Scrape.ly vs Web Scraper: a webscraper.io alternative for cloud runs
Web Scraper lets you build a scraper by clicking through a site in its free browser extension, then run it on Web Scraper Cloud. Scrape.ly runs ready-made Store Actors and your own code-based Actors in the cloud. Here is how they compare on pricing, scheduling, and data delivery.
Competitor facts and prices as listed on Oct 14, 2026. Sources
The short answer
If you want to build scrapers visually in your browser for free, then move them to scheduled cloud runs with exports straight to Google Sheets or S3, Web Scraper is a simple, focused choice. Scrape.ly is developer-first: its no-code path is running ready-made Store Actors from a form and scheduling them, and custom scrapers are written in code with Apify-compatible SDKs. You pay for usage from a prepaid balance rather than URL credits, residential proxies cost $2–$4 per GB, and Actors you build can be sold in the Store for 80% of what users pay.
Apify-compatible
$2–$4/GB residential, $0.75–$1/GB datacenter
Creators keep 80% of paid fees
Scrape.ly vs Web Scraper, side by side
Web Scraper: Point-and-click browser extension for building scrapers (sitemaps), with a paid Web Scraper Cloud for scheduled, managed runs.
| Feature | Scrape.ly | Web Scraper |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Apify-compatible platform with a Store of ready-made Actors | Point-and-click browser extension plus Web Scraper Cloud |
| How you build a scraper | Run a Store Actor from a form, or write an Actor in JavaScript or Python | Visual sitemaps in the browser extension |
| Pricing model | Plans raise limits; usage from a prepaid USD balance | Plans by URL credits and concurrent scrapers |
| Free option | Free plan with a monthly usage credit, no credit card to start | Free browser extension; cloud plans are paid |
| Entry cloud plan | See the pricing page | Project: $50/mo billed annually, 5,000 URL credits |
| Residential proxy | $2–$4 per GB | $2.5/GB add-on |
| Scheduling | Saved tasks and cron schedules in the dashboard or API | Scheduler with intervals or custom CRON |
| Exports | JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, HTML, RSS, JSONL, PDF | CSV and XLSX; JSON on Scale |
| Data retention | Run results (unnamed storage): 2 days on free, 31–90 days on paid plans; named storages kept | 30 days (Project, Professional), 60 days (Scale) |
| Integrations | REST API, SDKs, CLI, MCP server, HTTP webhooks | REST API; Dropbox, Google Drive, Sheets, Cloud, Azure, S3, webhooks |
| Marketplace | Scrape.ly Store; creators keep 80% of what users pay | None found |
Pricing compared
Web Scraper 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
Web Scraper
- Pricing model
- Subscription plans by URL credits and concurrent scrapers; the Scale plan is priced per concurrent scraper. Residential proxies are an add-on per GB.
- Free tier
- The browser extension is free (Chrome Web Store); cloud plans are paid.
Web Scraper plans
| Web Scraper plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Project | $50/mo billed annually | 5,000 URL credits, 2 concurrent scrapers, 30-day retention |
| Professional | $100/mo billed annually | 20,000 URL credits, 3 concurrent scrapers, 30-day retention |
| Scale | From $200/mo billed annually | Unlimited URL credits, priced per concurrent scraper, 60-day retention, free US datacenter proxy |
| Enterprise | Custom |
Web Scraper usage and proxy pricing
| Web Scraper product | Price as listed on Oct 14, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Residential (add-on) | $2.5/GB |
| Datacenter | Included; free US datacenter proxy on Scale |
- Prices above are Web Scraper’s annual-billing prices. Its cloud plans meter URL credits (pages scraped) and concurrent scrapers; Scale has unlimited URL credits and is priced per concurrent scraper.
- Scrape.ly does not count URLs: each run’s compute, storage, transfer, and proxy traffic is paid from a prepaid balance, plus any Store Actor’s per-event price.
Feature by feature
Where Scrape.ly and Web Scraper overlap, and where they take different approaches.
Building a scraper
Scrape.ly is developer-first. Without code, you pick a ready-made Store Actor and fill in its input form. For a site the Store does not cover, you write an Actor in JavaScript or Python with SDKs that keep the Apify SDK API.
Web Scraper’s free Chrome extension lets you build scrapers by pointing and clicking. The extraction logic is saved as a sitemap, which Web Scraper Cloud can run as a managed job.
Cloud runs and scheduling
Every run executes in its own cloud container. Save inputs as tasks and start Actors and tasks on a cron schedule from the dashboard or the API.
Web Scraper Cloud runs sitemaps as managed jobs, with 2 or 3 concurrent scrapers on Project and Professional, and a scheduler that takes intervals or custom CRON.
