10 No-Code Web Scraping Tools Compared: UI & Ease of Use

Updated: October 11, 2024

Looking for a web scraping tool that doesn't require coding? Here's a quick rundown of 10 popular options:

Tool Best For Standout Feature
Apify Power users Versatile automation
Octoparse Beginners Point-and-click simplicity
ParseHub Tricky sites Visual selection
Import.io E-commerce Data extraction
Dexi Large-scale jobs Workflow automation
Web Scraper Quick tasks Browser extension
ScrapeHero Scalable projects Cloud-based scraping
Phantombuster Social media Platform-specific scraping
DataGrab One-off extractions Chrome extension
Simplescraper Casual users User-friendly interface

Key factors to consider:

  • Ease of use
  • Pricing
  • Features
  • Support

Top picks:

  • Beginners: Simplescraper, Magical
  • Intermediate: Octoparse, ParseHub
  • Advanced: Import.io, Apify

Remember to check website terms before scraping to stay legal.

Apify: Powerful Web Scraping Made Simple

Apify

Apify is a web scraping powerhouse that's easy enough for newbies but robust enough for pros.

What's Cool About Apify?

  • Cloud-based with "Actors" (serverless microapps)
  • Works with Python, JavaScript, Playwright, and Puppeteer
  • Tons of proxies (datacenter and residential) with smart IP rotation

The Interface

Apify's UI is slick:

  • Drag-and-drop for building tasks
  • Easy-to-navigate tabs
  • Helpful tooltips everywhere

Is It Easy to Use?

Yes and no:

  • Basic stuff? No coding needed
  • Advanced tasks? You'll want some programming chops
  • Tons of docs and guides to help you out
  • Pre-built scrapers in the Apify Store (nice!)

What'll It Cost You?

Plan Price What You Get
Free $0 $5 worth of scraping
Starter $49/mo 1 GB RAM/hour
Scale $499/mo 8 GB RAM/hour
Business $999/mo 32 GB RAM/hour
Enterprise Custom Tailored for you

What Are People Saying?

"Apify saved us a ton of time. No deployment headaches, great docs, and awesome support. It was a blast!" - Camille Roux, HumanCoders Co-founder

"As a dev, Apify is the perfect mix of power and ease. I can focus on the important stuff, not infrastructure nonsense." - Tom Linhart, Flat Zone Lead IT Architect

Bottom line: Apify's a solid choice if you want to scrape data without coding your brains out. Just be ready to spend some time learning the ropes to get the most out of it.

2. Octoparse

Octoparse

Octoparse is a web scraping tool that's perfect for people who don't code. It's super easy to use, thanks to its point-and-click interface.

What's Cool About It:

  • Spots data fields automatically
  • Works with tricky websites
  • Scrapes from the cloud or your computer
  • Works on Windows and Mac

How Easy Is It?

It's a piece of cake. You can start scraping in just three steps:

  1. Type in the website address
  2. Click on what you want to grab
  3. Hit 'Go'

It's got different modes to help you out, from beginner-friendly to more advanced options.

What'll It Cost You?

Plan Price What You Get
Free $0 Grab 10,000 items per export
Standard $75/month (yearly) Cloud scraping, scheduled tasks
Professional $209/month (yearly) Scrape tons of data
Enterprise Call for price Custom setup

What Are People Saying?

"We used Octoparse to grab contact info for sales and marketing. It did the job well and gave us the data in a file. No coding needed - saved us from hiring experts!" - A happy user

The Bottom Line:

If you're new to web scraping or can't code, Octoparse is a great pick. It's easy to use but still packs a punch with its features.

3. ParseHub

ParseHub

ParseHub is a desktop app for web scraping without coding. It's perfect for grabbing data from tricky websites.

Here's how it works:

  1. Get the free app
  2. Type in your target URL
  3. Click what you want
  4. ParseHub confirms your picks
  5. Hit go and get your data

What's cool about ParseHub:

  • Handles fancy web stuff like AJAX
  • Grabs data from forms and logins
  • Can scrape multiple pages
  • Sets up scheduled scraping

Using ParseHub is pretty straightforward. You've got three main parts:

  1. Commands
  2. Live webpage view
  3. Data preview

This setup lets you see what's happening as you work. Plus, they've got tutorials and chat support if you get stuck.

