Head to head

Apify vs PhantomBuster

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Apify

$19/mo Free tier

Actor marketplace and scraping platform with MCP. Free includes $5 usage; paid Starter is $19/mo plus pay-as-you-go.

Where Apify fits

Builders running scrapers and agents in the cloud
GTM teams buying ready-made Store Actors
Desks that want MCP to search and run Actors
Startups that will start on Free with $5 usage

PhantomBuster

$69/mo Free tier 14 day free trial

Cloud automations for LinkedIn and the public web, with MCP on every plan. Start is $69/mo, or $56/mo billed annually.

Where PhantomBuster fits

Growth teams automating LinkedIn and Sales Nav lists
Agencies running several Phantoms in parallel
Builders wiring HubSpot, n8n, Zapier, Make, or MCP
Users who want cloud runs instead of a desktop scraper

At a glance

Detail	Apify	PhantomBuster
Starting price	$19/mo	$69/mo
Free tier	✓Yes	✓Yes
Free trial	Not on record	14 day free trial
MCP server	✓Yes	✓Yes
Public API	✓Yes	✓Yes
Listed under	Lead generation, Sourcing	Lead generation, LinkedIn, Outreach
Capterra	4.8 from 538 reviews	4.5 from 64 reviews

Where they pull apart

Apify

Stands out: Hosted MCP at mcp.apify.com plus a Store of ready-made Actors, on a prepaid usage meter with overage billed on paid plans.

Watch out: Unused prepaid usage expires each cycle. Usage beyond Starter's $19 is billed on the next invoice, and residential proxy costs extra per GB.

Not the right fit for

Buyers who need unused credits to roll over
Non-technical teams that will not operate Actors

PhantomBuster

Stands out: Hosted MCP at mcp.phantombuster.com plus 100+ Phantoms that run without your browser open.

Watch out: You act through your own social accounts, so limits and bans are on you. Execution hours, slots, and email credits all cap out. Exports on the trial are 10 rows.

Not the right fit for

Buyers who want a pre-built B2B database
Teams unwilling to connect their own LinkedIn accounts

Pros and cons

Apify

Free plan with $5 usage, no card
Starter $19/mo plus overage
Hosted MCP at mcp.apify.com

Prepaid usage expires each month
Overage on paid plans can surprise finance
Residential proxy is billed per GB extra

PhantomBuster

14-day trial, then a limited free plan
MCP, API, and HubSpot / n8n / Zapier / Make
Unlimited users sharing one workspace meter

LinkedIn risk sits on the connected account
Hours, slots, and email credits all cap out
Trial exports stop at 10 rows

What each one costs

Apify

$19/mo

Free is $0 with $5 a month of platform usage. Starter is $19/mo plus pay-as-you-go, Scale $199/mo and Business $999/mo, each including that amount of prepaid usage, with lower compute-unit rates on higher plans. Unused prepaid usage expires at the end of each cycle, extra usage is billed on the next invoice, and proxies and extra resources are add-ons. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

PhantomBuster

$69/mo

Start is $69/mo billed monthly or $56/mo billed annually ($672/year). Grow is $159/mo ($128 annual) and Scale $439/mo ($352 annual). A 14-day trial is followed by a limited free plan. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 18 Sep 2026

Common questions

Is Apify cheaper than PhantomBuster?

Apify starts lower, at $19/mo against $69/mo for PhantomBuster. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.

Can you try Apify or PhantomBuster for free?

Apify and PhantomBuster carry a free tier on our listing. PhantomBuster offers a 14 day free trial.

Does Apify or PhantomBuster have an MCP server?

Apify and PhantomBuster ship a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 19 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?