Download for macOS
macOS 10.10 (Yosemite) or higher version(x64)
This would no longer be a problem as Octoparse launched its industry-leading web scraping software for mac. With its fast extraction speed, robust compatibility, smooth workflow and refreshing design, it stands out as a perfect and free web scraping solution on apple devices. Click here to learn about Octoparse 8 Mac version. Among all the tools in the market, Octoparse stands out as the best data extraction software that can pull data from any website to excel efficiently. It can be installed on Windows and Mac OS systems. Anyone can use its prebuilt web scraping templates to pull web data in one click, or build a web crawler from scratch within minutes. Octoparse is a free client-side Windows Web Scraping Software that turns websites into structured tables of data without coding. It’s easy and free! Automatically Extract Web Data from Sites Within Minutes! Awesome Web Scraping Tool and Free Web Crawlers for PC! When installing Octoparse version 8.1 beta, there could be some issues happening. This troubleshooting guide includes step-by-step instructions that should resolve most installation issues. Octoparse is an extremely powerful data extraction tool that has optimized and pushed our data scraping efforts to the next level. I would recommend this service to anyone. The price for the value provides a large return on the investment. For the free version, which works great, you can run at least 10 scraping tasks at a time.
Requirements
Installation
Octoparse For Macbook
- 1. Double click the .dmg file
- 2. Wait for the system to complete verifying the file
- 3. Drag Octoparse.app to the 'Application' file to complete installation
- 4. Find Octoparse.app in Application and double click it to launch
- 5. Click 'Open' on the pop-up
- 6. Log in with your Octoparse account (Sign up here if you don't have an account yet.)
- 7. If you encounter any installation issues like security warning, click here to find solutions.
Release Notes
Mac V8.1.24 Beta Wednesday, September 09, 2020 12:00 AM
- Bug Fixes
- Fix the issue of switching IP proxies
- Fix the issue of the not refreshing page after switching browser
- Fix the issue of exit loop
- Fix the issue of auto export to database
- Fix the issue of some Iframe webpages
- Fix the issue of entering text for text box during extraction
- Fix the issue of loop item display
Mac V8.1.18 Beta Friday, July 31, 2020 12:00 AM
- Updates
- Remove duplicates based on data field(s)
- Export data to JSON
Octoparse 7.3.0 Try 8.1 beta
Version 7.3.0 (New Update) (Zip file, 63.5 MB)
Release date: Dec 20th, 2019
Support Windows XP, 7, 8, 10
Requirements:
Please make sure you meet these requirements before installing Octoparse.
1) Windows XP, 7, 8, and 10
2) Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 service pack 1(.NET3.5 SP1) required
(Click here to download .NET3.5 SP1 if it is not already installed on you computer)
How to install Octoparse
Please follow these steps to install Octoparse.
1) Download the installer and unzip the downloaded file
2) Double click on the setup.exe file
3) Follow the installation instructions
4) Log in with your Octoparse account (Sign up here if you don't have an account yet.)
How to uninstall Octoparse
Please follow these steps to uninstall Octoparse if you want to remove the software from your computer.
1) Open the Windows Control Panel
2) Find Octoparse in the list of programs
3) Select “Uninstall Octoparse” or right-click Octoparse to uninstall it
4) Follow the uninstallation instructions to remove Octoparse program
Internet Access
Octoparse must be allowed to access the Internet. You will not be able to run the software if it cannot access the Internet.
When running scraping tasks with feature Cloud Extraction, the software is able to extract data even without Internet network.
Anti-virus Software
Anti-virus software doesn't like software that accesses the Internet, since viruses will often access the Internet to expose your private information. Octoparse needs to access the Internet to extract data, and anti-virus software will often try and block access and may even quarantine or remove some Octoparse files.
You will need to configure your anti-virus software to allow Internet access for Octoparse. You will also need to restore any Octoparse files that have been quarantined or removed by the anti-virus software.
Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy
Please read the Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy before installing Octoparse. By installing this version of Octoparse you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
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Sticking with the theme of web scraping, today we’ll be reviewing another web scraper: Octoparse. Similar to ParseHub, it’s fairly easy to use and doesn’t require any coding.
I’ll be looking at the pricing, user interface, and features. I’ll also investigate how compatible and safe the software really is.
Octoparse Pricing
Just like ParseHub, Octoparse is free to download and use with limited features. But if you wanted to get a bit more use out of the software, you’d need to buy a subscription. While the free version doesn’t limit the number of pages scraped, it limits concurrent local runs to 2 and lets you build up to 10 crawlers.
The first paid plan is Standard, billed monthly at $89 ($75 per month if billed yearly). The next one, Professional, comes to $249 per month ($209 per month if billed yearly). Lastly, Octoparse has an Enterprise plan, but it’s meant for big custom solutions, so the price for this plan is not advertised. Octoparse also offers a five-day money-back guarantee.
Octoparse pricing plans.
The jump in features from the free version to the Standard plan is quite something: the limits on data exports and concurrent local runs disappear, and instead of 10 crawlers, you get to build up to 100 of them. New features include scheduled extractions, average speed extraction, auto IP Rotation, task templates, API access, and email support. The Professional plan tops it all with an increased number of crawlers (up to 250) as well as high speed extraction, advanced API, high priority email support, and 1-on-1 training and task reviews.
In addition to the pricing plans, Octoparse also offers data scraping services. Starting at $399, they’re aimed at those who don’t want the hassle of getting the information themselves. Another separate product Octoparse offers is Crawler Service. It provides custom-made crawlers for individual needs that can be run on Octoparse (starting at $189).
All in all, Octoparse seems to have options for both solo hustlers and big enterprises.
Interface & Features
I don’t want to keep referring back to ParseHub, but, once again, Octoparse’s interface is really similar to the former web scraper. It has a built-in browser view, and the scraping works using the same click-and-scrape method. You can easily select which exact information you need extracted as well as instruct the software to automatically repeat the same scraping tasks on each page of a site. As there’s no coding knowledge needed, Octoparse works for beginners, as well.
A unique (yet limited to paid plans only) feature is task templates. These are super convenient if you want to maximize the efficiency of your scraping tasks. Octoparse has quite a big variety of templates, anything from Amazon (different country ones, too) to Google Maps and Twitter.
Octoparse For Mac Pro
What makes these templates so convenient is that they have the whole selection set up for you, and you don’t need to go through the pages clicking on what needs to be downloaded. The information is extracted based on its placement on the page, so these templates already know where to locate the price, name, and product pictures according to different layouts (for example, US Amazon and India Amazon won’t have the reviews on the same side, so there are 2 different templates).
You can download whatever data you extracted in Excel format or directly into your own database via an API.
Octoparse’s biggest disadvantage is that it’s not compatible with macOS and Linux operating systems. If you wanted to use Octoparse on a Mac, you’d have to either use a remote desktop connection or fire up a virtual machine such as Oracle VM Virtualbox. However, there seems to be some good news – at the start of May Octoparse announced that a Mac version should be coming out soon! When? Unfortunately, that was never specified. Let’s say the company is keeping the mystery alive.
Edit: Octoparse has released a beta version for macOS devices. Yay!
Customer Service & Tutorials
On Octoparse’s website, you can find several links to contact the customer support. All of them lead to the same submit form. There’s no live chat, which is a bit disappointing: if there was a problem with your scraper, you couldn’t reach out straight away.
The levels of customer support vary by your subscription plan. I’m not sure if this is what Octoparse really meant to call its employees, but according to the website, if you’re only using the free plan, then you’re entitled to the lazy support. However, as you go up in plans, then you can contact support via email and become high-priority.
Octoparse has impressed me with the amount of video content on YouTube. There are several video tutorials explaining everything from what web scraping is to building a custom task in Octoparse.
