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Scraping vs API: when to use which (2026 decision guide)

Concept explainers·1 min read·Updated 2026-05-13·3 sections
On this page (3)
  1. 01When the API wins
  2. 02When scraping wins
  3. 03The legal layer

For every data source there are usually two paths: an official API or web scraping. Each has very different tradeoffs in cost, reliability, terms of service and data freshness.

01

When the API wins

When the API is free or cheap, covers your data need, and the ToS allows your use case. Examples: Google Places API for very low volume, Twitter/X API if you can afford $42k/year.

Rate
2 credits / lead
Google Maps
1 credit
$0.001
credits never expire
Per 1,000
$2.00
2,000 credits
RUN SIZECREDITSCOST
30 leads60$0.06
100 leads200$0.20
500 leads1,000$1.00
1,000 leads2,000$2.00
2 credits a lead · 1 credit = $0.001 · a run that finds fewer pays less
02

When scraping wins

When the API doesn't exist (LinkedIn for profile data), costs too much (Twitter/X 2023+), or restricts data usage (Apollo/ZoomInfo store-only). When you need data the API doesn't expose. When you want fresh data, not a stale database.

Written after running it
Last run
plumbers · London · Google Maps
Rows
30
Time
23s
Cost
€0.06
30 rows × 2 credits = 60 credits · 1 credit = $0.001

Every number on this page comes from that run, not from a price list.

Priced against
Kavex vs Apify
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560 in the help centre
01What is web scraping? A 2026 guide for non-developersWeb scraping explained for business users.Concept explainers02Is scraping LinkedIn legal in 2026?LinkedIn scraping legality explained — hiQ vs LinkedIn precedent, GDPR considerations, what's safe for B2B leadgen.Concept explainers03What is a residential proxy and why does scraping need one?Residential proxies explained for non-engineers.Concept explainers
Point it at something. See what comes back.Your first 500 Google Maps leads are on the house. No card needed.
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