ScraperAPI review: a web scraping API with a free 5,000-credit trial
ScraperAPI is a web scraping API that takes care of proxies, CAPTCHAs, anti-bot systems and headless browsers, so one API call returns the page or structured JSON. A 7-day trial with 5,000 API credits needs no credit card, and paid plans start at $49 a month. It suits developers, data teams and companies that monitor prices, search results or listings.
No extra sign-up bonus — the provider's standard offer applies.
Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. If you sign up through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The bonus and terms are set by ScraperAPI and can change — check them on the official site before you sign up.
How to get started
- Open ScraperAPI through the link on this page; there is no code to type.
- Sign up with email, Google or GitHub; you get a 7-day trial with 5,000 API credits and no credit card.
- Copy your API key from the dashboard and test target URLs in the API Playground to see their credit cost.
- Set a max_cost per request if you want to cap what a single scrape can use.
- Pick a plan when you know your volume; yearly billing takes 10% off.
What you get with ScraperAPI
ScraperAPI turns scraping into a single HTTP request: you send your API key and the target URL, and it handles proxy rotation, CAPTCHA and anti-bot detection, headers, retries and, if needed, JavaScript rendering. Its products:
- Scraping API: plug-and-play for your existing scrapers, also usable in proxy mode.
- Structured Data Endpoints: parsed JSON for popular targets such as Amazon products, Google Search and Walmart search.
- Async Scraper: submit millions of requests and collect the results later.
- DataPipeline: scheduled scraping jobs set up without code.
ScraperAPI says its proxy pool has over 40 million IPs in 50+ countries. Every plan includes JS rendering, premium proxies, JSON auto-parsing, custom headers and sessions, desktop and mobile user agents, unlimited bandwidth and a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
Who ScraperAPI is for
- E-commerce and price-monitoring teams tracking Amazon, Walmart or eBay products.
- SEO teams collecting Google and Bing results.
- Market and real-estate researchers pulling listings and competitor data.
- Developers who would rather not maintain proxy pools and headless browsers.
Comparing options? Read the Scrape.do review and the Scrapingdog review for two other scraping APIs, or browse proxy services if you prefer to run your own scrapers.
ScraperAPI pricing and free trial
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly (per month) | API credits | Concurrent threads | Geotargeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobby | $49 | $44.10 | 100,000 | 20 | US & EU |
| Startup | $149 | $134.10 | 1,000,000 | 50 | US & EU |
| Business | $299 | $269.10 | 3,000,000 | 100 | Global |
| Scaling | $475 | $427.50 | 5,000,000 | 200 | Global |
| Professional | $975 | $877.50 | 10,500,000 | 300 | Global |
| Advanced | $1,975 | $1,777.50 | 21,500,000 | 500 | Global |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | 22,000,000+ | 500+ | Global |
The trial gives 5,000 credits for 7 days without a card, and the free plan has 1,000 API credits with up to 5 concurrent connections. Hobby and Startup keep 30 days of analytics; higher plans keep unlimited history. Professional and Advanced currently carry a limited offer of 250K and 500K bonus credits.
Credits reset at each renewal and don't roll over. When they run out, scraping pauses unless you turn on auto-upgrade (Hobby to Professional) or pay-as-you-go with a monthly cap (Scaling and above).
How ScraperAPI credits are counted
One credit is a standard page, but some targets and options cost more:
- Domains: Amazon, Walmart and eBay 5 credits; Google and Bing 25; LinkedIn 30.
- Anti-bot bypass: Cloudflare, Datadome, PerimeterX or Akamai protected sites 10 credits per scrape.
- Parameters:
render=trueorpremium=true10 credits, both together 25;ultra_premium=true30, or 75 with rendering (paid plans only).
You are charged only for successful requests (status 200 and 404) and for requests you cancel before 70 seconds. Each response carries an sa-credit-cost header, and the dashboard's domain cost estimator shows the price of any URL before you scrape. Going over your concurrency returns a 429 error without a charge.
Refunds and cancellation
ScraperAPI offers a 7-day no-questions-asked refund: contact support and it refunds you. You can cancel any time from the dashboard or through support without a cancellation fee, and switch plans up or down from the billing page.
Pros and cons
Pros
- 7-day trial with 5,000 credits and no credit card
- Only successful requests (200 and 404) use credits
- Structured JSON endpoints for Amazon, Google and Walmart
- Async Scraper and no-code DataPipeline included
- 7-day no-questions-asked refund
Cons
- Google and Bing cost 25 credits and LinkedIn 30, so plans cover fewer such pages
- Hobby and Startup are limited to US and EU geotargeting
- Pay-as-you-go only from the $475 Scaling plan
- Unused credits don't roll over
Frequently asked questions
Is there a ScraperAPI promo code?
ScraperAPI does not advertise a promo code for new users. Everyone gets the 7-day trial with 5,000 free credits, and yearly billing is 10% cheaper.
Is ScraperAPI free?
There is a 7-day trial with 5,000 API credits and a free plan with 1,000 API credits and 5 concurrent connections. Paid plans start at $49 a month for 100,000 credits.
How many pages can I scrape with ScraperAPI?
It depends on the target and options. A standard page costs 1 credit, Amazon 5, Google 25 and a rendered page 10, so Hobby's 100,000 credits equal 100,000 simple pages or 4,000 Google result pages.
Do failed requests cost credits?
No. ScraperAPI charges only for responses with status 200 or 404 and for requests you cancel before 70 seconds. Exceeding your concurrency returns a 429 error without a charge.
Is ScraperAPI legit?
ScraperAPI publishes its prices, credit costs per domain and parameter, and documentation, offers a 7-day no-questions-asked refund and lets you cancel from the dashboard. One caveat: you must scrape in line with the terms of the sites you target, which its signup terms require.
How do I cancel ScraperAPI?
Cancel any time in your dashboard or by contacting support; there is no cancellation charge. Within 7 days of paying you can also ask for a full refund.
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