Octoparse
vs
ParseHub
Octoparse vs ParseHub
Octoparse and ParseHub are the two best-known visual web scrapers: desktop apps where you build the extraction rules by clicking through a page, plus a scheduled cloud product to run them. Octoparse leans on a large template library and an AI auto-detection feature; ParseHub leans on a precise visual editor and conditional flow control. Both target non-engineering teams who want web data without writing code.
Key differences.
Cost, side by side.
| Pricing model | Octoparse | ParseHub |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free forever, no credit card required; 10 tasks, 50K rows/month export | 5 public projects, 200 pages per run, 14-day data retention |
| Entry | Standard $83/mo (monthly) or $69/mo (annual) | Standard $189/mo, 10K pages per run, 20 private projects |
| Mid | Professional $299/mo (monthly) or $249/mo (annual) | Professional $599/mo, unlimited pages per run, 120 private projects |
| Scale | Enterprise (custom pricing, contact sales) | ParseHub Plus (custom pricing, contact for quote) |
| Model | Per-seat subscription; monthly, quarterly, or annual billing; add-ons for residential proxies, CAPTCHA solving, and pay-per-result templates | Monthly or quarterly subscription; quarterly saves 15% |
Both price for non-engineering teams on monthly plans. Octoparse is the cheaper entry at $83/mo (monthly) or $69/mo (annual) versus ParseHub's $189/mo Standard. Octoparse's free tier offers 50K rows per month across 10 tasks; ParseHub's free tier caps at 200 pages per run across 5 public projects with 14-day data retention. ParseHub costs roughly twice as much at every paid tier. Octoparse also offers add-ons for residential proxies, CAPTCHA solving, and pay-per-result templates, giving more flexibility at the margins.
Feature by feature.
| Feature | Octoparse | ParseHub |
|---|---|---|
| Visual / no-code builder | Yes (flagship) | Yes (flagship) |
| Pre-built site templates | Yes (100+ templates) | No (build your own) |
| AI auto-detection | Partial | Unknown |
| Conditional flows / branching | Yes | Yes (granular) |
| Pagination + form handling | Yes | Yes |
| JavaScript rendering | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud scheduling / cron | Yes (paid tiers) | Yes (paid tiers) |
| IP rotation / proxies | Yes (proxy geotargeting available) | Partial |
| CAPTCHA solving | Yes (add-on) | Unknown |
| REST API | Yes | Yes (paid tiers) |
| Webhooks / callbacks | Yes | Yes (paid tiers) |
| Export formats | CSV / Excel / JSON / database | CSV / Excel / JSON / API |
| Article / content extraction | No (custom selectors only) | No (custom selectors only) |
| SERP / screenshots / AI extraction | No | No |
| Self-serve sign-up | Yes (no credit card required) | Yes (desktop app, no credit card required) |
An honest look at each.
Octoparse- Large template library (100+ pre-built site recipes): fastest start on common sites
- More generous free tier: 50K rows per month across 10 tasks, no credit card required
- Cheaper at every tier: $83/mo (monthly) or $69/mo (annual) entry vs ParseHub's $189/mo
- CAPTCHA solving available as an add-on, not a hard blocker
- Residential proxy add-ons and pay-per-result template billing give flexible scaling options
- No SERP API, PDF output, or screenshots
- AI extraction is only partial, so complex or unusual pages may still need manual rule-building
- Templates can break when sites redesign
- Less polished editor for complex conditional flows than ParseHub
ParseHub- Genuinely capable visual editor: handles conditional flows and edge cases well
- Scheduled cloud runs with webhook delivery on paid tiers
- Professional tier offers unlimited pages per run and 120 private projects
- Free tier covers 5 public projects with no credit card required
- Quarterly billing saves 15% for teams that can commit
- Proxy geotargeting is only partial, so tough anti-bot sites become hand-tuning
- CAPTCHA solving capability is unknown, adding risk on protected sites
- Strict per-run page caps on lower tiers (200 pages on free, 10K on Standard)
- No templates, full AI auto-detection, SERP API, screenshots, or PDF output
- Costs roughly twice as much as Octoparse at every comparable tier
We do our best to keep this comparison accurate and up-to-date. If you notice any discrepancies, please let us know.
Our take: Octoparse for breadth and templates, ParseHub for precision
Both tools solve the same problem (visual no-code scraping) but lean in different directions. Octoparse is the cheaper, broader-reach pick: the template library, CAPTCHA solving add-on, and proxy geotargeting make it the more complete out-of-the-box option, and the free tier is meaningfully more generous at 50K rows per month across 10 tasks. ParseHub is the more precise editor, better at complex conditional flows, and the Professional tier removes per-run page caps entirely, but you pay roughly twice as much at every tier. If you want speed, templates, and a lower entry price, Octoparse. If you want fine-grained control of a hand-built scraper and can absorb the higher cost, ParseHub. Either way, both show their age against API-native, AI-extraction competitors that have appeared since 2023.