Crawlee vs Shields
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Crawlee vs Shields: common questions
Which is more reliable, Crawlee or Shields?
On our scheduled checks, Shields leads on measured uptime — Crawlee at —% versus Shields at —% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.
Do Crawlee and Shields need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — Crawlee is callable with no signup, and Shields is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call Crawlee and Shields from the browser?
Only Shields is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. Crawlee needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.
Are Crawlee and Shields free for commercial use?
Crawlee has unclear commercial terms, and Shields has unclear commercial terms. We track service terms and the data license as separate fields — see the Commercial use and Data license rows above, and confirm both before shipping either in a paid product.