Apify vs Bright Data Web Scraper API: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Apify and Bright Data Web Scraper API? Both are popular web scraping & data extraction tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
Quick verdict
Both Apify and Bright Data Web Scraper API are strong web scraping & data extraction choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences. In our catalog, Apify rates slightly higher (4.5 vs 4.2 out of 5).
Apify vs Bright Data Web Scraper API — Side by Side
| Apify | Bright Data Web Scraper API | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Web Scraping & Data Extraction | Web Scraping & Data Extraction |
| Pricing | Free · paid from $19/mo | Free |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Free tier | ||
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.2 |
| Best for | Web Scraping & Data Extraction — actors, crawlee | Web Scraping & Data Extraction — proxy, datasets |
Pros & Cons
- Thousands of prebuilt, maintained scrapers
- You can deploy your own code too
- Crawlee is free and open source
- Compute-unit pricing scales down as well as up
- Prepaid credit model is easy to overspend
- Actor quality varies by author
- Compute units are hard to estimate up front
- Pay only for records actually delivered
- Prebuilt scrapers for most major sites
- Enormous proxy network
- Generous free tier
- No cheap flat tier — entry is metered
- Proxy sourcing is ethically contested
- Pricing page is hard to pin down
- Enterprise sales pressure
Key Features Compared
Apify
- 64 GB RAM per Actor
- 32 concurrent runs
- Chat support
Bright Data Web Scraper API
- Pay only for successful results
- Rate falls with subscription commitment
- Hundreds of prebuilt site scrapers
Choose Apify if…
- You want a free tier to validate before paying.
- Thousands of prebuilt, maintained scrapers
- You can deploy your own code too
- Crawlee is free and open source
Choose Bright Data Web Scraper API if…
- You want a free tier to validate before paying.
- Pay only for records actually delivered
- Prebuilt scrapers for most major sites
- Enormous proxy network
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Apify better than Bright Data Web Scraper API?⌄
Both Apify and Bright Data Web Scraper API are strong web scraping & data extraction choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences. In our catalog, Apify rates slightly higher (4.5 vs 4.2 out of 5).
What is the difference between Apify and Bright Data Web Scraper API?⌄
Apify — Marketplace and runtime for 'Actors' — thousands of prebuilt scrapers you can rent, plus a platform to deploy your own. Bright Data Web Scraper API — Scraper API over the largest commercial proxy network, priced per 1,000 records delivered rather than per request. Both are web scraping & data extraction tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.
Apify vs Bright Data Web Scraper API: which is cheaper?⌄
Apify pricing: Free · paid from $19/mo. Bright Data Web Scraper API pricing: Free. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, Apify or Bright Data Web Scraper API?⌄
In our catalog, Apify rates 4.5 out of 5 and Bright Data Web Scraper API rates 4.2 out of 5, so Apify has a slight edge on reviews.
See more options in our guide to the best web scraping & data extraction tools for startups.
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