# Web Page Scraper — ScrapingBee Alternative (`khadinakbar/scrapingbee-alternative`) Actor

Scrape public web pages into Markdown, text, or HTML. Supply URLs and receive browser-rendered content, source links, and optional screenshots for content research, page QA, or downstream analysis.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/khadinakbar/scrapingbee-alternative.md
- **Developed by:** [Khadin Akbar](https://apify.com/khadinakbar) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, SEO tools, Automation
- **Stats:** 3 total users, 2 monthly users, 66.7% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $10.00 / 1,000 public page snapshots

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Web Page Scraper — ScrapingBee Alternative

Scrape public web pages into Markdown, text, or HTML. Supply URLs and receive browser-rendered content, source links, and optional screenshots for content research, page QA, or downstream analysis. For developers and content researchers, each dataset record represents one accepted public page and its collected content.

### Workflow: put the results to work

Start with the exact public pages you need to inspect. Choose Markdown for research notes, text for analysis, or HTML for page inspection; request screenshots only when the visual layout matters. Review the final URL and saved content before passing each snapshot to your next tool.

### Best fit and scope

Choose this Actor when a bounded job needs current content from one to ten public pages and a durable Dataset/API result. It works well for content QA, public documentation capture, lightweight competitor research, and feeding a small set of page snapshots into a downstream analyzer.

This is a workflow alternative to the public-page fetch portion of ScrapingBee's HTML API. ScrapingBee remains the fuller fit when a team needs its account-managed API, proxy-mode credentials, country-level premium proxy controls, dedicated site APIs, AI extraction, JavaScript scenarios, team administration, or its broader integration catalogue.

For a broader site-level technical report after collecting a page, pass the source URL to the Website Technology Profiler. That downstream workflow identifies website technologies from public evidence; this Actor stays focused on returning the page snapshot.

### Input

```json
{
    "urls": ["https://example.com/", "https://www.iana.org/domains/reserved"],
    "outputFormat": "markdown",
    "renderJavaScript": true,
    "waitUntil": "domcontentloaded",
    "takeScreenshot": false,
    "timeoutSecs": 30,
    "useApifyProxy": false
}
```

Use public http or https URLs that you are authorized to access and collect. Submit only unsigned public URLs free of session tokens, credentials, private endpoints, and personal data. The direct route is the default; select Apify Proxy only when the authorized page needs that platform route. `outputFormat` selects Markdown, text, or HTML; `waitUntil` selects a fast DOM-ready or slower network-idle readiness condition; screenshots are stored by key only when requested.

### Output

Each usable page produces one Dataset item.

| Field                    | Meaning                                                        |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| requestedUrl / finalUrl  | Supplied public URL and the validated final public destination |
| statusCode / pageTitle   | Main-document status and browser title                         |
| outputFormat / content   | Chosen representation and capped page snapshot                 |
| screenshotKey            | Optional PNG record in the default key-value store             |
| fetchRoute               | direct or configured apify\_proxy                               |
| collectedAt / provenance | Collection time and current-public-page source boundary        |

```json
{
    "requestedUrl": "https://example.com/",
    "finalUrl": "https://example.com/",
    "statusCode": 200,
    "pageTitle": "Example Domain",
    "outputFormat": "markdown",
    "content": "# Example Domain\\n\\nThis domain is for use in illustrative examples.",
    "contentTruncated": false,
    "externalScriptsBlocked": false,
    "screenshotKey": null,
    "fetchRoute": "direct",
    "collectedAt": "2026-09-08T12:00:00.000Z",
    "provenance": "current_authorized_public_page",
    "limitations": "One current public-page snapshot."
}
```

When `renderJavaScript` is false, the Actor blocks external script resource requests; inline scripts can still run, so this is a content-collection setting rather than a browser security boundary. Content is capped at 200,000 characters per record and `contentTruncated` is true only when the selected representation exceeded that cap.

Read `OUTPUT` and `RUN_SUMMARY` from the run's default key-value store after completion. `COMPLETE` means every accepted URL produced a validated record; `PARTIAL` preserves useful rows with rejection or fetch diagnostics; `INVALID_INPUT` means no billable snapshot was created because the input or run charge limit prevented it; `UPSTREAM_FAILED` truthfully marks a run that had accepted URLs but produced no useful record; `CONFIG_ERROR` truthfully marks an unavailable selected proxy route. The summary also includes run/build/storage IDs, start and finish times, processed and rejected counts, named-event counts, charge-limit state, route, warnings, and bounded issue details.

