Browserless Alternative with 98% Success Rate on Protected Sites
Browserless is a solid browser platform, but browser-only scraping is slow and expensive at scale. Every request loads a full browser, even when a simple HTTP request would work. Scrapfly gives you the flexibility to choose HTTP or browser per request, with more reliable anti-bot bypass.
Which Protected Sites Does Scrapfly Handle?
Scrapfly achieves 98% success across protected sites where most APIs struggle. Scrapeway benchmarks test all major web scraping APIs using default configurations.
E-commerce
Protected Sites
Anti-Bot Protected
More Reliable Anti-Bot Bypass
Both Browserless and Scrapfly offer anti-bot bypass and captcha solving. The difference is reliability. Scrapfly achieves 98% success through proprietary fingerprint technology and continuous adaptation to anti-bot updates. We own the entire stack, from browser profiles to proxy networks.
Browserless Approach
- Stealth settings and captcha solving
- Browser-based requests only
- Proxies charged separately (6 units/MB)
- Time-based billing (30-second units)
Scrapfly Approach
- 98% success rate on protected sites
- HTTP or browser - your choice per request
- Proxies, fingerprints, bypass all included
- Pay per request, not per second
Quick Comparison: Scrapfly vs Browserless
What matters most for production web scraping: success rate on protected sites, cost efficiency, and reliability with JavaScript rendering.
| Metric | Scrapfly | Browserless |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Bot Success Rate | 98% | Varies by target |
| Scraping Modes | HTTP + Browser | Browser only |
| Free Trial | 1,000 API credits | 1,000 units (free tier) |
| Entry Price | $30/month | $140/month (Starter) |
| Billing Model | Per request | Per 30-second unit |
| Proxy Costs | Included in credits | 6 units per MB |
| AI Extraction | LLM prompts, auto-detection | |
| Bandwidth Optimization | Proxy Saver (50% savings) | |
| Concurrent Requests | 100-10,000 req/s | 3-50 browsers (plan-based) |
Success rate data from Scrapeway benchmark (at time of writing)
How Scrapfly's ASP Works
Scrapfly's Anti-Scraping Protection (ASP) achieves 98% success using stealth browser technology that mimics genuine browser behavior. Enable asp=True and the system handles everything automatically.
Real Browser Fingerprints
Matches authentic Chrome and Firefox signatures including TLS/JA3 fingerprints, HTTP/2 fingerprints, WebGL properties, and canvas rendering.
Adaptive Challenge Solving
Automatically solves Cloudflare, DataDome, and PerimeterX challenges. Recognizes challenge types and submits valid solutions.
Session Intelligence
Reuses unblocked stealth browser sessions when possible, reducing costs while maintaining high success rates.
ASP runs in dedicated cloud browser instances with full JavaScript execution and persistent sessions. Test your fingerprint with our free fingerprinting tools.
Transparent Pricing for Protected Sites
Scrapfly's ASP costs 30+ credits per request, varying by target complexity. You pay for what's actually needed, not a flat premium rate. View full pricing details.
| Configuration | Scrapfly | Browserless |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Price | $30/month | $140/month (Starter, 180K units) |
| Basic scrape (HTTP) | 1 credit | N/A (browser only) |
| JavaScript rendering | 6 credits | 1+ units (30 sec each) |
| Captcha solving | Included in ASP | 10 units per solve |
| Residential proxies | Included | 6 units per MB |
| Overage cost | Per credit (transparent) | $0.0017/unit (Starter) |
Browserless vs Scrapfly
Browserless is a capable browser platform. Here's why developers choose Scrapfly for scraping at scale.
Browser-Only is Slow
Browserless loads a full browser for every request. That's slow and expensive when you're scraping thousands of pages. Many sites don't need JavaScript rendering at all. Scrapfly lets you use fast HTTP requests when possible, saving time and credits.
Scrapfly: HTTP when possible, browser when neededExpensive to Scale
Browserless's time-based units add up quickly. A slow page load, a timeout, or extra rendering time all cost you. Scrapfly charges per request - you know exactly what you'll pay. No surprises when scraping pages that take longer to load.
Scrapfly: per-request pricing, predictable costsMore Reliable Bypass
Both platforms offer anti-bot bypass, but success rates differ. Scrapfly achieves 98% on protected sites through proprietary fingerprint technology. We adapt continuously to anti-bot updates because we own the entire stack, not just the browser layer.
Scrapfly: 98% success, owned technologyWhat Developers Say
Capterra Rating: 4.9/5 (183 reviews)
"Browser-only scraping was too slow for our volume. Scrapfly's HTTP mode is 5x faster when JS isn't needed."
"Time-based billing made costs unpredictable. Scrapfly's per-request pricing let us budget accurately."
"We needed more reliable anti-bot bypass. Scrapfly's 98% success rate beat what we were getting."
Migration Takes 2 Hours
Most teams migrate from Browserless to Scrapfly in under 2 hours with zero downtime and no data loss.
