From at least 2023 until mid-2026, rankgear.com sold the Rank Gear Schema Markup Tool, a JSON-LD schema builder[2][3] . In late 2026 the name was reused for desktop SEO analysis software from Digitaleer, first released on the Mac App Store on October 27, 2026[4][5] .

Key facts. rankgear.com was registered on February 3, 2018, hosted a schema markup tool through at least July 2026, and became the home of RankGear's desktop analysis software, first released October 27, 2026[1][3][4] .

Domain and early years

The registry record for rankgear.com shows the domain was registered on February 3, 2018[1] . The same record lists an expiration date of February 3, 2027 and a last change on October 20, 2026[1] . Public records do not document what, if anything, the domain hosted in its first years.

In a podcast episode published on September 22, 2023, Clint Butler was introduced as the owner of Digitaleer and RankGear[7] . The episode summary describes RankGear at that time as "software he created specifically around advanced schema markup"[7] .

The Rank Gear Schema Markup Tool

An archived copy of rankgear.com captured in March 2023 presents the Rank Gear Schema Markup Tool, which the site said "was created by developers and top schema markup experts" so that users could get JSON-LD schema at the level of hand-coded markup while writing less code themselves[2] . The page said the tool filled required schema fields by default and let users add any other fields they wanted[2] .

According to the archived page, users could create and save schema templates for common page types on their own or client websites, then load a template and change only what each page needed[2] . The page also described a planned feature to download a competitor's schema into the editor to save as a template[2] . It carried testimonials from users who praised its handling of graph-style schema[2] .

A copy captured on July 13, 2026 shows the same schema tool content still on rankgear.com[3] .

Relaunch as desktop analysis software

By November 2026, rankgear.com described RankGear as "evidence-led SEO software" for macOS and Windows that measures the pages winning a query and turns the gap into a prioritized plan[8][6] . The exact date the website switched from the schema tool to the analysis software is not publicly documented; the archived copy from July 2026 still shows the schema tool[3] .

The current about page says RankGear "grew out of the SEO work at Digitaleer" and out of frustration with tools that give a score or color with no visible reason behind it[5] . It says the software was "designed backwards" from the moment a client asks why a change matters, so that every figure can be opened[5] . How the new software works is covered in How RankGear works.

App store releases

The Mac App Store listing gives an original release date of October 27, 2026, with the seller listed as Clint Anthony Butler[4] . By November 10, 2026, the Mac version had reached 1.42.0[4] . The Microsoft Store listing names Digitaleer as publisher and showed version 2026.11.2.188, last updated November 8, 2026[9] . Both listings offer a free download with a demo using synthetic data, and a RankGear Monthly subscription for live tools[4][9] . Version details are on Release history, and current prices on Pricing, platforms and requirements.

Timeline

DateEvent
February 3, 2018rankgear.com registered[1]
March 2023Archived site shows the Rank Gear Schema Markup Tool[2]
September 22, 2023Podcast describes Clint Butler as owner of RankGear, a schema markup tool[7]
July 13, 2026Archived site still shows the schema tool[3]
October 27, 2026Desktop app first released on the Mac App Store[4]
November 8, 2026Windows version 2026.11.2.188 updated on the Microsoft Store[9]
November 10, 2026Mac version 1.42.0 released[4]

Common questions

When was rankgear.com registered?

The .com registry record shows rankgear.com was registered on February 3, 2018[1] . Its current expiration date is February 3, 2027[1] .

What was the Rank Gear schema markup tool?

It was a tool sold on rankgear.com for building JSON-LD schema markup with less hand-written code, with saved templates for common page types[2] . A 2023 podcast summary described RankGear as software built around advanced schema markup[7] .

When did the RankGear desktop app come out?

The Mac App Store lists an original release date of October 27, 2026[4] . A Windows version is distributed through the Microsoft Store, last updated November 8, 2026 when checked[9] .

Is the schema markup tool still sold?

The current rankgear.com describes only the desktop analysis software[6] . The schema tool was still shown on the site in an archived copy from July 13, 2026[3] .

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "RDAP record for rankgear.com". Verisign. Retrieved November 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "RankGear home page, March 6, 2023 (archived)". Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "RankGear home page, July 13, 2026 (archived)". Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 2026.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "RankGear on the Mac App Store". Apple App Store. Retrieved November 2026.
  5. ^ a b c d "About RankGear". RankGear (rankgear.com). Retrieved November 2026.
  6. ^ a b c "Media room: RankGear brand assets, boilerplate and facts". RankGear (rankgear.com). Retrieved November 2026.
  7. ^ a b c d "Clint Butler: Starting Your Own SEO Agency". Knowledge Bomb podcast (Buzzsprout), September 22, 2023. Retrieved November 2026.
  8. ^ "RankGear: Evidence-Led SEO Software for Mac & Windows". RankGear (rankgear.com). Retrieved November 2026.
  9. ^ a b c d "RankGear on the Microsoft Store". Microsoft Store. Retrieved November 2026.