✓ last verified 2026-08-07 · every figure read from the provider’s live pricing page on that date · how we verify
A scraping API replaces your proxy pool, browser farm and retry logic with one endpoint billed per successful request. Verified entries run $29–$49/mo, with per-request cost the real comparison metric: $0.06–$0.20 per 1,000 credits verified across tiers.
The verified table
| Provider | Best verified rate | Plan | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apify | $29/mo | Starter | $29 platform usage incl; Free $0 w/ $5 usage; Scale $199; Business $999; -10% annual |
| Scrape.do | $29/mo | Hobby | 250k credits ($0.11/1k) |
| ScrapingBee | $49/mo | Freelance | 250k credits; ex VAT |
Picks by scenario
- Scrape.do — cheapest verified per-request: $0.11/1k entry → $0.06/1k at scale, success-only billing.
- ScrapingBee — the stable default: verified $49/mo entry, mature docs, Google endpoint included.
- Apify — buy it for the platform (actors, scheduling, storage) — verified from $29/mo with a $5 free tier.
- ScraperAPI — shortlist pending pricing verification (JS-rendered page) — compare at checkout.
- Zyte — managed extraction tier; verification pending.
Ranked by verified pricing and published terms; independent performance benchmarking is on the roadmap and will change these rankings when it lands. No sponsored placement, ever.
FAQ
What’s the cheapest scraping API in 2026?
On verified rates (2026-08-07): Scrape.do — $29/mo for 250k successful credits, $0.06/1k at its Advanced tier. ScrapingBee’s equivalent entry is $49/mo for the same nominal credits.
Scraping API or proxies — which should I buy?
APIs win on hostile targets (success-only billing absorbs retries) and when you don’t want infra. Raw proxies win on high-success, high-bandwidth workloads — per-GB beats per-request there. Many teams run both.
Do credit multipliers make advertised prices misleading?
Yes — JS rendering and premium proxy modes consume 5–75× credits per request under published multiplier tables. Compare effective cost on your workload, not sticker credits. Multiplier tables are queued for the dataset.