Migration Process
- Sign up for free 1,000 API credits
- Install the SDK (Python, TypeScript, Go, or Scrapy)
- Update client initialization and request parameters
- Test on your critical targets
Run both services in parallel during testing. Test Scrapfly on your targets while Browserless handles production traffic.
Browserless (browser-only)
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
// Connect to Browserless (uses units per 30 sec)
const browser = await puppeteer.connect({
browserWSEndpoint: 'wss://chrome.browserless.io?token=...'
});
const page = await browser.newPage();
// Full browser load for every request
// Even if the data is in static HTML
await page.goto('https://web-scraping.dev/products');
const html = await page.content();
// Proxy costs extra (6 units/MB)
// Captchas cost extra (10 units each)
// Slow pages = more units consumed
await browser.close();Scrapfly (HTTP or browser)
from scrapfly import ScrapflyClient, ScrapeConfig
client = ScrapflyClient(key="YOUR_API_KEY")
# Fast HTTP request (1 credit)
result = client.scrape(ScrapeConfig(
url="https://web-scraping.dev/products",
asp=True # Anti-bot bypass included
))
# Or use browser when needed (6 credits)
result = client.scrape(ScrapeConfig(
url="https://web-scraping.dev/products",
render_js=True, # Only when required
asp=True
))
# Proxies, captchas, bypass - all included
# Per-request pricing, predictable costsFrequently Asked Questions
Does Scrapfly really achieve 98% success on protected sites?
Yes. Scrapeway benchmarks all major web scraping APIs on identical protected targets, consistently showing Scrapfly achieving 98% success. This includes sites like LinkedIn, Walmart, Zillow, and Glassdoor where anti-bot protection is most aggressive.
Can I test Scrapfly on my specific targets before committing?
Yes. The free plan includes 1,000 API credits with no credit card required. Test your exact targets before upgrading.
Doesn't Browserless also solve captchas and bypass anti-bot?
Yes, Browserless offers stealth settings, captcha solving (10 units per solve), and proxy integration. The difference is reliability and cost. Scrapfly achieves 98% success on protected sites through proprietary fingerprint technology and continuous adaptation. We also include captchas and proxies in the base price - no separate unit charges.
Why would I use HTTP scraping instead of a browser?
Many websites don't require JavaScript rendering - their data is in the initial HTML response. HTTP scraping is 5-10x faster and uses fewer credits. With Scrapfly, you can start with HTTP (render_js=False) and only enable browsers when needed. Browserless forces browser rendering for everything.
How does pricing compare at scale?
Browserless charges per 30-second browser unit, plus 6 units per MB for proxies, plus 10 units for captchas. A slow page or a timeout still consumes units. Scrapfly charges per request with proxies, captchas, and bypass included. At scale, per-request pricing is more predictable and often cheaper.
Can I still use Puppeteer/Playwright with Scrapfly?
Scrapfly is an API, not a browser hosting service. Instead of writing Puppeteer scripts, you make API calls with parameters like render_js=True and asp=True. For complex interactions (clicks, form fills, scrolling), use JS Scenarios in JSON format. It's simpler to maintain than browser scripts.
How does Scrapfly handle heavily protected sites?
Our ASP (Anti-Scraping Protection) automatically adapts to Cloudflare, DataDome, PerimeterX, and custom anti-bot systems by matching real browser TLS handshakes, fingerprints, and HTTP headers. No manual configuration required.
I'm hitting rate limits and blocks with Browserless. Will Scrapfly work better?
Scrapfly's 98% success rate comes from proprietary fingerprint technology, adaptive session management, and continuous updates against anti-bot systems. If you're struggling with blocks on Browserless, try the same URLs on Scrapfly with asp=True. You get 1,000 free credits to test your specific targets.
What happens when a request fails?
Scrapfly provides detailed error diagnostics showing why requests fail (blocks, timeouts, site issues). Automatic retries handle transient failures, and you're not charged for unsuccessful requests.
Does Scrapfly support JavaScript rendering?
Yes. Scrapfly uses dedicated cloud browser instances with headless browser JavaScript rendering for dynamic content. Enable the render_js parameter to capture content from React, Vue.js, Angular apps and SPAs.
What proxies does Scrapfly include?
Scrapfly includes residential and datacenter proxies in all plans. Both rotate across 50+ countries. All proxies are included in API credits with no separate fees. New to proxies? See our introduction to proxies in web scraping.
Does Scrapfly have an Extraction API?
Yes. Scrapfly's Extraction API transforms raw HTML into structured JSON data automatically. Choose from auto-extraction for common data types, LLM-powered extraction using natural language prompts, or template-based extraction with reusable rules.
See How Scrapfly Compares to Other APIs
Explore more comparisons to find the best web scraping solution for your needs.
Start For Free Today
Test Scrapfly on your targets before committing.
- 1,000 free API credits
- No credit card required
- Full API access
- Migration support
Methodology Note: Scrapeway benchmarks test web scraping APIs using default, out-of-the-box configurations, representing the real-world experience developers encounter when first integrating an API.