vs
Scrapfly
ScraperAPI vs Scrapfly
ScraperAPI and Scrapfly are both credit-based scraping APIs with overlapping core feature sets. ScraperAPI is the established, high-volume reliability play with automatic CAPTCHA solving, a structured Google SERP API and AI extraction. Scrapfly is the modern, developer-experience-focused challenger with a lower entry price, strong anti-bot bypass, a polished playground and per-success billing built in.
Key differences.
Cost, side by side.
| Pricing model | ScraperAPI | Scrapfly |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 5,000 credits, no card required | 1,000 credits, no card required, no time limit |
| Entry | $49/mo (100K credits) | $30/mo (200K credits) |
| Mid | $149/mo (1M credits) | $100/mo (1M credits) |
| Business | $299/mo (3M credits) | $250/mo (2.5M credits) |
| Top tier | $475/mo (5M credits) | $500/mo (5.5M credits) |
Both bill in credits, with JS rendering and premium proxies costing more per request. ScraperAPI offers roughly 10% off on annual billing. Scrapfly uses prepaid credit pools with pay-as-you-go overflow on Pro and above; failed requests are not charged on Scrapfly. Compare on your real workload.
Feature by feature.
| Feature | ScraperAPI | Scrapfly |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript rendering | Yes | Yes |
| CAPTCHA solving | Yes | Yes |
| Google SERP API | Yes | Yes |
| AI extraction | Yes | Yes |
| Screenshots | Yes | Yes |
| Proxy geotargeting | Yes | Yes |
| Per-success billing | Unknown | Yes (failed requests not charged) |
| PDF output | Unknown | No |
| Pay-as-you-go overflow | Yes (Scaling and above) | Yes (Pro and above) |
| Free tier credits | 5,000 | 1,000 |
| Entry plan credits | 100,000 at $49/mo | 200,000 at $30/mo |
An honest look at each.
- Larger free tier: 5,000 credits with no card required
- Automatic CAPTCHA solving included
- Structured Google SERP API
- AI extraction built in
- High-volume plans up to 21.5M credits per month
- Pay-as-you-go overflow available on Scaling and above
- Higher entry price ($49 vs $30) with fewer entry credits (100K vs 200K)
- PDF output capability is unconfirmed
- Per-success billing status is unconfirmed
- Pay-as-you-go overflow only unlocks at the Scaling tier
Scrapfly- Lower entry price ($30/mo) with more entry credits (200K)
- Failed requests are never charged on any plan
- Pay-as-you-go overflow available from Pro tier onward
- CAPTCHA solving, SERP API and AI extraction all included
- Per-success billing confirmed
- Smaller free tier: only 1,000 credits vs ScraperAPI's 5,000
- No PDF output
- No pay-as-you-go overflow on the entry Discovery plan
- Top-tier plan (5.5M credits at $500/mo) is slightly pricier than ScraperAPI's comparable Scaling 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: ScraperAPI for free-tier volume and high-scale plans, Scrapfly for entry value and billing transparency
Both ScraperAPI and Scrapfly now offer CAPTCHA solving, a Google SERP API and AI extraction, so the real differentiators come down to pricing structure and billing transparency. ScraperAPI wins on the free tier with 5,000 credits versus Scrapfly's 1,000, and its high-volume plans scale further in absolute credit terms. Scrapfly wins at the entry paid tier with 200K credits for $30 versus ScraperAPI's 100K for $49, and its confirmed per-success billing means failed requests never cost you. Choose ScraperAPI if you want a larger free tier to prototype or need massive monthly credit volumes; choose Scrapfly if entry-level cost efficiency and transparent failed-request protection matter most.