Best Web Scrapers
In a hurry?
The best Upwork scraper in 2023, as found in our independent testing, is ScraperAPI!
Freelancing is becoming a norm in today’s world of remote working and Upwork is undoubtedly one of the largest platforms for freelancing.
Millions of jobs are posted on this particular platform every year and millions of freelancers are hired.
Many freelancers looking for work, clients looking to hire, and also market researchers try to access the public data available on Upwork.
Upwork users can extract details related to freelancers, clients, and job postings.
People may do this for a few reasons with the major one being landing the perfect job or hiring the perfect freelancer.
There are two ways to extract or scrape data from Upwork.
The first is to make an Upwork scraper or figure out how to scrape Upwork using python; however, this particular method can only be used by coders as it requires coding knowledge.
The other more generic, quicker, and much easier method to scrape information is using a ready-made web scraper.
Some ready-made scrapers are also designed to be used by coders only. People just need to click a few times and the data will be theirs to view and use.
There are many web scrapers out there that can be used to get structured data from the web, including Upwork. Most of them are paid while some are free to use.
The paid ones are usually based on a monthly subscription and offer more features and detailed scraping when compared to a free web scraping tool.
Most Upwork scraper tools come with a free trial so that the users can assess if the particular tool will be able to fulfill their needs.
Best Upwork Scrapers 2023
There are many web scrapers that help gather structured data from the web.
However, some scrapers are better than others and are more suitable to use for extracting data from Upwork.
Here are the best Upwork scrapers:
- ScraperAPI – 🏆 Winner!
- Bright Data
- Apify Upwork Scraper
- Octoparse
- ParseHub Web Scraper
- WebHarvy
- Diffbot
1. ScraperAPI
ScraperAPI’s software is one of the best Upwork scrapers that can be used to collect public data from Upwork in a structured and quick way.
It is both cloud-based and desktop supported. The price of the plans starts at $49.99 for a month.
The good thing about this particular Upwork scraper is that it comes with a starter plan too which is free. However, being free, the starter plan has limitations.
This is a generic tool that can also be used by non-coders for scraping data from all sorts of websites, including Upwork.
It is a tool that allows quick scraping with minimal hassle.
ScraperAPI is integrated with Artificial Intelligence AI, which helps to identify the relevant data automatically without the need of clicking manually.
It provides its users with a point-and-click interface making it easy to use.
The tool also supports multiple data output formats and allows one to export the scraped information in formats such as CSV, Excel, JSON, MySQL, TXT, Google Sheets, and a few others.
The data can be exported to cloud servers or saved as local files on one’s device.
2. Bright Data
Bright Data is another web scraper tool that can help retrieve data that is publicly available from any website, including Upwork.
It is an Upwork scraper that is easy to use and can be used by non-coders. It is available as a web-based cloud service and also is downloadable for desktops.
Bright Data comes with a free trial. What makes this particular web scraper unique is that it offers flexible pricing which might be favorable for people on Bright Data include a search engine crawler, proxy API, browser extension, open-source proxy manage a budget.
There is also a pay-as-you-go option where the user will need to pay just $0.001 for a one-page load for large projects.
A few of the many features offered by ement, premade scraping templates, data unblocker, etc.
Another good thing about this particular tool is that it supports multiple file-formats including Excel, HTML, CSV, JSON, email, and API.
3. Apify Upwork Scraper
Apify Upwork Scraper is another one of the best scrapers that is a cloud-based web scraper accessible via API.
This particular scraper starts at a monthly price of $49 for 100 Actor compute units. It does have a free trial too that allows 10 Actor compute units to the users.
Apify Upwork Scraper, however, is usable for coders only as it uses the Upwork API to extract and structure information.
This cloud-based scrapper is an automation platform and it helps to automate all the replicable web actions.
Apify Upwork Scraper is built upon the Apify SDK which does not only have to be used on the Apify platform but can also be used locally.
Using this, all the data that is public on Upwork can be scraped. One does not even have to log in for it and the process can be completed as a guest.
