MANAGED API
Choose Firecrawl if
- Agents that need scrape/search/crawl tools over one shared credit balance
- Small recurring website ingestion with a published free monthly allowance
All comparisons
PROXY PROVIDER COMPARISON
Firecrawlvs Proxy-Cheap
Firecrawl delivers managed scrape, crawl and search results with credit-based MCP tools. Proxy-Cheap sells rotating residential GB and fixed-term IPs and offers a Chrome manager for a browser you run. A proxy configured in Chrome and a Firecrawl browser interaction are different work units.
AT A GLANCE · ENTRY OFFER
- FirecrawlMANAGED API $19per month
- Proxy-CheapPROXY NETWORK $2.99per GB
- ProxyLaneRESIDENTIAL PROXIES $1.95350 MB trial
Published entry offers, reviewed 2026-09-14
QUICK VERDICT
Pick by the job,
not the logo
PROXY NETWORK
Choose Proxy-Cheap if
- Small pay-as-you-go residential tests
- Browser users who want to manage their purchased proxies in a Chrome extension
THIRD ROUTE · PROXYLANE
Choose ProxyLane if
- You can run your own fetcher and parser
- You want residential traffic instead of per-credit API pricing
- You want prepaid traffic that never expires
THREE ROUTES SIDE BY SIDE
What changes
for your workload
Choose how much fetching, rendering and extraction your team wants to own. Fetch the same permitted pages and extract the same fields: one route returns an API result, while the other leaves the HTTP client and parser with your team.
| Decision | Firecrawl | Proxy-Cheap | ProxyLane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example route for this job | FirecrawlScrape API (Markdown/structured output) | Proxy-CheapResidential proxy gateway | ProxyLaneResidential proxy gateway for your own fetcher or browser; no managed scraping API |
| Charging basis | Product-specific requests, results or credits | Traffic allowance; confirm the selected GB or port plan | Prepaid GB that never expires |
| How you pay | The free tier refreshes 1,000 credits monthly. Paid plans include monthly credits, with pay-as-you-go top-ups in $5 increments under a configurable limit. Basic scrape/crawl/map costs one credit per page; search costs two per ten results, browser Interact two per minute, and structured formats can add credits. Included-credit rollover depends on plan. | Rotating residential is metered by purchased GB with pay-as-you-go and advertised monthly bundle options; static ISP, datacenter and mobile IPs are sold per IP for fixed terms. Check live product checkout for the selected term and any promotion. | 350 MB trial for $1.95, then prepaid packages from $6.50/GB for 1 GB down to $2.50/GB for 1 TB. Unused traffic never expires. |
| Integration work | Send authorized requests to Firecrawl's Scrape/Crawl/Search endpoints or configure the official MCP server with an API key via the hosted URL or local FIRECRAWL_API_KEY environment variable. Choose basic Markdown or higher-credit structured/browser modes per job. | Choose bandwidth and generate rotating-residential username/password credentials in My Proxies, then configure a browser or HTTP(S)/SOCKS5 client; a Chrome extension can manage proxy settings. | HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 endpoints on three regional gateways: Europe, the Americas and Asia. Export proxy lists in 8 formats for scripts, scrapers and antidetect browsers. |
| A small or irregular job | Use the 1,000-credit monthly free tier for simple pages and compare the $19 Hobby plan only after pricing search, structured output or browser minutes separately. | A small residential GB order can test a target without buying many IPs; compare checkout's pay-as-you-go option with a monthly bundle. | Start with the 350 MB trial for $1.95 or a 1 GB package. Unused traffic never expires. |
| Browser workflow | Use Interact for managed browser minutes when clicks are needed; a basic scrape credit does not buy the same interactive work. | Use its Chrome manager or enter generated credentials in your own browser; sticky sessions are offered for a multi-page visit. | Sticky sessions from 1 second to 72 hours, with a named session ID for each browser profile. |
| Connecting an agent | Connect the first-party hosted or local MCP server and cap paid-plan top-ups before allowing autonomous crawl or extract loops. | Configure Proxy-Cheap credentials as the proxy of your MCP browser or scraper; do not assume its residential GB includes managed scraping calls. | Point your agent's fetcher or browser tool at the proxy endpoint. ProxyLane supplies the network, not a hosted browser. |
| A growing production workload | Track credits across endpoints, rate/concurrency limits and rollover terms; higher tiers change both quota and throughput. | Choose between bandwidth-driven residential rotation and count/term-driven static IPs; verify concurrency at your plan level. | Target by country, region, city, ZIP, ISP or ASN across 195 countries. Larger packages lower the rate to $2.50/GB. |
| Check before moving |
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For a known URL crawl, configure Proxy-Cheap's residential credentials in your own client and compare it with Firecrawl Scrape on the same required fields. Measure full traffic, retries and usable records; Proxy-Cheap advertises pay-as-you-go GB and monthly bundles, while Firecrawl's basic page, structured output and search have distinct credit draw. Proxy-Cheap's Chrome extension helps configure an exit but does not perform crawling or parsing.
If a human-operated browser needs one exit, test the entire visit through Proxy-Cheap's sticky residential option or a fixed-term ISP IP, counting assets and identity changes. Firecrawl Interact instead buys managed browser minutes and must be compared against scripted clicks and resulting content, not merely the ability to connect. For an agent needing site discovery, Firecrawl's hosted/local MCP exposes Map and Crawl; Proxy-Cheap's gateway feeds an MCP browser or fetch tool you operate. Cap Firecrawl paid top-ups before autonomous traversal.
IP QUALITY
Give your browser a clean residential IP
ProxyLane offers premium residential IPs with ultra-low fraud scores, from ethically sourced, real devices.
