Firecrawl vs Apify: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Firecrawl and Apify comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Firecrawl
Turn websites into LLM-ready data for your AI applications.
Best for you if:
- • Extracts clean, LLM-ready data from any website.
- • Offers advanced scraping, crawling, and web search capabilities.
Apify
Build, run, and scale web scraping and automation workflows
Best for you if:
- • Web scraping platform
- • Scale data extraction
| At a Glance |  Firecrawl |  Apify |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | FreeFree tier available | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | Developer Tools | Developer Tools |
Rating | 4.9/5 | 4.7/5 |
Choose Firecrawl or Apify?
Choose Firecrawl if
Turn websites into LLM-ready data for your AI applications.
- Provides clean, LLM-ready data for AI applications
- High reliability, covering 96% of the web
- Exceptional speed for real-time applications
Choose Apify if
Build, run, and scale web scraping and automation workflows
- Good web scraping platform
- Actor marketplace
- Proxy management
| Feature | Firecrawl | Apify |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| User Rating | ★4.9/5 230 reviews | ★4.7/5 419 reviews |
| Categories | Developer ToolsAI Agents | Developer ToolsData & Databases |
In-Depth Analysis
Firecrawl
Turn websites into LLM-ready data for your AI applications.
Strengths
- +Provides clean, LLM-ready data for AI applications
- +High reliability, covering 96% of the web
- +Exceptional speed for real-time applications
- +Open-source and developer-friendly with multiple integration options
- +Offers a free tier for trying out the service
Weaknesses
- -Credit-based pricing model might require careful usage monitoring
- -Advanced AI Agent feature is currently in preview with dynamic pricing
Key features
Apify
Build, run, and scale web scraping and automation workflows
Strengths
- +Good web scraping platform
- +Actor marketplace
- +Proxy management
- +Scheduled runs
- +Good documentation
Weaknesses
- -Expensive at scale
- -Compute pricing complex
- -Learning curve
- -Rate limits
- -Some actors low quality
Key features
Pricing: Firecrawl vs Apify
| Plan | Firecrawl | Apify |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $0 one-time Free Plan | 0 Free |
| Tier 2 | $16/monthly Hobby | 39 Starter |
| Tier 3 | $83/monthly Standard | 199 Team |
| Tier 4 | $333/monthly Growth | 999 Business |
| Tier 5 | $599 per month Scale | N/A |
| Tier 6 | Custom Enterprise | N/A |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Firecrawl pricing and Apify pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Both are freemium. Compare plans on their websites.
Go with: Firecrawl
Want the highest-rated option?
Firecrawl: 4.9/5 (230 reviews). Apify: 4.7/5 (419 reviews).
Go with: Firecrawl
Value user reviews?
Firecrawl: 230 reviews (4.9/5). Apify: 419 reviews (4.7/5).
Go with: Apify
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Both are freemium. Pricing won't help you decide here.
What's your use case?
Both are developer tools tools. Compare their specific features to decide.
How important are ratings?
Firecrawl is rated higher: 4.9/5 vs 4.7/5.
Key Takeaways
Apify
- Larger review base (419 reviews)
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Firecrawl
- Higher user rating: 4.9/5 vs 4.7/5
The Bottom Line
Apify is our pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Firecrawl or Apify better?
Apify is rated in our evaluation. Both are freemium.
What are Firecrawl and Apify used for?
Firecrawl: Turn websites into LLM-ready data for your AI applications.. Apify: Build, run, and scale web scraping and automation workflows.
What does Firecrawl cost vs Apify?
Firecrawl is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Apify is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.