Apify
Extract real-time web data with 54,790+ Actors. Build, deploy, and scale serverless scrapers. Trusted by global leaders. Start free.
Editor's Verdict
Key Takeaways
- Actor Marketplace
- Serverless Execution
- Integrations & MCP
- Anti-Blocking & Proxy
In-Depth Review: What is Apify?
Apify is the largest marketplace of trusted tools for AI and web scraping. With over 54,790 ready-to-run Actors, users can extract data from websites like TikTok, Google Maps, Instagram, and more, or build custom scrapers using open-source libraries like Crawlee, Playwright, and Puppeteer. The platform offers anti-blocking proxies, cloud deployment, monitoring, and seamless integration with AI frameworks (LangChain, LlamaIndex) and apps (Zapier, GitHub, Slack). Apify serves enterprises, startups, and individuals, with features like MCP connectors for secure access to Notion and Slack, and a marketplace where developers can publish Actors and earn revenue. Trusted by Intercom, Groupon, and the EU, Apify provides a complete solution for data extraction, AI training, lead generation, and automation.
Core Features
Actor Marketplace
Access over 54,790 ready-to-run tools (Actors) for AI agents and apps, covering scraping, data extraction, and automation.
Serverless Execution
Build and run serverless programs (Actors) that scale automatically without managing infrastructure.
Integrations & MCP
Connect Actors with apps like Zapier, GitHub, Google Sheets, and MCP clients. MCP securely links Actors to Notion, Slack, GitHub, etc.
Anti-Blocking & Proxy
Scrape without getting blocked using built-in anti-blocking features and rotating proxy IPs (datacenter, residential, SERPs).
Open-Source Tools
Use and contribute to open-source libraries like Crawlee, Playwright, Puppeteer, Selenium, Scrapy, and BeautifulSoup.
Monetization
Publish your own Actors on the Apify Store and get paid. Over $1.4M paid out last month to developers.
Enterprise Security
99.95% uptime, SOC2, GDPR, and CCPA compliance. Suitable for enterprise-scale data extraction with SLAs.
Web Scraping Academy & Templates
Free courses for beginners and experts, plus code templates in JavaScript, TypeScript, and Python to quick-start projects.
Pricing
Free
- $5 prepaid usage per month
- $0.2 per compute unit
- 16 GB Actor RAM
- Max 25 concurrent runs
- Community support
- No Apify Store discount
- 5 datacenter proxy IPs included
- Residential proxies: $8/GB
- SERPs proxy: $2.5/1,000 SERPs
- Timed storage (dataset, key-value, request queue) per GB-hour: $1/$1/$4 respectively
Starter
- $29 prepaid usage per month + pay-as-you-go
- $0.2 per compute unit
- 64 GB Actor RAM
- Max 32 concurrent runs
- Chat support
- Bronze Apify Store discount
- 30 datacenter proxy IPs included, then $1/IP
- Residential proxies: $8/GB
- SERPs proxy: $2.5/1,000 SERPs
- Personal training: $150/hour
Scale
- $199 prepaid usage per month + pay-as-you-go
- $0.16 per compute unit
- 256 GB Actor RAM
- Max 128 concurrent runs
- Priority chat support
- Silver Apify Store discount
- 200 datacenter proxy IPs included, then $0.8/IP
- Residential proxies: $7.5/GB
- SERPs proxy: $2/1,000 SERPs
- Personal training: 1 hour/quarter
- SSO not included
Business
- $999 prepaid usage per month + pay-as-you-go
- $0.13 per compute unit
- 512 GB Actor RAM
- Max 256 concurrent runs
- Account manager
- Gold Apify Store discount
- 500 datacenter proxy IPs included, then $0.6/IP
- Residential proxies: $7/GB
- SERPs proxy: $1.7/1,000 SERPs
- Personal training: 1 hour/month
- SSO not included
Enterprise
- Unlimited prepaid usage (custom)
- Custom compute unit pricing
- Custom Actor RAM
- Custom max concurrent runs
- Custom Apify Store discount
- Custom proxy pricing
- Dedicated team of experts
- SLAs with guaranteed data
- SSO available
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Vast MarketplaceOver 54,790 pre-built Actors for various web scraping and automation tasks, reducing development time.
