Top Scrapinghub Alternatives for Robust Web Scraping
Scrapinghub is renowned as a highly advanced platform for deploying and running web crawlers, or “spiders.” It simplifies the process of building, deploying, and scaling crawlers without the overhead of server management, backups, or cron jobs, with all data stored in a highly available database accessible via API. While a powerful solution, organizations often seek a Scrapinghub alternative that better fits specific budget constraints, technical requirements, or preference for open-source solutions. This article explores some of the best alternatives available for your web scraping needs.
Discovering the Best Scrapinghub Alternatives
Whether you’re looking for a more hands-on open-source framework, a visual no-code solution, or a comprehensive cloud-based platform, there’s a Scrapinghub alternative out there for you. Here’s a detailed look at some of the top contenders:
Scrapy
Scrapy is an open-source, collaborative framework designed for fast, simple, and extensible data extraction from websites. As a free and open-source platform available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD, it’s an excellent Scrapinghub alternative for developers who prefer to build and manage their own scraping solutions. Its features include screen scraping, a command-line interface, and data mining capabilities, offering a high degree of control and flexibility.
Portia
Developed by the creators of Scrapy, Portia is an open-source visual scraping tool that enables web data extraction without coding. Available for free on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Web, it’s a user-friendly Scrapinghub alternative for those who prefer a more intuitive, visual interface for screen scraping. It’s ideal for users who need to quickly set up scrapers without diving deep into code.
import.io
import.io is a commercial, web-based platform that allows users to extract data from the web without writing any code. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, it serves as a robust Scrapinghub alternative for businesses and individuals seeking a managed service with powerful data mining features, providing a quick way to get structured data from websites.
ParseHub
ParseHub is a versatile web scraping tool built to handle the complexities of the modern web, including single-page and multi-page applications. Available as a freemium service on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Web, it’s a strong Scrapinghub alternative that offers features like anonymous web scraping, API access, data mining, an in-app server browser, and no-coding required, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
UiPath
UiPath offers a free, fully-featured, and extensible tool for automating any web or desktop application. The UiPath Studio Community is free for individual developers and small professional teams, making it a valuable Scrapinghub alternative for Windows users focused on Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and business process automation, including robust macro capabilities.
Apify
Apify is a comprehensive web scraping and automation platform that extracts data from websites, crawls URLs, and automates web workflows, essentially turning any website into an API. Available as a freemium and open-source web platform, it’s a feature-rich Scrapinghub alternative with capabilities such as anonymous web scraping, headless browsing, jQuery crawling, and serverless execution, catering to both developers and businesses.
Diggernaut
Diggernaut is a cloud-based service for web scraping, data extraction, and other ETL tasks. Available as a freemium service on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, and Self-Hosted options, it’s a versatile Scrapinghub alternative that allows users to schedule and run scrapers in the cloud or compile and run them on their PC, providing flexible data mining solutions.
Extracty
Extracty is a free web-based tool that can extract any web data and create an API to the webpage's information. Available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Web, it’s a straightforward Scrapinghub alternative for users seeking easy API creation from web pages, complete with data mining and SEO-friendly features.
Webhose.io
Webhose.io provides crawled, structured, and indexed web data, eliminating the need for users to build their own crawlers. As a freemium web-based Scrapinghub alternative, it focuses on delivering millions of posts daily with powerful data mining and search engine capabilities, perfect for those who prefer to consume pre-crawled and structured data.
Mozenda
Mozenda allows users to turn web page content into structured data without coding, primarily through a Windows application that must be installed on Windows Vista or newer. As a freemium Scrapinghub alternative for Windows users, it excels in data mining with no coding required, making it accessible for non-technical users seeking a desktop-based solution.
The best Scrapinghub alternative for you will depend on your specific project requirements, technical expertise, and budget. Whether you prioritize open-source flexibility, visual no-code interfaces, or comprehensive cloud platforms, exploring these options will help you find the ideal tool to power your web scraping endeavors.