Best ScrapingBee alternatives in
2026 — 6 compared
Last updated: 2026-09-21
Ranked list of the best ScrapingBee alternatives — starting with Scrappey at €0.10 per 1,000 HTTP requests or €1.00 per 1,000 full-browser requests, residential proxies included, no monthly minimum. Plus honest one-liners on ZenRows, ScraperAPI, Bright Data, Scrapfly and Firecrawl, a side-by-side comparison table, and a 5-line migration diff.
Compare features, pricing, and use cases below
What is Scrappey?
Scrappey is an all-in-one web data API designed to simplify structured extraction from dynamic websites you are authorized to access. Unlike traditional scraping services that require you to manage proxies, handle verification steps separately, or maintain browser infrastructure, Scrappey includes everything in a single API call.
Built for developers, data engineers, and businesses of all sizes, Scrappey handles browser verification workflows (CDN, bot-management, and verification layers) during authorized access, completes verification steps, renders JavaScript, and routes through residential proxies — and you only pay for successful requests.
What makes Scrappey special is its combination of power and affordability: at €0.10 per 1,000 direct HTTP requests or €1.00 per 1,000 full-browser requests, with residential proxies included on both tiers at no extra cost, it costs significantly less than ScrapingBee while offering more capabilities, including persistent browser profiles, scheduled jobs, 200 concurrent requests by default, and zero infrastructure requirements.
Universal language support
Scrappey is a simple HTTP endpoint, so it works with any programming language that can make a request. No language-specific SDKs required — just send JSON and get results.
How it works
- 1
Standard HTTP request
POST to our API endpoint with your key and a JSON payload. Works with any HTTP client in any language — requests, axios, cURL, you name it.
- 2
JSON in, JSON out
Describe the scraping task as plain JSON. No SDKs, no language-specific wrappers, no build step to learn.
- 3
Universal compatibility
Python, Node.js, PHP, Go, Ruby, Java, C#, Rust — if it can make an HTTP request, it works with Scrappey.
Calculate your savings
See how much you'll save by switching to Scrappey
Top 6 ScrapingBee alternatives in 2026
Ranked by value for indie devs, agencies, and AI-agent builders. Scrappey is our product — we're transparent about where competitors win.
Scrappey
Best overall — pay-as-you-go, residential proxies included
- No monthly minimum
- Residential proxies included on both tiers
- Balance never expires
- 200 concurrent requests by default
- Smaller free trial than ScrapingBee
- No proxy-mode endpoint yet
ZenRows
Strongest focus on JavaScript-heavy sites among subscription tools
- Specialised in JavaScript-heavy site access
- Clean SDK + docs
- Predictable plan-tier billing
- Subscription-only
- Cost rises sharply outside included quota
ScraperAPI
The mainstream US-based incumbent
- Mature product
- Wide SDK coverage
- Generous starter plan
- Per-credit billing penalises JS rendering heavily
- Limited concurrency on low tiers
Bright Data
Enterprise-grade proxy + scraper platform
- Massive proxy pool
- Full data-collection platform
- Account managers + SLAs
- Different billing units per product
- Browser product billed per GB
Scrapfly
Strong session and proxy management for advanced workflows
- Top success rate in independent benchmarks
- Proxy mode + Screenshot API
- MCP and agent integrations
- Credits reset at renewal
- Residential proxy costs 25 credits per request
Firecrawl
LLM-first: returns clean markdown for RAG pipelines
- Markdown output out of the box
- Crawl + extract in one call
- Friendly for LLM workflows
- Residential proxies not advertised
- JSON extraction costs extra credits
Want the deep Scrappey vs ScrapingBee breakdown? Jump to the full comparison table ↓
Scrappey vs ScrapingBee: complete comparison
