Question 1

What is a web scraping API?

Accepted Answer

A web scraping API is a service that handles the complexity of extracting data from websites. Instead of building and maintaining your own scrapers, proxies, and browser infrastructure, you send a URL to the API and receive structured data back. AlterLab handles JavaScript rendering, anti-bot bypass, and proxy rotation automatically.

Question 2

How do I scrape websites without getting blocked?

Accepted Answer

To scrape websites without getting blocked, you need rotating residential proxies, proper browser fingerprinting, and anti-detection measures. AlterLab automatically handles all of this with a 4-tier escalation system: simple HTTP requests for basic sites, curl with TLS fingerprinting for moderate protection, headless browsers with stealth for JavaScript sites, and advanced Penetrator mode for sites with DataDome, PerimeterX, or Cloudflare protection.

Question 3

Can AlterLab bypass Cloudflare protection?

Accepted Answer

Yes, AlterLab can bypass Cloudflare protection including JavaScript challenges, Turnstile CAPTCHAs, and Bot Management. Our Penetrator system uses coherent browser identities, realistic behavioral patterns, and TLS fingerprint matching to pass Cloudflare checks. Most Cloudflare-protected sites work with our standard API; heavily protected sites may require the render_js option.

Question 4

How does AlterLab handle JavaScript-heavy websites?

Accepted Answer

AlterLab uses headless Chromium browsers to render JavaScript. When you set render_js: true in your request, we launch a full browser, wait for the page to load, execute JavaScript, and return the final HTML. This works for React, Vue, Angular, and any other JavaScript framework. We also support custom wait_for selectors to ensure dynamic content is loaded.

Question 5

What is the best web scraping API for Python?

Accepted Answer

AlterLab is designed to be the best web scraping API for Python developers. Our API is simple to use with the requests library - just POST a URL and get JSON back. We provide Python SDK examples, handle all anti-bot measures automatically, and charge only for successful requests. Unlike subscription-based APIs, AlterLab uses pay-as-you-go credits that never expire.

Question 6

How much does web scraping API cost?

Accepted Answer

AlterLab pricing is based on credits, starting at $10 for 50,000 credits. Simple HTTP scrapes cost 1 credit, JavaScript rendering costs 5 credits, and premium anti-bot bypass costs 25-50 credits. Credits never expire and there are no monthly subscriptions. This is typically 70-93% cheaper than subscription-based alternatives like ScraperAPI or ScrapingBee.

Question 7

Can I extract structured data like product prices and reviews?

Accepted Answer

Yes, AlterLab supports structured data extraction using JSON schemas. Instead of parsing HTML yourself, you can define the data structure you want (product name, price, reviews, etc.) and our AI-powered extraction returns clean JSON. This works for e-commerce sites, job boards, real estate listings, and any website with structured content.

Question 8

How do I scrape Amazon, Walmart, or other e-commerce sites?

Accepted Answer

E-commerce sites like Amazon, Walmart, and Target use advanced anti-bot protection. AlterLab handles these automatically with our Tier 4 Penetrator system. Simply send the product URL to our API with render_js: true, and we return the HTML. For structured data, use our extract_schema feature to get clean JSON with product details, prices, and reviews.

Question 9

What is the difference between AlterLab and Firecrawl?

Accepted Answer

AlterLab and Firecrawl both offer web scraping APIs, but differ in pricing and anti-bot capabilities. AlterLab uses pay-as-you-go credits (no expiration, no subscriptions) while Firecrawl requires monthly plans. AlterLab has a 4-tier anti-bot system including Penetrator for the hardest sites, while Firecrawl focuses more on document conversion and simpler sites.

Question 10

Is web scraping legal?

Accepted Answer

Web scraping public data is generally legal, but you should respect robots.txt, terms of service, and avoid scraping personal data without consent. AlterLab is designed for legitimate business use cases like price monitoring, market research, and lead generation. We recommend consulting with legal counsel for specific use cases and jurisdictions.

Question 11

How fast is the AlterLab API?

Accepted Answer

AlterLab API response times average under 2 seconds for most requests. Simple HTTP scrapes return in 200-500ms. JavaScript rendering takes 2-5 seconds depending on page complexity. For sites requiring anti-bot bypass, requests may take 5-15 seconds as we solve challenges. We support async webhooks for long-running scrapes so you do not need to wait.

Question 12

Does AlterLab work with Google Search results?

Accepted Answer

Yes, AlterLab can scrape Google Search results. We handle Google anti-bot measures and return the full SERP HTML. For structured data, use our extract_schema feature to get clean JSON with titles, URLs, snippets, and featured snippets. This is useful for SEO monitoring, keyword research, and competitive analysis.

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