You can save time and resources using APIs and even scale more efficiently. Nowadays, businesses don’t want to start from scratch and save money and hassle by doing everything from the beginning. With APIs, developers can implement everything they need in Software as a Service (SAAS) using third-party APIs.

Crawlbase Scraper API dashboard
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uri = URI('https://api.crawlbase.com/scraper')
URI.query = URI.encode_www_form({
token: 'PRIVATE_TOKEN',
URL: 'https://www.instagram.com/p/B5LQhLiFFCX'})
res = Net::HTTP.get_response(URI)
Puts "Response HTTP Status Code: #{res.code}"
puts "Scraped Data in JSON: #{res.body}"
Code output

Scraping web pages with APIs is the most popular method of scraping web pages. APIs that scrape web pages deliver data to applications via targeted web addresses.

The web scraping API makes it easy for applications to collect data from websites. The web scraping API takes care of data accuracy, proxy setting, IP pooling, and more. Processes that scrape the web are not liable for any issues that may arise.

Web scraping APIs allow for easy automating of data scraping from websites. In this blog, Apify vs Crawlbase Scraper API are analyzed thoroughly. Using the web scraping API, you can automate processes and ensure data flows quickly. In the absence of web scraping APIs, it is important to update the IP addresses and proxy settings periodically.

Web Scraper API

Businesses and applications rely heavily on data for day-to-day operations. The technology has several benefits, such as minimizing errors in artificial intelligence applications, allowing tests conduction while applications are still developing, and enabling developers to develop healthier applications.

Automating processes provides a continuous flow of data. The web scraper API is the easiest and best way to get the data for applications. Application developers can easily extract data from target websites by integrating web scraper APIs. Then, you will have the opportunity to work with a huge volume of current data in applications.

Web Scraper API: How it Works

It is important to tailor each company’s goals and business needs to the entire process of collecting data from various sources. The process usually involves three steps:

  • Scraper Creation

The user develops a scraper to pull specific data from a particular website.

  • Data Extraction

Scrapers retrieve pre-selected data in HTML format according to administrator instructions.

  • Finding the Results

Users will find the web scraper’s output more convenient since it presents all extracted information in a more user-friendly format. It is usually in the form of a CSV file, TSV file, or JSON file.

The processes of web scraping like scraper creation, data extraction, and finding out the most feasible solution of data scraping, Apify vs. Crawlbase Scraper API, have been compared in the proceeding section to provide an insight to the users to select the suitable product as per their needs.

What is Apify?

To process large amounts of data and automate workflows effectively, Apify is a serverless computing platform. An API or a web interface is available for accessing ‘actors’ (serverless microservices), queues, result storages, proxies, and scheduling.

Without the need to manage servers, developers can build and run applications in the cloud with Apify. Platforms such as Apify enable applications to scale up and down based on machine resource allocation. There is a challenging way to move serverless functions, which are usually designed for long-running tasks. However, Apify has overcome this obstacle. Script actors, or actors in the coding sense, use containers to perform actions. These containers maintain application consistency and parity between environments in the distribution process. Apify offers web scraping and automation agents direct access to data storage, task creation, scheduling, integrations, and the Apify API through the combination of containers and the Apify platform.

Apify Web Scraper API Key Features

  • Easily Collect Website Data

Use our ready-to-use scraping tools to extract unlimited structured data immediately, or contact us to discuss your specific needs. You can rely on fast, accurate results.

  • Online Process Automation

Utilize flexible automation software to scale processes, automate tedious tasks, and speed up workflows. Reduce your workload with automation that allows you to work faster and smarter than your competitors.

  • Easily Integrate with Any System

You can export scraped data from any website to excel in CSV format so that the computer can process it easily. Alternatively, you can also export it in JSON format as needed. You can integrate Apify seamlessly with your Zapier or Make workflows and any other web app that provides APIs and webhooks.

  • Get Rid of Blocking

The combination of intelligent rotation of datacenter and residential proxies and browser fingerprinting technology makes Apify bots virtually indistinguishable from humans.

  • A Rich Ecosystem for Developers

Don’t worry about vendor lock-in with Apify because it’s built on open-source tools. The Apify Freelancers and Partner community offers a wealth of resources.

What Makes Apify Different?

Scraping data from websites is possible using dozens of libraries, tools, and services to yield the same results. However, Apify web scraper differs from other apps in three key ways:

  • Scraping a website with Apify is one of many things it can do. With it, you can scrape or automate any website (we call the bots actors), access datacenter and residential proxies to control your bots’ geographical origins, schedule jobs regularly, and much more.
  • Pre-built scrapers are available on Apify Store for websites such as Google Search, Amazon, or Instagram. You can download your data with just a few clicks if you find the right tool for your job. You won’t even have to code for small workloads.
  • Apify integrates well with other tools. You can download extracted data in CSV, JSON, XML, or Excel. Integrations of Apify scrapers with workflows through platforms such as Zapier. You can control everything on Apify using an API.

Apify, for example, allows you to easily set up a task that will send you an email when your competitors raise their prices on Amazon.com. You can also receive a Google Places review when a new customer visits your restaurant.

