Guide

Migration

ScrapingBee & ScraperAPI Migration Guide

Migrate from ScrapingBee or ScraperAPI to AlterLab with minimal code changes. This guide maps every parameter, compares response formats, and shows drop-in code replacements for both providers.

Two Providers, One Guide

ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI share similar parameter-based APIs. This guide covers both side by side so you can migrate from either provider in one place.

ScrapingBee Parameter Mapping

ScrapingBee uses query-string parameters on a GET endpoint. AlterLab uses a JSON body on a POST endpoint, giving you cleaner code and no URL-encoding issues.

ScrapingBee Parameter	AlterLab Equivalent	Notes
`url`	`url`	Same
`api_key`	`X-API-Key header`	Moved from query string to header
`render_js=true`	`advanced.render_js: true`	Supported
`js_scenario`	`advanced.render_js + wait_condition`	Use render_js with wait_condition for similar behavior
`premium_proxy=true`	`advanced.use_proxy: true`	Supported
`country_code`	`advanced.proxy_country`	ISO country code (e.g., "US", "DE")
`screenshot=true`	`advanced.screenshot: true`	Requires render_js: true
`extract_rules`	`formats: ["json"]`	AlterLab uses AI-powered structured extraction
`wait=5000`	`timeout: 5`	AlterLab uses seconds (1-300)
`return_page_source=true`	`formats: ["html"]`	HTML is returned by default
`block_ads=true`	`advanced.remove_cookie_banners`	Cookie banners removed by default; full ad blocking via tier escalation
`custom_google`	Not needed	AlterLab auto-detects search engines and optimizes

ScraperAPI Parameter Mapping

ScraperAPI also uses query-string parameters. Here's how each maps to AlterLab's JSON body format.

ScraperAPI Parameter	AlterLab Equivalent	Notes
`url`	`url`	Same
`api_key`	`X-API-Key header`	Moved from query string to header
`render=true`	`advanced.render_js: true`	Supported
`country_code=us`	`advanced.proxy_country: "US"`	ISO country code, case-insensitive
`premium=true`	`advanced.use_proxy: true`	Supported
`session_number`	`advanced.session_id`	AlterLab uses persistent session integrations with stored cookies
`keep_headers=true`	`headers: {...}`	Pass custom headers directly in the request body
`autoparse=true`	`formats: ["json"]`	AI-powered structured extraction, more accurate than regex parsing
`binary_target=true`	`advanced.ocr: true`	AlterLab has dedicated OCR extraction for images and PDFs
`ultra_premium=true`	`cost_controls.force_tier: "4"`	AlterLab auto-escalates tiers; force tier 4 for maximum anti-bot bypass
`output_format=json`	`formats: ["json", "text", "markdown"]`	Multiple output formats in a single request

Authentication

Both ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI pass API keys as query parameters. AlterLab uses HTTP headers instead, which is more secure and avoids leaking keys in server logs.

ScrapingBee

GET https://app.scrapingbee.com/api/v1/
  ?api_key=YOUR_KEY
  &url=https://example.com

ScraperAPI

GET http://api.scraperapi.com/
  ?api_key=YOUR_KEY
  &url=https://example.com

AlterLab

POST https://api.alterlab.io/api/v1/scrape
  -H "X-API-Key: sk_live_xxx"
  -d '{"url": "https://example.com"}'

No Keys in URLs

AlterLab keeps your API key out of URLs entirely. This prevents accidental key exposure in browser history, server access logs, and CDN caches.

Response Format

ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI return raw HTML by default. AlterLab returns a structured JSON response with content, metadata, and billing information.

ScrapingBee / ScraperAPI

<!-- Raw HTML response body -->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head><title>Example</title></head>
  <body>...</body>
</html>

Status and metadata in response headers only

AlterLab

{
  "url": "https://example.com",
  "status_code": 200,
  "content": "# Example Domain\n...",
  "title": "Example Domain",
  "metadata": { "author": "..." },
  "cached": false,
  "credits_used": 1,
  "response_time_ms": 842,
  "size_bytes": 1256
}

Structured JSON with billing, caching, and performance data

Firecrawl Compatibility Endpoint

If you need raw-HTML-style responses during migration, AlterLab also offers a Firecrawl-compatible endpoint at /api/v0/scrape that returns Firecrawl-format responses.

