If you’re serious about finding B2B leads online, you’ve probably realized that good web data doesn’t just fall into your lap. Scraping public info at scale—especially for sales, growth, or market research—can be a pain. Sites change layouts, add anti-bot roadblocks, or just make things fiddly. So, it’s no wonder tools like Scrapingbee and its competitors are popping up everywhere, each promising to make B2B lead extraction “easy” and “scalable.” But what actually works? And what’s going to waste your time (or budget)?
This guide is for founders, marketers, and tech folks who want the straight story on data extraction tools for B2B lead gen—without the sales pitch.
Why Manual Lead Generation Doesn’t Scale
Let’s be honest: Hand-picking leads on LinkedIn or Google is fine for your first few clients, but you’ll hit a wall fast. Here’s why most teams look for automated data extraction:
- Manual prospecting is slow. Even with browser plugins, it’s hours of clicking for a handful of emails or names.
- Sites change, bots break. Many B2B leads hide behind JavaScript-driven pages, infinite scroll, or login walls.
- Anti-bot tools are everywhere. Captchas, rate limits, and IP bans are the new normal.
So, if you want to find new customers outside your personal network, you’ll need a tool that can handle scale, reliability, and (ideally) not get your IP blacklisted.
What Makes a Good Data Extraction Tool for B2B?
Before you compare Scrapingbee to the rest, get clear on what you actually need. A good data extraction tool for B2B should:
- Handle dynamic websites (think LinkedIn, company directories, review sites).
- Rotate proxies and user agents to avoid bans.
- Let you scrape at volume, on a schedule, and without babysitting.
- Output clean, structured data (CSV, JSON, etc.).
- Not break your budget.
Extras like built-in email finding or CRM integrations are nice, but don’t get distracted by flashy dashboards if the basics aren’t solid.
Meet the Contenders: Scrapingbee and Its Rivals
Let’s size up Scrapingbee against some of the most popular alternatives. We’ll look at:
- Scrapingbee
- Bright Data (formerly Luminati)
- Oxylabs
- Apify
- Zyte (formerly Scrapinghub)
- Self-hosted options (like open-source scrapers + your own proxies)
I’ll call out what each does well, where they fall short, and who should skip them.
1. Scrapingbee
What it does: Scrapingbee is a web scraping API built for developers who want to fetch web pages (including those rendered with JavaScript) without messing with proxies or browser automation. You send it a URL, it sends you back the HTML or a rendered screenshot.
Pros: - Handles JavaScript-heavy sites out of the box. - Built-in proxy rotation and browser rendering—no fiddling with headless Chrome yourself. - Simple API, good docs, and clear pricing.
Cons: - Not a “no-code” tool—if you can’t write some Python or JavaScript, you’ll need help. - Doesn’t extract data fields for you; you still need to parse the HTML or use a parser like BeautifulSoup. - No built-in CRM/email enrichment.
Best for: Tech teams who want a reliable, low-fuss scraping backend that scales with them.
Pro Tip: If you just want to “get the data,” pair Scrapingbee with a parsing library (e.g., Cheerio for Node.js, BeautifulSoup for Python) and you’ve got a lean, powerful stack.
2. Bright Data (Luminati)
What it does: Bright Data is a giant proxy provider with scraping APIs and browser automation tools. They have residential, datacenter, and mobile proxies—basically, all the IP types you could want.
Pros: - Massive proxy pool, so you can scrape most sites without bans. - Lots of targeting options (location, device, ASN). - Web Scraper IDE for building more complex jobs.
Cons: - Expensive—pay by bandwidth, and it adds up quickly. - Steeper learning curve; not for beginners. - Some sites don’t like Bright Data IPs (especially at scale).
Best for: Teams scraping at serious scale, or those who need to get around tough anti-bot measures.
Skip if: You only need a few thousand leads a month, or want something plug-and-play.
3. Oxylabs
What it does: Similar to Bright Data, Oxylabs focuses on proxies (especially residential and datacenter) and web scraping APIs.
Pros: - Excellent uptime and speed. - Good API documentation. - Some “off-the-shelf” scrapers for e-commerce sites.
Cons: - Pricing isn’t transparent; requires sales calls for many plans. - No built-in lead enrichment or CRM-focused features.
Best for: Enterprises with big budgets and custom needs.
Skip if: You’re a startup or solo founder—too much overhead.
4. Apify
What it does: Apify is a cloud platform for running and scheduling scraping “actors” (bots). Offers both ready-made scrapers (for LinkedIn, Google Maps, etc.) and the ability to build your own.
