Browse AI vs Apify

Which Web Scraping Platform is Right For You?

See how Browse AI's AI-powered platform compares to Apify's developer marketplace for reliable data extraction at scale.
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Two philosophies: Reliability vs marketplace

Browse AI and Apify serve the web scraping market with fundamentally different approaches and target audiences.

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This comparison will help you understand which platform better aligns with your team's capabilities and data extraction needs.

Understanding modern web scraping platforms

Before comparing Browse AI and Apify, let's understand what modern web scraping platforms offer.

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Web scraping platforms automate the extraction of data from websites, transforming unstructured web content into organized, actionable information. These tools handle the technical complexities of data extraction so businesses can focus on using data rather than collecting it.

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Browse AI and Apify represent two distinct philosophies in web scraping. Browse AI delivers enterprise-grade reliability with AI-powered tools that anyone can use. Apify provides a developer-centric marketplace with pre-built "Actors" and tools for building custom scrapers.

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The right platform can revolutionize how your business gathers market intelligence, monitors competitors, and makes data-driven decisions. Let's explore how Browse AI and Apify compare to help you choose the best solution.

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Browse AI vs Apify

Key differences

See how these leading web scraping platforms compare on critical features.
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Features
Target users
Setup Time
Platform Approach
Ease of Use
Maintenance
Pricing Model
Custom Scraping
Support Quality
Best For
Browse AI
Anyone - no coding required
2 minutes to first extraction
AI-powered point-and-click
Intuitive visual interface
AI handles website changes
Simple credits system
Works on any website
4.9/5 for all users
Business users and teams
Apify
Developers and technical users
Hours to days depending on complexity
Marketplace of 6,000+ "Actors"
Requires coding knowledge
Manual updates needed
Complex compute units
Build or modify Actors
Varies by plan level
Technical teams and developers

Ease of use comparison

How quickly can your team start extracting valuable data?

Browse AI: Built for everyone

Browse AI revolutionizes web scraping with true no-code accessibility. Any team member can create a data extraction robot in just 2 minutes using our intuitive point-and-click interface. No technical knowledge, no coding, no complex configurations.
2-minute robot creation
Visual point-and-click interface
No technical skills needed
Anyone can create robots

Apify: Built for developers

Apify requires programming knowledge to use effectively. While they offer pre-built Actors, customizing them or creating new ones requires JavaScript, Python, or TypeScript skills. Even using existing Actors often needs technical understanding.
Hours to learn platform basics
Code-based configuration
Programming knowledge required
Developers only

What users are saying

Browse AI is trusted by over {{userCount}} users worldwide.
Everything is no-code, so as a non-technical person I felt empowered to be able to do anything I needed with a bit of learning and testing.
Chris C.
It's so easy to follow along and teach it to do the work for you. Even a complete beginner can build a working tool super quickly. Building these used to take hours now it takes minutes with Browse AI.
Erin J.
Browse AI is fabulous and has saved us many many days of development time allowing us to focus on the core features of our platform rather than data capture.
‍Jonathan G.
It’s a very simply and reliable tool to extract data from web. In just minutes I solved my problems with Browse AI after spending hours with other tools.
Mauricio A.
Browse AI allows you to scrape websites with no code and is so simple and easy to use. You can scrape absolutely any website using this without any hustle and download the results too.
Rukaiya B.
How easy it is to setup a scraper! just set and forget with the monitor. fastest customer support I've witnessed. They even helped me with a Robot I set up which had to scrape data behind some firewall.
Yassine B.

Platform philosophy

Different approaches to solving web scraping challenges.

Browse AI: Reliable at scale

Browse AI delivers enterprise-grade reliability that scales effortlessly. Our AI-powered platform works on any website, handles billions of data points, and maintains consistent performance. One platform, unlimited possibilities, zero dependencies.
Built for billions of data points
Consistent performance at scale
Enterprise-grade infrastructure
Direct support from Browse AI

Apify: Marketplace dependency

Apify's marketplace model creates dependencies on third-party Actor developers. When you need scale and reliability, you're trusting external developers to maintain their Actors, respond to issues, and keep pace with website changes.
Dependent on Actor developers
Variable Actor quality
No control over Actor updates
Actor support varies widely

For technical teams

Why developers choose Browse AI's reliability over DIY maintenance.

