vs
Scrapfly
ScrapingBee vs Scrapfly
ScrapingBee and Scrapfly are both flat-plan, credit-based scraping APIs aimed at developers. ScrapingBee is the more established option with a structured Google SERP API and PDF output. Scrapfly is the modern, developer-experience-focused challenger with a lower entry price, strong anti-bot bypass, a polished playground, and its own SERP API.
Key differences.
Cost, side by side.
| Pricing model | ScrapingBee | Scrapfly |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1,000 credits | 1,000 credits |
| Entry | $19/mo (75K credits, Hobby) | $30/mo (200K credits, Discovery) |
| Mid | $49/mo (250K credits, Freelance) | $100/mo (1M credits, Pro) |
| Growth | $99/mo (1M credits, Startup) | $250/mo (2.5M credits, Startup) |
| Business | $249/mo (3M credits) | $500/mo (5.5M credits, Enterprise) |
| Top tier | Business+ $599/mo (8M credits) | Custom from $1,200/mo and up |
Both bill in credits with JS rendering and premium proxies costing more per request. ScrapingBee tops out at Business+ ($599/mo, 8M credits); Scrapfly tops out at a negotiated Custom tier starting at $1,200/mo. Scrapfly's Pro plan and above include pay-as-you-go overflow credits. Compare on your real workload.
Feature by feature.
| Feature | ScrapingBee | Scrapfly |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript rendering | Yes | Yes |
| Residential proxies / geotargeting | Yes | Yes |
| CAPTCHA / anti-bot bypass | Not advertised | Yes |
| Google SERP API | Yes | Yes |
| Article / content extraction | Yes | Yes |
| AI extraction | Yes | Yes |
| Screenshots | Yes | Yes |
| PDF output | Yes | No |
| Per-success billing | Yes | Yes |
An honest look at each.
- PDF output included
- Full residential proxy and geotargeting support
- Per-success billing, failed requests not charged
- Lower entry point with a $19/mo Hobby tier
- Google SERP API included
- Well-established with strong documentation
- No advertised CAPTCHA solving
- Hobby tier offers fewer credits (75K) than Scrapfly's entry tier (200K)
- Tops out at $599/mo vs Scrapfly's scalable custom pricing
Scrapfly- Strong CAPTCHA and anti-bot bypass
- Google SERP API included
- Per-success billing, failed requests not charged
- More credits at the entry tier (200K vs 75K for the same or lower price)
- Pay-as-you-go overflow on Pro and above
- Scalable custom pricing for high-volume needs
- No PDF output
- Entry tier ($30/mo) costs more than ScrapingBee's Hobby tier ($19/mo)
- No advertised CAPTCHA solving details in lower tiers
We do our best to keep this comparison accurate and up-to-date. If you notice any discrepancies, please let us know.
Our take: ScrapingBee for PDF and a lower entry price, Scrapfly for anti-bot bypass and volume scale
ScrapingBee and Scrapfly are more evenly matched than they first appear. Both offer a Google SERP API, geotargeting, AI extraction, screenshots, and per-success billing. ScrapingBee stands out with PDF output and a lower absolute entry price at $19/mo, though its Hobby tier only includes 75K credits. Scrapfly counters with advertised CAPTCHA and anti-bot bypass, more credits at its $30/mo Discovery tier, and a scalable custom pricing path for large workloads. Choose ScrapingBee if PDF output is a requirement or you want the cheapest possible starting point. Choose Scrapfly if you need strong anti-bot bypass or expect to grow into high-volume custom pricing.