JavaScript Rendering

All three platforms support headless browser rendering. Here's how they compare:

Capability	ScrapingBee	ScraperAPI	AlterLab
Enable JS	`render_js=true`	`render=true`	`advanced.render_js: true`
Wait condition	`wait=ms`	`wait_for_selector`	`advanced.wait_condition` domcontentloaded \| networkidle \| load
Screenshot	`screenshot=true`	Not available	`advanced.screenshot: true`
PDF generation	Not available	Not available	`advanced.generate_pdf: true`
Auto-escalation	Manual	Manual	Automatic 4-tier system: curl → http → stealth → browser

Automatic Tier Escalation

Unlike ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI where you manually choose between basic and premium modes, AlterLab automatically escalates through four anti-bot tiers until the page loads successfully. You only pay for the tier that worked.

Proxy & Geo-Targeting

Feature	ScrapingBee	ScraperAPI	AlterLab
Residential proxy	`premium_proxy=true`	`premium=true`	`advanced.use_proxy: true`
Country targeting	`country_code`	`country_code`	`advanced.proxy_country`
Bring your own proxy	Not available	Not available	Supported advanced.use_own_proxy + proxy integrations
Proxy cost	10-75x credit multiplier	10-75x credit multiplier	+$0.0002 per request (flat add-on)

Code Examples

Migrating from ScrapingBee

Before (ScrapingBee)

import requests

response = requests.get(
    "https://app.scrapingbee.com/api/v1/",
    params={
        "api_key": "YOUR_SCRAPINGBEE_KEY",
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "render_js": "true",
        "premium_proxy": "true",
        "country_code": "us",
    }
)
html = response.text

After (AlterLab)

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.alterlab.io/api/v1/scrape",
    headers={"X-API-Key": "sk_live_xxx"},
    json={
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "advanced": {
            "render_js": True,
            "use_proxy": True,
            "proxy_country": "US",
        }
    }
)
data = response.json()
content = data["content"]

Migrating from ScraperAPI

Before (ScraperAPI)

import requests

response = requests.get(
    "http://api.scraperapi.com/",
    params={
        "api_key": "YOUR_SCRAPERAPI_KEY",
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "render": "true",
        "country_code": "us",
        "premium": "true",
    }
)
html = response.text

After (AlterLab)

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.alterlab.io/api/v1/scrape",
    headers={"X-API-Key": "sk_live_xxx"},
    json={
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "advanced": {
            "render_js": True,
            "use_proxy": True,
            "proxy_country": "US",
        }
    }
)
data = response.json()
content = data["content"]

Multi-Language Examples

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.alterlab.io/api/v1/scrape",
    headers={
        "X-API-Key": "sk_live_xxx",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    json={
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "formats": ["text", "markdown"],
        "advanced": {
            "render_js": True,
            "screenshot": True,
            "proxy_country": "US",
        },
        "cost_controls": {
            "max_tier": "3",
        }
    }
)

data = response.json()
print(f"Content: {data['content'][:100]}...")
print(f"Credits: {data['credits_used']}")
print(f"Tier used: {data.get('metadata', {}).get('tier_used')}")

Feature Parity Table

Feature	ScrapingBee	ScraperAPI	AlterLab
Basic HTTP scraping	Yes	Yes	Yes
JavaScript rendering	Yes	Yes	Yes
Residential proxies	Yes	Yes	Yes
Geo-targeting	Yes	Yes	Yes
Screenshots	Yes	No	Yes
Structured extraction	CSS rules	Auto-parse	AI-powered
PDF extraction	No	No	Yes
OCR	No	No	Yes
Markdown output	No	No	Yes
Bring your own proxy	No	No	Yes
Authenticated scraping	No	Session numbers	Full sessions
Auto anti-bot escalation	No	No	4-tier auto
Cost controls	No	No	max_tier, max_credits, fail_fast
Webhooks / async	No	Yes	Yes
Batch scraping	No	No	Yes
SDK (Python + Node)	Yes	Yes	Yes

Pricing Comparison

ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI both use credit-based subscription plans where premium features cost 10-75x more credits. AlterLab uses transparent pay-as-you-go pricing with small flat add-ons.

