ScraperAPI vs Scrapewise

ScraperAPI

One GET request with a key and a URL returns a page, and the MCP server's 28 tools carry read-only and destructive hints. No status page, OpenAPI file, security.txt or certification was found, and the documented default puts the API key in the URL query string.

Scrapewise

Agents get 14 priced MCP tools by default, each with a free quote_only price check and idempotency keys, read-only or full-access keys, and public euro prices from €0.15 per 1,000 plain pages. There is no status page, SLA or vulnerability disclosure policy, and the terms claim ownership of all scraped data under a perpetual licence.

ScraperAPI

1. Set the client timeout to 70 seconds. The API retries for that long before it returns 500, and a request cancelled earlier is still charged
2. Send the key as the x-sapi-api_key header to keep it out of URLs and logs
3. Pass max_cost on each request, or call /account/urlcost first, because domain and anti-bot surcharges vary from 1 to 75 credits
4. Use output_format=markdown or text to cut response size, and autoparse=true only on supported domains
5. On 429 reduce concurrency to the plan limit (5 on Free, 20 on Hobby). The request is rejected, not queued

Scrapewise

1. Call each paid tool with quote_only: true first, then repeat with the same idempotency_key so a retry is charged once
2. Connect to https://mcp.scrapewise.ai/mcp?toolsets=outcome,admin to build scrapers; a misspelt toolsets is ignored silently and leaves the 14 data tools
3. Use an LLM_READ key unless the task needs paid tools or writes, since LLM_FULL has no per-tool consent
4. Treat 402 WALLET_INSUFFICIENT_BALANCE as final and ask the user to top up; on 429 wait for Retry-After, and on 429 cost_exceeded wait for the next hour
5. Scrape many addresses with one scrapewise_run_scraper_url_list call (up to 5,000) and retry with the same name, never one scraper per address