Apify

Web scraping and automation have never been easier thanks to Apify. This powerful cloud platform changes how businesses collect data from websites by providing thousands of ready-made tools and automated solutions. Apify is a full-stack web scraping platform that lets you extract data from any website and automate web workflows without complex coding.

Unlike traditional scraping methods that require technical expertise, Apify offers an ecosystem where developers build, deploy, and publish web scrapers and automation tools called "Actors." Whether you need to gather product prices, social media data, or business information, this platform makes data collection fast, reliable, and scalable. It's like having a team of data experts working around the clock to gather the information you need.

Apify is a comprehensive web scraping and browser automation platform designed to help businesses extract data from websites at scale. Think of it as a marketplace combined with a powerful infrastructure that handles all the complex technical parts of web scraping for you.

The platform hosts over 6,000 pre-built scrapers and automation tools called "Actors" that can extract data from popular websites like Google Maps, Instagram, Amazon, LinkedIn, and many others. Each Actor is like a specialized robot that knows exactly how to navigate and collect data from specific websites. The main difference from building your own scrapers is simplicity: instead of dealing with proxies, browser management, and anti-bot measures, you just choose an Actor, configure it, and let it run. Founded in 2015, Apify has become the largest ecosystem for web scraping tools, serving over 10,000 customers worldwide.

Using Apify is straightforward and requires no coding experience to get started. First, create a free account at apify.com and explore the Apify Store, which contains thousands of ready-made scrapers.

Here's how to extract data:

• Choose an Actor: Browse the Store and select a scraper for your target website (Google Maps, Instagram, Amazon, etc.)

• Configure settings: Enter your search parameters, such as keywords, locations, or URLs you want to scrape

• Set output preferences: Choose how you want to receive the data (JSON, CSV, Excel)

• Run the scraper: Click "Start" and let the Actor collect your data

• Download results: Export your data or access it via API

For developers, Apify offers powerful features like custom Actor development, API integration, scheduling, and webhook notifications. You can also combine multiple Actors to create complex automation workflows. The platform handles all technical challenges including proxy rotation, browser management, and data storage, so you can focus on using the data rather than collecting it.

Apify offers a comprehensive suite of features that make web scraping and automation accessible to everyone. The platform includes over 6,000 pre-built Actors for popular websites, covering everything from social media scraping to e-commerce data collection.

Key features include:

• Cloud-based execution with automatic scaling and proxy management

• Developer-friendly tools for building custom scrapers using JavaScript, Python, and popular libraries

• Data storage and export in multiple formats including JSON, CSV, Excel, and XML

• API access for seamless integration with your existing workflows and applications

• Scheduling and monitoring tools to automate recurring data collection tasks

• Proxy services with residential and datacenter IPs for reliable scraping

The platform also offers advanced features like webhook notifications, team collaboration tools, and integration with popular services like Zapier, Google Sheets, and Slack. For enterprises, Apify provides custom solutions, dedicated support, and SLA guarantees. All data is stored securely with SOC2, GDPR, and CCPA compliance.

Apify offers flexible pricing plans to suit different needs and scales. The platform starts with a completely Free plan that provides $5 in usage credits monthly, perfect for testing and small projects.

Paid plans include:

• Starter Plan ($39/month): Includes $39 in usage credits with chat support and bronze Store discounts

• Scale Plan ($199/month): Offers $199 in usage credits with priority support and silver Store discounts

• Business Plan ($999/month): Provides $999 in usage credits with dedicated account manager and gold Store discounts

All plans operate on a pay-as-you-go model after using included credits. Usage is calculated based on compute units, storage, proxy usage, and data transfer. Enterprise plans offer custom pricing with unlimited resources, SLA guarantees, and dedicated support teams. Students and nonprofits can receive up to 30% discounts on select plans.