Pipedream vs Apify
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Pipedream and Apify.
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Verdict: Apify wins
Apify scores 4.3/5, edging out Pipedream at 3.8/5. Developers and data teams who need web data as a recurring pipeline — prebuilt scrapers to start, custom Actors and proxy infrastructure as they scale.
Pipedream Ship faster with serverless integrations | Apify Web scraping and automation platform | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3.8 (1 review) | 4.3 (1 review) |
| Pricing Model | freemium | freemium |
| Starting Price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Best For | Developers and SaaS product teams who want managed OAuth, code-level workflows, and 3,000+ connectors without operating servers — with eyes open about the Workday acquisition. | Developers and data teams who need web data as a recurring pipeline — prebuilt scrapers to start, custom Actors and proxy infrastructure as they scale. |
| Free Tier | ||
| API Access | ||
| Team Features | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Tags | free tierapi access | free tierapi accessopen source |
| Visit Pipedream → | Visit Apify → |
Pipedream
Pros
- + Best code-step experience in the category: my normalize-and-forward pipeline went from blank to first run in under twenty minutes with replayable logs
- + Connect solves real OAuth/token plumbing for SaaS teams — 100 external users and 10,000 credits for $99/mo annual undercuts building it yourself
- + Massive ready surface: 3,000+ connectors and 10,000+ prebuilt tools/triggers, MCP servers included on all tiers (pipedream.com/pricing)
- + Security posture is documented and concrete: SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR on every tier, encrypted scoped credentials, one-call revocation
- + Free tier remains full-featured for development — every build feature, unlimited team members, no card required
Cons
- - Being acquired by Workday (definitive agreement Nov 19, 2025; expected close by Jan 31, 2026) — roadmap continuity for standalone/self-serve users is unconfirmed
- - Free plan is development-only now; any production use starts at $99/mo (Startup), a regression for solo/hobby users versus earlier years
- - Not for non-developers — no visual data mapping, and every gap means writing code
- - Credit metering (1 credit per 30s compute) makes polling or slow steps expensive; chatty workflows add up quickly
- - No self-hosting: execution and credentials live on vendor infrastructure (Business adds HIPAA and static egress IPs at enterprise cost)
Apify
Pros
- + Genuine free sandbox: $5 monthly credit covers real test runs of store Actors, not just a feature tour
- + Store breadth — flagship scrapers (Google Maps, Instagram, SERP) show 4.6–4.7 ratings across hundreds of reviews in their own store stats
- + Billing is itemized per compute unit, proxy GB and storage operation, so I could attribute a run's cost down to cents
- + First-class developer tooling: Crawlee (open source), Python and JS SDKs, CLI deploys, scheduling, webhooks, REST API
- + Proxy network (datacenter, residential, Google SERP) is integrated rather than a third-party add-on, with country-level rates published
Cons
- - Real cost is a stack of meters (Actor per-event price + compute units + proxy GB + storage) and is hard to forecast without test runs
- - Store catalog is noisy with heavy duplication — one reviewer counted 12,000+ job scrapers alone; long-tail quality is unvetted
- - Anything past running a prebuilt Actor requires coding skills and proxy knowledge
- - SSO is Enterprise-only; personal training is $150/hour; support is community-only below the $19 tier
- - Vendor's headline customer and catalog counts are self-reported and undefined — I could not verify them independently
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Pipedream or Apify?▼
Apify scores higher at 4.3/5 vs 3.8/5 for Pipedream, making it the better-rated option in our comparison.
What is the difference between Pipedream and Apify?▼
Pipedream: Pipedream is an integration platform that connects apps and APIs, giving developers ready-made connections to 3,000+ services for building automations and AI agents. Apify: Apify is a marketplace and platform of ready-made web scrapers and automation actors, with tooling to build and host your own.
Is Pipedream or Apify more affordable?▼
Pipedream starts at €0/mo, Apify starts at €0/mo. Check the comparison table above for current pricing.
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