Quick answer
ScraperAPI - ScraperAPI wins for most builders because its free offer is easier to start with and does not require a credit card, while still covering the same core scraping use case.
How the free tiers compare
These two products solve the same problem in different ways. ScraperAPI’s free tier is more approachable: you can try it without a card, you get a 7-day trial with 5,000 API credits, and there is also a free account with 1,000 credits plus a small concurrency allowance. Zenscrape’s free tier gives 1,000 searched credits too, but it requires a credit card to register and appears more like a capped monthly plan than a trial. Once you pay, both vendors stay in flat monthly tiers, but Zenscrape is cheaper at the low end and offers more credits per dollar. ScraperAPI, however, gives you more generous step-ups in concurrency and a broader progression up to enterprise with premium support and dedicated support. If you are validating an idea quickly, ScraperAPI is the cleaner free-tier entry. If you already know you need paid volume soon, Zenscrape’s smaller paid jump is easier to justify.
ScraperAPI vs Zenscrape free tier, side by side
| ScraperAPIFTV 32 | ZenscrapeFTV 47 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free creditsScraperAPI lists both a trial and a separate free account; Zenscrape lists one free plan. | 7-day trial with 5,000 API credits; free account with 1,000 API credits | 1,000 searched credits |
| Free concurrencyOnly include the limit explicitly provided. | Maximum of 5 concurrent connections | Not stated in the free-plan input |
| Cheapest paid creditsBoth are flat monthly plans. | 100,000 API credits on Hobby | 250,000 credits on Small |
| Cheapest paid concurrencyConcurrency is not directly comparable, but both products cap parallelism on paid tiers. | 20 concurrent threads | 10 concurrent requests |
| Highest listed paid creditsScraperAPI’s Enterprise pricing is contact sales. | 5,000,000+ API credits on Enterprise | 5,000,000 credits on Professional |
| Credit card required for free accessScraperAPI explicitly says no credit card is required; Zenscrape explicitly requires one. | No | Yes |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat monthly tiers after the free plan, but Zenscrape starts cheaper and scales more gently at the low end. ScraperAPI’s first paid tier is $49/month for 100,000 API credits, then jumps to higher plans with more concurrency and features. Zenscrape starts at $59.99/month for 250,000 credits, which is more credits per dollar than ScraperAPI’s entry plan. For small teams that need to pay soon, Zenscrape is usually cheaper on raw volume. ScraperAPI becomes more interesting if you value its free access flow, higher concurrency on higher tiers, and enterprise support path.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | ScraperAPI | Zenscrape |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000 credits / monthScraperAPI’s Hobby plan includes 100,000 API credits. Zenscrape’s Small plan includes 250,000 credits, so 100,000 is still within that tier. | $49/mo | ~$59.99/mo |
| 250,000 credits / monthScraperAPI would need the Startup plan because Hobby tops out at 100,000 credits. Zenscrape is still on Small. | $149/mo | $59.99/mo |
| 1,000,000 credits / monthScraperAPI’s Startup plan covers 1,000,000 credits. Zenscrape’s Medium plan covers 1,000,000 credits. | $149/mo | $99.99/mo |
| 3,000,000 credits / monthScraperAPI’s Business plan covers 3,000,000 credits. Zenscrape’s Large plan covers 3,000,000 credits. | $299/mo | $249.99/mo |
| 5,000,000 credits / monthScraperAPI’s Scaling plan covers 5,000,000 credits. Zenscrape’s Professional plan covers 5,000,000 credits. | $475/mo | $349.99/mo |
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 to test a scraper without entering a credit card.
- You need a short trial to prototype against a website this week.
- You expect to start small but care about moving into higher concurrency tiers later.
- You want a free account that still lets you experiment with API credits beyond the initial trial.
Pick Zenscrape when…
- You are willing to add a credit card up front to access the free tier.
- You expect to buy a low-cost paid plan soon and want the cheapest starting monthly price.
- You need a paid plan with worldwide geotargeting included at the first tier.
- You want higher credit counts per dollar once you leave the free tier.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, ScraperAPI is the better free-tier pick because you can start without a card and still get enough credits to validate a scraping workflow. Zenscrape is the better choice if you know you will pay soon and care most about getting more credits for less money on the first paid tier. In short: ScraperAPI wins on ease of trying; Zenscrape wins on low-end paid value.
Read the full listings: ScraperAPI and Zenscrape. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.