- Scalable & ServerlessActors auto-scale without manual infrastructure management. Pay only for resources used.
- Open-Source FriendlyBuilt on open-source libraries like Crawlee, with code templates in multiple languages.
- Monetization OpportunityDevelopers can publish Actors and earn revenue, with high payouts reported.
- Enterprise-Grade SecurityCompliant with SOC2, GDPR, CCPA, and offers 99.95% uptime, suitable for sensitive data.
Cons
- Free Plan LimitationsFree plan has low prepaid usage ($5), limited features, and no proxy for external clients.
- Complex PricingMultiple parameters (compute units, storage, proxies, add-ons) can make cost estimation difficult.
- Platform DependencyActors run exclusively on Apify infrastructure, limiting portability to other platforms.
- Learning Curve for Custom ActorsBuilding custom Actors requires knowledge of Apify SDK, JavaScript/Python, and web scraping techniques.
- Overage ChargesPay-as-you-go can lead to unexpected costs if usage spikes beyond prepaid credits.
Use Cases & Recommended Professions
Data Scientist→ View Toolkit
Needs to collect and process large volumes of web data for machine learning models and analytics.
Web Scraper / Data Engineer→ View Toolkit
Builds and maintains scraping pipelines; benefits from ready-made Actors and scalable infrastructure.
AI Engineer→ View Toolkit
Feeds AI models with real-time web data from Actors; integrates with LLMs, RAG pipelines, and vector databases.
Market Researcher→ View Toolkit
Analyzes competitor pricing, product reviews, and market trends using scraped data from e-commerce and social media.
Lead Generation Specialist→ View Toolkit
Uses Actors to scrape business directories and social platforms for fresh leads and contact information.
Software Developer (Automation)→ View Toolkit
Automates repetitive web tasks and integrates with other apps via APIs and MCP connectors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Alternative AI Tools
View Detailed Comparison →
Wizr AI
Build autonomous enterprises with AI-powered automation. Accelerate software delivery by 50% with production-ready AI systems. Trusted by world-class enterprises.
Zapier
Connect AI to 9,000+ apps. Build AI agents, chatbots, and workflows without code. Trusted by Fortune 500. Start free.
Agentic Workers
Automate tasks with 100+ pre-built AI workflows. Connect 800+ tools, save 10+ hours/week. No coding needed. Join 13,000+ professionals.
Scuti AI
We specialize in generative AI, AI-OCR, RAG, and offshore development. Combining Vietnam's speed with Japan's quality to automate tasks and boost business.
Tabstack
Empower your AI agents with intelligent web scraping, structured data extraction, and automation via a simple REST API. Get started in minutes.
Making AI think and act: my approach to the Hugging Face AI ...
Experienced AI engineer specializing in medical imaging and LLM-powered agents. Built globally deployed radiology AI at AZmed. Now building AI agents at Matrix One.
Twin
Twin: ready-made AI agents that work in Slack & Gmail. Automate prospecting, outreach, and more. Trusted by 85,000 users. Start free.
AI Era Stack
Discover which GitHub projects are best understood by LLMs like GPT, Claude, Gemini. Score based on AI coverage, adoption, and more. Choose stacks AI knows.
Askimo
Use ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini & more in one desktop app. AI knows your files, runs multi-step workflows, and keeps data private.
SF AI Labs
End-to-end AI services from strategy to launch. Proven delivery framework, expert network in San Francisco. Maximize ROI with custom AI solutions for modern companies.
HyperScale Ai
Replace 8+ tools with one AI-native platform: CRM, projects, chat, billing, and 4 AI agents. Or hire us to build custom AI agents and automation. Scale without hiring.
Section AI
Turn AI investment into workforce transformation with Section. Command center, coaching, and strategic support to drive measurable ROI.
ℹ️ Curation Disclosure: The overview and features of Apify were synthesized using AI and fact-checked by our curation team to ensure accuracy.
