Apify vs Import.io
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Import.io has the lower starting price: about $11 a month, against $19 for Apify.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Actor marketplace
- Scheduled scraping
- Proxy management
- Crawlee library
- MCP server for agents
- AI and point-and-click extractors
- Scheduled data delivery
- Web Scraper MCP for agents
- Managed data service
- Pricing intelligence
| Feature | Apify | Import.io |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Web scraping platform with thousands of ready-made scrapers | Web data extraction platform with AI extractors and an MCP server |
| Category | Data & analytics | Data & analytics |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free trial |
| Starting price | $19/mo | $11/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No, 30-day trial |
| Made by | Apify | Import.io |
| Based in | Czechia | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Pricing compared
Import.io has the lower starting price: about $11 a month, against $19 for Apify.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
5 plans
Free
Free
- $5 monthly usage credit
- $0.20 per compute unit
- Community support
Starter
$19/mo
- $19 prepaid usage, then pay as you go
- Chat support
- Bronze Store discount
Scale
$199/mo
- $199 prepaid usage
- $0.16 per compute unit
- Priority chat support
Business
$999/mo
- $999 prepaid usage
- $0.13 per compute unit
- Account manager
Enterprise
Custom
- Custom usage and pricing
- Custom scraping solutions
6 plans
Free Trial
Free
- 30 days
- 5,000 successful queries
- No card required
Starter
$11/mo
- 5,000 queries a month
- Up to 5 extractors
- API access with limits
Standard
$199/mo billed yearly
- 50,000 queries a month
- Unlimited extractors
- Webhook delivery
Professional
$499/mo
- 200,000 queries a month
- Full API and webhooks
- S3 and SFTP delivery
Advanced
$699/mo billed yearly
- 500,000 queries a month
- Residential proxies
- Team management
Web Scraper MCP
$0.0002 / call
- 10,000 free calls
- Monthly spend cap
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Apify
- Huge library of ready scrapers
- Handles proxies and scaling
- Free monthly credits
- Actor quality varies
- Costs rise with heavy use
Import.io
- Billing only counts successful queries
- MCP server for AI agents
- Managed option if you lack engineers
- Big jump from Starter to Standard
- Starter allows only 5 extractors
- Residential proxies only on Advanced
Which one should you choose?
Choose Apify if you want:
- Huge library of ready scrapers
- Handles proxies and scaling
- Free monthly credits
Watch out: actor quality varies.
Choose Import.io if you want:
- Billing only counts successful queries
- MCP server for AI agents
- Managed option if you lack engineers
Watch out: big jump from starter to standard.
Apify vs Import.io FAQ
What is the difference between Apify and Import.io?
Apify: Web scraping platform with thousands of ready-made scrapers. Import.io: Web data extraction platform with AI extractors and an MCP server. Both are data & analytics tools.
Is Apify or Import.io cheaper?
Import.io has the lower starting price: about $11 a month, against $19 for Apify.
Do Apify and Import.io have free plans?
Apify: Yes. Import.io: No, 30-day trial.
Who makes Apify?
Apify is made by Apify, based in Czechia.
Who makes Import.io?
Import.io is made by Import.io.
Which should I choose, Apify or Import.io?
Choose Apify if you value huge library of ready scrapers and handles proxies and scaling. Choose Import.io if you value billing only counts successful queries and mcp server for ai agents.