8 Bright Data Alternatives To Consider [2026 Comparison]

Bright Data built its reputation on proxy networks and large-scale web scraping, but the infrastructure comes with tradeoffs. Engineering teams spend time rotating proxies, solving CAPTCHAs, and normalizing raw HTML when they'd rather focus on the product features that differentiate their platforms.

Some teams need that level of control. Others want structured data delivered through APIs without maintaining scraping infrastructure at all.

This guide shares the top eight Bright Data alternatives, from managed scraping services to structured data providers that eliminate scraping entirely.

Why Look for Bright Data Alternatives

Bright Data handles large-scale scraping infrastructure well, but teams run into friction when costs spiral unpredictably or when setup complexity slows down product development. Here are the reasons teams look for Bright Data alternatives:

• Complex setup requires technical expertise: Configuration demands understanding proxy types, rotation settings, and scraping browser APIs. Reviews consistently cite the steep learning curve, with non-technical users spending weeks on setup instead of days.

• Billing for failed requests: When CAPTCHAs block requests or sites detect scrapers, Bright Data still charges for the attempt. Users report paying for error responses and degraded performance over time.

• Raw data needs heavy processing: Scraped HTML requires parsing, normalization, and cleanup before it's usable. Engineering teams spend time transforming unstructured data instead of building product features.

• Infrastructure maintenance overhead: Managing proxy pools, handling site layout changes, and updating selectors creates ongoing work. Teams looking for structured data often prefer APIs that skip scraping entirely.

Top 8 Bright Data Alternatives to Try in 2026

Bright Data alternatives fall into two categories: managed scraping services that handle proxy infrastructure for you, and structured data APIs that skip scraping entirely. Pricing models range from pay-per-request to usage-based credits, with API quality varying from basic REST endpoints to webhook-native architectures.

Here's how the eight alternatives compare:

1. Crustdata

Crustdata serves teams building AI agents, sales automation, and recruiting platforms, where real-time signals determine whether you reach prospects before competitors do. Rather than requiring teams to scrape and parse raw HTML, it delivers structured company, people, and web data through APIs and webhooks.

Key Features

• Live data crawling and real-time data enrichment: Crawls web sources at the moment of request instead of pulling from cached databases, then pushes webhook notifications when specific events occur, like executive movements or funding announcements

• Multi-source intelligence aggregation: Combines 250+ company data points and 90+ people data points from 16 sources, including SEC filings, and web traffic metrics

• Event-driven Watcher API: Subscribe to specific companies or people and receive instant alerts when job changes, promotions, funding rounds, or hiring patterns shift

• Web Search API for structured data: Converts unstructured web content into clean JSON for researching founder backgrounds, tracking product launches, or monitoring company news without managing scrapers

• API-first architecture: REST endpoints integrate directly with CRM systems, workflow tools, and AI agent platforms for automated list building and prospect scoring

Pros

• Crawls data in real time instead of querying static databases, reducing data decay

• Aggregates diverse signals beyond standard B2B data through web search and multi-source integration

• Streams events through webhooks, eliminating polling delays for time-sensitive workflows

• Optimizes specifically for AI agents and automated systems rather than manual prospecting

Cons

• Needs development resources for API integration

• Generates alert noise without a proper filtering setup

Pricing

Crustdata uses custom pricing based on usage credits, with a free trial available for testing workflows.

2. ScraperAPI

ScraperAPI targets developers who need simple scraping without managing proxy infrastructure. Through a single API endpoint, the service handles proxy rotation, CAPTCHA solving, and headless browsers, eliminating the need to build and maintain scraping infrastructure.