Aspect	ScrapingBee / ScraperAPI	AlterLab
Billing model	Monthly subscription + credit packs	Pay-as-you-go
Basic scrape	1 credit	$0.0002
JS rendering	5 credits	$0.004
Premium proxy	10-75x multiplier	+$0.0002 flat add-on
Unused credits	Expire monthly (most plans)	Balance never expires
Free tier	Limited free trial	$1 free credit on signup

No Surprise Bills

With AlterLab, you load credits and spend them. No monthly subscriptions, no expiring credit packs, no hidden multipliers. Use cost_controls to set hard spending limits per request.

What AlterLab Adds

Beyond matching ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI features, AlterLab offers capabilities neither competitor provides:

Intelligent Anti-Bot Bypass

4-tier automatic escalation system (curl, TLS fingerprinting, stealth proxy, full browser). The system learns which tier works for each domain and skips straight to it on subsequent requests.

AI-Powered Extraction

Extract structured data using natural language prompts instead of brittle CSS selectors. Get JSON output that adapts when site layouts change.

PDF & OCR Processing

Extract text from PDFs and images directly. No external tools needed. Supports scanned documents, receipts, and image-heavy pages.

Bring Your Own Proxy

Integrate your existing proxy infrastructure. AlterLab handles the scraping logic while routing through your proxies for compliance and cost control.

Granular Cost Controls

Set max_tier, max_credits, and fail_fast per request. Budget-cap individual scrapes so expensive anti-bot measures only run when you explicitly allow them.

Authenticated Scraping

Store session cookies, headers, and credentials securely. Scrape pages behind login walls without managing browser state yourself.

Try It Free

← Firecrawl Migration API Reference →

Last updated: March 2026

Guide

Migration

ScrapingBee & ScraperAPI Migration Guide

Migrate from ScrapingBee or ScraperAPI to AlterLab with minimal code changes. This guide maps every parameter, compares response formats, and shows drop-in code replacements for both providers.

Two Providers, One Guide

ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI share similar parameter-based APIs. This guide covers both side by side so you can migrate from either provider in one place.

ScrapingBee Parameter Mapping

ScrapingBee uses query-string parameters on a GET endpoint. AlterLab uses a JSON body on a POST endpoint, giving you cleaner code and no URL-encoding issues.

ScrapingBee Parameter	AlterLab Equivalent	Notes
`url`	`url`	Same
`api_key`	`X-API-Key header`	Moved from query string to header
`render_js=true`	`advanced.render_js: true`	Supported
`js_scenario`	`advanced.render_js + wait_condition`	Use render_js with wait_condition for similar behavior
`premium_proxy=true`	`advanced.use_proxy: true`	Supported
`country_code`	`advanced.proxy_country`	ISO country code (e.g., "US", "DE")
`screenshot=true`	`advanced.screenshot: true`	Requires render_js: true
`extract_rules`	`formats: ["json"]`	AlterLab uses AI-powered structured extraction
`wait=5000`	`timeout: 5`	AlterLab uses seconds (1-300)
`return_page_source=true`	`formats: ["html"]`	HTML is returned by default
`block_ads=true`	`advanced.remove_cookie_banners`	Cookie banners removed by default; full ad blocking via tier escalation
`custom_google`	Not needed	AlterLab auto-detects search engines and optimizes

ScraperAPI Parameter Mapping

ScraperAPI also uses query-string parameters. Here's how each maps to AlterLab's JSON body format.

