Scrape.ly vs ScrapingBee: a ScrapingBee alternative built on Actors
ScrapingBee turns each URL into one API call billed in credits. Scrape.ly runs whole scrapers, your own or ready-made ones from the Store, with managed proxies billed per GB and a hosted anti-bot browser. Here is how the two approaches compare.
Competitor facts and prices as listed on Oct 14, 2026. Sources
The short answer
ScrapingBee is a simple fit when you want one endpoint that returns a rendered page, Markdown, or extracted fields per URL, with a fixed monthly credit allowance. Scrape.ly fits when the job is bigger than a single request: crawling, pagination, storage, schedules, and reuse. You run Actors (including existing Apify Actors), pay for compute and proxy traffic at $2–$4 per GB residential or $0.75–$1 per GB datacenter, and can sell what you build in the Store.
Apify-compatible
$2–$4/GB residential, $0.75–$1/GB datacenter
Creators keep 80% of paid fees
Scrape.ly vs ScrapingBee, side by side
ScrapingBee: Web scraping API that fetches pages through rotating proxies with optional headless-browser rendering, billed in API credits per request.
| Feature | Scrape.ly | ScrapingBee |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Platform to run, build, and sell scrapers (Actors), with a Store | Per-request web scraping API |
| Pricing model | Plans raise limits; usage from a prepaid USD balance | Monthly plans with an API credit allowance |
| Free to try | Free plan with a monthly usage credit, no credit card to start | 1,000 API credits, no credit card required |
| Proxy pricing | Residential $2–$4 per GB, datacenter $0.75–$1 per GB | Bundled into credits: 10 to 75 credits per premium or stealth request |
| JavaScript rendering | Run Playwright or Puppeteer in your Actor, or on the hosted Scrapely browser | On by default, 5 credits per request |
| Anti-bot | Scrapely browser: anti-bot fingerprints and Cloudflare Turnstile solving | Premium and stealth proxies |
| AI extraction | Hosted MCP server lets agents run Actors and read results | ai_query and ai_extract_rules, +5 credits |
| Custom code | Yes: JavaScript and Python Actors, Apify-compatible | js_scenario browser actions within a request |
| Marketplace | Scrape.ly Store; creators keep 80% of event fees | None found |
| Tooling | JS and Python SDKs, API clients, scrapely CLI | Python and Node.js SDKs, scrapingbee-cli |
Pricing compared
ScrapingBee prices as listed on Oct 14, 2026 on their public pricing pages; check their site for current figures. Scrape.ly's current plans are on the pricing page.
Scrape.ly
- Free plan
- Monthly usage credit, no credit card to start
- Paid plans
- Raise concurrency, memory, and other limits, and can add a Store discount
- Usage
- Compute, storage, transfer, proxy, and browser usage from a prepaid USD balance
- Residential proxy
- $2–$4 per GB
- Datacenter proxy
- $0.75–$1 per GB
- Spending control
- Optional maximum charge per run; the run stops when it is reached
ScrapingBee
- Pricing model
- Monthly subscription plans with an API credit allowance. Each request consumes credits depending on its configuration (JavaScript rendering, premium or stealth proxy, AI extraction). Prices exclude VAT.
- Free tier
- 1,000 free API credits to try, no credit card required.
ScrapingBee plans
| ScrapingBee plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby | $19/mo | 75,000 API credits, 25 concurrent requests |
| Freelance | $49/mo | 250,000 API credits, 50 concurrent requests |
| Startup | $99/mo | 1,000,000 API credits, 100 concurrent requests |
| Business | $249/mo | 3,000,000 API credits, 200 concurrent requests |
| Business + | $599/mo | 8,000,000 API credits, 400 concurrent requests |
| Enterprise 14 | $999/mo | 14,000,000 API credits, 500 concurrent requests |
| Enterprise 24 | $1,599/mo | 24,000,000 API credits, 600 concurrent requests |
| Enterprise 41 | $2,399/mo | 41,000,000 API credits, 700 concurrent requests |
| Enterprise 69 | $3,599/mo | 69,000,000 API credits, 800 concurrent requests |
| Enterprise 120 | $5,799/mo | 120,000,000 API credits, 900 concurrent requests |
ScrapingBee usage and proxy pricing
| ScrapingBee product | Price as listed on Oct 14, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Request with JavaScript rendering (the default) | 5 credits |
| Premium proxy, no JavaScript rendering | 10 credits |
| Premium proxy with JavaScript rendering | 25 credits |
| Stealth proxy (requires JavaScript rendering) | 75 credits |
| AI extraction (ai_query, ai_extract_rules) | +5 credits on top of the regular cost |
| mode=auto | 1, 5, 10, 25, or 75 credits depending on which configuration succeeds; failed requests cost 0 |
- ScrapingBee's unit is the request: a plan's credits buy 15,000 default requests on Hobby (75,000 credits at 5 each), fewer when premium or stealth proxies are needed.
- Scrape.ly has no per-request multiplier. A run pays for its compute (memory × duration), its proxy traffic per GB, and browser credits if it uses the Scrapely browser, all from a prepaid balance you can cap per run.
Feature by feature
Where Scrape.ly and ScrapingBee overlap, and where they take different approaches.
Execution model
Scrape.ly runs Actors: containerised programs that take JSON input, crawl as many pages as they need, and write results to datasets and key-value stores. Tasks, schedules, and webhooks run them on repeat.
