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Apify Alternative - Why Proxies API is a Simple & Affordable Option

Mohan Ganesan
Sep 30, 2023 ยท 4 min read

If you're looking into web scraping services, you've probably come across Apify. As one of the leaders in the web automation space, Apify offers a comprehensive platform for building, running and scaling scrapers in the cloud.

However, while powerful, Apify can also be complex and expensive depending on your use case. As an alternative, Proxies API offers a simpler and more affordable solution to get started with web scraping.

Get HTML from any page with a simple API call

The core value proposition of Proxies API is our simple API that lets you get HTML from any web page with a single call:

curl "<http://api.proxiesapi.com/?key=API_KEY&url=https://example.com>"

We handle all the complex stuff like proxy rotation, browser fingerprinting, retries, Javascript rendering etc. automatically behind the scenes. You just make a request and get back clean HTML for parsing.

Some of the key benefits of our API approach:

  • No coding needed - Our API is the simplest way to scrape pages without writing any code. Just curl or integrate into your app.
  • Avoids blocks - By automatically rotating proxies and identities, our API prevents you from getting blocked while scraping.
  • Handles JS - Our API will render Javascript to return interactive DOM similar to a real browser.
  • Built-in retries - We auto-retry failed requests and have a 99% success rate for even difficult pages.
  • CAPCHA solving - Any CAPTCHAs encountered are automatically handled without your involvement.

    • The Problem With Apify

    Apify is designed to be a full web scraping platform. This means you get a ton of features out of the box like serverless apps, storage, proxies, and integrations with hundreds of services.

    But this level of flexibility comes at a cost - both in terms of learning curve and pricing.

    Some of the downsides of Apify include:

  • Steep learning curve - You need to learn the Apify SDK, build actors, manage infra and storage etc. There is a lot more complexity compared to just making API calls.
  • Overkill for simple use cases - You may just want to scrape a few URLs, not build a complex automated pipeline. But Apify makes you learn the entire platform even for basic needs.
  • Usage-based pricing - Instead of fixed costs, you pay per usage of compute, storage, proxies etc. This can get expensive for large projects with unpredictable costs.
  • Lock-in - Once you store all your data and build actors on Apify, it becomes difficult to migrate off the platform if you ever need to.

    • How Proxies API Solves These Problems

    Proxies API was created as an alternative to Apify for users that value simplicity and affordability above all else. Here's how we compare:

  • Ridiculously simple API - Our API has just 2 endpoints. Send us a URL and get back HTML. That's it! No SDK or coding required.
  • Affordable pricing - Our plans start at just $23/month with 250K calls included. Get everything you need for small projects at a fraction of Apify's cost.
  • Pay per API call - Forget complex usage pricing. Just pay for the number of successful API calls you make. Simple and predictable.
  • No lock-in - Since our API is so simple, you can easily switch to another service any time without migrations.
  • Rapidly iterate - Just test ideas and scrape prototypes using our API without any complicated setup.
  • Avoid over engineering - No need to build a complex pipeline for a quick and dirty project. Get data through API calls and move on.

    • Key Differences At A Glance

    FeatureApifyProxies API
    PurposeFull web scraping platformSimple web scraping API
    OfferingsSDK, CLI, cloud, storage, proxies, integrations, marketplaceProxy API and HTML scraping
    Developer experienceComprehensive docs, some learning curveUsage focused docs, easy integration
    PricingUsage based pricingPay per successful API call
    ScalabilityAuto-scaling infrastructureAutomatically throttles based on success rate

    Start Simplifying Web Scraping Today

    If our API-first approach resonates with you, sign up for 1000 free API calls to try Proxies API risk-free today.

    Get Started Now

    Let us know if you have any other questions! Our team is always happy to help compare solutions to find the best fit.

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    The easiest way to do Web Scraping

    Get HTML from any page with a simple API call. We handle proxy rotation, browser identities, automatic retries, CAPTCHAs, JavaScript rendering, etc automatically for you


    Try ProxiesAPI for free

    curl "http://api.proxiesapi.com/?key=API_KEY&url=https://example.com"

    <!doctype html>
    <html>
    <head>
        <title>Example Domain</title>
        <meta charset="utf-8" />
        <meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
        <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
    ...


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