Pricing:

Plan Cost What You Get
Free $0 5 projects, 200 pages/run
Standard $149/month Faster scraping, more projects
Professional $499/month API access, advanced stuff
Enterprise Custom Personal support, tailored solutions

Here's what one user said:

"ParseHub's interface is really easy to use, even for a first timer." - Proxyway Review

The takeaway:

ParseHub is great for newbies and complex sites. But picking elements can take a while, and some folks have hit snags with empty files.

4. Import.io

Import.io

Import.io is a web scraping tool that's perfect for non-coders. It lets you grab data from websites without writing a single line of code.

Here's what makes Import.io stand out:

  • Set up scrapers in minutes, not hours
  • Just point and click to select data
  • Wizards and guides help you every step of the way
  • 'Magic' feature learns how to scrape based on what you do

Users love how easy it is. It's got a 4.8/5 rating from 190 reviews, with ease of use at 4.6/5.

One user said:

"I used import.io to refresh feeds for digital marketing. It's a scraper you can set up in minutes without any coding." - Engineer

You can use Import.io in the cloud or on your own servers. They've got your back with email, phone, live chat, and a knowledge base.

Feature What You Get
Where it runs Cloud or your servers
Help options Email, phone, chat, guides
Cost Starts at $299/month
Try before you buy Free version and trial

Import.io shines in digital marketing. It's great for refreshing feeds and handling big lists of URLs. If you need to scrape lots of data fast, Import.io's got you covered.

5. Dexi

Dexi

Dexi is a cloud-based web scraping tool that's easy to use, even if you're not a coding whiz. It's got a point-and-click interface that makes data extraction a breeze.

Here's what Dexi brings to the table:

  • Visual editor for web automation
  • Extracts various data types (images, phone numbers, emails, prices)
  • Handles JavaScript and forms
  • API integration for data management

Dexi's clean graphical interface lets you design scraping agents without writing code. New to web scraping? No problem. Dexi's got your back with tutorials, docs, and videos to get you started.

Let's talk pricing:

Plan Price What You Get
Free $0 10 workers, 1 hour runtime
Standard $119/month 1 worker
Professional $399/month 3 workers
Corporate $699/month 6 workers

All paid plans give you full features and support. More cash = more workers and runtime.

Now, Dexi's not perfect. You'll need to install a custom browser, which might be a pain. And if you're looking for super advanced features, you might hit some walls.

But here's the bottom line: Dexi makes web scraping accessible. If you want to tackle complex scraping tasks without diving into code, Dexi's worth a look.

6. Web Scraper

Web Scraper

Web Scraper is a no-code tool for data extraction. It's a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox that lets you scrape data right from your browser.

What's cool about Web Scraper:

  • Point-and-click interface
  • Handles dynamic web pages
  • Exports data in CSV, XLSX, and JSON
  • Cloud-based scraping options

Here's how to use it:

  1. Install the Chrome extension
  2. Create a sitemap
  3. Import the sitemap to Web Scraper Cloud
  4. Run your scraper
  5. Get your data via API or Data Export

It's great for beginners and pros. You can make custom scraper models by clicking on elements you want to capture.

Pricing:

Plan Price Cloud Credits Parallel Tasks
Browser extension Free N/A N/A
Project $50/month 5,000 2
Professional $100/month 20,000 3
Business $200/month 50,000 5
Scale From $200/month Unlimited Limited

Web Scraper works well for e-commerce and offers cloud scraping with multiple IP addresses. This helps with sites that block scrapers.

Ratings:

  • Overall: 4.7/5
  • Ease of Use: 4.1/5
  • Features: 4.6/5
  • Customer Service: 4.3/5
  • Value for Money: 4.8/5

While it's user-friendly, non-techies might need time to learn it. But once you do, you can use it for market research, lead generation, and price monitoring.

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7. ScrapeHero

ScrapeHero

ScrapeHero is a cloud-based web scraping tool with pre-built scrapers. No coding? No problem.