ScrapingBee answers one request per URL, with options for JavaScript rendering, browser actions (js_scenario), screenshots, and Markdown or text output.
Proxies and anti-blocking
Every run can use the managed proxy, residential at $2–$4 per GB or datacenter at $0.75–$1 per GB, with per-run credentials. The Scrapely browser adds anti-bot fingerprints and Cloudflare Turnstile solving.
Rotating proxies are included; premium proxies cost 10 or 25 credits per request and stealth proxies 75. Geotargeting is available.
Data extraction and AI
Actors return structured data you define, and the hosted MCP server lets Claude, Cursor, and other clients search the Store, run Actors, and read results.
ScrapingBee offers AI extraction (ai_query, ai_extract_rules, ai_selector) for 5 extra credits and CSS extract_rules.
Ready-made scrapers
The Scrape.ly Store lists Actors from Scrape.ly and community developers that you can run from the dashboard, the API, or MCP. Creators keep 80% of event fees paid with purchased credits.
ScrapingBee offers dedicated scraper APIs, including Google.
How to switch from ScrapingBee
Replace per-URL calls with an Actor run: start a Store Actor or your own, then read its dataset.
- 01
Find or build an Actor
Look for a ready-made scraper in the Store, or create your own from a template with the scrapely CLI.
Browse the Store →Quick start → - 02
Turn on proxies or the browser
Use the managed residential or datacenter proxy, and switch on the Scrapely browser for sites that block headless browsers.
Proxy docs →Scrapely browser → - 03
Call it from your code
Start runs and read datasets over the HTTP API or the JavaScript and Python clients, with an optional maximum charge per run.
Run Actors →JavaScript client → - 04
Connect your agents
Add the hosted MCP server to Claude, Cursor, or VS Code so agents can run scrapers for you.
MCP server →
When to choose which
ScrapingBee is a good fit for: Developers who want a single HTTP endpoint that returns rendered HTML, text, Markdown, or extracted data per URL, with predictable monthly credit allowances.
Choose Scrape.ly if
- Your scraping is a program, with crawling, queues, retries, and storage, not a single fetch.
- You want to pay for proxy traffic per GB instead of a credit multiplier per request.
- You already have Apify Actors or Apify SDK code you want to run.
- You want ready-made scrapers from the Store, or to sell your own and keep 80% of event fees.
- You want agents to run scrapers through a hosted MCP server.
Choose ScrapingBee if
- You want one HTTP endpoint that returns rendered HTML, text, Markdown, or extracted data per URL.
- You prefer a predictable monthly credit allowance.
- You want built-in AI extraction and screenshots on every request.
- You do not want to write or host scraper code.
Worth knowing before you decide
- ScrapingBee bills credits per request: 5 credits by default with JavaScript rendering, up to 75 with the stealth proxy. Scrape.ly bills compute units, proxy traffic per GB, and browser credits for the code you run, plus per-event fees on paid Store Actors.
- ScrapingBee is a request and response API. Scrape.ly runs complete scraper programs (Actors) with datasets, request queues, schedules, and webhooks.
- Scrape.ly has a Store where creators keep 80% of event fees paid with purchased credits; no ScrapingBee marketplace was found.
- Scrape.ly runs Apify Actors and Apify SDK code; ScrapingBee uses its own API.
- ScrapingBee's pricing page lists monthly prices only.
Need something custom, such as volume pricing or a managed scraper? Talk to us.
Scrape.ly vs ScrapingBee, answered
Is Scrape.ly an alternative to ScrapingBee?
They overlap but work differently. ScrapingBee is a per-request scraping API billed in credits. Scrape.ly is a platform for running scrapers (Actors), with ready-made Store scrapers, a hosted anti-bot browser, and proxies billed per GB.
How does pricing differ?
As listed on Oct 14, 2026, ScrapingBee plans start at $19 a month for 75,000 credits, and a default request with JavaScript rendering costs 5 credits. Scrape.ly charges usage (compute, proxy traffic, browser credits) from a prepaid balance, with residential proxies at $2–$4 per GB and datacenter at $0.75–$1 per GB.
Does Scrape.ly render JavaScript?
Yes. Actors can run Playwright or Puppeteer, and the Scrapely browser is a hosted Chromium with anti-bot fingerprints and Cloudflare Turnstile solving.
Can I sell scrapers on Scrape.ly?
Yes. Publish an Actor in the Store with pay-per-event pricing and keep 80% of what users pay with purchased credits.
Who operates Scrape.ly?
Scrape.ly is operated by TeraShift GmbH, a Swiss company.
Sources and method
Every ScrapingBee fact on this page comes from their public website and docs, read on Oct 14, 2026. Prices change, so check the linked pages before you buy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.
ScrapingBee (accessed Oct 14, 2026)
Scrape.ly
- Proxy groups and per-GB prices
- Plans, prepaid credits, and billing
- Creator earnings (80%) and payouts
- Maximum charge per run
- JavaScript SDK (API-compatible with the Apify SDK)
- Python SDK
- Migrating from apify-client (JavaScript)
- Migrating from apify-client (Python)
- Scrapely browser
- MCP server
- CLI reference
- Store
- Pricing
ScrapingBee is a trademark of its owner, used here only to identify their product. Scrape.ly is not affiliated with ScrapingBee.
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