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It's a split decision.
YepAPI is a usage-billed API for developers who want SEO, scraping, social and e-commerce data, plus AI models, through one key and JSON responses. Lobstr.io is a hosted scraper platform with a dashboard, API and MCP access to 79 ready-made scrapers. Pick YepAPI for varied endpoints and pay-per-call usage; pick Lobstr.io for scheduled collection, scraper-specific enrichment and exports to services such as S3 or Google Sheets.
01Side by side
| YepAPI | Lobstr.io | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Pay per call; no monthly fee | Monthly plans with credit allowances |
| Free tier | $5 signup credit | 100 credits per month |
| API surface | SEO, scraping, social, commerce, AI | Run ready-made scrapers by API |
| CLI and docs | Docs, llms.txt, MCP, agent skills | API, MCP server, CLI, documentation |
| Integrations | Claude Code, Cursor, Codex | Sheets, S3, SFTP, webhooks, email |
| Deployment model | Hosted API | Cloud scraper runs |
| Limits and scaling | No rate limits | Plan-based concurrent-run caps |
| Data handling | JSON API responses | Unlimited exports; results retained by plan |
YepAPI Choose YepAPI if
- Choose YepAPI if you need SEO, scraping, social and AI endpoints under one API key.
- Choose YepAPI if pay-per-call billing fits better than a monthly credit plan.
- Choose YepAPI if you want JSON responses and no published rate limits.
Lobstr.io Choose Lobstr.io if
- Choose Lobstr.io if ready-made scrapers cover the sites and fields you need.
- Choose Lobstr.io if you need scheduled runs or scraper-specific enrichment.
- Choose Lobstr.io if direct exports to Sheets, S3, SFTP or webhooks fit your pipeline.
02Pricing at real usage
YepAPI charges by API call or other metered unit, with no subscription or monthly minimum. The pricing page lists a $5 signup credit, Google SERP calls from $0.01, and failed calls as uncharged. Its homepage lists web scraping at $0.01 per call and keyword overview from $0.03; other endpoints and models have their own prices. Check each endpoint before estimating a workload.
Lobstr.io includes 100 credits per month on its free plan, with one concurrent run and seven-day result retention. Paid plans start at Starter: $20 monthly, or $16 per month when billed annually, for 10,000 credits. Pro is $100 monthly or $80 annually per month for 100,000 credits; Team is $500 or $400 for 1,000,000 credits. Enrichment extras consume credits per result, so costs grow with results and selected extras. Credit use depends on the scraper; don't treat credits as equivalent to API calls.
03API, SDKs and integration
YepAPI exposes endpoints for SEO, SERP data, scraping, social and commerce data, and AI models. Its homepage shows POST requests and JSON responses, using the same API key across endpoints and models. The docs are linked from the site, which also provides an llms.txt file, an MCP server and agent skills. The homepage names Claude Code, Cursor and Codex as agent integrations.
Lobstr.io offers a dashboard, API, MCP server and CLI for running its scraper catalog. Its MCP page describes connecting Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or another MCP client. The vendor lists Google Sheets, Amazon S3, SFTP, webhooks and email as result destinations. Neither homepage lists language-specific SDKs, so teams should plan to use the documented API or its other interfaces rather than assume a maintained client library. The key integration choice is whether your code needs varied data endpoints or scraper runs with defined inputs and outputs.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Neither vendor publishes an open-source license or a self-hosting option. YepAPI is presented as an API service; Lobstr.io runs scrapers on its own cloud servers, so neither is documented as deployable inside your infrastructure.
The two products create different forms of dependency. YepAPI returns JSON, which gives an application a structured response to store or transform, but endpoint behavior and data sources are tied to its service. Lobstr.io lets users export results, with destinations including Sheets, S3, SFTP, webhooks and email. Results are retained for seven days on Free, 45 days on Starter and Pro, and 90 days on Team. For either product, keep your own normalized data and document mappings. Moving away from YepAPI means replacing endpoint calls; moving away from Lobstr.io means replacing scraper behavior, schedules and enrichment.
Questions people ask
Are YepAPI and Lobstr.io direct alternatives?
They overlap on web data collection, but their interfaces differ. YepAPI offers a metered API across SEO, scraping, social, commerce and AI. Lobstr.io focuses on running a catalog of ready-made scrapers through a dashboard, API or MCP. Choose based on the data workflows you need to maintain.
Does YepAPI have a monthly free plan?
The pricing page lists a $5 signup credit, not a recurring monthly free plan. Calls are billed by usage, and the service has no subscription or monthly minimum. Endpoint prices vary, so estimate costs from the specific calls and models your application will use.
How many concurrent runs does Lobstr.io allow?
The Free plan allows one concurrent run, Starter allows two, Pro allows 10, and Team allows 50. The Custom plan offers more than 1,000,000 credits per month and more scrapers, but the vendor does not list its concurrency allowance.
Can I self-host either service?
Neither vendor publishes a self-hosting option. Lobstr.io says its scrapers run on its servers; YepAPI presents its product as an API service. If your deployment policy requires private infrastructure or a specific open-source license, ask the vendors before building a dependency on either platform.