Web scraping has become an essential method for businesses and developers to extract data from websites, turning unstructured information into valuable, structured data for analysis or automation. However, selecting the right tool is crucial to ensure efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
A good web scraping tool should handle web browser interactions seamlessly, navigate dynamic content, and extract relevant data from web pages directly without unnecessary complexity. It should also be robust enough to bypass anti-scraping technologies, such as CAPTCHAs or IP blocks, which are common barriers to effective scraping. Features like automated IP rotation are particularly important for large-scale projects, reducing the risk of being blocked when handling significant volumes of requests.
Whether you need to scrape hundreds or millions of pages, your chosen tool should grow with your needs without excessive costs. In this top web scraping tools list, we carefully evaluated these aspects to ensure that your web scraping efforts are optimized for accuracy and efficiency.
Price | Starts from $49/month |
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Free trial | Yes |
Data export format | JSON, CSV, TXT, HTML |
Oxylabs Web Scraper API is a powerful tool designed to extract data from websites at scale, even those with advanced anti-scraping measures. It handles dynamic content, automates data collection, and delivers structured results efficiently.
This premium web scraping API includes OxyCopilot, an AI assistant for simplifying parsing and scraper creation, making it ideal for tackling complex websites. It offers features like JavaScript rendering via a headless browser, automated scheduling for recurring tasks, and integration with cloud storage solutions like AWS and Google Cloud. Additionally, batch query support enables large-scale scraping, and the customizable parser ensures data is structured exactly as needed.
AI-Powered OxyCopilot simplifies scraper development.
Handles dynamic content and anti-scraping mechanisms effectively.
Scalable solution with batch processing and scheduling.
Integrates seamlessly with cloud storage platforms.
Reliable and stable, with minimal timeouts.
Higher cost compared to competitors.
Price | Starts from $29/month |
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Free trial | Yes |
Data export format | HTML, JSON, parsed table |
Smartproxy's Web Scraping API is a comprehensive solution designed to facilitate large-scale data extraction from various websites, effectively handling challenges like CAPTCHAs and IP blocks. While Smartproxy offers multiple scraping APIs, this particular service focuses on delivering structured data efficiently and reliably.
The Web Scraping API includes task scheduling capabilities, enabling automated scraping at specified intervals, and supports both synchronous and asynchronous requests for real-time or on-demand data retrieval. Additionally, the API offers easy integration with various tools and platforms.
Allows for pre-set scraping tasks with email notifications upon completion.
Employs browser fingerprinting to bypass CAPTCHAs and IP bans.
Provides comprehensive documentation and code samples for quick integration.
Ensures reliable data collection with a 100% success rate.
Some functionalities, such as extended geo-targeting and JavaScript rendering, are available only in the Advanced plan.
Costs may accumulate with high-volume usage, necessitating careful consideration for large-scale projects.
Price | Starts from $49/month |
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Free trial | Yes |
Data export format | HTML, JSON, XML |
ScrapingBee's Web Scraping API is a service designed to handle the technical complexities of web scraping, such as managing proxies and rendering JavaScript, allowing users to focus on data extraction.
ScrapingBee provides AI-powered data extraction using natural language prompts, which makes it easier to scrape data without manually analyzing DOM structures. However, the AI's accuracy can be inconsistent on highly complex web pages or rapidly changing layouts. It offers JavaScript rendering, CAPTCHA solving, and proxy rotation, which are excellent for tackling anti-scraping measures.
Reduces the need for manual coding with AI-driven extraction.
Manages JavaScript-heavy websites effectively.
Includes proxy rotation and CAPTCHA solving to avoid blocks.
Straightforward setup for common scraping needs.
May struggle with very complex or non-standard website layouts.
Costly for large projects – per API call pricing can quickly add up.
Price | Starts from $99/month |
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Free trial | Yes (Along with a free plan) |
Data export format | Excel, JSON, CSV, HTML |
Octoparse is a no-code web scraping tool that enables users to extract data from websites without programming skills. It simulates human interactions to collect information from both static and dynamic web pages, including those utilizing AJAX.
