Pick Apify if:
- A Store Actor already handles your target site well.
- You want to host and run custom scraping apps.
- Non-developers need to run configured extraction workflows.
ByteKit vs Apify
Apify is a platform for web scraping and automation apps. ByteKit is a REST API for capturing public URLs as content, screenshots, recordings, bulk jobs, sitemap crawls, and change alerts.
the comparisonTL;DR
If you want a marketplace of scrapers, Apify is strong. If you want one API your app can call directly, ByteKit is the cleaner fit.
| Dimension | ByteKit | Apify |
|---|---|---|
| Primary model | REST capture API | Actor platform |
| Best for | Product integrations | Reusable automations |
| Marketplace | No | Yes |
| Custom code hosting | No | Yes |
| One-off scrape API | First-class /scrape | Depends on Actor/API |
| Screenshots | First-class endpoint | Actor-dependent |
| Monitors | Built-in change webhooks | Schedules/workflows |
| Pricing model | Byte-based | Platform usage |
no strawmanWhere Apify wins
Actor marketplace
If a maintained Actor already solves the exact site you need, use it. The marketplace has thousands of pre-built scrapers for specific sites — that is real coverage, available to you on day one.
Full workflow platform
Apify gives you cloud runtime, datasets, queues, schedules, and a UI for non-developers. If your workload is a full automation pipeline rather than a single capture call, the platform shape fits.
Custom extraction apps
If your team wants to package and operate its own scraper as a product, Apify is built for that. Actor authoring, monetization, and reusability are first-class.
the differenceWhere ByteKit wins
Fewer choices
No Actor selection, no marketplace variance, no custom runtime to manage. One endpoint surface for scrape, screenshots, recordings, bulk, monitors, and sitemap crawl. If your product just needs the result, ByteKit removes the decision tree.
API-shaped integration
Direct endpoints for scrape, screenshots, bulk, monitors, and sitemap. Send a URL and parameters; get the result. No Actor configuration, no platform UI dependency, no scraper-as-app layer between your code and the capture.
First-class capture modes
Screenshots, recordings, scrape, monitors, and sitemap crawl are core endpoints — not Actor-dependent. Each carries its own parameters, billing model, and storage behavior.
Bandwidth-based pricing
Apify’s billing has four cost axes — CU rate, actor use, storage, and data transfer. ByteKit bills on bytes received. Simpler pages cost less. Cache hits cost half. Failed captures cost zero. One axis.
the verdictWhen to pick which
Apify is good at being Apify. ByteKit is not trying to be an Actor marketplace. That is the point.
Pick ByteKit if:
- Your product needs to call a stable capture API.
- You need screenshots, content, sitemap discovery, and monitors together.
- You want byte-based pricing for capture workloads.