Every feature, side-by-side with honest insights
| Feature | Scrappey | ScrapingBee |
|---|---|---|
JS rendering + premium proxy, per 1K ★ KEY ADVANTAGE 25 credits per request on ScrapingBee; residential included on Scrappey | €1.00 (down to ~€0.67 with top-up bonus) | ~$6.33 (Hobby) · ~$4.90 (Freelance) |
JS rendering + stealth proxy, per 1K 75 credits per request on ScrapingBee | €1.00 | ~$19.00 (Hobby) · ~$14.70 (Freelance) |
Direct HTTP request, per 1K ★ KEY ADVANTAGE No JS rendering needed (APIs, static HTML) | €0.10 (residential proxy included) | ~$0.25 (Hobby, render_js=false, 1 credit) |
Entry commitment ★ KEY ADVANTAGE | None (PAYG) | Monthly plan (from $19/mo Hobby) |
Unused balance | Never expires | Credits valid one month, no rollover |
Free trial | 150 credits, no card | 1,000 credits, no card |
Concurrent requests | 200 by default, auto-scales to 1,000 | 25 / 50 / 100 / 200 / 400 by plan |
JavaScript rendering | Full support | Full support |
Challenge handling | Automatic | Automatic |
LLM-ready Markdown | Yes | Yes |
AI extraction | Yes (autoparse) | Yes (ai_extract_rules, +5 credits) |
MCP server | Yes | Yes |
Browser automation actions | 20 actions + if/while control flow | JS scenario instructions |
Persistent browser profiles Reuse cookies and storage across requests | Yes | No |
Built-in scheduling/cron jobs | Yes | No |
Screenshots | Included | Included |
Geotargeting | 120+ countries | Available |
Proxy mode (HTTP proxy endpoint) Honest trade-off: ScrapingBee ships a proxy endpoint today. | Not yet | Yes (HTTP/HTTPS/SOCKS5) |
★ = Significant difference • Both services offer web scraping solutions
Use this comparison to evaluate which service best fits your specific needs, budget, and technical requirements
ScrapingBee in independent testing
These figures are measured by Scrapeway, an independent web-scraping API benchmark, in its Aug 28 – Sep 11, 2026 run. Scrappey is not part of Scrapeway's test panel — the measured values below describe ScrapingBee only.
Scrappey, for reference(self-reported — not a Scrapeway measurement): flat €1.00 / 1,000 browser requests with residential proxies included · only successful requests are billed.
Source: Scrapeway — ScrapingBee benchmark. In the Aug 28 – Sep 11, 2026 run, ScrapingBee ranked #6 of 7 web-scraping APIs tested across real-world target sites. Scrapeway updates these figures roughly twice a month; see the live results or how Scrapeway tests. Figures verified 2026-09-21. scrapeway.com
Everything you need in one API
No add-ons, no complexity, no infrastructure required
Reliable Access to JavaScript-Heavy Sites
Run authorized browser workflows through CDN and verification layers with one API call, including CDN, bot-management, and browser verification steps. Scrappey uses real browser engines with consistent browser session configuration and intelligent retry mechanisms on JavaScript-heavy sites you are authorized to use. Failed requests are not billed.
Browser Automation Like Selenium
Scrappey replaces Selenium/Playwright with a simple API. Execute 20 browser actions — click, type, scroll, wait for elements, run JS, handle dropdowns and iframes — plus if/while control flow for multi-step workflows. Perfect for scraping interactive sites without managing your own browser infrastructure.
Sessions & Persistent Profiles
Maintain browser sessions across multiple requests, or save a persistent profile to reuse later. Cookies, local storage, and session state are preserved automatically, so multi-step navigation and retries stay consistent without re-initializing the browser between calls.
Zero Infrastructure Required
No servers to manage, no proxies to buy, no browsers to maintain. Scrappey handles everything in the cloud. Built-in scheduling lets you run scraping jobs on our servers via cron syntax, with results delivered to your webhook. Focus on using data, not managing scrapers.
