Phantombuster vs Proxycurl vs AntsData: LinkedIn Scraping Compared (2026)
Last updated: 2026-09-02 · Pricing from public sources (estimates)
Which LinkedIn scraping tool should you pick?
If you want no-code browser automations: Phantombuster. If you want a credits-based data API: Proxycurl. If you want pay-per-record simplicity with companies, contacts, posts and jobs in one place: AntsData. The right choice depends on your workflow — visual automations vs raw API vs price-to-data fit.
The comparison
| Aspect | Phantombuster | Proxycurl | AntsData |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | No-code automations (plans) | Credits API | Pay per record |
| Data coverage | Social scraping (LinkedIn focus) | People/company/enrichment | Companies, contacts, posts, jobs |
| Pricing | ~$59+/mo plans | Credit packs | Per record ($5 free trial) |
| Best for | Non-devs, recurring jobs | Enrichment-heavy stacks | Outbound list building |
| API-first | Partial | Yes | Yes (simple REST) |
Cost reality: 5,000 LinkedIn contacts
| Tool | Approx. cost |
|---|---|
| Phantombuster (mid plan) | ~$79-149/month recurring |
| Proxycurl credits | Credit-based (varies by type) |
| AntsData pay-per-record | Only the records you pull — $5 to start |
Pay-per-record wins when your volume varies: no paying for idle seats, no credit-pack expiry pressure.
How to evaluate
- Model fit: automation UI vs API vs hybrid
- Data breadth: do you need companies + contacts + posts + jobs?
- Pricing predictability: per-record beats credits for budgeting
- Trial: $5 free lets you test real data before committing
- Integration: JSON in → your CRM/sequences out
FAQ
Is Phantombuster a scraping API?
It's a no-code automation platform that includes LinkedIn scrapers — powerful for non-developers, but plan-based pricing and browser-automation constraints apply.
How does Proxycurl pricing work?
Proxycurl uses credit packs per data type (people, company, enrichment). Cost math depends on your mix.
What makes AntsData different?
Pay-per-record simplicity: companies, contacts, posts and jobs via one REST API, with a $5 free trial.
Can I use these tools legally?
Use them in line with the vendor's terms and LinkedIn's policies; APIs manage the infrastructure side.
Which is best for a small sales team?
If you ship lists into sequences, a pay-per-record API keeps costs tied to output — start with the free trial and measure.
Discussion
Which tool have you tried for LinkedIn data — and what did the pricing reality look like after a month? Share below.
Product: antsdata.com — LinkedIn data API, pay per record, $5 free trial. Contact: hai.zhou@xiaoxitech.com.
