Apify Alternatives 2026
Apify is a platform for running scraping and automation tools it calls Actors, with usage billed on top of a monthly plan. This page lists the alternatives a builder might compare: Firecrawl, Browserbase and Browserless. None of them is on the coding ranking, so all three are supplemental.
Short answer
Firecrawl is the alternative when you want one API that returns page content for each credit, rather than a marketplace of Actors. Browserbase and Browserless give you managed browsers that your own script controls, and Browserless is the closer match to a drop-in browser endpoint.
Apify’s monthly fee is only the start. Platform usage is charged on top, so the Starter plan at $19 a month includes $19 of usage (R35). Run a test Actor and read its compute units before you pick a plan.
Options compared
The table lists each option with its position on the 2026 ranking, where it has one, and the price as its cited source states it. Options marked not ranked were added from their own pricing pages.
| option | 2026 ranking | category | price as listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firecrawl | not ranked | web data API | Free 1,000 credits/mo; Hobby $16/mo annual (5,000 credits); Standard $83/mo annual (100,000) (R33) |
| Browserbase | not ranked | managed browsers | Developer $20/mo (100 browser hours, then $0.12/hr) (R37) |
| Browserless | not ranked | managed browsers | Prototyping $25/mo annual (20k units, $0.0020 overage); Starter $140/mo annual (180k units) (R38) |
Which option fits which need
Firecrawl
Pick it when the job is clean content from many pages through one endpoint. Scrape, crawl and map each cost one credit per page, and search costs two credits per ten results (R34). The Standard plan lists 100,000 credits a month for $83 a month billed annually (R33).
Browserbase
Pick it when your code needs a remote browser with concurrency and captcha solving. Developer includes 25 concurrent browsers and captcha solving, and its Startup plan at $99 a month includes 500 browser hours (R37).
Browserless
Pick it when you want an endpoint for scripts you already run on Playwright or Puppeteer. Prototyping includes 20,000 units and 10 concurrent browsers, and the overage is $0.0020 per unit (R38). Its page says it supports both Playwright and Puppeteer code paths.
How to choose in one trial
Run the same small piece of work on Apify and on your top option from this list. Compare the setup time, the first working result, the way each tool meters usage, and the price of the plan that covers what you need. Count the real volume first: one trial on your own work tells you more than any table here.
Limits of this page
- Apify Actor prices are set per Actor on each Actor’s page. This page quotes only the platform plans and usage rates (R35, R36).
- Each vendor meters a different unit: Apify compute units, Firecrawl credits, Browserbase browser hours and Browserless units (R34, R36, R37, R38).
- None of the options is on the ranking, so positions are shown as not ranked.
- We did not run any Actor or browser session and make no claim about scraping success rates.
This page is not affiliated with Apify and is not an official page. Each claim names its source in the method and the fact register.
FAQ
Is Apify free?
Apify has a Free plan at $0 that includes $5 of platform usage a month and community support (R35). If usage runs out on the Free plan, access to services is blocked until the next monthly cycle (R36).
Which option is cheapest for browser work?
Browserbase Developer is the lowest monthly figure among the browser plans on these pages, at $20 a month with 100 browser hours (R37). Browserless Prototyping is $25 a month billed annually with 20,000 units (R38). The unit definitions differ, so work out your average session length before comparing.
Do these services run my own code?
Browserbase and Browserless run browser scripts that you write (R37, R38). Firecrawl takes a URL and returns content for each credit spent (R34). Apify runs the Actor you choose, which may be your own or one from its Store (R35).