Octoparse offers two types of APIs: the Standard API and the Advanced API. The Standard API allows users to extract data into various formats such as CSV, Excel, HTML, and JSON, facilitating integration with CRM systems or data visualization tools. The Advanced API extends these capabilities by enabling users to manage tasks remotely and access scraped data stored in the cloud.
Designed for non-coders, making web scraping accessible to a broader audience.
Offers functionalities like automatic pagination, extraction of AJAX-loaded content, and IP rotation.
Allows for large-scale data extraction and storage in the cloud.
Some users have noted slower performance during large-scale scraping tasks.
While feature-rich, the tool may have a learning curve for users unfamiliar with web scraping concepts.
Price | Starts from $49/month |
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Free trial | Yes |
Data export format | JSON, XML, CSV, Excel |
Apify's Web Scraper is a versatile tool designed to crawl websites using the Chrome browser and scrape data through JavaScript. It supports both recursive crawling and URL lists, automatically managing concurrency to optimize performance, also earning a place in our best web crawlers list.
Apify's Web Scraper allows users to extract data into various formats, such as JSON, XML, or CSV, facilitating integration with other systems. It can be configured and run manually via a user interface or programmatically using the API, offering flexibility for different user preferences.
Offers functionalities like automatic concurrency management and recursive crawling.
Can be run manually or programmatically, catering to different user needs.
Some users have noted slower performance during large-scale scraping tasks.
Pricing may become expensive for extensive data extraction projects.
Price | Starts from $49/month |
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Free trial | Yes |
Data export format | CSV, JSON |
ScraperAPI is a web scraping solution designed to simplify data collection from websites by handling complex aspects like JavaScript rendering, CAPTCHAs, and anti-bot protections. It enables users to focus on retrieving web data without worrying about infrastructure setup or bypassing restrictions.
ScraperAPI’s primary strength lies in its ability to handle dynamic web content via JavaScript rendering, allowing users to scrape modern websites with ease. The API is lightweight and easy to integrate into applications, supporting multiple programming languages.
CAPTCHA solving and user-agent rotation reduce the risk of blocks.
Lightweight API with multi-language support simplifies implementation.
Consistently works for a wide range of websites.
Occasional downtime or errors when dealing with highly secure websites.
Some complex scraping needs (e.g., extracting data in specific formats) may require additional coding.
Pricing can add up for large-scale scraping projects with JavaScript rendering.
Price | Starts from $43/month |
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Free trial | Yes (Along with a free plan) |
Data export format | JSON |
ScrapingBot is a web scraping API that enables users to extract HTML content from websites without the risk of being blocked. It manages complex scraping tasks, such as proxy rotation, CAPTCHA solving, and JavaScript rendering, so users can focus solely on collecting the data they need.
ScrapingBot allows users to extract data from dynamic websites that rely on JavaScript for content rendering, ensuring access to modern web content. It also handles proxy management internally, which eliminates the need for users to deal with rotating IPs or avoiding bans. The API includes automatic CAPTCHA solving and metadata parsing, which help users access structured data effortlessly.
Handles technical complexities, making it user-friendly.
Suitable for non-technical users due to its straightforward setup.
Occasional errors during scraping tasks, especially with more challenging websites.
Not ideal for highly specialized scraping requirements.
Price | Starts from $50/month |
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Free trial | Yes |
Data export format | CSV, XLSX, JSON |
Web Scraper is a versatile web scraping tool designed for both regular and professional use, enabling users to automate online data extraction. It offers a point-and-click interface, allowing users to configure scrapers by simply selecting elements on a webpage, eliminating the need for coding skills.
Web Scraper provides a user-friendly, point-and-click interface that simplifies the configuration of scrapers, making it accessible to users without coding experience. It effectively extracts data from dynamic websites, including those with complex navigation and JavaScript content.
Pros
The point-and-click configuration simplifies the scraping process, making it accessible to non-technical users.
Capable of handling complex websites with multiple levels of navigation.
Cons
May encounter difficulties when scraping sites with intricate structures, such as dropdown menus leading to paginated content.
While user-friendly, mastering the tool's full capabilities may require some time and experimentation.
