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 ScraperAPI
Firecrawl combines scrape, crawl, search and browser Interact in one credit balance; ScraperAPI focuses on managed URL requests with premium routing, rendering and official MCP tools under API credits. Both have hosted/local agent paths, but one can perform a broader site-discovery workflow.
AT A GLANCE · ENTRY OFFER
- FirecrawlMANAGED API $19per month
- ScraperAPIMANAGED API $49per month
- ProxyLaneRESIDENTIAL PROXIES $1.95350 MB trial
Published entry offers, reviewed 2026-09-14
QUICK VERDICT
Pick by the job,
not the logo
MANAGED API
Choose ScraperAPI if
- Existing HTTP scrapers that need managed proxy rotation and retries
- Agents that need a hosted MCP route for scraping and structured-data tools
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
Compare usable output and required integration work under each API contract. Request the same permitted pages with equivalent rendering and output requirements; validate the returned fields before comparing the bill.
| Decision | Firecrawl | ScraperAPI | ProxyLane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example route for this job | FirecrawlScrape API (Markdown/structured output) | ScraperAPIScraperAPI request API | ProxyLaneResidential proxy gateway for your own fetcher or browser; no managed scraping API |
| Charging basis | Product-specific requests, results or credits | Product-specific requests, results or credits | 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. | Monthly credit plans; base requests consume credits and premium routing or rendering can multiply the per-request credit cost. The documentation says 200 and 404 responses and client-cancelled requests may be charged. Free plan offers 1,000 monthly credits and a larger first-week trial; paid plans change concurrent threads and geographic access. | 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. | Pass an API key and target URL to the ScraperAPI endpoint or configure proxy mode for an existing client. For agents, connect the hosted MCP with a bearer header or run the documented local Python/Docker server with a server-side key. | 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. | Use the free credit allowance to measure target cost, then compare $49 Hobby credits after multiplying any premium/render options. | 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. | Enable JavaScript rendering when a plain request misses content; proxy mode in an interactive browser can generate many asset requests and credit charges. | 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. | Connect the documented remote MCP endpoint or run the local server; restrict premium escalation and retries to keep credit spend predictable. | 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. | Check credit use, concurrent-thread caps and paid plan geotargeting before moving a crawler from the trial to production. | 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 fixed URL list, run the same pages through Firecrawl Scrape and ScraperAPI's endpoint with the minimum features needed for usable output. Firecrawl's basic page and structured/browser options consume different credits. ScraperAPI's premium or rendered requests multiply credits, and some 200/404 or client-cancelled requests may be charged. Track finished fields, retries and concurrency, not just calls or monthly headline credits.
If an agent must discover and traverse links, Firecrawl's Map, Search and Crawl tools cover distinct steps under the shared balance; ScraperAPI's hosted bearer-authenticated or local MCP focuses on scraping and related tools. Build the missing discovery steps in the ScraperAPI route only if the target workflow calls for them, then compare final records on one site section. Firecrawl Search and Interact use their own units, so cap paid top-ups before running an autonomous crawl.
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.
ScraperAPI
$49per month
Free plan: 1,000 API credits/month, with 5,000 requests during the first 7 days and no card. First listed paid Hobby: $49/month for 100,000 credits and 20 concurrent threads ($44.10/month equivalent when billed annually).
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 ScraperAPI cheaper?
Firecrawl starts at $19 per month (5,000 credits), ScraperAPI at $49 per month (100,000 API credits). 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 ScraperAPI?
Compare usable output and required integration work under each API contract. Firecrawl: Scrape API (Markdown/structured output). ScraperAPI: ScraperAPI request API.
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 ScraperAPI. Get 350 MB of residential traffic with sticky sessions up to 72 hours. Keep any unused traffic for later.