You can also request a custom Apify solution if you don’t need developers or need large datasets.

Crawlbase Scraper API

Scraping a website using an API is the best method. As they say, “the tool that scrapes any page with a simple API call” is Crawlbase Scraper API, a tool for developers building web scrapers. The web service handles proxies, browsers, and CAPTCHAs by allowing developers to get raw HTML from any website.

Furthermore, the item finds a unique balance between functionality, dependability, and usability. With Crawlbase, you will have access to a powerful and capable API that allows you to scrape web content.

You can use Crawlbase Scraper API to scrape the web without worrying about parsers, proxies, or browsers. You can utilize Scraper API to scrape data if your business requires it. With API Scraper, AI extracts data and prevents blocking.

You can retrieve data from target websites in seconds using the Crawlbase Scraper API. Besides having automated proxy settings, it has a large pool of IP addresses. There is a high level of accuracy in the engraved data.

Key Features of Crawlbase Scraper API

  • AI fixes the scrapers in the best possible way, so your business will never face any scrapers challenges again.
  • Start in under 5 minutes with an API produced by developers.
  • Scrapers for e-trade, price analysis, reviews, and other requirements.
  • Using more than 17 data centers around the globe, Crawlbase scrapes information from a wide range of areas and sites.
  • A huge network of proxies allows it to handle any project you have.
  • There is no charge for the first 1,000.
  • There are no hidden fees for small and medium projects.
  • You can cancel your scraper membership at any time.
  • Extract information in HTML, JPEG, or plain text
  • Retry failed requests automatically
  • Customizable headers, request types, IP Geo locations, and more. This allows systems to communicate with one another without exposing too much information about themselves. However, that is only part of the solution to keeping APIs secure.
  • Fast and unlimited bandwidth.

What Makes Crawlbase Scraper API Unique?

It is a game-changer when scraping websites with Proxy Crawl’s Scraper API. This API simplifies the process of scraping and parsing web data in an automated way.

The Scraper API is specifically designed for developers you can connect your application to the API in less than five minutes. A team of professionals available 24/7 backs up the entire service. The implementation of Scraper API is possible in applications written in Curl, Ruby, Node, PHP, Python, Go, or any other language.

Any robot crawling or scraping a website faces numerous challenges, such as detecting the time and number of requests from a single IP address, CAPTCHAs, password-protected access to data, and honeypot traps. Scraper API solves this problem.

A huge network of proxies powers the API, which enables you to access scraped data without getting caught or banned, as well as very smart and efficient machine learning algorithms that will allow you to not only bypass these obstacles but also deal with dynamic websites requiring JavaScript enabled browsers without getting banned. APIs like Scraper allow you to scrape Amazon, Twitter, eBay, Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, and many more.

The Scraper API requires you to allow all requests with a private token. It will automatically process the URL you want using the Crawlbase Scraper API. Before you commit to a subscription, you can test the quality of the Scraper API with 1000 free requests. Here is an example of token usage in Ruby:

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require 'net/HTTP
uri = URI('https://api.crawlbase.com/scraper')
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form({
token: 'PRIVATE_TOKEN',
URL: 'https://www.instagram.com/p/B5LQhLiFFCX'})

res = Net::HTTP.get_response(URI)
Puts "Response HTTP Status Code: #{res.code}"
puts "Response HTTP Header Original Status: \#{res['original_status']}"
puts "Scraped Data in JSON: #{res.body}"

On the dashboard, you can track your requests daily and your subscription status, including your total, remaining, and used credits. Using the &country= parameter, you can select the country of your requests, such as &country=US (two-character country code). With the &javascript=true parameter, you can render JavaScript in real Chrome browsers.

You will get a JSON response when you request the Scraper API. It saves a detailed description of your request, mostly scraped data for the page you requested, and information about the status of your request and the number of requests left in your subscription plan.

For sites that don’t have classified scrapers, the Scraper API uses a generic AI scraper. However, if those aren’t enough for your needs, you can use the Crawling API, an easy-to-use API that integrates easily with your favorite language and framework so that you can start scraping the web in minutes.

Apify vs. Crawlbase Scraper API with Other Alternatives

In the table below, Apify alternatives have been analyzed in terms of the features they provide. Crawlbase Scraper API and Apify scraper have a uniqueness that makes them stand out from their competitors.

Apify vs Other Alternative Scraper APIs

To get the best deal out of Apify when comparing with competitors, our comparison makes things very easy to decide.

Apify vs Other Alternative Scraper APIs

Conclusion

One of the most popular ways to perform web scraping is to use the web scraping API, which is the most popular way to do it. Using the web scraping API, applications can automate and speed up the process of scraping the web. When it comes to data, there is no doubt that data is power, and getting that data through web scraping is even more powerful.

Choosing the best web scraper API for your needs can take time and effort, even for tech experts. We have discussed two APIs, i.e. Apify vs Crawlbase Scraper API above, i.e., Apify and Crawlbase, so that you can easily choose the best one for you. To dig deeper with data scraping, you can use APIs like Crawlbase to scrape data unhindered. This guide gives you an idea of what to look for in a web scraper, and we have assisted you in making a reliable outline of what to look for.