### How this alternative compares with ScrapingBee

This is an independent workflow comparison, not a claim of full-suite parity. Use the current product pages and the Actor Pricing tab before making a purchasing decision.

| Decision area               | This Actor                                                                                                          | ScrapingBee                                                                  | Practical choice                                                                                                |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Scope and workflow          | One to ten authorized public pages become Dataset records with URL and collection-time provenance.                  | Its HTML API sits within a broader scraping product offering.                | Choose this Actor for a bounded Apify snapshot workflow; choose ScrapingBee when the broader suite is required. |
| Billing and cost            | Pay per event plus platform usage; see the Pricing tab for current rates. | Subscription plans use credits and have plan-specific limits.                | Compare cost only for the same routes, volume, and usable outputs.                                              |
| Effective efficiency        | Each persisted record increments an explicit event count, and the run reports records, rejections, and diagnostics. | Credits are documented at the account-plan level.                            | Use the run summary to calculate cost per usable record for the chosen workload.                                |
| Output contract             | Dataset rows include requested and final URLs, page metadata, selected content, and `collectedAt`.                  | The HTML API returns the requested page response through its API.            | Choose the output shape that best fits the downstream system.                                                   |
| Integrations and automation | It runs through the Apify API, Dataset, schedules, and webhooks available in a configured Apify workflow.           | ScrapingBee documents an API-first workflow and its own integration options. | Choose the platform already used by the surrounding automation.                                                 |
| Features outside this scope | No proxy credentials, country targeting, dedicated site APIs, AI extraction, or JavaScript scenarios.               | Those broader product capabilities are outside this Actor's contract.        | Keep ScrapingBee for those suite features.                                                                      |

This independent Actor is not affiliated with, associated with, or endorsed by ScrapingBee.

### Provider and network requirements

No third-party scraping API or separately licensed data provider is required. Direct browser access is the primary route. Apify Proxy is an optional, caller-selected platform route—not a silent fallback—and its usage is paid by the caller. The Actor does not send page content to ScrapingBee or another external extraction provider.

Access through the default route varies by site. Anti-bot systems, CAPTCHAs, logins, target-side rate limits, robots rules, regional restrictions, and site terms remain outside the Actor's control. Enable Apify Proxy only when you are authorized to use that route; this Actor keeps proxy credentials internal and makes no bypass promise.