Advanced Control & Speed
Fine-tune every request with custom wait times, headers, cookies, and geotargeting across 120+ countries. Run 200 concurrent requests per account by default, auto-scaling to 1,000. Process large datasets quickly with parallel scraping at no extra cost.
Developer-First Design
Simple REST API with official SDKs for Python, Node.js, PHP, Go, Ruby, and C#. Comprehensive documentation with real code examples. Interactive scraper builder for testing. EU-based and GDPR compliant. Transparent pricing with no hidden fees or minimum commitments.
What developers say about Scrappey
Real reviews from verified users (4.5/5 on Trustpilot)
"Best scrapping site so far, really recommend. I got to try it out for free first and really liked the performance and speed. Also the paid plans are worth every penny."
"Have been using this site for last one month and has a fantastic experience. All the services were upto date just a slight downtime but it wasn't an issue."
"It works fast and is comfortable to use. I recommend to use this service."
"Exceptional challenge handling. Dependable and affordable. Highly recommended for developers."
Ready to drop the credit math?
Flat per-request pricing, residential proxies included, balance that never expires. Start with a free demo trial, no credit card required.
Migration: ScrapingBee → Scrappey
Both APIs accept a URL and return rendered HTML. In most apps the swap is ~5 lines: change the endpoint, swap the auth header, rename one or two fields. Here's a working Python diff:
# Before — ScrapingBee
import requests
response = requests.get(
"https://app.scrapingbee.com/api/v1/",
params={
"api_key": "YOUR_SCRAPINGBEE_KEY",
"url": "https://example.com",
"render_js": "true",
},
)
html = response.text
# After — Scrappey (same shape, ~5 lines changed)
import requests
response = requests.post(
"https://publisher.scrappey.com/api/v1",
json={
"cmd": "request.get",
"url": "https://example.com",
},
headers={"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_SCRAPPEY_KEY"},
)
html = response.json()["solution"]["response"]For other languages (Node, PHP, Go, Ruby, C#) the same pattern applies — see docs.scrappey.com.
When ScrapingBee is the right choice
- You need a US-based vendor for procurement reasons.
- You want a signed enterprise contract with a named account manager.
- Your team already has billing, security review, and integrations in place with them.
- You prefer plan-tier predictability over per-request billing.
When Scrappey is the better fit
- You're an indie dev, agent author, or side-project builder.
- Volume is unpredictable — you don't want a monthly minimum.
- You need residential proxies included by default, not as an add-on.
- You ship AI agents and want pay-per-success billing from €0.10/1k.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to ScrapingBee?
For most teams the best ScrapingBee alternative is Scrappey: pay-as-you-go at €0.10/1k direct HTTP or €1.00/1k full-browser, residential proxies included on both tiers, no monthly minimum. ZenRows is the strongest subscription option if you specifically need a focus on JavaScript-heavy sites, ScraperAPI is the safe US incumbent, Bright Data fits enterprise procurement, Scrapfly suits advanced session control, and Firecrawl wins for LLM/RAG markdown output. See the ranked list above for the full breakdown.
What is the cheapest ScrapingBee alternative?
For rendered requests through residential or premium proxies, Scrappey is among the cheapest: €1.00 per 1,000 with no monthly minimum, versus about $4.90–$6.33 per 1,000 for the same request on ScrapingBee's entry plans (25 credits each). For plain HTTP requests Scrappey is €0.10 per 1,000 with a residential proxy included. Bright Data's Web Unlocker ($1.50 per 1,000 pay-as-you-go) is also competitive on price.
Is ScrapingBee worth it in 2026?
ScrapingBee remains a solid product if you need a US-based vendor with predictable plan-tier billing and your volume comfortably fits a single tier. It loses on price-per-request, on residential-proxy bundling, and on flexibility for spiky or experimental workloads. For indie devs, agents, and pay-as-you-go preferences, an alternative like Scrappey will be meaningfully cheaper and less constraining.