Key Features

• Automatic proxy rotation and management: Rotates IP addresses with each request across residential, datacenter, and mobile proxies without requiring manual configuration

• CAPTCHA and anti-bot bypass: Solves CAPTCHAs automatically and handles anti-bot detection mechanisms through machine learning algorithms

• JavaScript rendering support: Renders dynamic JavaScript content using headless browsers when needed, charged at additional credits per request

• Structured data parsing: Returns parsed JSON data for Amazon, Google Shopping, and Walmart without writing custom parsers

• DataPipeline scheduling: Automates scraping jobs on recurring schedules and delivers results without writing deployment code

Pros

• Handles proxy management automatically, eliminating the need to maintain proxy pools

• Integrates with multiple programming languages, including Python, Node.js, PHP, Ruby, and Java

• Provides an API playground for testing request costs before running actual scrapes

Cons

• Costs escalate quickly when using premium proxies or JavaScript rendering at 10+ credits per request

• Limits geotargeting to the US and EU regions on entry-level plans

Pricing

ScraperAPI offers a 7-day free trial with 5,000 credits, with paid plans starting at $49 monthly for 100,000 API credits.

3. Oxylabs

Oxylabs serves enterprise teams that require large-scale data-collection infrastructure, with dedicated account management and compliance support. Organizations running millions of requests monthly get access to residential proxies, datacenter proxies, mobile proxies, and managed Web Scraper APIs.

Key Features

• Web Scraper API with automatic parsing: Handles proxy rotation, CAPTCHA solving, and JavaScript rendering while returning structured data for e-commerce, search engines, and real estate sites

• Machine learning-driven proxy selection: Automatically selects optimal proxy types based on target complexity without manual configuration

• OxyCopilot AI assistant: Generates scraping code and parsing instructions automatically through natural language prompts, eliminating manual coding

• Custom browser instructions: Executes mouse clicks, text input, scrolling, and waiting for elements through simple parameters without building a headless browser automation

• SOC 2 Type 1 certified infrastructure: Meets security, availability, and confidentiality standards with independent audit verification

Pros

• Provides extensive geographic coverage with 195 countries for localized data collection

• Supports multiple output formats, including JSON, HTML, PNG screenshots, and Markdown for LLM workflows

• Offers dedicated account managers and technical support for enterprise customers

Cons

• Runs significantly more expensive than competitors, particularly for residential proxies

• Requires contacting sales for most pricing information without published rates

Pricing

Oxylabs residential proxies start at $8 per GB with pay-as-you-go available, while Web Scraper API starts at $49 monthly. Datacenter proxies offer a free trial, and dedicated datacenter proxies start at $2.25 per IP.

4. Decodo (Formerly Smartproxy)

Decodo serves small- to mid-sized teams that need affordable residential proxies without enterprise-level commitments. The platform offers 115 million residential IPs across 195 locations with straightforward pricing and browser extensions that simplify proxy management for non-technical users.

Key Features

• Rotating and sticky session options: Automatically rotates IPs with each request or maintains a single IP for 1-60 minutes using sticky sessions

• Chrome and Firefox extensions: Toggle proxies on and off directly from the browser without manually entering settings each time

• HTTP and SOCKS5 protocol support: Works with web scraping, automation tools, and applications requiring either protocol

• Pay-as-you-go and subscription options: Choose between monthly plans or pay only for bandwidth used on one-off projects

• No-code scraping tools: Includes Site Unblocker for bypassing CAPTCHAs and anti-bot measures without writing scraper code

Pros

• Offers beginner-friendly setup with browser extensions and simple dashboard navigation

• Includes free AI Parser and additional tools with plan subscriptions

• Supports unlimited concurrent connections with full API access for advanced users

Cons

• Runs more expensive for small users compared to bulk purchasers due to per-GB pricing structure

• Changed fair usage policy on ISP proxies without user notification, adding 100GB per IP limits

Pricing

Decodo residential proxies start at $1.5 per GB, ISP proxies at $0.27 per IP, mobile proxies at $2.25 per GB, and datacenter proxies at $0.02 per IP. Scraping APIs start at $0.08 per 1,000 requests, while Site Unblocker costs $0.95 per 1,000 requests.

5. Apify

Apify targets teams building custom scrapers with pre-built templates and cloud infrastructure for deployment. As a marketplace where developers publish reusable scraping scripts called Actors, it provides over 1,500 ready-made options for scraping specific sites or creating custom automation workflows.