The type of data that can be extracted includes freelancers’ public information, public information about the clients, and also job postings.
The data is also structured for easy comprehension. The Data output format that is supported by Apify is JavaScript Object Notation or JSON, which is easy to understand too.
One might not even need to use proxies so that they do not get blocked.
4. Octoparse
This one is another one for the non-coders looking to scrape data from Upwork. It offers a friendly and easy-to-use interface which makes it one of the best scrapers on the market.
Octoparse also offers both a cloud-based service and a downloadable app for the desktop. It has a free plan on a trial basis that can be used to assess its suitability.
The free trial has a few limitations and lasts for 14 days. The paid version of the scrapper starts at a monthly subscription fee of $75.
Along with cloud storage, Octoparse also includes features including scheduled scraping, infinite scrolling, and IP rotation, which prevent from getting blocked.
The data extracted can be downloaded as an Excel file, a CSV, or in API formats too. Other data formats supported by Octoparse include JSON, MySQL, and SQLServer.
5. ParseHub Web Scraper
ParseHub is an excellent Upwork scraper that’s incredibly simple and easy to use, and it’s also free. However, some advanced features have to be bought in order to be benefited.
This particular scraper, like ScraperAPI, is cloud-based and also comes as a desktop app that can be conveniently downloaded.
One can even extract and scrape images using ParseHub.
Some features that are supported by ParseHub include scheduled data collection, API, REST API, infinite scroll, IP rotation, automatic storage on the cloud, and regular cleaning expressions.
The free ParseHub plan can cover 200 pages of data and five public projects.
It takes about 40 minutes to cover the stated amount of pages. To go higher, one must buy the paid plan which starts at a cost of $149 that needs to be paid on a monthly basis.
The supported file formats include Excel and JSON. One might need to set up proxies to scrape without getting blocked.
6. WebHarvy
WebHarvy is an efficient web scraping tool that can be added as a browser extension both to Chrome and Firefox.
The tool offers a free trial that is called the Evaluation Version.
The Evaluation Version lasts for 15 days and is limited to a maximum of 2 pages worth of data. The software then can be bought by paying $139 for a single-user license.
The great thing about its pricing is that there are no recurring charges and the cost has to be borne by the user just once at the time of purchasing the tool.
This particular tool is well-capable of extracting all the public details regarding job postings, client details, agency details, and also the data relating to freelancers on Upwork.
This particular generic data extracting tool has not been built specifically for Upwork but can be conveniently used for any website.
The WebHarvy scraping software allows its users to scrape data in various output formats including JSON, TSV, XML, CSV, Excel, and also as an SQL database.
WebHarvy is highly user-friendly. Setting it up is also a matter of a few clicks only and using it is very easy too.
This one also comes with a point-and-click interface, like ScraperAPI, that allows the user to identify some of the relevant information.
It is also capable of automatic pattern identification that would help scrape all the data that is relevant to the user. This one may need proxies to run too.
7. Diffbot
Diffbot is another Upwork scraper to consider when it comes to the best scrapers. It comes with the ‘Analyze API’ feature which makes it quite helpful.
This particular feature allows Diffbot to identify pages automatically and extract data efficiently.
This tool is on the expensive side with the most basic plan starting at a monthly charge of $299. However, there is a free trial offered for 2 weeks.
The data output formats supported by Diffbot include CSV and JSON. It also works with multiple languages and can scrape non-English pages.
It also comes with various other features like providing clean text and HTML, structured search, product API, custom crawling controls, fully hosted SaaS, etc.
Things To Know When Scraping Data From Upwork
There are a few things that one should know when they are thinking of extracting data from Upwork. Firstly, only the public data on Upwork can be extracted.
The scraping tools, no matter how much they cost, do not scrape private data as it’s illegal.
Moreover, even though it’s not illegal, Upwork does not support web scrapers scrapping information and blocks people who are found trying to do so.
The way to successfully scrape public data from Upwork is to carry out the process as a guest and without logging into your account.
However, it should be noted that accessing information as a guest will mean that some invite-only or private jobs won’t be accessible.
