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Apify vs. ScrapingBee: Which One Is Right for You in 2025?

Comparing Pricing, Features, and Performance to Help You Decide

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Apify vs ScrapingBee
Apify vs. ScrapingBee

Discover why 10,000+ companies chose ScraperAPI to scale their web scraping projects
over tools like Apify and ScrapingBee

Quick Overview

Choosing between Apify and ScrapingBee? We break down their strengths, weaknesses, and key differentiators to help you make the best choice.

About Apify

Apify is a full‑stack cloud platform for web scraping, browser automation, and data extraction. It empowers developers and businesses to build, deploy, and publish “Actors” (serverless programs) that can extract data from almost any website, regardless of its anti‐scraping measures. They also offer solutions catering to Generative AI purposes such as fine-tuning, sentiment analysis, etc. Apify is built by developers, for developers, without leaving out non-technical folks either. Their working model emphasizes reliability and scalability, supporting both code‐based and no‑code approaches through several integrations.

Strengths:

  • Scalable Serverless Infrastructure
  • Full-stack data extraction platform
  • High customizability
  • Apify Store and Actor Ecosystem

Top Features:

  • Marketplace of Pre-built Actors
  • Advanced Anti-Blocking & Proxy Services
  • Scalable Serverless Architecture
  • Broad offering of Developer Tools & Integrations

About ScrapingBee

ScrapingBee is a user‑friendly web scraping API that simplifies data extraction by managing headless browsers, rotating proxies, and bypassing CAPTCHAs. It lets you scrape data from any website, including modern JavaScript-intensive sites,  without managing the complex infrastructure yourself. ScrapingBee also provides multi‑language support for programming languages and frameworks such as Python, Go, Java, Ruby, etc.

Strengths:

  • Headless browser management with full JavaScript rendering
  • Sophisticated proxy rotation & premium proxy options to bypass anti-scraping measures
  • Transparent, credit-based pricing that scales with your needs
  • Comprehensive API documentation and multi-language SDKs for easy integration.

Top Features:

  • Headless Browser API
  • Automatic proxy rotation and premium options.
  • JavaScript Rendering
  • Custom Extraction Rules with CSS selectors

How ScraperAPI Stacks Up

ScraperAPI is a superb option if you’re looking for a cost-effective web scraping API that simplifies large‑scale data extraction. It automates the heavy lifting by managing proxies, handling CAPTCHAs automatically, and delivering real‑time JavaScript rendering. Its main target is developers and businesses that require high‑volume, reliable scraping without the burden of building and maintaining complex infrastructure. Like ScrapingBee, ScraperAPI also provides multi‑language support for programming languages and frameworks like Python, NodeJS, PHP, Java, Ruby, etc.

Strengths:

  • High success rates with automatic CAPTCHA handling and seamless proxy rotation
  • Exceptional value for high-volume projects
  • Extensive geolocation support with over 150+ geolocation options
  • Real-time JavaScript rendering that accurately captures dynamic content

Top Features:

  • Direct Geotargeting.
  • Domain-specific scrapers (Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Redfin, etc.).
  • Advanced Built-in proxy rotation (including mobile proxies) and CAPTCHA solving system.
  • LLM Output Feature (for high-quality Generative AI training data).
  • JavaScript rendering.
  • Cost-efficient credit-based system.

Feature-by-Feature Breakdown

1️⃣ Pricing & Value

FeatureApifyScrapingBeeScraperAPI
Pricing ModelCompute Unit (CU) based. Cost varies based on usage (memory, runtime). Offers monthly tier plansCredit-based API usage. Monthly subscription tiers, with costs based on API call volume.Credit-based monthly subscription
Free TrialOffers free usage credits to start.Offers a free trial with a certain amount of API creditsOffers a free trial with about 1000 API credits and 5 concurrent threads 
Pay-as-you-goYes, it is integrated into their pricing model.NoNo 
Extra Costs (Bandwidth, IPs, etc.)Potential extra costs for exceeding plan limits and for add-on features such as extra proxy usageNoNo
Money-back GuaranteeNo  Not statedYes

📌 Takeaway: ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI offer similar, straightforward pricing models, giving them an edge over Apify’s more complex billing structure. Both use a credit-based monthly system, making it easier to plan usage costs. In contrast, Apify’s compute-unit–based pay-as-you-go model can be less predictable due to charges based on memory, runtime, proxies, and bandwidth.

ScraperAPI’s business plan includes 3,000,000 credits, supports high concurrency (up to 100 threads), and comes with a risk-free trial via a money-back guarantee. It is ideal for those who value cost transparency and scalability.

ScrapingBee sits in between—still credit-based but with higher credit consumption for advanced features like AI tasks or complex requests.

All three offer free trials, but if pricing clarity and predictability are priorities, ScraperAPI is the most appealing option. Apify or ScrapingBee might be better suited for more flexibility and don’t-mind-variable-costs scenarios.