On a side note: many of the video tutorials focus on working with features that are only available for paying customers (e.g. task templates), but Octoparse doesn’t really mention that. So, if I was going by what I’ve seen on YouTube, I’d be pretty disappointed to find out I had to pay extra money to have that ready-made Amazon task template.
Octoparse For Mac Os
Octoparse vs ParseHub
So here we are, the final showdown. Both scrapers are very similar in interface, features, and experience needed to start scraping.
However, if we’re comparing the free versions only, Octoparse offers a bit more for less. While ParseHub lets you build 5 projects and allows 200 pages per run, Octoparse’s limit is 10 crawlers and doesn’t limit the number of pages crawled. However, if you looked at the formats for downloading your scraped data, you’d see that Octoparse has fewer options than ParseHub (e.g. no possibility of getting the results in JSON).
If you’re looking at a paid version, ParseHub’s starting point is a bit more expensive ($149 p/m) compared to Octoparse. However, both programs offer very similar features. One that ParseHub doesn’t have is those handy task templates.
In the end, it all comes down to your preference. Think through what your scraping projects will be like, test out the free versions of both, and see which one fits your needs more.
Is Octoparse Safe?
It doesn’t come as a surprise to me that people are still on the fence about web scraping. Is it legal? Does using a scraper make you a criminal?
Let’s get one thing out of the way: scraping is legal, but it all depends what information you’re gathering and how. If you want to make sure you’re not violating any laws, think if the information you’re scraping is publicly available. If yes, then you’re most likely fine. If you’re not sure, it’s always a good idea to look into the Terms & Conditions of the website and the robots.txt file.
So, if you’re using Octoparse for the right reasons, then yes – it’s perfectly safe.
What Proxies Should You Use?
The free version of Octoparse doesn’t include IP address rotation like the paid versions do. So, if you’ll be using it, you’ll need to get proxies.
Some might say it’s inconvenient not to include IP rotation; I say it’s a blessing in disguise. Now you can decide what proxies you want to use! Proxies are definitely just as important as the scraper itself, so make sure to pick reliable ones.
In general, when choosing proxies for a scraping project, you’d want them to be rotating and residential to avoid any potential blocks. We’ve compiled a list of the best web scraping proxy providers to make your choice easier.
Conclusion
Overall, Octoparse is a solid beginner-friendly web scraper. It has a decent free plan for smaller projects, but doesn’t shy away from making custom Enterprise solutions.
Octoparse doesn’t limit the number of pages and allows you to build 10 scrapers in the free version, while offering neat task templates in the paid version. It has also impressed me with extensive video tutorials, which almost compensated for the customer service not having an online chat. The downsides here are limited result extraction formats and an email-only customer service.
Adam DuboisProxy geek and developer.
Modified: September 28, 2020You May Also Like:
ParseHub Review
What Is a Proxy: Your Go-To Guide in 2021
3 comments
ColoradoHenryon June 29, 2020 at 11:27 am
Which is easier for those that are just beginning to do web scraping – octoparse or parsehub? Free versions only 🙂
ReplyAdam Duboison June 30, 2020 at 12:50 pm
Both are pretty straightforward to use, with no coding requirements and a point-and-click interface. They have free plans available, so you can try them out and see which one you prefer more.
Reply777on June 30, 2020 at 2:22 pm
You should do a seperate comparison of web scrapers!
Reply
Octoparse For Mac
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Frequently Asked Questions About Octoparse
Can I Use Octoparse on Mac?
Yes. Octoparse recently recently a beta version for macOS.
Is Octoparse Free?
Octoparse has a free tier, but it’s quite limited. To unlock its full functionality, you’ll have to pay for Octoparse.
Are There Any Alternatives to Octoparse?
Yes. If you want to try a beginner-friendly visual scraper, ParseHub makes a great Octoparse alternative.