Apify Review 2026

Name: Apify
Brand: Apify
Availability: InStock

Honest pros, cons, and verdict on this web & browser automation tool

✅ Skip building scrapers with 21,000+ ready-made Actors for major sites

Starting Price

$0/month

Free Tier

Yes

What is Apify?

Web scraping platform with 21,000+ pre-built Actors for extracting data from websites without coding scrapers from scratch.

The Web Scraping Problem

Apify solves a specific problem: you need data from websites but don't want to build and maintain scrapers. Instead of fighting with Puppeteer, Scrapy, Beautiful Soup, or Selenium, you browse their marketplace of 21,000+ ready-made Actors, click run, and get structured data back.

Key Features

✓Web scraping

✓Data extraction

✓API integration

✓Scheduled runs

Pricing Breakdown

Free

$0/month

per month

✓$5/month compute credits
✓Public Actors only
✓Basic support

Starter

$29/month

per month

✓$50/month included credits
✓Private Actors
✓Scheduled runs
✓API access

Scale

$199/month

per month

✓$500/month included credits
✓Priority support
✓Team collaboration
✓Advanced monitoring

Pros & Cons

✅Pros

•Skip building scrapers with 21,000+ ready-made Actors for major sites
•Handles JavaScript, CAPTCHAs, and anti-bot detection out of the box
•Pay-per-use pricing avoids paying for idle capacity
•Active community contributes and maintains popular Actors
•Residential proxy networks included, no separate proxy subscription needed

❌Cons

•Costs scale with volume and site complexity, no unlimited plan
•Actors break when target sites change, especially niche ones
•Custom Actor development requires JavaScript/Node.js skills
•More expensive than self-hosted Scrapy for high-volume simple sites

Who Should Use Apify?

✓E-commerce Price Monitoring: Track competitor pricing across Amazon, Shopify stores, and marketplaces without building scrapers
✓Lead Generation: Extract business contact data from Google Maps, LinkedIn, and industry directories
✓Market Research: Gather product reviews, social media posts, and industry data at scale for analysis

Who Should Skip Apify?

×You're on a tight budget
×You're concerned about actors break when target sites change, especially niche ones
×You're concerned about custom actor development requires javascript/node.js skills

Our Verdict

✅

Apify is a solid choice

Apify delivers on its promises as a web & browser automation tool. While it has some limitations, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for most users in its target market.

Try Apify →Compare Alternatives →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Apify?

Web scraping platform with 21,000+ pre-built Actors for extracting data from websites without coding scrapers from scratch.

Is Apify good?

Yes, Apify is good for web & browser automation work. Users particularly appreciate skip building scrapers with 21,000+ ready-made actors for major sites. However, keep in mind costs scale with volume and site complexity, no unlimited plan.

Is Apify free?

Yes, Apify offers a free tier. However, paid plans start at $0/month and unlock additional functionality for professional users.

Who should use Apify?

Apify is best for E-commerce Price Monitoring: Track competitor pricing across Amazon, Shopify stores, and marketplaces without building scrapers and Lead Generation: Extract business contact data from Google Maps, LinkedIn, and industry directories. It's particularly useful for web & browser automation professionals who need web scraping.

What are the best Apify alternatives?

There are several web & browser automation tools available. Compare features, pricing, and user reviews to find the best option for your needs.

More about Apify

Pricing Alternatives Free vs Paid Pros & Cons Worth It?Tutorial

📖 Apify Overview 💰 Apify Pricing 🆚 Free vs Paid 🤔 Is it Worth It?

Last verified March 2026

What is Apify?

Web scraping platform with 21,000+ pre-built Actors for extracting data from websites without coding scrapers from scratch.

The Web Scraping Problem

Pricing Breakdown

Free

$0/month

per month

✓$5/month compute credits
✓Public Actors only
✓Basic support

Starter

$29/month

per month

✓$50/month included credits
✓Private Actors
✓Scheduled runs
✓API access

Scale

$199/month

per month

✓$500/month included credits
✓Priority support
✓Team collaboration
✓Advanced monitoring

Pros & Cons

✅Pros

•Skip building scrapers with 21,000+ ready-made Actors for major sites
•Handles JavaScript, CAPTCHAs, and anti-bot detection out of the box
•Pay-per-use pricing avoids paying for idle capacity
•Active community contributes and maintains popular Actors
•Residential proxy networks included, no separate proxy subscription needed

❌Cons

•Costs scale with volume and site complexity, no unlimited plan
•Actors break when target sites change, especially niche ones
•Custom Actor development requires JavaScript/Node.js skills
•More expensive than self-hosted Scrapy for high-volume simple sites

Who Should Use Apify?

✓E-commerce Price Monitoring: Track competitor pricing across Amazon, Shopify stores, and marketplaces without building scrapers
✓Lead Generation: Extract business contact data from Google Maps, LinkedIn, and industry directories
✓Market Research: Gather product reviews, social media posts, and industry data at scale for analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Apify?

Web scraping platform with 21,000+ pre-built Actors for extracting data from websites without coding scrapers from scratch.

Is Apify good?

Is Apify free?

Yes, Apify offers a free tier. However, paid plans start at $0/month and unlock additional functionality for professional users.

Who should use Apify?

What are the best Apify alternatives?

There are several web & browser automation tools available. Compare features, pricing, and user reviews to find the best option for your needs.