Free Web Scraping API: Extract Website Data and Get Started
Apps Manager offers a free tier for building web scraping APIs. Configure a scraper, select the data you need, and publish an endpoint that returns JSON. Use lightweight HTML parsing for static pages or a Chromium browser for pages that need JavaScript execution.
Overview & Architecture
A web scraping API provides a programmatic way to retrieve data extracted from a website. In Apps Manager, you create the scraper and API route in your application before calling it. This gives you control over the output fields, source URL, rendering mode, and access policy. Free access does not mean unlimited throughput or guaranteed access to every website.
Detailed Implementation Guides
1HTML scraping or JavaScript rendering?
Choose the lightest rendering mode that produces the data you need. Browser rendering requires more resources and should be tested against the target page.
| Mode | What it does | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| HTTP_CHEERIO | Fetches and parses HTML without executing page JavaScript | Server-rendered articles, lists, and tables |
| CHROMIUM_CDP | Loads the page in Chromium and can wait for rendered content | JavaScript interfaces and interactive workflows |
2Free tier limits and operating costs
Check current limits in your console when planning capacity. Concurrency, timeouts, account policies, and available workers affect throughput. Running an edge worker uses your own compute and network resources; external infrastructure or proxies may have their own costs.
Step-by-Step Quickstart
11. Start with the Free Explorer tier
Create an account and open an application. Review the current account and API limits in the console, and check the pricing section for the features included in the free tier.
22. Test a small extraction
Choose a page you can access, map a heading or repeated list, and run a preview. Start with the HTML engine; switch to Chromium if the data only appears after JavaScript runs.
33. Connect the scraper to an API
Save the scraper and create a dynamic API using it as the source. Choose the route and method, then configure access. For a GET route named /products, call the example below with your own app ID and key.
# First publish a GET endpoint at /products in your application. # Replace YOUR_APP_ID with the application ID shown in your console. # Keep API keys on your server, not in public browser code. curl "https://apps-manager.in/api/apps/YOUR_APP_ID/data/products" \ -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"
44. Monitor and refine
Inspect scrape runs and check output quality. Reuse cached data where appropriate, avoid unnecessary requests, and adjust selectors when the source changes. Connected edge workers can run jobs on your devices, but device resources and target restrictions still apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the web scraping API free?
Apps Manager has a Free Explorer tier with scraping and API builder features. Review the pricing section and console for current availability and limits. Free access is not a promise of unlimited requests.
Can I call the API from Python or JavaScript?
Yes. Published endpoints use HTTP, so Python requests, JavaScript fetch, and cURL can call them. Use the configured method and supply credentials when required. Keep private API keys in server-side code.
Does the API always bypass bot protection?
No. Target websites can reject requests or require human verification. Browser rendering and your own edge workers provide execution options, not guaranteed access.
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