Apify vs Firecrawl
Which Developer Tools AI tool is better in 2026?
Apify
Full-stack web scraping and data extraction platform for AI applications and agents.
Firecrawl
The API to search, scrape, and interact with the web at scale, powering AI agents with clean web data.
Side-by-side
Firecrawl is cheaper to start; funding signals are comparable on both sides.
| Metric | Apify | Firecrawl |
|---|---|---|
| Taglinei | Full-stack web scraping and data extraction platform for AI applications and agents. | The API to search, scrape, and interact with the web at scale, powering AI agents with clean web data. |
| Foundedi | — | — |
| HQi | — | — |
| Employeesi | — | — |
| Neuron scorei | 60 | 60 |
| Total fundingi | Undisclosed | Undisclosed |
| Latest roundi | — | — |
| Valuationi | — | — |
| Cheapest paid plani | Starter · $49/mo | Hobby · $20/mo🏆 |
| Free plani | ✓ Free | ✓ Free Plan |
| Free triali | ✗ | ✓ |
| Top tier pricei | Business · $499/mo | Scale · $599/mo |
| Pricing summaryi | 5 published plans | 6 published plans |
| Categoriesi |
Capability matrix
Developer-facing capabilities and access signals for Apify and Firecrawl.
| Capability | Apify | Firecrawl |
|---|---|---|
| MCP support | ✗ | ✗ |
| Public API | ✗ | ✗ |
| Webhooks | ✗ | ✗ |
| OAuth 2.0 | ✗ | ✗ |
| SDK languages | 2 (JavaScript, Python) | 2 (Python, Node.js) |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | ✗ | ✓ |
| Verified | ✗ | ✗ |
| Active deal | ✗ | ✗ |
🟢 Strengths of Apify
- Offers a free plan
🔵 Strengths of Firecrawl
- Offers a free trial
- Lower starting price ($20/mo)
Which should you choose?
Choose Firecrawl if price matters most — it starts at Free trial · From $20/mo, which is friendlier for teams watching burn. Both AI Developer Tools tools ship core features, so the cost delta often decides it for small teams and solo operators.
Choose Firecrawl if you want the most established option — it has raised Undisclosed, suggesting more runway for enterprise features, support, and long-term roadmap. For mission-critical workflows or larger teams, that stability often outweighs a lower monthly price.
Frequently asked questions
Apify vs Firecrawl — which is better?
It depends on your priority. Apify is the leaner option; Firecrawl is cheaper to start. See the side-by-side table above.
Is Apify cheaper than Firecrawl?
No — Firecrawl's cheapest paid plan is Hobby · $20/mo, while Apify's is Starter · $49/mo.
Do Apify and Firecrawl offer free plans?
Apify: Yes, has a free plan. Firecrawl: Yes, has a free plan.
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