Is Scrappey cheaper than ScrapingBee?
For rendered requests with a premium proxy, yes. Scrappey is €1.00 per 1,000 full-browser requests and €0.10 per 1,000 direct HTTP requests, with residential proxies included on both tiers and no subscription. ScrapingBee plans start at $19/month; a JS-rendered request with a premium proxy costs 25 credits, which works out to about $4.90–$6.33 per 1,000 on the entry plans. At 100k rendered requests a month that is about €100 on Scrappey versus $490–$633 on ScrapingBee. For plain requests without JS or premium proxies, ScrapingBee's 1-credit requests are also inexpensive.
Can I migrate from ScrapingBee without rewriting my code?
Almost. The two APIs both take a URL and return rendered HTML, so the migration is typically ~5 lines: change the endpoint, swap the API-key header, and rename one or two fields. See the migration section above for a side-by-side Python diff.
Does Scrappey support JavaScript rendering like ScrapingBee?
Yes. Scrappey runs a real Chromium browser on the €1.00/1k tier, executes JavaScript, waits for network idle or a custom selector, and supports 20 browser actions (click, scroll, type, wait_for_selector, etc.) plus if/while control flow. If you don't need JS, the direct-HTTP tier at €0.10/1k handles APIs and static HTML.
When is ScrapingBee actually the better choice?
If you need a US-based vendor for procurement reasons, want a dedicated account manager, or your org already has a signed contract with them, ScrapingBee is fine — their core scraping product is solid. Scrappey is the better fit for indie devs, agents, and teams that want pay-as-you-go billing with no monthly minimum.
How does Scrappey handle verification steps compared to ScrapingBee?
Both services handle common verification types automatically (hCaptcha, reCAPTCHA, Turnstile) during authorized workflows. Scrappey additionally exposes per-verification endpoints if you need to handle a token outside the main request flow.
Complete Web Access Suite
Everything you need for reliable access to the data you are authorized to use
Web Access API
Reliable access to JavaScript-heavy sites you are authorized to use, across platforms.
- Consistent browser session configuration
- Cookie management
- JavaScript rendering
Advanced Web Access
Run authorized browser workflows through CDN and verification layers with one API call.
- Browser-compatible request execution
- Real browser rendering
Premium Proxies
Access to our vast network of high-quality residential and datacenter proxies.
- Residential IPs
- Rotating sessions
- Country targeting
Headless Browser
Built-in browser automation with consistent browser session configuration.
- Chrome/Firefox support
- Reliable mode
- Custom extensions
Start building today
One key unlocks all five — proxies, challenge handling, and the headless browser included. Free demo trial, no subscription.
Try it freeWhy choose Scrappey?
A pay-as-you-go web scraping API with residential proxies included. See how we compare on each provider's public list prices.
| Features | Scrappey | ZenRows | ScrapingBee | Scrapfly | Scrape.do |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price per 1K Scrapes(JS Render + Residential Proxies, entry plan) | €1 | ~$10.56—Build plan | |||
Concurrent Requests(Entry plan limit) | 200Auto-scales to 1,000 | 20— | |||
Browser Automation(Scripted page interactions) | 20 actionsIncl. if/while control flow | JS instructions— | |||
Billing Model(Payment flexibility) | Pay-as-you-goBalance stays indefinitely | Monthly— | |||
Entry Plan Minimum(Lowest monthly commitment) | €0No subscription | $19/mo— |
Competitor figures are list-price rates on each provider's entry paid plan with monthly billing: plan price divided by included credits, times the provider's own credit cost for a JavaScript-rendered request over residential (premium) proxies. Higher plans lower the per-1K rate. Scrappey's rate is in EUR, competitors' in USD. Rates rounded; actual cost varies with plan and usage.
Sources (verified 2026-09-21): ZenRows pricing · ScrapingBee pricing · Scrapfly pricing · Scrape.do pricing
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