How to Start Building a Web Scraper: A Beginner’s Guide

The web is overflowing with data—so much so that the web scraping software market just hit , and it’s on track to more than double by 2032. If you’re in sales, operations, or marketing, you’ve probably felt the pressure to turn all that online information into actionable insights. Whether it’s building targeted lead lists, tracking competitor prices, or monitoring market trends, having up-to-date, structured web data is now a must-have for staying ahead.

But let’s be real: the journey from “I need this data” to “Here’s my spreadsheet, ready to go” can feel like running a marathon in flip-flops. Manual copy-paste is tedious and error-prone, while traditional web scraping often means wrestling with code, browser quirks, and anti-bot roadblocks. That’s why I’m excited about how AI-powered tools like are changing the game—making web scraping accessible to everyone, not just the Python wizards. In this guide, I’ll walk you through what building a web scraper really means, why it matters, the pitfalls of doing it by hand, and how you can get started in just two clicks (no coding required).

What Does “Building a Web Scraper” Mean?

Let’s break it down in plain English: building a web scraper means creating a tool or process that automatically extracts information from websites and turns it into structured data—think neat tables in Excel or Google Sheets, not messy copy-paste chaos. Imagine hiring a super-fast digital intern who visits a webpage, reads everything, picks out the bits you care about (like names, prices, or emails), and organizes them into a spreadsheet for you. That’s your web scraper.

Traditionally, this meant writing code to fetch web pages, parse the HTML, and pull out the data you need. Every website is a little different, so each scraper is like a custom robot built for a specific job. The goal? Turn unstructured web content into clean, usable data that you can analyze, share, or feed into your business workflows.

With modern AI-powered tools, you don’t have to be a programmer. These tools “read” the page like a human would, so you can simply tell them what you want and let them figure out how to extract it—no need to mess with code or selectors.

Why Building a Web Scraper Matters for Business Teams

If you work in sales, operations, or marketing, you already know that having the right data at the right time is gold. Here’s how web scraping delivers real business value:

• Lead Generation (Sales): Automatically build targeted lead lists from directories, LinkedIn, or niche sites. Save hours of prospecting and fill your pipeline with qualified contacts.
• Price Monitoring (E-commerce/Ops): Track competitor prices, stock levels, and promotions daily. React faster with dynamic pricing and smarter inventory decisions.
• Market Research (Marketing): Aggregate reviews, ratings, and social mentions to spot trends and customer sentiment early. Make data-driven decisions for campaigns and product tweaks.
• Real Estate & Research: Combine property listings from multiple sites for a complete market view. Identify deals and trends before your competitors.

Let’s put some numbers to it:

And here’s the kicker: companies using AI-driven scraping tools report 30–40% time savings on data collection compared to manual methods, with . In a world where being first to act is everything, that’s a serious edge.

The Challenges of Manually Building a Web Scraper

So, why isn’t everyone just building their own scrapers? Because, honestly, manual web scraping can be a headache—especially for beginners. Here’s what you’re up against:

• Choosing a Programming Language: Most scrapers are built with Python or JavaScript, but you need to know how to code and understand HTML/CSS.
• Writing Code to Parse HTML: Every website is different. You have to inspect the page, find the right “selectors,” and write scripts to grab the data.
• Handling Cookies and Sessions: Many sites require you to log in or manage cookies. Your scraper needs to mimic a real user, or it’ll get blocked.
• Dealing with Dynamic Content: Modern websites load data with JavaScript, infinite scroll, or pop-ups. A simple script won’t cut it—you might need browser automation tools like Selenium or Playwright.
• Anti-Bot Measures: Sites use CAPTCHAs, IP blocking, and rate limiting. You’ll need tricks like rotating proxies, faking user agents, and slowing down your scraper.
• Maintenance: Websites change all the time. A tiny tweak in the layout can break your code, meaning constant updates and debugging.
• Scalability: Want to scrape hundreds of pages? Now you’re juggling infrastructure, parallel requests, and data storage. Even among developers, ), and maintenance costs can be 10× higher than initial development for long-term projects (). For non-technical users, it’s easy to get stuck before you even start.