Browse AI: Developer productivity

Browse AI empowers developers to focus on data utilization rather than extraction maintenance. With automatic retry logic, intelligent error handling, comprehensive APIs, and webhook support, developers get enterprise-grade infrastructure without the overhead.
Automatic retry logic built-in
AI-powered change detection
Comprehensive REST API
Webhook & JSON exports
Zero maintenance burden

Apify: Developer burden

Apify requires developers to handle everything: retry logic, error handling, proxy management, and constant maintenance. When third-party Actors break, you're debugging someone else's code or building from scratch.
Implement retry logic yourself
Manual change detection
API varies by Actor
Inconsistent export formats
Constant Actor maintenance

5 reasons businesses choose
Browse AI

Why companies pick a complete platform over infrastructure.

Scale without limits

Get production-ready in minutes, not weeks. No searching through Actors, no debugging third-party code, no complex configurations.

True cost savings

Eliminate developer costs, maintenance overhead, and infrastructure expenses. Browse AI's all-in pricing is typically 70% cheaper than ScraperAPI plus development.

Scale without complexity

Handle millions of extractions without performance degradation. Browse AI's infrastructure scales automatically, maintaining consistent speed and reliability whether you're extracting 100 or 100 million records.

Developer efficiency

Free your developers from maintenance tasks. Automatic retry logic, error handling, and change detection mean your team focuses on using data, not extracting it. Full API control when needed.

True ownership

Your data pipeline, your control. No dependency on third-party Actor developers who might abandon their projects or change pricing. Direct support from Browse AI for all issues.

Enterprise-grade security

With SOC 2 Type 2 certification and GDPR compliance, Browse AI meets enterprise security requirements.
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Handling website changes

How each platform deals with the inevitable: websites that change.

Browse AI: Adaptive AI technology

Browse AI's AI-powered engine automatically detects and adapts to website changes. When a site updates its layout, our AI adjusts the extraction logic without any intervention. Your data flow continues uninterrupted.
AI detects layout changes
Automatic adaptation
Zero maintenance needed
Continuous data flow

Apify: Manual maintenance required

When websites change, Apify Actors break. You'll need to either wait for the Actor developer to update it, fix it yourself (requires coding), or find a different Actor. This maintenance burden grows with each Actor you use.
Actors break when sites change
Manual fixes required
Ongoing developer maintenance
Extraction failures common

Pricing transparency

Understanding the true cost of web scraping.

Browse AI: Simple, predictable pricing

Browse AI uses a straightforward credit system where you know exactly what you're paying for. Start free, upgrade when needed, and all features are available on all plans. No complex calculations or surprise charges.
Simple credit-based pricing
Predictable monthly costs
All features on all plans
Free tier included

Apify: Complex compute calculations

Apify's pricing based on "compute units" is notoriously complex. Costs vary by Actor efficiency, processing time, and memory usage. The same extraction can cost differently each time, making budgeting difficult.
Complex compute unit calculations
Variable costs per extraction
Feature restrictions by tier
Limited free usage

Speed to value

How quickly can you get the data you need?

Browse AI: Minutes to results

With Browse AI, you can extract data from any website within minutes of signing up. Our AI learns from your selections instantly, and you can immediately run bulk extractions or set up monitoring.
2 minutes to create a robot
Instant data extraction
Same-day implementation
Immediate ROI

Apify: Hours to days to deploy

Apify's timeline depends on finding the right Actor, learning how to configure it, testing different parameters, and potentially modifying code. Even with pre-built Actors, expect hours of setup time.
Search for appropriate Actors
Configure complex parameters
Test and debug setup
Extended implementation time

Integration capabilities

Connecting extracted data to your business tools.

Browse AI: 7,000+ no-code integrations

Browse AI seamlessly connects with over 7,000 apps through native integrations. Send data directly to Google Sheets, Airtable, your CRM, or any other tool without writing a single line of code.
Direct Google Sheets sync
Native Airtable integration
7,000+ apps via Zapier
No-code automation

Apify: Developer-focused integrations

Apify provides API access and some integrations, but connecting to business tools typically requires developer involvement. Webhook setup, API configuration, and data transformation all need technical skills.
API configuration required
Webhook setup needed
Developer-dependent integration
Code required for most connections

Scalability approach

How each platform handles growing data needs.