ScraperAPIApifyScrapingBee
API Credits3,000,000$0.3 per compute unit3,000,000
Results3,000,000 standard requests (600,000 e-commerce requests)Depends on the number of compute units you consume120,000 requests with premium proxies and javascript handling
Cost$299/month$199/month$249/month

2️⃣ Performance & Reliability

FeatureApifyScrapingBeeScraperAPI
Success Rate (%)The success rate depends on the Actor used and the target website. Documentation does not include an explicit success rate98%+95%+ 
JS Rendering SupportYes, through Actors and Playwright/Puppeteer integrationYes Yes, it is integrated directly into the API.
CAPTCHA HandlingYes, also through Actors and integrations with third-party solvers.Yes.Yes, directly integrated solutions.
Geolocation OptionsClaim to offer geotargeting through premium proxies covering various regions. Documentation, however, does not contain explicit information on the number of countries.200+ countries150+ countries

📌 Takeaway: All three providers offer robust JavaScript rendering and CAPTCHA handling, essential to scrape complex, dynamic websites successfully. However, some of the significant differences are:

  • ScraperAPI and ScrapingBee have a slight edge since they directly provide automatic CAPTCHA handling and robust proxy management out of the box. This simplifies the process so you can immediately start scraping sites with even the strongest anti-scraping measures.
  • Apify provides flexibility through its Actor ecosystem, meaning that with the correct actor, it can handle very complex sites. However, the success rate of the actor heavily depends on your configuration. So, while it is very powerful, it requires more technical know-how.

If you’re looking for a more “hands-off” experience with built-in anti-scraping measures, ScraperAPI and ScrapingBee are the strongest contenders. Apify is the most powerful but requires the most technical know-how.

3️⃣ User Reviews & Ratings (Capterra and Trustpilot)

PlatformApify ⭐ScrapingBee ⭐ScraperAPI ⭐
Capterra4.8 4.94.6
Trustpilot4.2N/A4.7

📌 Takeaway: There’s an interesting contrast among the three platforms. Apify earns a strong 4.8 on Capterra but sits at 4.2 on Trustpilot. Many reviewers appreciate its rich ecosystem and flexibility but flag a steep learning curve, unpredictable pricing when usage spikes, and complexity in customization as major pain points.

ScrapingBee, on the other hand, boasts the highest Capterra score at 4.9, indicating that it’s well-received on the platform. Most users report inconsistencies, especially when handling more complex sites. Most reviewers express concerns over their limited support for advanced scraping challenges.

ScraperAPI, with a Capterra rating of 4.6 and a notably high Trustpilot score of 4.7, delivers a more consistently reliable experience. Its straightforward, credit‑based pricing model, combined with integrated JavaScript rendering, robust CAPTCHA handling, and solid geolocation capabilities, seem to directly address the complaints of many users of Apify and ScrapingBee. The risk‑free 7-day money‑back guarantee further reinforces its appeal, as well. 

Pros and Cons for Each – Based on User Feedback

Apify

👍 Pros:

  • Extensive ecosystem of pre-built Actors and integrations.
  • Powerful and flexible for complex scraping tasks.
  • Strong community and developer resources.

👎 Cons:

  • Steep learning curve, especially for beginners.
  • Unpredictable pricing due to compute unit consumption.
  • Complexity in customizing Actors.

ScrapingBee

👍 Pros:

  • User-friendly API and easy setup
  • Suitable for quick and straightforward scraping tasks
  • High Capterra ratings due to ease of use

👎 Cons:

  • Concerns about inconsistent performance
  • Complaints about technical support responsiveness

ScraperAPI

👍 Pros:

  • High success rate on complex websites
  • Reliable and consistent performance, reflected in high Trustpilot ratings
  • Transparent, credit-based pricing with a money-back guarantee
  • Automatic CAPTCHA handling and robust proxy management

👎 Cons:

  • Slightly lower Capterra rating compared to competitors
  • Less extensive ecosystem than Apify
  • Less flexible than Apify for highly customized tasks

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Apify if:

 ✔ You prioritize a comprehensive web scraping platform with a wide range of pre-built tools and integrations.
 ✔ You need complex workflow automation, scheduled tasks, and data storage capabilities.
 ✔ You prefer a flexible, cloud-based platform with extensive developer tools and support.

Choose ScrapingBee if:

 ✔ You need a solution that handles dynamic, JavaScript‑driven pages while offering built‑in geolocation targeting.
 ✔ You want an API that is easy to integrate, includes headless Chrome rendering, and supports advanced scraping tasks.
 ✔ You prefer a credit‑based pricing model with clear monthly subscription tiers and a free trial (with 1,000 free API calls) to test the service before committing.

Choose ScraperAPI if…

 ✔ You need a developer-friendly API with broad programming language support and easy integration.
 ✔ You want features such as geotargeting and automated CAPTCHA handling.
 ✔ You prefer a cost-efficient service with high success rates, especially for high-volume, domain-specific scraping tasks, and value a money-back guarantee.

