Import.io vs Firecrawl
Web data API for AI: scrape, crawl, search, extract.
Comparison · AI web data APIs
Import.io vs Diffbot
Diffbot offers automatic extraction, a Knowledge Graph of entities, natural language processing and web search APIs on credit-based plans, with crawling on higher plans. Import.io offers a self-service extraction platform, a web data MCP and API, managed delivery and a pricing intelligence application.
Published by Import.io. Sources and verification scope are recorded below. Features and terms vary by plan and agreement.
the short answer
Choose Import.io when
- You need a fixed schema for your specific sources, scheduled and QA-gated, or fully managed.
- You work with commerce data and need product matching, store-level pricing and MAP evidence.
- You want an extraction platform, managed delivery and a pricing application from one provider.
when they fit
Consider Diffbot when
- You want automatic extraction without writing selectors.
- Knowledge Graph entities are central to your use case.
Side by side, like for like.
Comparable routes are compared with each other. Documentation gaps are not evidence that a capability is missing. Compare the named product and confirm contractual scope.
Agent and API access compared
checked 25 September 2026Swipe the table to compare both providers →
| Dimension | Import.io MCP and API | Diffbot |
|---|---|---|
| Offering | Import.io Web Scraper MCP and API | Diffbot APIs on the selected plan |
| Build | Your agent or code calls Import.io tools; extraction returns typed fields to the schema you specify | Automatic extraction for supported page types; your code calls the APIs |
| Scheduling and delivery | On demand through MCP; scheduled runs and delivery through the platform (CSV, JSON, webhook; S3 and SFTP on Professional and above) | Crawling on Plus and above; your application stores and delivers |
| Site changes | Rendering, anti-bot and egress handled server-side; managed engagements add repair by Import.io | Automatic extraction adapts per page; confirm behaviour on your targets |
| QA | Typed output against your schema; managed engagements add QA-gated delivery | Acceptance checks are yours to define |
| Reliability | Blocked and failed calls are not billed; end-to-end reliability depends on your agent workflow | Separate service availability from your end-to-end workflow reliability |
| Cost | 10,000 free successful calls, then $0.0002 per successful call | Credits: 1 per page extracted, 25 per Knowledge Graph entity; Startup $299 a month for 250,000 |
| Governance | GDPR and CCPA processing terms; PII detection and removal; confirm agent-level controls with your account team | Confirm controls and data handling for the selected plan |
Cost and commercial context
Diffbot bills credits by plan: one per page extracted and 25 per Knowledge Graph entity, with overage on paid plans. Import.io self-service bills successful queries on published plans; managed is priced per source.
Model your own numbers with the calculator on web scraping as a service, and see published plans on pricing.
Sources and methodology
Source edition: 25 September 2026. This date comes from the supplied comparison material; a fresh full-page verification is pending. Import.io is the publisher, not an independent reviewer. Product capabilities and terms vary by plan and operating model. Confirm the current documentation and contractual scope before buying.
This comparison is published by Import.io. It evaluates the named products and service models using the primary sources linked below, checked on 25 September 2026. Features, limits and prices vary by plan and agreement. Fit depends on your sources, required output and the operational work your team wants to retain.
A provider’s product page shows what it advertises; it does not prove achieved uptime, accuracy or coverage. The source check recorded for this edition is 25 September 2026. Confirm current plans and terms with each provider before buying. Spot something out of date? Tell us.
- Diffbot pricing — checked 25 September 2026
- Import.io pricing and plan entitlements — checked 25 September 2026
- Import.io Managed Services — checked 25 September 2026
- Import.io web data extraction platform — checked 25 September 2026
Comparison FAQs.
Answers about the products and service models compared above.
Is Diffbot automatic extraction the same as Import.io extractors?
Both produce structured data. Diffbot classifies and extracts supported page types automatically; Import.io builds extractors to your schema, self-service or managed.
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