Browse AI: Effortless scaling

Browse AI scales seamlessly with your needs. Whether extracting 100 or 100,000 records, the process remains the same. Our infrastructure handles the complexity while you focus on using the data.
Same process at any scale
Automatic resource management
Predictable scaling costs
No technical optimization needed

Apify: Complex scaling considerations

Scaling with Apify requires careful Actor selection and configuration. Different Actors have different performance characteristics, and costs can escalate quickly with inefficient Actors or poor configuration choices.
Actor-dependent performance
Manual optimization required
Costs vary by Actor efficiency
Requires performance tuning
Critical B2B use cases

Use case implementation

How much work to implement common scenarios?
Use cases
Browse AI
Apify
E-commerce monitoring
Track competitor prices, monitor product availability, and analyze sales performance across multiple online stores.
Create a robot in 2 minutes for any e-commerce site. Monitor prices, inventory, and reviews with automatic alerts.
Search for e-commerce Actors, test multiple options, configure parameters, hope the Actor maintains compatibility.
Lead generation
Extract contact information, company details, and prospect data from business directories and professional networks.
Point-and-click to extract contacts from any directory or website. Direct CRM integration included.
Find directory-specific Actors or build custom scrapers. Manual integration with CRM systems.
Social media tracking
Monitor brand mentions, track competitor activity, and analyze engagement metrics across social platforms.
Built-in support for major platforms with automatic adaptation to platform changes.
Limited Actor availability due to platform restrictions. Frequent breakage and maintenance issues.
News monitoring
Stay informed on industry trends, track brand coverage, and monitor competitor announcements from news sources.
Extract articles from any news site with AI-powered content detection. Real-time monitoring included.
Actor availability varies by news source. Multiple Actors needed for comprehensive coverage.

Support experience

What help is available when you need it?

Browse AI: Exceptional support for all

Browse AI is renowned for exceptional support with a 4.9/5 rating. Every user, from free to enterprise, receives responsive, helpful assistance. Our support team understands both technical and business needs.
4.9/5 customer satisfaction
Support for all users
Business-friendly assistance
Rapid response times

Apify: Variable support quality

Apify support quality varies significantly by plan. Free users get community support only, while higher tiers get email support. The technical nature of the platform means support often requires deep technical knowledge.
Support varies by plan
Community-only for free users
Technical support only
Slower response for lower tiers

Ideal user profiles

Understanding who each platform serves best.

Choose Browse AI if you:

Want anyone on your team to extract data
Need results in minutes, not days
Prefer predictable, simple pricing
Value automatic maintenance
Need reliable business data extraction
Want one solution for all websites

Choose Apify if you:

Have dedicated developers
Enjoy building technical solutions
Want maximum customization control
Can handle ongoing maintenance
Build web scraping as core product
Like marketplace model

Built with security in mind.

Discover how we safeguard your information with industry-leading practices and compliance certifications. Visit Browse AI's Trust Center to request our SOC 2 report.
Integration icon
SOC 2 - Type II
Integration icon
GDPR
Integration icon
CCPA

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about choosing between Browse AI and Apify.
Can Browse AI handle complex JavaScript sites like Apify?

Yes. Browse AI's AI-powered engine handles JavaScript rendering, dynamic content, and complex interactions automatically. You don't need to configure Puppeteer or Playwright - our AI manages all technical complexity behind the scenes.

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What happens when websites change their structure?

This is where Browse AI truly shines. Our AI automatically detects and adapts to website changes, while Apify Actors break and require manual fixes. Browse AI users enjoy continuous data flow without maintenance interruptions.

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How does Browse AI work without a marketplace of scrapers?

Browse AI's AI technology works on any website without pre-built scrapers. Instead of searching through thousands of Actors hoping one fits your needs, you simply show Browse AI what data you want by clicking on it. The AI handles the rest.

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Why do technical teams choose Browse AI over Apify?

Technical teams value Browse AI for what they DON'T have to build: retry logic, error handling, proxy management, change detection, and maintenance systems. Our comprehensive API and webhook support provide full programmatic control while eliminating the overhead of maintaining extraction infrastructure. Plus, you're not dependent on third-party Actor developers for critical business data.

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How does Browse AI handle scale better than Apify?

Browse AI was architected from day one to handle billions of data points reliably. Our infrastructure automatically scales with your needs, maintaining consistent performance and cost predictability. With Apify, Actor performance varies wildly, and costs can explode with inefficient Actors at scale. Browse AI provides enterprise-grade scale with startup simplicity.

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Can I migrate from Apify to Browse AI?

Yes, and most customers complete the migration in hours rather than the days it took to set up Apify initially. Our support team can help you recreate your Apify workflows as Browse AI robots, often with better reliability and lower costs.

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