Key Features

• Supports custom Actor development in JavaScript and Python: Enables building proprietary scrapers using Crawlee library, Puppeteer, Playwright, or Scrapy with full SDK support for complex requirements

• Runs scrapers on cloud infrastructure with scheduling: Executes scrapers on Apify's servers with automated scheduling, monitoring, and 15+ export formats, including JSON, CSV, and Excel

• Uses compute units pricing model: Charges pay-as-you-go based on CPU, memory, and proxy usage consumed during scraper runs

• Integrates through webhooks and REST API: Connects multiple Actors together, triggers workflows automatically, and integrates with external systems

• Chains Actors into multi-step workflows: Links multiple scrapers in sequence to build data extraction pipelines without separate orchestration tools

Pros

• Charges only for actual compute resources used, avoiding fixed monthly fees

• Provides production-grade infrastructure with monitoring, logging, and debugging tools

• Supports local development and testing before deploying to the cloud

Cons

• Requires technical knowledge to optimize configurations and understand proxy settings

• Creates overwhelming choices in the marketplace for beginners unfamiliar with Actor quality differences

Pricing

Apify offers a free plan with $5 monthly platform credits, with paid plans starting at $29 monthly for the Starter tier.

6. Zyte

Zyte serves organizations needing fully managed scraping services with human-in-the-loop quality control and enterprise support. Combining automatic unblocking, AI-powered extraction, and managed data delivery services, it's designed for teams that prefer to outsource scraper development and maintenance entirely.

Key Features

• Provides all-in-one Zyte API with automated unblocking: Combines proxy management, browser rendering, and anti-bot detection in a single API that automatically selects optimal techniques based on target complexity

• Delivers AI-powered structured data extraction: Uses machine learning models to automatically parse pages and extract structured data across product listings, news articles, and job postings without writing custom parsers

• Offers managed Data Services with quality control: Provides fully managed scraping where Zyte's team builds, maintains, and delivers validated data feeds aligned to customer schemas and schedules

• Operates Scrapy Cloud for custom scraper deployment: Hosts and scales Scrapy-based crawlers in cloud infrastructure with monitoring, scheduling, and auto-scaling without maintaining servers

• Includes enterprise-grade support and SLAs: Provides 24/7 premium support with service level agreements for enterprise customers, standard Monday-Friday support for others

Pros

• Charges only for successful responses, making rate-limiting and failed requests free

• Adapts automatically to website structure changes through AI, reducing scraper maintenance

• Locks the enterprise pricing for the full year to prevent budget surprises from tier changes

Cons

• Creates a learning curve for teams transitioning from simple proxy services to coded extraction

• Requires spending limits that suspend accounts when reached until the next billing cycle

Pricing

Zyte API starts at $0.13 per 1,000 HTTP requests, with standard plans beginning at a $100 spending limit, while Scrapy Cloud costs $9 per unit monthly.

7. IPRoyal

IPRoyal delivers budget-friendly proxy infrastructure for small businesses and individual developers who need residential, datacenter, ISP, and mobile proxies without enterprise-level commitments. Founded in 2020, the platform sources residential IPs through its Pawns.app program where users share internet bandwidth in exchange for compensation.

Key Features

• Offers 34M+ IPs across four proxy types: Provides 32M residential, dedicated datacenter, static ISP, and 4.5M mobile proxies across 195 countries with city-level targeting

• Supports unlimited bandwidth on select plans: Delivers unrestricted traffic with datacenter and ISP subscriptions, while residential and mobile use pay-as-you-go metering

• Features rotating and sticky session options: Rotates IPs automatically at 1, 10, or 30-minute intervals or maintains the same address for extended periods

• Includes non-expiring residential traffic: Purchased bandwidth remains available indefinitely without monthly expiration deadlines

• Supports SOCKS5 and HTTP/HTTPS protocols: Handles various traffic types, including web browsing, FTP, and SMTP

Pros

• Offers flexible pricing with pay-as-you-go and subscription models for variable usage patterns

• Provides ethically sourced residential IPs through direct ISP partnerships rather than P2P networks

• Features unlimited bandwidth on datacenter and ISP proxy plans without traffic restrictions

Cons

• Operates a 24-hour refund window versus competitors offering 7-14 days

• Reports occasional blocks on platforms like Instagram and Google

Pricing

IPRoyal residential proxies start at $1.75 per GB, ISP proxies at $2.40 per proxy , datacenter proxies at $1.39 per proxy, and mobile proxies at $10.11 per day. 

