zoom_in Click to enlarge

Apify

9.1
Excellent
Free Plan • From Free (10GB/mo) / $49/mo
language

description Apify Overview

Apify is a serverless platform for web scraping and browser automation. It allows developers to run their own code (or use pre-built 'Actors') in the cloud, making it incredibly easy to scale scraping tasks. Apify excels at handling complex workflows, such as crawling social media, e-commerce sites, or search engines. Its platform provides built-in proxy management, storage, and scheduling, allowing you to focus on writing the scraping logic rather than managing infrastructure.

It is highly popular among developers who prefer JavaScript/Node.js and want a fast, reliable way to deploy scrapers.

recommend Best for: Developers and data engineers seeking scalable, serverless web scraping and browser automation without managing infrastructure.

info Apify Specifications

balance Apify Pros & Cons

thumb_up Pros
  • check Serverless architecture eliminates infrastructure management, allowing developers to focus purely on scraping logic
  • check Pre-built Actors library provides ready-to-use solutions for popular websites like Amazon, Instagram, and LinkedIn
  • check Automatic proxy rotation and anti-blocking features handle websites with strict scraping policies
  • check Highly scalable cloud infrastructure can handle thousands of concurrent crawling requests
  • check Built-in scheduler and webhooks enable automated workflows without manual intervention
  • check Strong documentation and active community support quick onboarding
thumb_down Cons
  • close Free tier limited to 10GB bandwidth per month, which exhausts quickly for large projects
  • close Custom Actor development has a learning curve for developers unfamiliar with Node.js
  • close Enterprise pricing can become expensive at scale without clear volume discounts
  • close Cold start delays occasionally affect Actor initialization times
  • close Some websites implement aggressive anti-bot measures that even Apify cannot fully bypass

help Apify FAQ

What programming languages does Apify support for building Actors?

Apify primarily supports JavaScript/Node.js for Actor development, with Python support available through unofficial SDKs. The platform provides a comprehensive SDK that abstracts away infrastructure complexity, allowing developers to write scraping logic in familiar JavaScript environments.

How does Apify handle websites with anti-scraping protections?

Apify includes built-in proxy rotation, automatic CAPTCHA solving integration, browser fingerprinting, and rate limiting features. The platform maintains a pool of residential and data center proxies to help bypass IP-based restrictions and evade detection systems.

What is an Actor on Apify?

An Actor is a serverless program on Apify that performs web scraping, data extraction, or browser automation tasks. Actors are portable, versioned, and can be shared on the Apify Store. They can run standalone or be combined into complex workflows using the Apify platform.

Can Apify scrape JavaScript-heavy single-page applications?

Yes, Apify uses headless Chrome browsers to render JavaScript and execute dynamic content. This makes it effective for modern SPAs, AJAX-loaded pages, and sites requiring client-side rendering, though rendering adds latency and resource costs compared to static scraping.

What is Apify?
Apify is a serverless platform for web scraping and browser automation. It allows developers to run their own code (or use pre-built 'Actors') in the cloud, making it incredibly easy to scale scraping tasks. Apify excels at handling complex workflows, such as crawling social media, e-commerce sites, or search engines. Its platform provides built-in proxy management, storage, and scheduling, allowing you to focus on writing the scraping logic rather than managing infrastructure. It is highly popular among developers who prefer JavaScript/Node.js and want a fast, reliable way to deploy scrapers.
How good is Apify?
Apify scores 9.1/10 (Excellent) on Lunoo, making it one of the highest-rated options in the Website Builder category. Apify scores 9.1/10 due to its exceptional serverless infrastructure that removes infrastructure complexity, extensive pre-built Actor library coverin...
How much does Apify cost?
Free Plan • From Free (10GB/mo) / $49/mo. Visit the official website for the most up-to-date pricing.
What are the best alternatives to Apify?
See our alternatives page for Apify for a ranked list with scores. Top alternatives include: Oxylabs, Bright Data, BentoBox.
What is Apify best for?

Developers and data engineers seeking scalable, serverless web scraping and browser automation without managing infrastructure.

How does Apify compare to Oxylabs?
See our detailed comparison of Apify vs Oxylabs with scores, features, and an AI-powered verdict.
Is Apify worth it in 2026?
With a score of 9.1/10, Apify is highly rated in Website Builder. See all Website Builder ranked.
What are the key specifications of Apify?
  • Storage: Built-in cloud storage with JSON, CSV, XML exports
  • API Type: REST API with GraphQL support
  • Platform: Cloud-based SaaS (Browser, Desktop)
  • Concurrency: Up to 1,000 parallel browser sessions on enterprise plans
  • Integrations: GitHub, Google Cloud, AWS, Zapier, Make.com
  • Key Features: Proxy rotation, CAPTCHA solving, scheduler, webhooks, request queuing

Reviews & Comments

Write a Review

lock

Please sign in to share your review

rate_review

Be the first to review

Share your thoughts with the community and help others make better decisions.

Save to your list

Create your first list and start tracking the tools that matter to you.

Track favorites
Get updates
Compare scores

Already have an account? Sign in

Compare Items

See how they stack up against each other

Comparing
VS
Select 1 more item to compare