Open APIs, also known as public APIs, are application programming interfaces that are publicly accessible on the internet and are available for developers to use. These web scraping platforms are typically made available by companies, organizations, or individuals to allow external developers to interact with their services, data, or platforms. Open APIs are generally free to use (although some may have usage limits or tiered pricing) and can help developers integrate functionality, access data, or build applications that interact with various systems. These tools are widely accessible and provide great resources for developers, hobbyists, and small businesses.
Open APIs offer a variety of features depending on the platform or service they provide access to. For example, the Google Maps API allows developers to integrate interactive maps, geolocation, and routing functionality into their applications. Public APIs are usually well-documented and come with sample code to help developers get started. They also typically have usage limits to prevent abuse, and some may offer premium tiers with additional features. While they offer great functionality, open web scraper APIs may not always be as customizable or feature-rich as private, paid APIs.
Many public APIs are free or have low-cost tiers, making them ideal for smaller data scraping tasks and projects.
Open-source tools like Scrapy and BeautifulSoup give users full control over the scraping process.
Popular public APIs typically have large online communities, offering tutorials, guides, and troubleshooting help.
Open-source solutions allow users to modify the code for more tailored scraping tasks.
Public APIs can struggle with large-scale scraping, especially when dealing with high volumes of data or websites with anti-scraping measures.
Public APIs generally lack advanced features like automated CAPTCHA solving, proxy management, or JavaScript rendering found in paid options.
Might be slower or less reliable compared to dedicated paid services that offer better infrastructure and support.
Many free public APIs come with strict usage limits or restrictions on the amount of data that can be scraped.
Self-made web scraping tools are custom-built solutions that individuals or businesses develop in-house to scrape data from websites. These tools are typically created using programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, or Ruby, and rely on libraries like BeautifulSoup, Scrapy, or Puppeteer for scraping functionality. To create a self-made web scraping tool, you need a solid understanding of web development, HTTP requests, HTML parsing, and possibly JavaScript execution, depending on the complexity of the websites you want to scrape. Knowledge of data storage and database management is also beneficial for handling large datasets.
Self-made scraping tools offer the highest level of customizability, allowing you to design a solution tailored to your specific scraping needs. You can build features such as automated CAPTCHA solving, custom error handling, data transformation, and integration with other tools or systems. However, with great customizability comes significant complexity. Developing and maintaining a self-made web scraping tool requires time and technical expertise. Moreover, handling issues like IP blocking, rate-limiting, and CAPTCHA can be challenging, requiring constant updates to ensure the tool remains effective. Unlike pre-built APIs, these tools demand ongoing maintenance and are more prone to errors without extensive testing and monitoring.
Free proxies can be a valuable resource for developers who are just starting out or working on smaller-scale web scraping projects. They provide an easy and cost-effective way to rotate IP addresses and bypass basic anti-scraping measures. Free proxies are an accessible option for experimentation, testing, or handling projects with lower data volume requirements. With careful provider selection and monitoring, free proxies can perform adequately for tasks that don't demand high reliability or speed.
Discover the benefits of using Oxylabs' high-quality services with free proxies
On the other hand, paid proxies provide a more robust and reliable solution for web scraping. With features like rotating IPs, dedicated proxies, and guaranteed uptime, they are better equipped to handle the challenges of large-scale scraping operations. While these services come at a cost, they can save significant time and effort in maintaining a scraping tool and ensuring uninterrupted access to data.
Choose paid proxy servers to collect public data from almost any website worldwide with pinpoint targeting precision.
You have complete control over all of the features and design of the tool.
Can be built to handle specific data extraction tasks that public or paid APIs may not cover.
Building a self-made tool demands strong programming skills and knowledge of web scraping techniques.
You must continually monitor, update, and fix the tool to adapt to changes on target web pages.
Developing and testing a reliable tool takes significantly more time than using an off-the-shelf API.
Handling very large-scale scraping operations may require extensive infrastructure and complex systems.