Pros: - Marketplace of pre-built scrapers—huge time saver. - Schedule recurring jobs and get data delivered to Google Sheets, S3, etc. - No need to manage your own infrastructure.
Cons: - Some actors break when sites update—marketplace quality varies. - Advanced customization requires JavaScript know-how. - Can get expensive with large volumes or complex flows.
Best for: Teams that want to hit the ground running with plug-and-play scrapers, but still have the option to go deep.
Pro Tip: Vet marketplace actors carefully. Look for recent updates and active support.
5. Zyte (Scrapinghub)
What it does: Zyte is a veteran in the scraping space, offering both proxy management and a cloud-based scraping platform. They also have a “Smart Proxy Manager” and some prebuilt extractors.
Pros: - Handles proxy rotation, browser rendering, and anti-bot evasion. - Robust scheduling and result delivery. - Some “point-and-click” extractors for common sites.
Cons: - Pricing is confusing—multiple products, lots of add-ons. - Prebuilt extractors don’t cover every B2B use case. - Not the easiest onboarding for non-technical users.
Best for: Teams that need a managed scraping stack and don’t mind paying for it.
Skip if: You want a simple, single-purpose tool.
6. Self-hosted Open Source Solutions
What it does: Build your own with open-source tools like Scrapy, Puppeteer, or Playwright, plus your own proxy setup.
Pros: - Maximum control, minimal ongoing fees. - Tons of community guides and plugins. - Can be as simple or complex as you need.
Cons: - You’re on the hook for maintenance, updates, and avoiding bans. - Proxy management is tricky at scale. - No support if things break.
Best for: Developers who want full control and know what they’re doing.
Skip if: You want to focus on sales, not DevOps.
What Actually Matters for B2B Lead Gen
Alright, so which tool should you use? Here’s how to cut through the noise:
1. Don’t Overcomplicate It
Most B2B teams overestimate what they need. If 80% of your leads are on a handful of sites (say, Crunchbase, LinkedIn, or company directories), start with a tool that works for those. Don’t buy a “Swiss Army knife” if you just need a screwdriver.
2. Beware the “No-Code” Trap
Many tools promise no coding required. Some deliver; many don’t. If you want real flexibility—field mapping, schedule controls, custom logic—you’ll almost always need to get your hands dirty. Scrapingbee and Apify strike a decent balance here.
3. Plan for Site Changes
Sites update, anti-bot rules get tougher, and scrapers break. Build in time for maintenance. Tools with active support and clear documentation (like Scrapingbee or Apify) will save you headaches.
4. Don’t Expect Magic Email Enrichment
Most scraping tools just give you what’s on the page. Don’t expect them to “find anyone’s email.” For enrichment (like appending emails or social profiles), you’ll need a separate tool or service—think Hunter.io, Snov.io, or manual research.
5. Budget: Start Small, Scale Up
Pricing varies wildly. Scrapingbee is affordable for most startups and scales well. Bright Data or Oxylabs can get pricey fast. Always start with the lowest tier that meets your needs, and only upgrade if you hit limits.
Real-World Setups That Work
Here’s how teams actually use these tools for B2B lead generation:
- Bootstrapped Startup: Scrapingbee + Python scripts + Google Sheets. Simple, cheap, reliable.
- Mid-size Growth Team: Apify actors for LinkedIn + enrichment with Snov.io + scheduled data dumps to CRM.
- Enterprise Sales: Custom Scrapy or Playwright setup + Bright Data proxies + in-house data ops team.
Notice what’s missing? Bloated, “all-in-one” scraping platforms that promise to do everything. Most teams end up with a few focused tools glued together.
Skip the Hype: How to Choose (and Keep Your Sanity)
- List the sites you need to scrape. Be specific. If it’s just LinkedIn or Google Maps, find something purpose-built.
- Decide if you need code or no-code. If you or your team can code, go for flexibility (Scrapingbee, Apify custom actors). If not, try marketplace actors or specialized tools.
- Run a small test. Don’t buy annual plans or commit big budgets until you’ve scraped a few hundred leads and verified the data quality.
- Expect ongoing tweaks. No tool is set-and-forget. Sites change, selectors break, or you need new fields.
- Ignore the hype. Fancy dashboards don’t find you more leads. Reliable data and simple workflows do.
Keep It Simple—Iterate as You Grow
There’s no “perfect” scraping tool for B2B lead gen, and anyone who says otherwise hasn’t spent enough time cleaning messy CSVs. Start small. Use the simplest tool that gets the job done. And when you hit a wall, upgrade—don’t rebuild everything from scratch.
Web scraping for B2B is more about patience and process than magic tools. Focus on what actually moves the needle, and you’ll avoid a lot of wasted time (and money).