ScraperAPI Parameter	AlterLab Equivalent	Notes
`url`	`url`	Same
`api_key`	`X-API-Key header`	Moved from query string to header
`render=true`	`advanced.render_js: true`	Supported
`country_code=us`	`advanced.proxy_country: "US"`	ISO country code, case-insensitive
`premium=true`	`advanced.use_proxy: true`	Supported
`session_number`	`advanced.session_id`	AlterLab uses persistent session integrations with stored cookies
`keep_headers=true`	`headers: {...}`	Pass custom headers directly in the request body
`autoparse=true`	`formats: ["json"]`	AI-powered structured extraction, more accurate than regex parsing
`binary_target=true`	`advanced.ocr: true`	AlterLab has dedicated OCR extraction for images and PDFs
`ultra_premium=true`	`cost_controls.force_tier: "4"`	AlterLab auto-escalates tiers; force tier 4 for maximum anti-bot bypass
`output_format=json`	`formats: ["json", "text", "markdown"]`	Multiple output formats in a single request

Authentication

Both ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI pass API keys as query parameters. AlterLab uses HTTP headers instead, which is more secure and avoids leaking keys in server logs.

ScrapingBee

GET https://app.scrapingbee.com/api/v1/
  ?api_key=YOUR_KEY
  &url=https://example.com

ScraperAPI

GET http://api.scraperapi.com/
  ?api_key=YOUR_KEY
  &url=https://example.com

AlterLab

POST https://api.alterlab.io/api/v1/scrape
  -H "X-API-Key: sk_live_xxx"
  -d '{"url": "https://example.com"}'

No Keys in URLs

AlterLab keeps your API key out of URLs entirely. This prevents accidental key exposure in browser history, server access logs, and CDN caches.

Response Format

ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI return raw HTML by default. AlterLab returns a structured JSON response with content, metadata, and billing information.

ScrapingBee / ScraperAPI

<!-- Raw HTML response body -->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head><title>Example</title></head>
  <body>...</body>
</html>

Status and metadata in response headers only

AlterLab

{
  "url": "https://example.com",
  "status_code": 200,
  "content": "# Example Domain\n...",
  "title": "Example Domain",
  "metadata": { "author": "..." },
  "cached": false,
  "credits_used": 1,
  "response_time_ms": 842,
  "size_bytes": 1256
}

Structured JSON with billing, caching, and performance data

Firecrawl Compatibility Endpoint

If you need raw-HTML-style responses during migration, AlterLab also offers a Firecrawl-compatible endpoint at /api/v0/scrape that returns Firecrawl-format responses.

JavaScript Rendering

All three platforms support headless browser rendering. Here's how they compare:

Capability	ScrapingBee	ScraperAPI	AlterLab
Enable JS	`render_js=true`	`render=true`	`advanced.render_js: true`
Wait condition	`wait=ms`	`wait_for_selector`	`advanced.wait_condition` domcontentloaded \| networkidle \| load
Screenshot	`screenshot=true`	Not available	`advanced.screenshot: true`
PDF generation	Not available	Not available	`advanced.generate_pdf: true`
Auto-escalation	Manual	Manual	Automatic 4-tier system: curl → http → stealth → browser

Automatic Tier Escalation

Proxy & Geo-Targeting

Feature	ScrapingBee	ScraperAPI	AlterLab
Residential proxy	`premium_proxy=true`	`premium=true`	`advanced.use_proxy: true`
Country targeting	`country_code`	`country_code`	`advanced.proxy_country`
Bring your own proxy	Not available	Not available	Supported advanced.use_own_proxy + proxy integrations
Proxy cost	10-75x credit multiplier	10-75x credit multiplier	+$0.0002 per request (flat add-on)

Code Examples

Migrating from ScrapingBee

Before (ScrapingBee)

import requests

response = requests.get(
    "https://app.scrapingbee.com/api/v1/",
    params={
        "api_key": "YOUR_SCRAPINGBEE_KEY",
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "render_js": "true",
        "premium_proxy": "true",
        "country_code": "us",
    }
)
html = response.text

After (AlterLab)

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.alterlab.io/api/v1/scrape",
    headers={"X-API-Key": "sk_live_xxx"},
    json={
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "advanced": {
            "render_js": True,
            "use_proxy": True,
            "proxy_country": "US",
        }
    }
)
data = response.json()
content = data["content"]

