Quick answer
ScraperAPI - ScraperAPI wins for most builders because its free tier is much more usable for real scraping work, while Scraper's Proxy is better only if you need a tiny monthly test quota and do not mind a much thinner free offering.
How the free tiers compare
These two products sit in the same category, but the free-tier experience is very different. ScraperAPI gives you 1,000 free API credits on a free account, plus a 7-day trial with 5,000 credits and 5 concurrent connections. That makes it workable for small proof-of-concepts and early scraping jobs where concurrency matters. Scraper's Proxy gives 100 free requests per month, which is fine for a quick evaluation but runs out fast if you are testing anything beyond a handful of pages. The paid paths also diverge: ScraperAPI starts at $49/month with a clear credit-based ladder and concurrency limits, while Scraper's Proxy starts at $40/month. For builders choosing a free tier, ScraperAPI is the more practical starting point.
ScraperAPI vs Scraper's Proxy free tier, side by side
| ScraperAPIFTV 32 | Scraper's ProxyFTV 35 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free usageScraperAPI also lists a 7-day trial with 5,000 API credits. | 1,000 free API credits on a free account | 100 free requests per month |
| Free concurrency | 5 concurrent connections | Not listed |
| First paid planScraperAPI includes 100,000 API credits and 20 concurrent threads on Hobby. | Hobby - $49 / month | PRO - $40.00 / mo |
| Next paid tierScraperAPI lists 1,000,000 API credits and 50 threads on Startup. | Startup - $149 / month | ULTRA - $100.00 / mo |
| Highest listed tierScraperAPI Enterprise is for more than 5,000,000 API credits. | Enterprise - Contact Sales | MEGA - $1,000.00 / mo |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat monthly pricing after the free tier. ScraperAPI has a clearer, usage-shaped ladder: Hobby at $49/month, then Startup at $149, Business at $299, Scaling at $475, and Enterprise by sales for more than 5,000,000 credits. Scraper's Proxy is cheaper at the low end with PRO at $40/month, then ULTRA at $100 and MEGA at $1,000. For small builders, Scraper's Proxy is cheaper only if the free tier is enough; otherwise ScraperAPI gives more explicit capacity and concurrency per plan.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | ScraperAPI | Scraper's Proxy |
|---|---|---|
| 100 requests/mo | Free (within free account tier) | Free (within BASIC tier) |
| 1,000 requests/moScraperAPI explicitly includes 1,000 free API credits. Scraper's Proxy free tier is 100 requests per month. | Free (within free account tier) | Above free tier, paid plan required |
| 100,000 requests/mo | $49/mo (Hobby) | Not enough data to price exactly |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick ScraperAPI when…
- You want enough free usage to validate a scraping workflow across multiple pages or endpoints.
- You need concurrent scraping even on the free account, since ScraperAPI includes 5 concurrent connections.
- You want a free trial plus a separate always-free account path, which gives you more room to test before paying.
- You expect to grow into a plan with explicit API credit and thread quotas.
- You need browser handling, CAPTCHA handling, or IP rotation exposed through the API.
Pick Scraper's Proxy when…
- You only need a very small monthly request allowance to test a single integration.
- You want the cheapest listed paid entry point, which is $40/month for PRO.
- You are fine with a free tier that is mostly for light evaluation rather than ongoing development.
- You want a proxy-based scraping API and are not relying on free-tier depth.
- You expect to stay under 100 requests per month while you prototype.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, ScraperAPI is the better free-tier pick because it gives you enough room to actually test a scraping workflow instead of just a tiny demo. Its free account is larger, includes concurrency, and leads into a transparent quota ladder. Scraper's Proxy is the cheaper paid entry point, but the free tier is much smaller, so it is harder to judge before you commit.
Read the full listings: ScraperAPI and Scraper's Proxy. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.