Here's what you get:

  • Pre-built scrapers for big sites (Amazon, Google, Yelp, LinkedIn)
  • Browser-based (no downloads)
  • Scheduled scraping
  • Data in Excel, CSV, or JSON

Using ScrapeHero is simple:

  1. Sign up
  2. Pick a scraper
  3. Add URLs
  4. Run it
  5. Get your data

Pricing? They've got options:

Plan Price What You Get
Free Test $0 25 pages
On-Demand $550+ One-time scrape
Business $199+/month Subscription
Enterprise Basic $1500+/month More features
Enterprise Premium $8000+/month The works

Premium scrapers handle 15,000 pages monthly and 4 jobs at once.

ScrapeHero tackles tricky sites with CAPTCHA and JavaScript/Ajax. It adapts to website changes too.

One happy user on G2 said:

"These folks are on top of their game - professional, fast, and flexible."

Just keep in mind: lower-tier packages share support resources.

Need data without coding headaches? ScrapeHero might be your answer.

8. Phantombuster

Phantombuster

Phantombuster is a cloud-based tool that automates web scraping and social media tasks. It's perfect for folks who want to generate leads and extract data without coding.

Here's the deal with Phantombuster:

  • It's got over 100 ready-made "Phantoms" (that's what they call their automation scripts)
  • It runs in the cloud 24/7, so you don't have to babysit it
  • It plays nice with Google Sheets to supercharge your workflow

Using Phantombuster is pretty simple:

  1. Pick a Phantom from their store
  2. Connect your account (they use session cookies)
  3. Feed it some data (text, URLs, or spreadsheets)
  4. Tell it how to behave (like how much to scrape)
  5. Set it to run automatically if you want
  6. Hit go and watch the results roll in

You'll get your data in CSV and JSON formats. Each time you run it, it'll add to your pile of data.

What'll it cost you?

Plan Price What you get
Trial Free (14 days) 2 hours runtime, 5 Phantom slots
Starter $59/month 20 hours runtime, 5 Phantom slots
Pro $139/month 80 hours runtime, 15 Phantom slots
Team $399/month 300 hours runtime, 50 Phantom slots

How it looks and feels:

Phantombuster's got a store where you can hunt for the right Phantom. They'll guide you through setup, but heads up: it might take a bit to get the hang of it.

Is it easy to use?

It's powerful, but it's not exactly a walk in the park for newbies. It's a better fit for small to medium businesses that want to automate their growth hacking.

Pro tips:

  • Start slow to avoid ticking off the platforms you're scraping
  • Use custom filters to slice and dice your data
  • For LinkedIn scraping, connect with a session cookie

Phantombuster's great if you need serious automation power. Just be ready to put in some time to learn the ropes.

9. DataGrab

DataGrab

DataGrab is a no-code web scraping tool that's perfect for beginners. It's all about simplicity - you can extract data without writing any code.

Here's the gist:

  1. Install the Chrome extension
  2. Click on webpage elements
  3. Set up pagination (if needed)
  4. Run the scraper

It's that easy. You can set up a basic scraper in minutes, even if you're new to web scraping.

What's cool about DataGrab?

  • Point-and-click interface
  • Chrome extension
  • Cloud-based scraping
  • Automatic proxy rotation
  • CSV and JSON exports
  • Google Sheets integration

How much does it cost?

Plan Price What you get
Starter $25/month Basic scraping, limited requests
Pro Custom pricing More requests, advanced features

They offer a free trial, so you can try before you buy.

Is it easy to use?

You bet. DataGrab is great for simple, tabular data extraction. But it might struggle with complex websites or data structures.

Here's what Felix Wong, a user, had to say:

"Datagrab is one of the simplest but most effective web scraping tools I've ever used. Setting up a scraper takes less than a minute for simple sites, but still has the power I need for more complex crawling."

Pro tips:

  • Use pre-made templates to save time
  • Use proxies to avoid IP blocks when scraping at scale
  • Check the docs for help with different website structures

DataGrab is perfect for beginners and straightforward data extraction. But if you're an advanced user or need complex scraping, you might find it limiting.

10. Simplescraper

Simplescraper

Simplescraper is a Chrome extension that lets you scrape websites without coding. Here's how it works:

  1. Install the extension
  2. Go to a webpage
  3. Click the Simplescraper icon
  4. Select 'Scrape this website'
  5. Pick the data you want

The tool highlights what you're grabbing in green. You can fine-tune your selection with the small arrow or 'only this' button.

