SnapRender vs ScrapingBee
Screenshots & Scraping from $9/mo
ScrapingBee is a mature, well-regarded scraping platform. But their JS rendering eats 5 credits per request by default, and their cheapest plan starts at $49/mo. SnapRender gives you screenshots, PDFs, markdown, and Cloudflare bypass from $9/mo with zero credit multipliers.
Feature comparison
| Feature | ScrapingBee | SnapRender |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $49/mo (Freelance) | $9/mo (Starter) |
| JS rendering cost | 5 credits/request (on by default) | 1 request = 1 request |
| Stealth proxy cost | 75 credits/request | Cloudflare bypass included |
| Mid-tier plan | $99/mo (Startup) | $29/mo (Growth) |
| Screenshot API | Basic (extra credits) | |
| PDF generation | ||
| Markdown output | ||
| Google Search API | ||
| Cloudflare bypass | 75 credits/req | Included free |
| Credit multipliers | 5x-75x | None |
| Free tier | 1,000 credits | 100 requests/mo (refreshes) |
JS rendering is on by default
ScrapingBee enables JavaScript rendering by default on all requests. That means every request costs 5 credits instead of 1. Their $49/mo Freelance plan advertises 150,000 credits, but with JS rendering on, you actually get about 30,000 requests.
You can disable JS rendering to get the full 150K, but then you can't scrape SPAs, React apps, or any page that relies on JavaScript to load content. It's a trade-off that's easy to miss until you see your bill.
SnapRender charges the same rate regardless of output format. A screenshot, a PDF, a markdown extraction, and an HTML render all cost exactly one request. No surprises.
When to choose each
When to choose ScrapingBee
- You need a mature, battle-tested scraping platform
- Google Search Results API is critical for your workflow
- You need stealth proxies for heavily protected sites
- You want a large ecosystem with SDKs in many languages
When to choose SnapRender
- You need PDFs and markdown alongside screenshots
- You want transparent, flat pricing with no credit math
- Your budget is under $50/mo
- Cloudflare bypass should be included, not a premium add-on
Frequently asked questions
ScrapingBee enables JavaScript rendering by default, which costs 5 credits per request. Their Freelance plan ($49/mo) includes 150,000 credits, but with JS rendering on that's only 30,000 actual requests. If you disable JS rendering, you get the full 150K — but then you lose the ability to scrape SPAs and dynamic content.
ScrapingBee added a screenshot endpoint, but it consumes additional credits and is not their core focus. SnapRender was built for rendering from day one — screenshots, PDFs, and markdown are all first-class output formats at the same flat price per request.
No. ScrapingBee offers a dedicated Google Search Results API, which is genuinely useful if you need SERP data. SnapRender focuses on rendering individual URLs — screenshots, PDFs, HTML, and markdown extraction.
Yes. SnapRender includes built-in FlareSolverr integration at no extra cost. Add use_flaresolverr: true to any request. ScrapingBee uses a "stealth proxy" approach for anti-bot bypass, which works well but costs 75 credits per request on their platform.
Yes. SnapRender starts at $9/mo for 1,500 requests with no credit multipliers. ScrapingBee starts at $49/mo. For developers and small teams who need fewer than 5,000 requests/month, SnapRender is significantly more affordable.
Ready to switch?
Start free with 100 requests/month. No credit card required. Upgrade when you need more.
Start Free — 100 requests/month