ImportFromWeb Alternatives: Best Tools Compared (2025)

If you like ImportFromWeb for bringing website data straight into Google Sheets, you might be wondering what else is out there. This guide compares popular ImportFromWeb alternatives — what they’re good at, how hard they are to set up, and who they’re best for. For most people, Webtable is the easiest starting point: no code, runs right in your browser, and generously free for common jobs.

TL;DR

• Webtable — best for fast, no‑code, in‑browser scraping with clean tables and one‑click export to Sheets.
• Web Scraper — sitemap‑based crawls; flexible, but requires more technical setup.
• Octoparse — powerful desktop app with workflows; steeper learning curve.
• Apify — developer platform for large crawls and automation.

Use the tool that matches your comfort level and how often you’ll run the job.

What to consider when choosing

Before comparing tools, list your must‑haves: target sites, volume, frequency, and destination (CSV, Sheets, Excel). If you mostly want to capture what you already see on a results page — products, listings, or tables — a no‑code, in‑browser tool like Webtable is usually fastest.

Webtable (no‑code, in‑browser)

Webtable is the best no‑code option if you want to go from page to spreadsheet in minutes. Open a page, click one example cell, and Webtable infers the rest. You can rename columns, remove noise, and export to CSV, Excel, JSON, or send straight to Google Sheets.

Highlights

• Point‑and‑click Smart Selection: capture columns by example rather than writing selectors.
• Auto‑scroll and pagination for long result lists.
• Download files and scrape links, not just visible text.
• Clean exports (CSV, Excel, JSON) and one‑click Sheets.
• Runs in the browser you already use; no fragile scripts or servers to manage.

When it shines

• You need quick results without code.
• Your target data is visible in a table, list, or card layout.
• You want fewer moving parts and a generous free tier.

Web Scraper (extension; sitemap‑based)

Web Scraper builds structured "sitemaps" to define how to traverse pages and extract fields. It’s flexible and well‑known, but requires more setup and familiarity with the DOM.

Pros

• Flexible crawling across many pages.
• Popular with lots of tutorials and community templates.

Cons

• Requires planning a sitemap and CSS selectors.
• Slower to set up for one‑off jobs.

Octoparse (desktop app)

Octoparse is a powerful Windows/macOS app for scraping workflows. It includes pagination, login handling, and scheduling, but the learning curve is higher.

Pros

• Powerful visual workflow builder.
• Built‑in schedulers and automations.

Cons

• Heavier install; more complex than an extension.
• Paid features gated on higher plans.

Apify (developer platform)

Apify is ideal for developers building custom scrapers and automations. You can run ready‑made actors or write your own. It’s great for large crawls and integrations.

Pros

• Extremely flexible for scale and automation.
• Marketplace of existing actors.

Cons

• Requires developer skills to get the most value.
• Overkill for simple one‑off captures.

Feature comparison at a glance

• Setup time: Webtable is minutes; Web Scraper and Octoparse take longer; Apify depends on coding.
• Maintenance: Webtable minimizes breakage by selecting what you see; scripted crawlers can be brittle.
• Output quality: All can export CSV/Excel; Webtable focuses on clean, ready‑to‑use tables.
• Cost: Most offer free tiers; Webtable is generously free for common jobs.

Pricing snapshot (indicative)

Pricing changes frequently, but here's a directional view. Webtable offers a generous free tier for common jobs, while heavier crawling platforms charge more for concurrency or cloud time.

• Webtable — generous free tier; paid plans for higher volume.
• Web Scraper — free core extension; paid cloud features.
• Octoparse — free with limits; paid tiers for scheduling and scale.
• Apify — pay‑as‑you‑go credits; costs scale with usage.

Setup: first 10 minutes with each

Webtable

• Install the extension and open a page you care about.
• Click one example cell; Webtable infers a column.
• Add more fields, turn on auto‑scroll, export to Sheets.

Pro Tips for Webtable

• Use Smart Selection for faster column detection
• Enable auto-scroll for paginated content

Web Scraper

• Plan a sitemap; identify selectors.
• Configure pagination and fields; test locally.
• Run and export.

Advanced Web Scraper Features

• Use CSS selectors for precise targeting
• Configure pagination rules for multi-page sites

Octoparse

• Install desktop app; select a task template or start from a URL.
• Configure actions and pagination; preview.
• Run a task and export.

Apify

• Pick an actor or build one.
• Configure inputs; run on the platform.
• Fetch results via API or export.

Troubleshooting common issues

• Content behind scrolling: enable auto‑scroll or infinite‑scroll capture.
• Pages mix ads with results: use filters to exclude sponsored items.
• Dynamic content not captured: wait for elements to render; interact when needed.
• Pagination: prefer in‑browser pagination with Webtable to avoid brittle selectors.
• Pro tip: Use auto-scroll features when available to capture all results.
• Note: Some sites may require manual intervention automated handling for complex layouts.

When to upgrade from free tiers

If you run scraping jobs regularly, schedule them, or need large result sets daily, consider stepping up to a paid plan. For occasional research or one‑off projects, Webtable’s free tier is often enough.

Example: capturing an e‑commerce list

1. Open the category page and start Webtable.

2. Click one product price. Webtable infers the rest of the column.

3. Add title and rating in two more clicks.

4. Turn on auto‑scroll to capture all results.

5. Export to Google Sheets in one click.

Tips for clean data

• Decide on columns before you start; remove noise.
• Use consistent naming (e.g., ‘Price USD’).
• Export a sample and spot‑check before running large jobs.
• Consider sponsored/ads filters when available.

Frequently asked questions

Is this legal?

Scraping publicly available information is often permitted under certain conditions, but rules vary by jurisdiction and site. Always review the site’s Terms and robots.txt, avoid personal data unless you have a lawful basis, and be respectful with rates.

Do I need to code?

No. With Webtable, you can capture data directly in your browser without writing scripts or selectors.

Can I push data to Sheets?

Yes. Export to CSV/Excel/JSON or send to Google Sheets in one click.

Final thoughts

If you’re looking for ImportFromWeb alternatives, start with Webtable for the fastest no‑code capture right in your browser. For heavier automation, consider Octoparse or Apify — but for most everyday scraping tasks, Webtable is the quickest path from page to spreadsheet.

Explore more on our site: see Features, Tutorials, and the latest posts on our blog.