What Is a Web Scraping API?
A web scraping API is used to collect data from websites without building your own scraper. A website URL is simply sent to the API, and the data is returned in an easy-to-use format like JSON or CSV (If you need Markdown, you can use URL to Markdown API). Things like proxies, browser headers, and CAPTCHAs are handled for you.
However, it allows you to get only a single page content. If you need content from all pages of the website use Webcrawler API.
Here is the top list:
- BrightData
- Decodo (formerly SmartProxy)
- ScrapingBee
- ScaperAPI
- ScrapingDog
- WebcrawlerAPI
1. Bright Data
Bright Data is known for offering powerful tools for scraping complex websites. Its main APIs are the Web Unlocker and SERP API.
The Web Unlocker API is used for general web scraping. It supports JavaScript rendering and advanced anti-bot protections. A large residential proxy network is included.
The SERP API is designed for search engine scraping. It offers a 99% success rate and can solve CAPTCHAs.
Data is returned in JSON, CSV, and other formats. Delivery can be done by API, email, cloud storage, or other methods.
Pricing: Starts at $1.5 per 1,000 requests. A pay-as-you-go plan is also available. A 7-day free trial is offered.
2. ScrapingBee
ScrapingBee is used to scrape complex websites without writing much code. It handles rotating proxies, JavaScript rendering, and CAPTCHA solving for you. A Stealth Proxy feature is being tested to improve scraping of hard-to-access sites.
The API was built for simplicity. Minimal setup is needed, and it works well even for beginners. Developers can quickly connect the API using tutorials and client libraries in different languages.
ScrapingBee is often chosen for scraping e-commerce, booking, and real estate platforms. Data is returned in structured formats like JSON.
Pricing: Starts at $49 per month. Business plans are available from $599. A free trial is not clearly listed, but flexible plans are provided.
3. Decodo (formerly Smartproxy)
Decodo is used to scrape web, SERP, e-commerce, and social media platforms with high success and performance. It offers dedicated APIs for each use case and supports proxy rotation, JavaScript rendering, and anti-detection by default. Developers can integrate using Postman, GitHub code samples, or an API playground for live testing.
Results are returned in JSON, and support is available 24/7. Decodo is often chosen for its balance between quality and pricing, especially with Core and Advanced plans offering flexibility for different levels of usage.
Pricing: Starts at $29/month for 100K requests ($0.29/1K). Advanced plans include more features and geotargeting. A 7-day free trial or a 14-day money-back guarantee is available.
4.ScraperAPI
ScraperAPI is built for scraping easier websites at a low cost. It supports multiple programming languages like Python, PHP, and Java.
Headers and sessions can be customized.
Google and Amazon data can be extracted by changing parameters.
Proxy rotation and CAPTCHA solving are available. It is a good choice for developers looking for a simple solution.
Pricing: A free plan includes 1,000 credits. Paid plans start at $49 per month for 100,000 credits. A 7-day trial with 5,000 credits is offered.
5. ScrapingDog
Scrapingdog is used to collect data from almost any website with minimal setup. It provides a simple Web Scraping API that can be integrated quickly into any development environment. Clear documentation and regular tutorials are offered to help developers get started.
Each new user is given 1,000 free credits for testing. The cost per request starts at just $0.0002 and drops to below $0.000063 with higher volume, making it one of the most affordable options available.
Customer support is available 24/7 to assist with any issues related to the service.
Key Features:
- Easy integration with clean documentation
- Video tutorials and blog support
- 1,000 free credits on sign-up
- Scales to very low cost per scrape with volume
- 24/7 customer support
Scrapingdog is often chosen by developers looking for a low-cost, developer-friendly API that works out-of-the-box for a wide range of websites.
6. WebcrawlerAPI
WebcrawlerAPI is used to extract complete website content in formats like Markdown, HTML, or plain text—perfect for developers building AI or LLM applications. With a simple setup, internal links are followed, JavaScript is rendered, and CAPTCHAs are bypassed automatically. No subscription is required: pricing is based only on successful requests. Developers can start crawling with just a few lines of code in Node.js, Python, or PHP. WebcrawlerAPI is often chosen for projects needing clean, ready-to-use content for training models or powering search.
WebcrawlerAPI has pay-as-you-go model. The price starts from 0.002$ per page.
Key Features:
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Full website crawling with smart link handling
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Supports JS rendering and anti-bot bypass
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Markdown, HTML, or plain text output
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Pay-per-use with no hidden fees
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SDKs for Node.js, Python, PHP, C#
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LLM framework integration (Langchain)
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S3 compatible storage upload
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Ideal for LLM training and RAG use cases