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
ScraperAPI and Scrapfly both sell managed scraping calls and document MCP, yet they meter options differently. ScraperAPI uses API credits that can multiply for premium routes or rendering. Scrapfly charges credits according to proxy pool, rendering, protection and response size, with a separate Cloud Browser branch.
Published entry offers, reviewed 2026-09-14
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 | ScraperAPI | Scrapfly | ProxyLane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example route for this job | ScraperAPIScraperAPI request API | ScrapflyScrape 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 | 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. | Scrape API plans contain monthly credits; requests consume credits according to proxy pool, rendering, protection and response size. Overage rules depend on plan and unused monthly quota does not roll over. Cloud Browser documentation describes a separate session-time plus bandwidth credit meter; verify access and current terms in the account. | 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 | 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. | Call api.scrapfly.io/scrape with a target URL, API key and optional proxy_pool=public_residential_pool or render_js=true; use the MCP endpoint for agent tools. Cloud Browser documentation describes CDP/WebSocket integration subject to account availability. | 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 free credit allowance to measure target cost, then compare $49 Hobby credits after multiplying any premium/render options. | Estimate credits per actual scrape configuration, including residential routing and rendering, then compare included monthly quota and overage controls. | Start with the 350 MB trial for $1.95 or a 1 GB package. Unused traffic never expires. |
| Browser workflow | Enable JavaScript rendering when a plain request misses content; proxy mode in an interactive browser can generate many asset requests and credit charges. | Scrape API can render JavaScript without exposing a browser session; the separately documented Cloud Browser is the relevant CDP path, with access to confirm. | Sticky sessions from 1 second to 72 hours, with a named session ID for each browser profile. |
| Connecting an agent | Connect the documented remote MCP endpoint or run the local server; restrict premium escalation and retries to keep credit spend predictable. | The official MCP server exposes scraping tools, and the API is directly callable; budget agent retries and any adaptive feature upgrades. | Point your agent's fetcher or browser tool at the proxy endpoint. ProxyLane supplies the network, not a hosted browser. |
| A growing production workload | Check credit use, concurrent-thread caps and paid plan geotargeting before moving a crawler from the trial to production. | Set project credit budgets and concurrency controls and measure credits per successful target result; monthly unused quota does not carry forward. | 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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Given an e-commerce URL set, request the same pages through each basic scrape endpoint and validate the price and availability fields returned. Turn on ScraperAPI premium routing or rendering, and Scrapfly residential pool or render_js, only for URLs whose first response is unusable. Record credits per accepted item and concurrency constraints. Scrapfly's residential pool is a managed API setting, not raw proxy GB; ScraperAPI proxy mode is also still credit-metered.
Both providers document first-party MCP routes. ScraperAPI offers hosted bearer authentication and a local Python/Docker server, with calls drawing ordinary API credits. Scrapfly exposes remote scrape, screenshot and usage tools; newer browser tools appear in release notes, while Cloud Browser access remains subject to account availability and its own time/bandwidth meter. ScraperAPI's free and paid monthly allowances and Scrapfly's non-rolling monthly quota should be evaluated against the actual request mix, not nominal request counts.
ProxyLane offers premium residential IPs with ultra-low fraud scores, from ethically sourced, real devices.
Test your workload for $1.9598.7%
of 1,000 sampled IPs rated low risk by Scamalytics
Low risk: scores 0–19 on Scamalytics’ 0–100 scale. Aggregate sample result; individual countries vary.
Advertised starting offers use different products and billing units. Price the matched route before choosing a plan.
$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).
$30per month
1,000 free Scrape API credits advertised; first listed paid Discovery plan is $30/month with 200,000 included credits. Residential routing, JS rendering and other features consume more than one credit per scrape.
$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 $1.95Same targets, same fields. Compare the cost of each usable record. Worksheet
Same targets on both routes
Not just 200 responses
Minimums, expiry, add-ons
Keep a rollback ready
From $2/GB. Buy the traffic you need, keep it until you use it.
Test our IP quality: 350 MB$1.95
For your first requests
per GB · Traffic never expires
For projects taking shape
per GB · Traffic never expires
For everyday workflows
per GB · Traffic never expires
For growing workloads
per GB · Traffic never expires
For bigger operations
per GB · Traffic never expires
For high-volume data
per GB · Traffic never expires
For your business, at your scale
Let's build your setup together
ScraperAPI starts at $49 per month (100,000 API credits), Scrapfly at $30 per month (200,000 Scrape API credits). Billing units differ, so compare the cost of a usable record on the same workload, not the headline rate.
Compare usable output and required integration work under each API contract. ScraperAPI: ScraperAPI request API. Scrapfly: Scrape API.
Yes. The 350 MB trial costs $1.95 and runs on the same residential network as paid packages. Unused traffic never expires.
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.
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.
Run the targets you would send to ScraperAPI or Scrapfly. Get 350 MB of residential traffic with sticky sessions up to 72 hours. Keep any unused traffic for later.