What is Apify?
Apify is a marketplace and platform of ready-to-run tools called Actors, which are serverless programs that perform web data tasks. Users can pick an Actor from the Apify Store, such as a TikTok, Google Maps, Instagram or Facebook scraper, or a Website Content Crawler, enter a URL or search query, and run it without building anything from scratch. The platform also lets you build and publish your own Actors, run them via API, schedule them, and export results.
In practice, you can collect public web data, monitor competitors and prices, generate leads from business directories, gather text from websites to feed LLM applications and RAG pipelines, and give AI agents access to Actors through an MCP server. Apify also offers proxies to rotate IP addresses and reduce blocking, and Crawlee, an open source scraping library.
Key features
- Marketplace of 84,000+ ready-to-run Actors
- Serverless Actors you can build, publish and monetize
- Scheduling, monitoring and API access to runs
- MCP server for giving AI agents access to Actors
- Proxy rotation and anti-blocking tools
- Integrations with apps and services
Who is it for
- Developers building scrapers and automations
- Businesses doing market research and lead generation
- AI teams building data pipelines and RAG applications
- Universities and nonprofits
How to get started with Apify
- - Create a free account on the Apify website (Free plan, no credit card needed).
- - Browse Apify Store and choose an Actor for your data source.
- - Run the Actor from the panel, entering search parameters or page addresses.
- - Download results in an export format, or set up a schedule and integration.
- - You need data from TikTok, Instagram, Facebook or Google Maps without writing code.
- - You want to monitor prices in online stores or competitors' posts.
- - You are building an AI agent or application that must pull content from the web.
- - You need a fully free tool with no limit, and 5 USD to start is too little for you.
- - You expect a Polish-language interface, which the platform does not offer.
Pros and cons
- Large catalog of ready-made Actors for popular sites
- Developers can earn by publishing their own Actors
- Costs scale with compute units and proxy usage
- Free plan includes only $5 of usage
Apify pricing
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 0 USD / month | $5 usage credit, 5 max concurrent runs, 16 GB Actor RAM, community support |
| Starter | 19 USD / month | $19 usage credit plus pay as you go at $0.2 per compute unit, 32 max concurrent runs, 64 GB Actor RAM, chat support, Bronze Apify Store discount |
| Scale | 199 USD / month | $199 usage credit plus pay as you go at $0.16 per compute unit, 128 max concurrent runs, 256 GB Actor RAM, priority chat support, Silver Apify Store discount |
| Business | 999 USD / month | $999 usage credit plus pay as you go at $0.13 per compute unit, 256 max concurrent runs, 512 GB Actor RAM, account manager, Gold Apify Store discount |
Prices copied from Apify pricing, checked October 12, 2026. Currency as shown by the vendor; taxes may apply.
Is Apify free?
Yes, there is a free plan. Free plan: $0/month with $5 to spend in Apify Store or on your own Actors, $0.2 per compute unit, community support, no Apify Store discount.
Featured in
Apify alternatives
| Tool | Price from | Free plan | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
 Browserbase | 20 USD/mo | yes | Automation |
 Clay | od 167 USD/mo | trial | Automation |
 Zapier | od 19,99 USD/mo | yes | Automation |
 Skyvern | 29 USD/mo | yes | Automation |
 Bardeen | not listed | ? | Automation |
 Browser Use | 0.02 USD | trial | Automation |
Comparisons
FAQ
What is Apify used for?
Marketplace of ready-to-run tools (Actors) for web scraping, data collection and automation, for developers and businesses building AI agents and apps.
Is Apify free?
Yes, there is a free plan. Free plan: $0/month with $5 to spend in Apify Store or on your own Actors, $0.2 per compute unit, community support, no Apify Store discount.
How much does Apify cost?
The cheapest paid plan is 19 USD/mo (vendor pricing, October 12, 2026).
What are the best Apify alternatives?
Closest alternatives: Browserbase, Clay, Zapier, Skyvern, Bardeen.
Data checked October 12, 2026 on the vendor website (apify.com).