---
title: "Browserless vs Zyte API: Which is Better in 2026? | App Stack Builder"
description: "Browserless vs Zyte API compared for 2026 — pricing, free tiers, features, pros & cons. See which web scraping & data extraction tool is the better fit for your startup."
source: https://appstackbuilder.com/compare/browserless-vs-zyte
retrieved: 2026-09-11
---

Web Scraping & Data Extraction

# Browserless vs Zyte API: Which is Better in 2026?

Choosing between [Browserless](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/browserless) and [Zyte API](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/zyte)? 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

Browserless is the safer pick if budget matters — it has a free tier, while Zyte API does not. Choose Zyte API when its specific features justify the cost.

## Browserless vs Zyte API — Side by Side

|                | Browserless                                                  | Zyte API                                     |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- |
| Category       | Web Scraping & Data Extraction                               | Web Scraping & Data Extraction               |
| Pricing        | Free · paid from $25/mo                                      | Usage-based                                  |
| Starting price | Free tier available                                          | Pay-as-you-go                                |
| Free tier      | ✓                                                            | —                                            |
| Rating         | 4.4                                                          | 4.3                                          |
| Best for       | Web Scraping & Data Extraction — headless-browser, puppeteer | Web Scraping & Data Extraction — scrapy, api |

## Pros & Cons

B

[Browserless](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/browserless)

* ✓Keep your existing Puppeteer/Playwright code
* ✓Stealth and CAPTCHA solving included
* ✓Session recording and debugging tools
* ✓No browser fleet to patch
* ✗Annual billing on every paid tier
* ✗Unit accounting is opaque at first
* ✗Self-hosting is enterprise-licensed only

Z

[Zyte API](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/zyte)

* ✓Only successful responses are billed
* ✓Priced by actual resource use per request
* ✓Made by the Scrapy team
* ✓Scrapy itself stays free and open source
* ✗No flat monthly tier to budget against
* ✗Cost per request is hard to predict
* ✗Monthly commitment is use-it-or-lose-it

## Key Features Compared

### Browserless

* ✓20,000 units / month
* ✓10 concurrent browsers
* ✓15 min sessions

### Zyte API

* ✓Charged only for successful responses
* ✓$100 default monthly spending limit
* ✓Automatic volume discounts

### Choose Browserless if…

* ✓You want to start free — Browserless has a free tier and Zyte API does not.
* ✓Keep your existing Puppeteer/Playwright code
* ✓Stealth and CAPTCHA solving included
* ✓Session recording and debugging tools
[Browserless review & pricing ](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/browserless)

### Choose Zyte API if…

* ✓Only successful responses are billed
* ✓Priced by actual resource use per request
* ✓Made by the Scrapy team
[Zyte API review & pricing ](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/zyte)

## Frequently Asked Questions

Is Browserless better than Zyte API?⌄

Browserless is the safer pick if budget matters — it has a free tier, while Zyte API does not. Choose Zyte API when its specific features justify the cost.

What is the difference between Browserless and Zyte API?⌄

Browserless — Hosted headless Chrome you connect Puppeteer or Playwright to over WebSocket, with stealth, proxies and CAPTCHA solving built in. Zyte API — Usage-priced scraping API from the team behind Scrapy, charging per successful request on a tier that reflects how hard the site was. Both are web scraping & data extraction tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.

Browserless vs Zyte API: which is cheaper?⌄

Browserless pricing: Free · paid from $25/mo. Zyte API pricing: Usage-based. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.

Which is rated higher, Browserless or Zyte API?⌄

In our catalog, Browserless rates 4.4 out of 5 and Zyte API rates 4.3 out of 5, so Browserless has a slight edge on reviews.

See more options in our guide to the [best web scraping & data extraction tools for startups](https://appstackbuilder.com/categories/web-scraping).

## Still not sure which to pick?

Get a free, AI-powered tech stack — including the best web scraping & data extraction pick for your budget and team — in 60 seconds.

[Build my stack free ](https://appstackbuilder.com/)