Proxies and blocking
Runs can use managed residential ($2–$4 per GB) or datacenter ($0.75–$1 per GB) proxies. The Scrapely browser adds a hosted Chromium with anti-bot fingerprints and Cloudflare Turnstile solving.
A datacenter proxy is included, with a free US datacenter proxy on Scale. Residential proxies are a $2.5/GB add-on.
Getting the data out
Results land in a dataset you can export as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, HTML, RSS, JSONL, or PDF, download over the API, or share with a signed URL. Webhooks call your systems when a run finishes.
Exports as CSV and XLSX, plus JSON on Scale, through a REST API and integrations with Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Cloud, Google Sheets, Azure, Amazon S3, and webhooks.
How to switch from Web Scraper
Web Scraper sitemaps do not import into Scrape.ly. Find a Store Actor for the same site, or build one in code, then recreate your schedule.
- 01
Find an Actor in the Store
Search the Store for the site you scrape. Each Actor page shows its input, price, and reviews.
Browse the Store →Store docs → - 02
Run it from the form
Fill in the input form and click Start. Set a maximum cost per run if you want a hard cap.
Run Actors → - 03
Recreate your schedule
Save the input as a task and add a schedule. Cron expressions work the same way, with presets for common intervals.
Tasks and schedules → - 04
Export or deliver the results
Export datasets as CSV, Excel, or JSON, download them over the API, or add a webhook that fires when a run finishes.
Results & exports → - 05
Build what the Store lacks
Write your own Actor from a template with the scrapely CLI, and publish it in the Store if others could use it.
Quick start →Monetize →
When to choose which
Web Scraper is a good fit for: Non-developers who want to build scrapers visually in the browser and run them on a schedule.
Choose Scrape.ly if
- A ready-made Store Actor covers the site you need, and you want to run and schedule it in the cloud.
- You write code and want an Apify-compatible platform with SDKs, an API, a CLI, and an MCP server.
- You prefer usage billing from a prepaid balance over URL credits.
- You need a hosted anti-bot browser or managed proxies at $2–$4/GB residential and $0.75–$1/GB datacenter.
- You want to sell the scrapers you build and keep 80% of what users pay.
Choose Web Scraper if
- You are a non-developer and want to build scrapers visually in the browser.
- You want to start with a free browser extension before paying for cloud runs.
- You want exports delivered straight to Google Sheets, Dropbox, Google Drive, Azure, or Amazon S3.
- Your workload fits a fixed number of URL credits per month.
Worth knowing before you decide
- Web Scraper builds scrapers visually as sitemaps in a browser extension. Scrape.ly is developer-first: custom scrapers are code-based Actors, while ready-made Store Actors run from a dashboard form with no code.
- Web Scraper plans meter URL credits and concurrent scrapers. Scrape.ly bills usage (compute, storage, transfer, proxy per GB) from a prepaid balance, plus any Store Actor’s per-event price.
- Web Scraper integrates directly with cloud storage such as Google Sheets, Dropbox, and Amazon S3. Scrape.ly delivers data through exports, its API, and HTTP webhooks.
- Web Scraper has no marketplace. In the Scrape.ly Store, creators publish Actors and keep 80% of what users pay with purchased credits.
- Scrape.ly runs existing Apify Actors, Apify SDK code, and apify-client calls with few or no changes; Web Scraper uses its own sitemap format.
Need something custom, such as volume pricing or a managed scraper? Talk to us.
Scrape.ly vs Web Scraper, answered
Is Scrape.ly an alternative to Web Scraper (webscraper.io)?
For users who prefer ready-made scrapers or code, yes. Web Scraper is a visual point-and-click tool. Scrape.ly offers a Store of ready-made Actors you run from a form and schedule, plus an Apify-compatible platform for building your own.
Is Web Scraper free?
The browser extension is free. As listed on Oct 14, 2026, Web Scraper Cloud plans start at $50/mo billed annually for 5,000 URL credits. Scrape.ly’s free plan includes a monthly usage credit and needs no credit card.
Does Scrape.ly have a point-and-click scraper builder?
No. Scrape.ly’s no-code path is running ready-made Store Actors, whose input the dashboard shows as a form. Building a new scraper on Scrape.ly means writing code with the JavaScript or Python SDK.
How do residential proxy prices compare?
As listed on Oct 14, 2026, Web Scraper sells residential proxies as a $2.5/GB add-on. Scrape.ly charges $2–$4 per GB for residential and $0.75–$1 per GB for datacenter traffic.
Can I schedule scrapers on Scrape.ly?
Yes. Save an Actor’s input as a task and create a schedule with a cron expression in the dashboard or the API.
Sources and method
Every Web Scraper 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.
Web Scraper (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
Web Scraper is a trademark of its owner, used here only to identify their product. Scrape.ly is not affiliated with Web Scraper.
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