TL;DR
If you are new to Apify, the fastest path is simple: create an account, open the console, run one small actor, and export the dataset before you try anything fancy.
Start here if you are new to Apify
This guide is for people trying to figure out Apify account setup, the console, and the first run. You will create an account, open an actor, run a test job, and export the output. No code required.
Apify is a cloud platform for scraping and automation. Instead of building a scraper yourself, you run a hosted tool called an actor. Give it a query or a list of URLs, wait for the run to finish, then download the data from the console.
If you searched for Apify create account or Apify Console, this is the exact sequence that matters: sign up, open the console, try one actor, and only then move into schedules or integrations.
What you need before your first run
You do not need a paid plan or a credit card to test Apify. What you do need is a simple first use case. Good starting examples are a Google Maps search, a list of Instagram profiles, or a set of product URLs from one store.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Free Credits | $5 per month, no credit card required |
| Actors Available | 2,000+ pre-built tools |
| Export Formats | JSON, CSV, Excel, XML |
| Integrations | Google Sheets, Zapier, Make, Webhooks |
Step 1: Create Your Free Account
Go to apify.com and click "Sign up free." You can register with email, Google, or GitHub. No credit card needed.
After signing up, you land in the Apify Console. This is the dashboard where you run actors, check datasets, manage schedules, and find settings like your API token later on.
Step 2: Find an Actor in the Store
Click "Store" in the left sidebar. You will see thousands of actors organized by category, which is usually faster than starting from a blank search.
Popular starting points:
- Google Maps Scraper - Extract business data from Google Maps searches
- Instagram Scraper - Collect posts, profiles, and hashtag data
- Website Content Crawler - Scrape text from any website
- Amazon Product Scraper - Get product details and prices
Step 3: Configure and Run
Click on any actor to open its page. Then click "Try for free" or "Start."
Each actor has an input form. Fill in the required fields:
- Search query - What you want to search for
- URLs - Specific pages to scrape
- Limit - Maximum number of results
Click "Start" to run the actor. Most small jobs finish in under 5 minutes.
Step 4: Export Your Data
When the run completes, go to the "Dataset" tab. You will see all extracted data in a table.
Click "Export" and choose your format:
- CSV - Opens in Excel or Google Sheets
- JSON - For developers and APIs
- Excel - Native .xlsx file
What to Do Next
Now that you have run your first actor, explore these options:
- Schedule runs - Set actors to run automatically (daily, weekly)
- Connect integrations - Send data directly to Google Sheets or Slack
- Use the API - Run actors from your own code
Quick Answers
Q: What should I do first in the Apify Console?
A: Create your account, open one actor, and run the smallest job that proves the workflow works.
Q: Do I need to set up integrations on day one?
A: No. Get one clean run first. Add integrations after you know the data is useful.
Q: Can I use the free tier?
A: Yes. The free tier is enough for a test run or a small first workflow.
Common Questions
Q: Do I need to know how to code?
A: No. You can run any actor from the web interface without writing code. If you later want automation, use the API or a no-code tool like Zapier.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: You get $5 in free credits every month. Most actors charge between $0.001 and $0.01 per result, so a typical job of 1,000 results costs about $1 to $5.
Q: Is web scraping legal?
A: Scraping publicly available data is generally legal. Do not scrape personal data without consent, and follow each website's terms of service. Apify provides guidance on ethical scraping.
Q: What happens if a run fails?
A: Check the "Log" tab to see what went wrong. Common issues include rate limits, blocked IPs, or website changes. Most actors have built-in retry logic, so the fix is often simple.