Test your workload for $1.95IP reputation snapshot
98.7%
of 1,000 sampled IPs rated low risk by Scamalytics
- Sample
- 1,000 unique IPs
- Setup
- Top 10 countries · 100 IPs each
- IPs collected
- 14 October 2026
- Checked
- 14 October 2026
Low risk: scores 0–19 on Scamalytics’ 0–100 scale. Aggregate sample result; individual countries vary.
Exit IP203.0.113.24Residential ISP
Fraud scoreUltra-low
What a clean IP gets you
- See fewer CAPTCHAsReal-device IPs trip far fewer challenge pages
- Keep sessions aliveOne residential IP from sign-in to export
- Pay for data, not retriesMore of every GB turns into results
PUBLISHED ENTRY OFFERS
What it costs
to start
Advertised starting offers use different products and billing units. Price the matched route before choosing a plan.
Firecrawl
$19per month
Free: 1,000 credits/month, no card. First paid Hobby: $19/month billed monthly or $16/month billed annually for 5,000 credits/month; $5 top-ups on a paid plan provide 1,000 Hobby credits. Prices effective September 4, 2026.
Proxy-Cheap
$2.99per GB
Residential product page advertises starting at $2.99/GB; rotating-residential page displays a 3 GB monthly bundle with a promotional $1.50/GB, but the displayed total/minimum is ambiguous. Confirm exact cart amount.
ProxyLane
$1.95350 MB trial
350 MB trial for $1.95. Packages from $6.50/GB for 1 GB down to $2.50/GB for 1 TB, with traffic that never expires.
Try 350 MB for $1.95BEFORE SWITCHING
Test both routes
on one job
Same targets, same fields. Compare the cost of each usable record. Worksheet
Run one sample
Same targets on both routes
Count usable records
Not just 200 responses
Read the fine print
Minimums, expiry, add-ons
Move one job first
Keep a rollback ready
RESIDENTIAL PROXY PRICING
Premium Proxies
ready to scale
From $2/GB. Buy the traffic you need, keep it until you use it.
Test our IP quality: 350 MB$1.95
Explore
For your first requests
$6.50
per GB · Traffic never expires
1 GB$6.50 total
- 98.7% low-risk IPs on Scamalytics
- Real residential devices
- ≈0.35s average response time
- One clean IP for up to 72h
- 195 countries & cities
- ZIP, ISP & ASN targeting
- Sub-users with GB limits
Build
Room to growFor projects taking shape
$5.48
per GB · Traffic never expires
25 GB$137 total
- 98.7% low-risk IPs on Scamalytics
- Real residential devices
- ≈0.35s average response time
- One clean IP for up to 72h
- 195 countries & cities
- ZIP, ISP & ASN targeting
- Sub-users with GB limits
Run
For everyday workflows
$4.50
per GB · Traffic never expires
50 GB$225 total
- 98.7% low-risk IPs on Scamalytics
- Real residential devices
- ≈0.35s average response time
- One clean IP for up to 72h
- 195 countries & cities
- ZIP, ISP & ASN targeting
- Sub-users with GB limits
Scale
For growing workloads
$3.90
per GB · Traffic never expires
100 GB$390 total
- 98.7% low-risk IPs on Scamalytics
- Real residential devices
- ≈0.35s average response time
- One clean IP for up to 72h
- 195 countries & cities
- ZIP, ISP & ASN targeting
- Sub-users with GB limits
Grow
Room to growFor bigger operations
$2.75
per GB · Traffic never expires
500 GB$1,375 total
- 98.7% low-risk IPs on Scamalytics
- Real residential devices
- ≈0.35s average response time
- One clean IP for up to 72h
- 195 countries & cities
- ZIP, ISP & ASN targeting
- Sub-users with GB limits
Volume
For high-volume data
$2.50
per GB · Traffic never expires
1 TB$2,500 total
- 98.7% low-risk IPs on Scamalytics
- Real residential devices
- ≈0.35s average response time
- One clean IP for up to 72h
- 195 countries & cities
- ZIP, ISP & ASN targeting
- Sub-users with GB limits
Enterprise
For your business, at your scale
Custom
Let's build your setup together
From 5 TBFrom $2 / GB
-
Dedicated Account Manager
-
Teams management
-
Traffic limits per team
-
API / MCP to scale your business and team with AI agents
25+ crypto
Questions before
you choose
Is Firecrawl or Proxy-Cheap cheaper?
Firecrawl starts at $19 per month (5,000 credits), Proxy-Cheap at $2.99 per GB (advertised residential start rate). Billing units differ, so compare the cost of a usable record on the same workload, not the headline rate.
What is the main difference between Firecrawl and Proxy-Cheap?
Choose how much fetching, rendering and extraction your team wants to own. Firecrawl: Scrape API (Markdown/structured output). Proxy-Cheap: Residential proxy gateway.
Can I test ProxyLane before switching?
Yes. The 350 MB trial costs $1.95 and runs on the same residential network as paid packages. Unused traffic never expires.
Which targeting and sessions does ProxyLane support?
Country, region, city, ZIP, ISP and ASN targeting across 195 countries. Sessions can rotate on every request or stay sticky from 1 second to 72 hours, over HTTP(S) or SOCKS5.
Does ProxyLane offer a managed scraping API?
No. ProxyLane is a residential proxy network for the client, scraper or browser you already run. Your team keeps control of fetching, rendering and parsing.
STILL DECIDING?
Test ProxyLane for $1.95
before you choose
Run the targets you would send to Firecrawl or Proxy-Cheap. Get 350 MB of residential traffic with sticky sessions up to 72 hours. Keep any unused traffic for later.