Why is ScraperAPI the best alternative to Apify and ScrapingBee

ScraperAPI stands out as the best alternative to Apify and ScrapingBee because of its balance of simplicity, reliability, and predictable pricing. Unlike Apify’s compute unit-based pricing, which, while flexible, can lead to unforeseen expenses. And, not forgetting ScrapingBee’s occasional inconsistencies. 

One of the key advantages of ScraperAPI is its all-in-one approach. Integrating full JavaScript rendering, robust CAPTCHA handling, and built-in geolocation options into a single API call makes ScraperAPI a comprehensive solution that eliminates the need to manage separate tools and configurations yourself. 

In terms of performance, ScraperAPI maintains a high success rate even on websites with heavy security measures, and it can handle up to 100 concurrent threads on higher-tier plans, further underlining its suitability for projects that demand quick, consistent data retrieval. Here are further points why ScraperAPI is the better alternative: 

  1. An all-integrated features system: ScraperAPI combines JavaScript rendering, CAPTCHA solving, and geolocation into a single API call, eliminating the need to stitch together multiple tools or worry about compatibility issues.
  2. Direct Geolocation Control: ScraperAPI offers a straightforward country code parameter for direct geolocation control instead of configuring geolocation through proxies with ScrapingBees’ proxy location selection or Apify’s actor-based solution.
  3. Consistent Results ScraperAPI boasts a consistently high rating on both Capterra and TrustPilot. This cements its capability for consistent, high-quality web scraping. For projects where every successful scrape matters, this reliability is critical.
  4. Straightforward Credit-Based Model: Unlike competitors with complex Compute Unit-based pricing or additional charges for advanced features, ScraperAPI’s pricing is comprehensive, transparent, and easy to plan.

Ultimately, if you need a dependable solution capable of handling modern, JavaScript‑heavy websites without the hassle of managing multiple systems or unpredictable pricing, ScraperAPI is the best option compared to Apify and ScrapingBee.

ScraperAPI is the better (yet affordable) alternative

ScraperAPI vs. ScrapingBee
ScraperAPI vs ScrapingBee

What Our Customers
Are Saying

One of the most frustrating parts of automated web scraping is constantly dealing with IP blocks and CAPTCHAs. ScraperAPI gets this task off of your shoulders.

Capterra Badge

based on 50+ reviews

The team at ScraperAPI was so patient in helping us debug our first scraper. Thanks for being super passionate and awesome!
Cristina Saavedra
Cristina SaavedraOptimization Director at SquareTrade
A dead simple API plus a generous free tier are hard to beat. ScraperAPI is a good example of how developer experience can make a difference in a crowded category.
Ilya Sukhar
Ilya SukharFounder of Parse, Partner at YCombinator
I researched a lot of scraping tools and am glad I found ScraperAPI. It has low cost and great tech support. They always respond within 24 hours when I need any help with the product.
Alexander Zharkov
Alexander ZharkovFullstack Javascript Developer
BigCommerce

Simple Pricing. No Surprises.

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Upgrade to enable more features and increase scraping volume.

Hobby

Ideal for small projects or personal use.

Hobby

$49

/ month

$44

/ month, billed annually

  • 100,000 API Credits
  • 20 Concurrent Threads
  • US & EU Geotargeting
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Startup

Great for small teams and advanced users.

Startup

$149

/ month

$134

/ month, billed annually

  • 1,000,000 API Credits
  • 50 Concurrent Threads
  • US & EU Geotargeting
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Business

Perfect for small-medium businesses.

Business

$299

/ month

$269

/ month, billed annually

  • 3,000,000 API Credits
  • 100 Concurrent Threads
  • All Geotargeting
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Scaling

Most popular

Perfect for teams looking to scale their operations.

Business

$475

/ month

$427

/ month, billed annually

  • 5,000,000 API Credits
  • 200 Concurrent Threads
  • All Geotargeting
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Enterprise

Need more than 5,000,000 API Credits with all premium features, premium support and an account manager?

  • 5,000,000+ API credits and 200+ Concurrent Threads
  • Dedicated Account Manager
  • Slack Support
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Frequently Asked Questions

ScraperAPI outperforms the alternatives when it comes to handling dynamic, JavaScript-intensive sites. It easily renders JavaScript content using integrated headless browsers, so you never have to worry about inconsistencies, such as your web pages not loading altogether.

  • ScraperAPI offers a more cost-effective alternative for high-volume, straightforward scraping tasks due to its predictable, transparent credit‑based subscription model and a 7‑day money‑back guarantee. 
  • If flexibility and integration with a broad ecosystem of pre‑built tools are important to you, Apify delivers better value despite its compute unit‑based pricing, which can sometimes lead to variable costs. 
  • For straightforward scraping tasks with a focus on ease of use, ScrapingBee offers a flexible credit-based system with monthly subscription plans.

Switching to ScraperAPI is straightforward. You only need to update your API endpoints and adjust your request parameters to match ScraperAPI’s structure. Our documentation guides you through the process.

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