The honest comparison
webclaw vs ScraperAPI
ScraperAPI is a proxy rotation API with JS rendering and CAPTCHA handling. Here's how it compares to webclaw on LLM-ready output and pricing transparency.
Rust · AGPL-3.0 · self-hostable
One shared credit pool: a plain page is 1 credit, heavier work adds a few (JS render +2, protected site +9). Crawl, batch, search and MCP included.
Cloud API (proprietary)
Credit-based. JS rendering uses 10 credits/page, premium proxies 10 credits, ultra-premium 25 credits. A single page with JS and datacenter proxy = 10-25 credits.
Looking for a ScraperAPI alternative?
Looking for a ScraperAPI alternative without stacked multipliers? ScraperAPI charges 10-25 credits per page once you turn on JS rendering or premium proxies. webclaw runs one credit pool, a plain page is 1 credit with small fixed add-ons, and crawling is built in. The same reliable access to hard-to-scrape sites, one balance to read at the end of the month.
webclaw vs ScraperAPI feature comparison
Every core capability side by side. The webclaw column is highlighted; cells show exactly what each tool ships.
| Feature | webclaw | ScraperAPI |
|---|---|---|
| Scrape (HTML to markdown) | Yes | Returns raw HTML |
| Crawl (BFS with depth control) | Yes | No |
| Batch (parallel multi-URL) | Yes | Async mode |
| Search (web search + scrape) | Yes | Google SERP (separate product) |
| Extract (LLM structured data) | Yes | No |
| Screenshot (full page) | Yes | No |
| Browser actions (click, type, scroll) | Yes | No |
| Handles bot-protected sites | Yes | Proxy + UA rotation |
| JS rendering | Yes | Yes (10 credits) |
| PDF extraction | Yes | No |
| MCP server | Yes | No |
| CLI tool | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
| Open source (AGPL-3.0) | Yes | No |
| Credit multipliers | One pool. Page 1, +2 JS, +9 protected. | Yes. JS 10x, premium proxy 10x, ultra 25x. |
Is webclaw cheaper than ScraperAPI?
webclaw bills from one credit pool: a plain page is 1 credit, heavier work adds a few. Compare the plans head to head, then read each credit model below.
| Plan | webclaw | ScraperAPI |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | 7-day free trial (card required), or self-host free | 1,000 credits/mo free, or 7-day trial (5,000) |
| Starter | $19/mo · 10,000 credits | $49/mo — 100,000 credits |
| Growth | $49/mo · 100,000 credits | $149/mo — 1,000,000 credits |
| Pro | $99/mo · 250,000 credits | $299/mo — 3,000,000 credits |
webclaw credit model
One shared credit pool: a plain page is 1 credit, with small fixed add-ons for JS render (+2) and protected sites (+9). No separate proxy or JSON buckets.
ScraperAPI credit model
Credit-based. JS rendering uses 10 credits/page, premium proxies 10 credits, ultra-premium 25 credits. A single page with JS and datacenter proxy = 10-25 credits.
ScraperAPI strengths
- Large proxy pool (40M+ IPs)
- Structured data for specific sites (Amazon, Google)
- Good for high-volume proxy-focused scraping
- Mature infrastructure (founded 2018)
- Async mode for large batches
ScraperAPI limitations
- Returns raw HTML, no markdown or LLM output
- Credit multipliers make pricing unpredictable
- No crawling or content extraction
- No MCP server or CLI tool
- Not designed for LLM or AI agent workflows
- No open source option
Which one should you use?
Use webclaw when
You need LLM-ready markdown output, one shared credit pool instead of stacked multipliers, crawling, or MCP integration for AI agents.
Use ScraperAPI when
You're doing high-volume HTML scraping with proxies, need structured data for Amazon or Google specifically, or have your own HTML-to-content pipeline.
webclaw vs ScraperAPI, answered
Is there a ScraperAPI alternative for LLMs and AI agents?
Looking for a ScraperAPI alternative without stacked multipliers? ScraperAPI charges 10-25 credits per page once you turn on JS rendering or premium proxies. webclaw runs one credit pool, a plain page is 1 credit with small fixed add-ons, and crawling is built in. The same reliable access to hard-to-scrape sites, one balance to read at the end of the month.
What is the difference between webclaw and ScraperAPI?
ScraperAPI is a proxy rotation API with JS rendering and CAPTCHA handling. Here's how it compares to webclaw on LLM-ready output and pricing transparency.
Is webclaw cheaper than ScraperAPI?
webclaw bills from one shared credit pool: a plain page is 1 credit, heavier work adds a few (JS render +2, protected site +9). ScraperAPI uses: Credit-based. JS rendering uses 10 credits/page, premium proxies 10 credits, ultra-premium 25 credits. A single page with JS and datacenter proxy = 10-25 credits.
When should I use ScraperAPI instead of webclaw?
You're doing high-volume HTML scraping with proxies, need structured data for Amazon or Google specifically, or have your own HTML-to-content pipeline.
Compare webclaw with others
See how it stacks up.
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