So, you’re looking for a ScrapingBee alternative in 2025. Honestly, it’s not about which one is “better” in general. It mostly comes down to what you actually need and how much you want to spend. Some services allow you to pick and choose extra features, which gives you control, but it can become somewhat chaotic. Others just bundle everything together, so you don’t have to think too much about settings.
For this post, we’re looking at ScrapingBee and Crawlbase. We’ll check out how they handle things like JavaScript, proxies, and geo-targeting.
- What Are ScrapingBee and Crawlbase?
- How Scraping Works: ScrapingBee vs Crawlbase
- Pricing Complexity
- Advanced Features
- Final Verdict
How is ScrapingBee Compared to Crawlbase?
Before comparing, let’s briefly understand what each platform has to offer.
ScrapingBee is primarily an API that comes with ready-made parsers for many websites. It’s useful if you want clean data without writing your own parsing logic. You can also enable features such as JavaScript rendering or proxy handling through parameters, depending on your specific needs.
Crawlbase is more than just a scraping tool; it’s a full web data platform. Its Crawling API gives you complete data in raw HTML or structured formats, and it has extra tools for bigger projects:
- Smart AI Proxy allows you to rotate IP addresses and target specific locations.
- Crawler is designed for asynchronous crawling, making it ideal for batch jobs or scaling up.
- Cloud Storage helps you store and manage data easily.
These tools make it easier to move from small tests to larger, more complex scraping projects. Instead of relying only on prebuilt parsers, Crawlbase focuses on flexibility, complete results, and scaling without extra hassle.
In short, Crawlbase is built for flexible, scalable, and automated web data collection, while ScrapingBee is convenient if you like ready-made parsers.
Comparing Crawlbase vs ScrapingBee
Let’s look at a practical example: scraping a site like Google. It’s popular, but it’s also tricky to scrape because it actively blocks bots. This makes it a good way to see how each provider handles real-world scraping challenges.
You can’t just send a normal HTTP request and expect it to work. Google monitors automated traffic and can block or slow requests. Each service has its own method for delivering the data reliably.
Crawlbase
Crawlbase simplifies this process:
- You send the URL directly to the Crawling API.
- The platform automatically handles proxies and anti-bot protections.
- No need to choose parameters. Google requests are treated as “complex” and the system delivers complete data.
Workflow:
1 | 1. Build your search URL. |
ScrapingBee
ScrapingBee offers multiple ways to scrape:
- Custom Parameter (custom_google=True)
- Routes requests through ScrapingBee’s system for anti-bot protection.
- Useful for targeted queries, but must be set for each request.
- Dedicated Google API
- Supports Search, News, Maps, and Images.
- Light requests (default) and Regular requests affect how the system mimics a browser.
- Requires constructing the request URL and choosing the right parameters.
Workflow:
1 | 1. Build your search URL. |
Key Technical Differences Between Crawlbase and ScrapingBee
| Feature | Crawlbase | ScrapingBee |
|---|---|---|
| Request Method | Single request type, automatically handled | API with multiple parameters (Light, Regular, Custom) |
| Anti-bot Handling | Fully automated behind the scenes | Handled per parameter / API |
| Complexity | Simple, one-step process | Flexible but requires parameter selection |
| Reliability of Data | Always returns complete results | Light requests may miss data |
Crawlbase and ScrapingBee Pricing Differences
ScrapingBee operates on a subscription model, where you pay a monthly fee in exchange for a set number of credits. Crawlbase’s Crawling API is pay-as-you-go, so you only pay for what you use. That makes Crawlbase simpler and often cheaper, especially if usage fluctuates or scales over time.
Here’s how they compare for Google scraping:
Cost Comparison
Starter
| Provider | Price | Credits / Requests | Google Requests (Light – 10 credits) | Google Requests (Regular – 15 credits) | Google Requests (Custom – 20 credits) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ScrapingBee | $49/month | 250,000 credits | ~25,000 | ~16,667 | ~12,500 |
| Crawlbase | $47.5 (pay-as-you-go) | $3.80 / 1,000 normal requests | – | – | ~12,500 |
At the entry level, ScrapingBee can give more requests with its Light option. Crawlbase’s model is simpler, consistent, and you pay only for what you actually use.