What Is The Use Of Website Scraping And Why Is It Important?
Web scraping refers to collecting structured data from the internet. The data extraction process is all automated and people can now scrape data with just one click using web scrapers.
The tools collect data by extracting the underlying HTML code of the webpage and also from the database.
However, web scrapers can only extract public data which has been allowed to be extracted or accessed legally. Private information of businesses and individuals is not included.
Web scraping tools are highly important in today’s world of excessive data.
The information present online is too vast and may not be all organized. Doing it all manually might take hours or days even.
However, with a web scraper, the relevant data which is also structured can easily be extracted in a matter of minutes.
Therefore, it does not only save time but provides accurate data.
Main Things To Consider When Choosing A Scraping Tool
There are a variety of scraping tools available in the market, each having different strength and style.
Some focus on one aspect more than the other and the best one would be the one that fulfills the user’s distinct scraping needs.
When selecting a tool, there are some things that can help make an informed decision.
User-Friendly
An Upwork scraper that is easy to use with a user-friendly interface is always a better option. Moreover, not every scraper works well with every kind of browser.
Some may work well with Windows, while others are made keeping in mind Mac OS users.
Therefore, the scraper should be the one that supports the user in the best way, makes work easy for them, and is compatible with the system they use.
Easy Set-up And Learning
This factor is related to user-friendliness too. Some tools require a lot of patience to set up.
They are so complicated to understand that the user has to go through support documents, FAQs, and videos to get a grip of the tool.
Sometimes, to be able to use a tool efficiently and effectively, constant chatting with customer support is also required.
Such a tool becomes a waste of time as people spend more time understanding how to work the scraper rather than web scraping.
Therefore, for beginners, considering tools that are less technical would be a wiser choice.
Transparent Pricing And Affordability
Some scrapers are not transparent with their prices. This affects their affordability on a long-term basis.
Therefore, it’s always better to research the pricing details of any scraper before buying it.
Some scraping programs even offer plans that are completely free to use; however, they mostly have limited functionality.
Plans that are paid allow a much deeper level of scraping or extraction.
Most scraping tools do offer a free trial, some for a week and some for a month, which can allow new users to assess it.
Types Of Data Formats Supported
A Comma-Separated Values or CSV file is the most popular kind of data format that is preferred by people around the globe.
This is because many users use Microsoft Excel to manage their data and Excel uses the CSV format.
Therefore, the best scraping tools should have the capacity to manage CSV files effectively.
Along with supporting CSV, a good scrapper should also be able to support JavaScript Object Notation or JSON.
This particular format is easy for the machines to process and us to interpret.
Other formats may include Extensible Markup Language or XML and Structured Query Language or SQL.
Quality Of Customer Support
It’s always best to go through online reviews that can help assess the quality of customer service before selecting an Upwork scraper.
A web scraper should have strong customer support that is available 24/7.
This is because many users often face problems when using online tools and it’s always best to have some support on the side to access when needed.
Many good scraping tools include 24/7 customer service in their standard pricing.
Availability Of Cloud Service
Web scrapers offering cloud services are usually considered over those that do not.
This feature is especially helpful for those users who like to scrape data a lot, be it day and night.
The data extraction to a cloud service is also faster, which helps in saving time.
Another main reason to get a tool with a cloud-based service is that it can carry out complex scraping involving large amounts of data.
Moreover, if the scraping tool supports cloud storage, then one does not need to worry about the available storage space on their device.
This is because cloud service offers unlimited storage to its users.
Other reasons for considering tools that support cloud service are increased security of data, easy access to your data at all times no matter the location, and convenient data recovery.
Conclusion
One can develop an Upwork scraper with all the desirable features themselves; however, that requires coding knowledge.
To avoid the hassle, people can use ready-made scraping tools to get the desired data.
There are few good options when it comes to the best scrapers for extracting data from Upwork.
The best way to assess the one best suited for the needs of a particular user is to get first-hand experience by checking out the free trials provided by all the scrapers.
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Written by Jason Wise
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