Migrating from ScraperAPI

Before (ScraperAPI)

import requests

response = requests.get(
    "http://api.scraperapi.com/",
    params={
        "api_key": "YOUR_SCRAPERAPI_KEY",
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "render": "true",
        "country_code": "us",
        "premium": "true",
    }
)
html = response.text

After (AlterLab)

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.alterlab.io/api/v1/scrape",
    headers={"X-API-Key": "sk_live_xxx"},
    json={
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "advanced": {
            "render_js": True,
            "use_proxy": True,
            "proxy_country": "US",
        }
    }
)
data = response.json()
content = data["content"]

Multi-Language Examples

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.alterlab.io/api/v1/scrape",
    headers={
        "X-API-Key": "sk_live_xxx",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    json={
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "formats": ["text", "markdown"],
        "advanced": {
            "render_js": True,
            "screenshot": True,
            "proxy_country": "US",
        },
        "cost_controls": {
            "max_tier": "3",
        }
    }
)

data = response.json()
print(f"Content: {data['content'][:100]}...")
print(f"Credits: {data['credits_used']}")
print(f"Tier used: {data.get('metadata', {}).get('tier_used')}")

Feature Parity Table

Feature	ScrapingBee	ScraperAPI	AlterLab
Basic HTTP scraping	Yes	Yes	Yes
JavaScript rendering	Yes	Yes	Yes
Residential proxies	Yes	Yes	Yes
Geo-targeting	Yes	Yes	Yes
Screenshots	Yes	No	Yes
Structured extraction	CSS rules	Auto-parse	AI-powered
PDF extraction	No	No	Yes
OCR	No	No	Yes
Markdown output	No	No	Yes
Bring your own proxy	No	No	Yes
Authenticated scraping	No	Session numbers	Full sessions
Auto anti-bot escalation	No	No	4-tier auto
Cost controls	No	No	max_tier, max_credits, fail_fast
Webhooks / async	No	Yes	Yes
Batch scraping	No	No	Yes
SDK (Python + Node)	Yes	Yes	Yes

Pricing Comparison

ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI both use credit-based subscription plans where premium features cost 10-75x more credits. AlterLab uses transparent pay-as-you-go pricing with small flat add-ons.

Aspect	ScrapingBee / ScraperAPI	AlterLab
Billing model	Monthly subscription + credit packs	Pay-as-you-go
Basic scrape	1 credit	$0.0002
JS rendering	5 credits	$0.004
Premium proxy	10-75x multiplier	+$0.0002 flat add-on
Unused credits	Expire monthly (most plans)	Balance never expires
Free tier	Limited free trial	$1 free credit on signup

No Surprise Bills

With AlterLab, you load credits and spend them. No monthly subscriptions, no expiring credit packs, no hidden multipliers. Use cost_controls to set hard spending limits per request.

What AlterLab Adds

Beyond matching ScrapingBee and ScraperAPI features, AlterLab offers capabilities neither competitor provides:

Intelligent Anti-Bot Bypass

4-tier automatic escalation system (curl, TLS fingerprinting, stealth proxy, full browser). The system learns which tier works for each domain and skips straight to it on subsequent requests.

AI-Powered Extraction

Extract structured data using natural language prompts instead of brittle CSS selectors. Get JSON output that adapts when site layouts change.

PDF & OCR Processing

Extract text from PDFs and images directly. No external tools needed. Supports scanned documents, receipts, and image-heavy pages.

Bring Your Own Proxy

Integrate your existing proxy infrastructure. AlterLab handles the scraping logic while routing through your proxies for compliance and cost control.

Granular Cost Controls

Set max_tier, max_credits, and fail_fast per request. Budget-cap individual scrapes so expensive anti-bot measures only run when you explicitly allow them.

Authenticated Scraping

Store session cookies, headers, and credentials securely. Scrape pages behind login walls without managing browser state yourself.

Try It Free

← Firecrawl Migration API Reference →

Last updated: March 2026