XCrawl vs Relay.app

A 2026 side-by-side comparison of XCrawl and Relay.app — pricing, key features, platforms, API access, and the trade-offs of each, based on data collected from their official sites.

Tagline

AI-ready web scraping API converting websites into structured JSON, Markdown, HTML, and screenshots with built-in proxy rotation.

A workflow automation platform that is currently winding down and shutting down in 2026.

Pricing

Freemium
Freemium

Rating

0.0 (0)
0.0 (0)

Platforms

WebCross-platform
—

API

Yes
No

Open source

No
No

Description

XCrawl is a powerful REST-based web scraping API designed for developers and AI workflows. It seamlessly extracts clean, structured JSON and Markdown from any webpage, handles JavaScript-heavy content using headless browsers, and bypasses blocks with built-in proxy rotation. Additionally, it offers automated multi-page crawling, SERP data extraction, and deep integrations with automation and AI platforms like n8n, Zapier, and Claude's Model Context Protocol (MCP).

Relay.app is a workflow automation tool that is winding down its services. It will fully shut down on August 15, 2026 for free users and September 14, 2026 for paid customers. Existing users can export their workspaces, workflows, sequences, tables, and AI prompts during the wind-down period.

Key features

  • Headless browser rendering
  • Structured JSON output
  • AI-ready Markdown conversion
  • HTML and screenshot capture
  • Built-in rotating proxies
  • Multi-page crawling with depth control
  • SERP data extraction
  • Claude Model Context Protocol (MCP) support
  • n8n and Zapier integrations
  • Official Python SDK
  • Official Node.js and TypeScript SDK
  • Workflows
  • Sequences
  • MCP servers
  • AI prompts
  • Tables
  • Run history

Pros

  • Every new account includes 1,000 free credits with no credit card required to start testing.
  • Supports headless browser rendering to seamlessly load and scrape JavaScript-heavy, dynamic websites.
  • Provides multiple clean output options including JSON, AI-ready Markdown, raw HTML, and screenshots.
  • Features built-in proxy rotation to bypass access restrictions and anti-scraping blocks automatically.
  • Allows intelligent multi-page crawling across full domains or sections with reliable depth control.
  • Extracts structured SERP data from search engines like Google to power SEO and market analysis.
  • Integrates smoothly with AI workflows and agents via MCP for Claude, Zapier, Make, and n8n.
  • Offers official SDKs for Python and Node.js/TypeScript alongside examples for Go, Ruby, PHP, and cURL.
  • Existing users can keep using Relay.app and running workflows through the end of the wind-down window.
  • Users can export their workflows, sequences, and MCP servers as JSON files.
  • Tables data can be exported as CSV files for seamless transition.
  • Paid workspaces receive an additional 25,000 steps and 10,000 AI credits per month for free during the transition.
  • Automatic prorated refunds are initiated for annual customers for the unused remainder of their billing period.
  • Prorated refunds for annual customers are processed quickly within 5 business days.
  • Paying customers get extended access for free for 60 days through September 14, 2026.
  • Past invoices remain accessible to existing users via a dedicated link.

Cons

  • Credit consumption rates vary based on request complexity, meaning advanced scraping uses credits faster.
  • No official graphical user interface (GUI) or desktop application was mentioned on the site.
  • Official SDKs are limited to Python and Node.js/TypeScript; other languages rely on direct REST API integration.
  • The exact credit consumption table for different request types is not detailed on the main pricing page.
  • No compliance certifications such as SOC2, ISO, or HIPAA are explicitly listed in the available pages.
  • The service is permanently shutting down in August/September 2026.
  • New signups for the platform are now turned off.
  • Free-to-paid upgrades are no longer available for existing free accounts.
  • All associated user data will be permanently deleted after the respective shutdown deadlines.
  • No mobile application is referenced on the main page.
  • No open-source code version or self-hosting options were listed.

Pricing plans

  • Free TrialUSD0/one_time
    • • 1,000 free credits to start
    • • Structured JSON, Markdown, or screenshot output
    • • Built-in proxies and anti-bot evasion
  • Scale Plans—
    • • Higher rate limits
    • • More concurrent browsers
    • • Priority dedicated support
Not disclosed

Which one should you pick?

  • Choose XCrawl if you need Headless browser rendering and API access.
  • Choose Relay.app if you need Workflows.
  • On budget: XCrawl is freemium, Relay.app is freemium.