Scraping vs API: when to use which (2026 decision guide)
For every data source there are usually two paths: an official API or web scraping. Each has very different tradeoffs in cost, reliability, terms of service and data freshness.
When the API wins
When the API is free or cheap, covers your data need, and the ToS allows your use case. Examples: Google Places API for very low volume, Twitter/X API if you can afford $42k/year.
When scraping wins
When the API doesn't exist (LinkedIn for profile data), costs too much (Twitter/X 2023+), or restricts data usage (Apollo/ZoomInfo store-only). When you need data the API doesn't expose. When you want fresh data, not a stale database.
The legal layer
Public-data scraping is broadly legal post-hiQ vs LinkedIn (2022 US 9th Circuit). ToS violations are private disputes, not crimes. For commercial use at scale, talk to a lawyer.
Tools mentioned in this guide
How Kavex compares to alternatives
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