Scaling Up
| Provider | Price | Credits / Requests | Google Requests (Light – 10 credits) | Google Requests (Regular – 15 credits) | Google Requests (Custom – 20 credits) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawlbase | $456 | $1.14 / 1,000 normal requests | – | – | ~400,000 |
| ScrapingBee | $599/month | 8,000,000 credits | ~800,000 | ~533,333 | ~400,000 |
When you start working at scale, Crawlbase generally comes out ahead on cost. For the same 400,000 Google requests, it delivers at a noticeably lower price point than ScrapingBee’s higher-tier plans.
Complexity
| Provider | Options / Parameters | Cost Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crawlbase | One category: “Google = complex” | Flat per 1,000 requests | No parameters or separate APIs required. Just send the URL. |
| ScrapingBee | Light (10 credits), Regular (15 credits), Custom (20 credits) | Each option consumes credits differently | Users must choose the right option; tracking costs adds complexity. |
ScrapingBee does offer options, but keeping track of credits across different APIs and parameters can often create extra overhead. Crawlbase avoids that complexity by keeping the process straightforward.
Effectiveness
| Provider | Data Quality / Completeness |
|---|---|
| Crawlbase | Delivers complete results, equivalent to ScrapingBee’s Regular/Custom requests, but without the added complexity. |
| ScrapingBee | Light requests are cheaper but risk returning partial or missing data. To get reliable results, you must use Regular or Custom requests, which cost significantly more. |
ScrapingBee: “Light” mode looks cheaper on paper, but it may not be practical for long-term Google scraping. If the results aren’t reliable, you’ll likely end up repeating jobs or moving to the Regular or Custom tiers, which means your actual costs climb quickly.
Crawlbase: Matches the data quality of ScrapingBee’s Regular/Custom requests with simpler pricing and completeness. At scale, it’s also the more cost-efficient choice.
Advanced Features
For modern web scraping, certain features are essential regardless of the website: JavaScript rendering, rotating/premium proxies, and geotargeting. These ensure you receive complete and reliable results without being blocked. Here’s how ScrapingBee and Crawlbase handle them.
1. JavaScript Rendering
Crawlbase
- Handled by switching the API token: normal token for static pages, JavaScript token for JS rendering or dynamic pages.
- No extra parameters. Cost is simply twice as the normal request.
ScrapingBee
- Must add JS parameter on each request
- Costs 5 extra credits per request.
- Combined with premium proxies, the total request cost increases further (10–25 credits depending on setup).
2. Proxies (Rotation & Premium IPs)
Crawlbase
- Rotating proxies and premium IPs are built into every request.
- No parameters or mode switching required.
- Ensures high success rates automatically, without user intervention and hidden costs.
ScrapingBee
- Optional: add a parameter
- Costs 10-25 extra credits per request, depending on whether JS rendering is used.
- Users must manage their own proxy selection.
3. Geotargeting
Crawlbase
- Users can optionally specify a country parameter (e.g., country=US).
- If no country is specified, Crawlbase automatically selects the best proxy to maximize success rate.
- There is no need to enable premium proxies or manage them manually, as the system handles location routing automatically.
ScrapingBee
- Only available with premium proxies.
- Users must add the premium proxies parameter and configure the target location.
Key Technical Differences (General Web Scraping)
| Feature | Crawlbase | ScrapingBee |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript Rendering | Switch token (Normal or JS), JS simply cost twice as Normal request | Add render_js parameter, +5 credits per request |
| Proxy Rotation & Premium IPs | Always integrated, no parameters needed | Optional, manual configuration, +10-25 credits |
| Geo-targeting | Optional country parameter; automatic selection if not specified | Only with premium proxies, manual setup required |
| Complexity | Low - automated, minimal setup | High - multiple parameters and credit management |
| Reliability | High - automated handling ensures consistency | Conditional - depends on correct setup |
Summary:
- Crawlbase: JavaScript rendering, proxy rotation, and geotargeting are fully integrated. Just switch tokens for JS or specify country if needed; otherwise, the system optimizes automatically.
- ScrapingBee: Flexible, but requires a bit more manual configuration and incurs additional costs for advanced features.
Final Verdict
If you’re trying to pick between the two, Crawlbase works well as an alternative to ScrapingBee. You can obtain the same data with features like JavaScript rendering, rotating proxies, and geo-targeting, but without having to worry about setting up numerous parameters or determining credit usage.
Crawlbase keeps things simple. You send the requests, and it takes care of proxies, JavaScript, and anti-bot measures automatically. You get full, usable data with less hassle, making it easier to scale when needed.
If you want to try it out, Crawlbase lets you scale scraping projects with everything built in, all in one place.
