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Scrapfly Alternative - Why Proxies API is Simpler & More Affordable

Mohan Ganesan
Sep 30, 2023 ยท 2 min read

Scrapfly offers a robust web scraping API with built-in proxies, browsers, and anti-bot protection. However, it can get complex and expensive.

As an alternative, Proxies API provides a much simpler and cost-effective API-first approach to web scraping.

The Problem With Scrapfly

Scrapfly aims to be an all-in-one scraping solution, so a lot comes built-in like proxies, headless browsers, caching etc.

But this level of flexibility has some drawbacks:

  • Steep learning curve - Although easier than building a scraper, you still need to learn the Scrapfly API and features. More complex than just making API calls.
  • Overengineered for basic uses - You may just want to scrape some URLs. But Scrapfly requires learning their whole platform.
  • Credits-based pricing - Instead of fixed fees, you pay per API credit used. This can get expensive and unpredictable.
  • Vendor lock-in - Once you integrate Scrapfly, it can be hard to switch later without code changes.

    • How Proxies API Provides a Simpler Alternative

    Proxies API solves the above issues by taking a radically simple API-first approach:

  • Ridiculously easy API - Just send a URL and get HTML back. Our API is designed for utter simplicity.
  • Pay per API call - No complex credits system. Just pay for the number of successful API calls made. Simple and predictable.
  • Cost-effective pricing - Our plans start at just $23/month for 250K calls. Much cheaper than Scrapfly.
  • No lock-in - Our simple API means you can switch services anytime without migrations.
  • Avoids overengineering - For basic scraping, just use our API instead of building Scrapfly workflows.
  • Scales up easily - We auto-throttle based on success rate. So you can scale to any level.

    • Pricing Comparison

    PlanScrapflyProxies API
    Basic$30/month for 200k credits$23/month for 250k calls
    Standard$100/month for 1M credits$79/month for 1M calls
    Pro$250/month for 2.5M credits$199/month for 3M calls

    As you can see, Proxies API's pricing is much more affordable compared to Scrapfly at similar usage levels.

    Key Differences at a Glance

    FeatureScrapflyProxies API
    OfferingsAPI, proxies, browsersAPI only
    Developer ExperienceSome learning curveSimple integration
    PricingCredits-basedPay per API call
    Anti-bot HandlingBuilt-inHandled automatically
    ScalabilityAdds complexityStays simple always

    Start Simplifying Web Scraping

    If our minimal API approach appeals to you, get started today with 1000 free API calls. No credit card required.

    Give Proxies API a try for your next scraping project!

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    The easiest way to do Web Scraping

    Get HTML from any page with a simple API call. We handle proxy rotation, browser identities, automatic retries, CAPTCHAs, JavaScript rendering, etc automatically for you


    Try ProxiesAPI for free

    curl "http://api.proxiesapi.com/?key=API_KEY&url=https://example.com"

    <!doctype html>
    <html>
    <head>
        <title>Example Domain</title>
        <meta charset="utf-8" />
        <meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
        <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
    ...


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