What it offers:

  • One-click scraping to Google Sheets, Airtable, and Zapier
  • Cloud-based scraping for bigger jobs
  • Automated "recipes" for regular tasks
  • Proxy rotation and CAPTCHA solving

How much it costs:

Plan Price What you get
Free Trial $0 100 credits
Starter $49/month Basic features
Enterprise Custom Advanced features, more volume

Simplescraper is great for non-coders. It's perfect for marketers, researchers, and entrepreneurs who need quick data.

A Chrome Store user said:

"Fast, simple to understand. It has saved me a lot of time!"

It's great for basic scraping, but might not cut it for complex sites or huge projects. For quick, easy scraping, though, it's tough to beat.

Good and Bad Points

Let's compare these no-code web scraping tools:

Tool Pros Cons
Apify - Easy structured data scraping
- API access
- Built-in proxy rotation
- Learning curve
- Some customization needs tech skills
Octoparse - Flexible data export
- Various extraction modes
- Works anywhere
- Free version limits
- Steep learning curve
ParseHub - User-friendly
- Free for 5 projects
- Pulls data from various apps
- Can be buggy
- Desktop app only
Import.io - Good for large URL lists
- User-friendly
- Custom crawl instructions
- Some tasks need coding
- Cloud-only
- Limited scraping features
Dexi - Many customization options
- Unique features
- Hard to use
- Confusing credits
Web Scraper - Free browser extension
- Scheduled crawling
- Poor UI
- Lacks data export
ScrapeHero - Simple setup
- User-friendly interface
- Limited self-service
Phantombuster - Not enough info - Not enough info
DataGrab - Easy to use
- Google Sheets integration
- Best for tabular data
Simplescraper - Simple interface
- One-click scraping
- Limited support

Choosing a tool? Consider these:

1. Ease of use

Simplescraper and Import.io are user-friendly. ParseHub offers beginner tutorials. Dexi? Not so easy.

2. Pricing

Scraping Robot gives 5,000 free scrapes monthly. Web Scraper has a free extension. Octoparse and ParseHub? Free versions with limits.

3. Features

Apify offers API access and proxy rotation. Octoparse? Various export formats. Web Scraper handles infinite scrolling.

4. Support

ScrapeHero: user-friendly but limited self-service. Simplescraper: one-click scraping but minimal support.

Pick based on your needs and skills. Each tool has its strengths and weaknesses.

Wrap-up

After comparing 10 no-code web scraping tools, here's the lowdown:

User Type Top Picks Why
Beginners Simplescraper, Magical User-friendly, quick setup
Intermediate Octoparse, ParseHub Versatile, balanced features
Advanced Import.io, Apify Powerful, API access, customization

Magical is a standout for newbies, scoring 9.8/10 for ease of use. It's perfect for quick, simple data grabs.

Need more oomph? Octoparse has you covered. It handles various data types and apps, making it a Swiss Army knife for scraping.

Got a big project? Import.io's your go-to. It might need some coding chops, but it's a beast with large datasets.

When picking your tool, think about:

  1. How easy is it to use?
  2. What's the cost?
  3. What features does it offer?
  4. Is there good support?

And don't forget: Always check a website's terms before scraping. Stay legal, folks!

FAQs

Which AI tool is best for web scraping?

Picking the right AI tool for web scraping boils down to your needs and tech skills. Here's a quick look at some top choices:

Tool Ideal For Standout Features
Import.io Big enterprise teams High-volume scraping, point-and-click interface, proxy management
ParseHub Those avoiding browser tools Image/file scraping, CSV/JSON exports, handles tricky sites
Octoparse Non-techies User-friendly, point-and-click, built-in templates

New to this? Octoparse might be your best bet. It's easy to use and can handle dynamic web pages.

Tackling big projects? Import.io could be your go-to. It lets you build tons of APIs and export to CSV. But watch out - some users gripe about support issues and high costs.

On a budget? ParseHub offers a free plan for small jobs. It's great if you need to grab images or files along with your data.

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