### API and export

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/khadinakbar~scrapingbee-alternative/runs?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"urls":["https://example.com/"],"outputFormat":"markdown"}'
```

Use the returned run ID to retrieve the default Dataset and the OUTPUT/RUN\_SUMMARY records. Apify schedules and webhooks can compose this bounded collection step with your own review or change-detection workflow.

### AI-agent prompt

> Collect the current public Markdown from these authorized URLs. Return the Dataset records, check OUTPUT for the terminal outcome, cite each finalUrl and collectedAt, and keep the run within its stated page and cost scope.

Agents can call this Actor through Apify API or a configured MCP workflow, then read the Dataset by run ID. Treat source URLs and collection times as the page provenance; content may change between runs.

### Best results

Start with a small public URL set, use Markdown for compact reviews, and confirm one representative record before expanding the batch. Select `networkidle` only for a client-rendered page that needs it, because it can consume more of the timeout. Enable screenshots for visual diagnostics rather than every recurring run. When a site refuses direct access and the collection is authorized, retry in a separate run with Apify Proxy enabled so the route and cost remain explicit.

### Troubleshooting

| Symptom                         | What to check                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `INVALID_INPUT` with no rows    | Inspect `OUTPUT.rejected`, confirm every target is a publicly resolvable HTTP(S) URL, and check the run charge limit.                              |
| `UPSTREAM_FAILED`               | Inspect `RUN_SUMMARY.failures`; test one URL, increase `timeoutSecs` within the 60-second limit, or use `networkidle` only when the page needs it. |
| `CONFIG_ERROR` with Apify Proxy | Confirm the caller's Apify account can use the selected proxy route, or rerun with direct access.                                                  |
| `PARTIAL`                       | Keep the useful Dataset rows and inspect rejected URLs, failures, and `chargeLimitReached` before retrying only the missing pages.                 |
| Empty-looking dynamic content   | Keep JavaScript rendering enabled and test the page's public browser behavior; public browser sessions define the supported scope.                 |

### Builder's note

I designed this Actor around a simple contract: a valid public URL yields a stable, source-linked page record and billing happens only after that record is written. Keeping the page count, content size, and terminal outcomes explicit makes it easier to automate a small collection job without turning it into a black-box proxy service.

### Responsible use

Use this Actor only for pages you are authorized to access and collect, and respect applicable laws, site terms, robots guidance, and privacy obligations. Keep personal data and secrets outside the input; run storage remains subject to the caller's Apify storage and retention configuration. This independent Actor is not affiliated with, associated with, or endorsed by ScrapingBee.

### Pricing and run costs

This Actor uses **Pay per event plus Apify platform usage**. The [Pricing tab](https://apify.com/khadinakbar/scrapingbee-alternative/pricing) lists the current event rates and billing terms.

| Event | Billing unit | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| `apify-actor-start` | Actor Start | Charged when the Actor starts running. Number of events charged depends on Actor memory (one event per GB, minimum one event). |
| `page-snapshot` | Public page snapshot | Charged once for each validated, source-linked public-page snapshot persisted to the Dataset. |

Run cost combines the charged events and Apify platform usage. Review the run charge limit and requested result count before starting.

### Connect an AI agent

Use the [Apify MCP configurator](https://mcp.apify.com) to choose an available client connection. Inspect this Actor’s current input schema and required credentials before running it.

# Actor input Schema

## `urls` (type: `array`):

One to ten authorized public http(s) page URLs, such as https://example.com. The Actor rejects localhost, private-network, credential-bearing, malformed, and non-http URLs before navigation. It fetches page snapshots only; this is not a site crawler or private-account exporter.

## `outputFormat` (type: `string`):

Choose the page representation returned in each dataset record: markdown, text, or html. Defaults to markdown for compact agent-readable content. Markdown is a clean text representation, not a semantic reconstruction of every visual element.

## `renderJavaScript` (type: `boolean`):

Allow external script requests during the browser page load so client-rendered public content can appear before extraction. Defaults to true. When false, the Actor blocks external script resources; inline scripts may still run. It does not bypass logins, CAPTCHAs, access controls, or target terms.

## `waitUntil` (type: `string`):

Choose when content collection may begin: DOM content loaded for the standard fast path, or network idle for pages that settle after their first document event. Network idle can use more of the per-page timeout and is not a guarantee for every site.

## `takeScreenshot` (type: `boolean`):

Save a full-page PNG in the run's default key-value store and return its record key. Defaults to false to keep storage and output light. This is a diagnostic artifact, not visual-diff monitoring or browser-session replay.

## `timeoutSecs` (type: `integer`):

Maximum browser navigation time for each page, from 10 to 60 seconds. Defaults to 30 seconds and applies independently to each accepted URL. It is not a guarantee that every anti-bot-protected page can be reached.

## `useApifyProxy` (type: `boolean`):

Route this authorized public-page run through the account's configured Apify Proxy. Defaults to false for direct access; proxy platform usage is paid by the caller when enabled. This does not expose a standalone proxy endpoint, credentials, country targeting, or a guarantee against blocks.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "urls": [
    "https://example.com/",
    "https://www.iana.org/domains/reserved"
  ],
  "outputFormat": "markdown",
  "renderJavaScript": true,
  "waitUntil": "domcontentloaded",
  "takeScreenshot": false,
  "timeoutSecs": 30,
  "useApifyProxy": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `dataset` (type: `string`):

One source-linked public-page snapshot for each usable URL.

## `OUTPUT` (type: `string`):

Terminal outcome, useful-record count, rejected URLs, charge-limit state and named-event reconciliation.

## `RUN_SUMMARY` (type: `string`):

Detailed timing, storage IDs, run counts, format, route, estimated maximum Actor charge, named-event counts, warnings and safe failure diagnostics.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "urls": [
        "https://example.com/"
    ],
    "outputFormat": "markdown",
    "waitUntil": "domcontentloaded"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("khadinakbar/scrapingbee-alternative").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "urls": ["https://example.com/"],
    "outputFormat": "markdown",
    "waitUntil": "domcontentloaded",
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("khadinakbar/scrapingbee-alternative").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "urls": [
    "https://example.com/"
  ],
  "outputFormat": "markdown",
  "waitUntil": "domcontentloaded"
}' |
apify call khadinakbar/scrapingbee-alternative --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,khadinakbar/scrapingbee-alternative"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/OPo3r9lKYcm0SKzqc/builds/fhKPBBtKjSnE25HH7/openapi.json