8. NetNut

NetNut operates premium proxy infrastructure sourced directly from ISPs rather than peer-to-peer networks, delivering static residential proxies with 24/7 availability and one-hop connectivity. Businesses requiring high-speed, reliable proxy access for web scraping, market research, and ad verification get infrastructure that doesn't rely on consumer devices.

Key Features

• Sources residential IPs directly from 100+ ISPs globally: Acquires proxies through DiviNetworks partnerships with internet service providers rather than peer-to-peer networks, eliminating reliance on end-user devices

• Provides 85M+ rotating residential and 1M+ static ISP proxies: Offers rotating residential proxies across 195 countries, plus static residential proxies with guaranteed 24/7 uptime and real browsing history

• Delivers fast response times with direct connectivity: Achieves 0.6-second average response times through one-hop ISP connections, outperforming competitors using multi-hop peer-to-peer routing

• Supports unlimited concurrent requests at scale: Handles high-volume operations with customers sending 30M+ daily requests without concurrency limits or performance degradation

• Includes Website Unblocker and SERP Scraper APIs: Provides dedicated APIs for bypassing anti-bot systems and extracting search engine results beyond core proxy infrastructure

Pros

• Sources IPs B2B from ISPs, alleviating consent and personal data compliance concerns

• Provides responsive dedicated account managers for production-tier plans

• Maintains stable connections with minimal disconnections 

Cons

• Lacks an intuitive management dashboard and requires technical knowledge for setup

• Struggles integrating with automation tools like Postman or Selenium for complex workflows

Pricing

NetNut residential proxies start at $1.59 per GB, static residential at $3.82 per GB, mobile at $3.82 per GB, and datacenter at $0.45 per GB. A 7-day free trial is available.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Bright Data Alternatives for Web Data and Proxy

Selecting the right alternative depends on your data collection needs and technical setup. Focus on these key areas when evaluating options:

• Project scale: Per-request pricing works best for under 100K monthly requests, while bandwidth models work best for higher volumes. Pay-per-GB costs can spike unexpectedly when sites serve heavier pages.

• Team resources: Managed data APIs deliver structured information without coding, ideal for non-technical teams. Engineering teams can save costs using proxy infrastructure and building custom solutions.

• Data freshness: Real-time APIs provide on-demand data for time-sensitive workflows, such as sales prospecting. Pre-collected datasets work fine for research projects that can tolerate daily updates.

• Geographic needs: Verify actual IP density in your target markets. Many providers advertise global coverage but concentrate quality proxies in the US and Western Europe.

Why Crustdata Ranks Among Top Bright Data Alternatives

Bright Data excels at general web scraping across any website, leveraging its proxy infrastructure and custom scrapers. Crustdata takes a different approach by specializing in structured B2B intelligence delivered through APIs.

This distinction matters for teams building sales automation, AI agents, or recruiting platforms. Instead of managing proxies and building scrapers for company data, you call an API and receive pre-structured B2B intelligence.

Crustdata specializes in B2B data through specific features:

• Real-time crawling at the moment of request: Each API call triggers live data collection from current sources, not pre-compiled databases updated monthly

• Unified API combining 10+ sources: Merges data from work history, job postings, funding announcements, and employee reviews into single clean records with unique identifiers

• Social media integration for AI platforms: Provides access to social posts from people and companies for personalization and signal detection in AI SDR workflows

• Advanced webhook functionality beyond job changes: Watcher API sends alerts for funding rounds, executive hires, social media activity, and hiring patterns for triggered workflows

• Web Search API for combining structured and qualitative data: Pulls live search results, including press releases, podcasts, interviews, and announcements that traditional B2B databases don't capture, giving AI agents a fuller context for personalization

Crustdata eliminates the need to build and maintain scrapers when your focus is specifically on B2B intelligence for sales, recruiting, or AI platforms.

Need real-time B2B data for your platform? 

Request a demo to see Crustdata's live enrichment in action.