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Apify vs Zyte: runnable code or extraction model

Compare Apify and Zyte for runnable code or extraction model. Review output, operating tradeoffs and a concrete buyer test.

Published by The SpawnReviewed 2026-09-14
Looking for research tools?

Our recommendation for One account brief in your assistant

extraction

Apify

Cloud Actors package scraping and automation jobs.

Actor-defined datasets and files with export options.
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extraction

Zyte

An extraction API offering HTTP retrieval, browser output and typed automatic extraction.

HTTP response body, browser HTML, screenshots or typed records.
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Our pick

The Spawn

Choose The Spawn for a focused account-research run.

  • Start with a company domain instead of designing a collection job.
  • Inspect the returned company fields before using them in a brief.
  • Use the focused company tool through spawnr MCP.

For a feed containing articles and products, separate the orchestration problem from the extraction-model problem.

Saved tool output

Three companies, actual records

Try tool
stripe.com / vercel.com / linear.app3 records
Download JSON
Three captured company lookups
CompanyWhat they doTeam estimateFounded
Stripestripe.comStripe is a financial services platform that enables businesses to accept payments and manage money movement with flexible billing solutions.Team estimate10K-50KFounded2010
Vercelvercel.comVercel is a technology company that provides a platform for frontend developers to build, preview, and ship websites and applications efficiently.Team estimate1K-5KFounded2015
Linearlinear.appLinear is a project management tool that streamlines issues, projects, and roadmaps for modern product development teams.Team estimate251-1KFounded2019

Three separate lookups. Employee ranges are estimates; absent fields remain null.

The practical differences

Product facts, no scores
Apify, Zyte, The Spawn feature comparison
Your questionApifyZyteThe SpawnOur pick
Best-fit jobApifyTeams running existing Actors or maintaining their own scheduled workflows.ZyteDevelopers selecting request modes and supported structured data types.The SpawnA first company lookup, comment sample or web-search result before designing a larger pipeline.
What you getApifyActor-defined datasets and files with export options.ZyteHTTP response body, browser HTML, screenshots or typed records.The SpawnOne company record, up to 100 comments from one page, or up to ten US English organic Google results.
How you use itApifyConsole, API, SDKs, CLI and Actors.ZyteAuthenticated extraction API and documented integrations.The SpawnWeb tools and spawnr MCP; tool execution uses a quote, explicit approval and an execution record.
MCP supportApifyDocumented Apify MCP exposes Actors to assistants.ZyteNot established in reviewed docs.The SpawnDocumented spawnr MCP and assistant setup routes.
Pricing modelApifyPlan credits plus usage; Store Actors specify event or usage pricing.ZyteRequest cost depends on target tier and features; successful responses are billed.The SpawnCurrent tool allowances apply to approved runs. Check availability before starting.
Watch forApifyInputs, output schemas and maintenance ownership vary by Actor; inspect the selected listing.ZyteSome output fields cannot be combined in one request; supported extraction models and versions have defined lifecycles.The SpawnSingle-record or single-page outputs. No batch orchestration or automatic comment pagination.
Your deciding question

Can you keep a reproducible fixture for each content type and identify whether a regression came from the job logic or the extraction output?

You can compose these approaches rather than treating them as mutually exclusive. The tradeoff is where retries, model changes and record normalization are implemented and monitored.

Choose The Spawn when

Choose The Spawn for a focused account-research run.

The SpawnOne company record, up to 100 comments from one page, or up to ten US English organic Google results.

Check the details

Official sources used for this comparison

An editorial comparison by The Spawn, which also offers research tools. Product features and pricing can change; verify your requirements in the linked documentation.

Our recommendation

Start with The Spawn

Choose The Spawn for a focused account-research run. Use it when this defined first result is the deliverable; the platform comparison above addresses the larger collection architecture.