Web scraping tool | Best for | User friendliness | Best features |
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Oxylabs | Large-scale scraping, advanced targeting | Requires technical knowledge for advanced features | Large proxy pool, AI-powered parsing with Oxycopilot, supports scraping even on difficult websites, customizable proxy management |
Smartproxy | General scraping | Easy to set up but some configurations need coding | Large proxy pool, easy to use API, advanced features like proxy rotation, location targeting, and session control |
ScrapingBee | Scraping dynamic websites, JavaScript rendering | Easy to integrate but requires some technical setup | Handles JavaScript-heavy pages, CAPTCHA solving, proxy management |
Octoparse | Simple scraping tasks, multi-page extraction | Point-and-click interface, no coding required | Visual scraping tool with templates, cloud-based scraping, scheduled runs |
Apify | Complex automation workflows, scraping dynamic sites, headless browser support | Some technical knowledge for advanced features | Cloud-based, scalable, supports complex workflows with Puppeteer |
ScraperAPI | Scraping dynamic sites | Easy integration, but requires coding for customization | Proxy management, automatic CAPTCHA solving, JavaScript rendering support |
ScrapingBot | Scraping JavaScript-rendered pages, large-scale scraping | Easy to use API, but more technical for advanced tasks | Large proxy pool, unlimited concurrent scraping |
WebScraper.io | Simple, visual web scraping, multi-page extraction | Simple point-and-click interface, no coding required | Browser extension, visual scraper, easy setup for beginners |
Public APIs | Specific data extraction (e.g., weather, news, social media) | Easy for developers with coding knowledge | Access to pre-existing data sets, often free or low-cost |
Self made tools | Customizable scraping for any site, full control over scraping tasks | Requires advanced coding skills to set up and maintain | Full flexibility, ability to scrape complex or custom sites |
The best web scraping tool depends on your specific project needs. For large-scale or enterprise-level scraping, Oxylabs Web Scraper API stands out as the top paid solution, offering robust infrastructure and extensive proxy management. Public APIs are perfect for smaller, highly specific projects, providing easy access to structured data without the complexity of custom scraping. On the other hand, self-made tools offer the highest flexibility, allowing you to tailor the scraping process exactly to your requirements. However, they come with greater maintenance demands and require significant coding experience to manage effectively.
There are a lot of AI tools on the market available for web scraping, but the Oxylabs OxyCopilot stands out as an AI assistant that builds web scrapers and parsers based on natural language prompts. The tool is completely free to test out in the Scraper API Playground.
For enterprise-level projects, providers like Oxylabs provide robust infrastructure and proxy management for high-volume scraping. However, custom tools made using a web scraping library like Scrapy and BeautifulSoup are widely used by developers for their flexibility and customizability. It all depends on your project needs and your preference – whether you would prefer a highly customizable solution or a more pleasant user experience.
For complete beginners, it is best to test a variety of tools out. Before jumping into building your own scrapers, it would be nice to choose no-code web scrapers for easy, visual web data scraping without programming skills. Free web scrapers are also a great option, offering features for small-scale projects and learning – we have compiled a list of best websites to scrape that can be used together with the scrapers. Both options of scrapers mentioned provide an accessible way to start web scraping efficiently and step by step move to larger, more difficult projects and software.
Python is one of the best programming languages for web scraping. It offers a wide range of libraries for extracting and processing data from websites. Python's simplicity, versatility, and large community support make it an excellent choice for both beginners and advanced users. Additionally, it can handle tasks like navigating dynamic content, automating web browser interactions, and storing scraped data efficiently.
On our website, you can find various tutorials for scraping with Python that will help you to choose the best web scraping library for your project needs, including Parsing Data with BeautifulSoup, Web Scraping with Scrapy, and more.
About the author
Akvilė Lūžaitė
Junior Copywriter
Akvilė ventured from the very physical metal processing industry to a more abstract immaterial tech industry – and enjoys every second of it.
All information on Oxylabs Blog is provided on an "as is" basis and for informational purposes only. We make no representation and disclaim all liability with respect to your use of any information contained on Oxylabs Blog or any third-party websites that may be linked therein. Before engaging in scraping activities of any kind you should consult your legal advisors and carefully read the particular website's terms of service or receive a scraping license.
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