Here’s a quick comparison:

It’s no wonder so many people give up or stick to copy-paste.

Meet Thunderbit: Your AI-Powered Web Scraper Solution

This is where comes in. We built Thunderbit because we were tired of seeing business teams stuck in the copy-paste grind or waiting weeks for a developer to build a custom script. Thunderbit is an AI web scraper Chrome extension designed for non-technical users—sales, marketing, ops, real estate, you name it.

Here’s what makes Thunderbit stand out:

• AI Suggest Fields: Click one button and Thunderbit’s AI scans the page, automatically proposing the best fields to extract—complete with smart names and data types.
• 2-Click Scraping: Confirm the fields, click “Scrape,” and you’re done. No code, no setup, no headaches.
• Handles Subpages & Pagination: Need more details? Thunderbit can automatically visit each subpage (like product or profile pages) and merge the data. It also clicks through “Next” pages or infinite scroll, so you get the full dataset.
• Instant Export: Export your data directly to Excel, Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion, or download as CSV/JSON—free and unlimited.
• Natural Language Prompts: Describe what you want in plain English. Thunderbit’s AI figures out how to get it.
• Field AI Prompt: Add custom instructions to label, format, categorize, or translate data as it’s scraped.
• Templates for Popular Sites: For sites like Amazon, Zillow, or Shopify, Thunderbit offers instant templates—no setup required.
• Cloud or Browser Scraping: Scrape in your browser for logged-in sites, or use cloud mode for speed and scale (up to 50 pages at once).
• Scheduled Scraping: Set it and forget it—Thunderbit can run scrapes on a schedule, updating your data automatically.

Thunderbit is trusted by , and the feedback is clear: “Thunderbit stands out as the only AI scraper that truly delivers. Two buttons and the data is ready. Incredibly straightforward.” ()

How to Build a Web Scraper in Two Clicks with Thunderbit

Let’s walk through how easy it is to build your first web scraper with Thunderbit:

1. Install Thunderbit Chrome Extension:
   Head to the and add Thunderbit. The free tier lets you scrape up to 6 pages to try it out.

2. Open the Target Website:
   Navigate to the page you want to scrape—maybe a job board, product listing, or directory. If you need to log in, do that first; Thunderbit scrapes what you see in your browser.

3. Click “AI Suggest Fields”:
   Hit the Thunderbit icon, then click “AI Suggest Fields.” The AI reads the page and suggests columns—like “Product Name,” “Price,” “Rating,” or “Contact Email.” You can rename, delete, or add fields as needed.

4. (Optional) Add Custom AI Prompts:
   Want to categorize products, format phone numbers, or translate text? Add a Field AI Prompt (e.g., “Categorize product as Electronics, Appliance, or Other” or “Convert date to YYYY-MM-DD”).

5. Click “Scrape”:
   Thunderbit grabs all the data, including from subpages or paginated results if you choose. You’ll see your table populate in real time.

6. Export Your Data:
   Click Export and send your data to Excel, Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion, or download as CSV/JSON. No limits, no extra charges.

That’s it. What used to take hours (or days) of coding is now a five-minute, no-code workflow.

Overcoming Common Web Scraping Obstacles with Thunderbit

Web scraping isn’t always a walk in the park. Here’s how Thunderbit tackles the most common challenges:

• Dynamic Content: Thunderbit operates in your browser (or a cloud browser), so it sees the page exactly as you do—including content loaded by JavaScript, pop-ups, and infinite scroll.
• Pagination & Subpages: Thunderbit’s AI detects “Next” buttons and subpage links, clicking through automatically and merging all results into one table.
• Anti-Bot Barriers: By mimicking human browsing, Thunderbit rarely triggers blocks or CAPTCHAs. For tougher sites, cloud mode uses rotating IPs and anti-bot techniques.
• Data Formatting: Field AI Prompts let you clean, label, and format data as it’s scraped—no more post-processing headaches.
• Site Changes: If a website layout changes, just click “AI Suggest Fields” again. The AI adapts—no code updates required.

Thunderbit is built to handle the real-world messiness of the web, so you don’t have to.

Boosting Data Quality with Custom Fields AI Prompt

One of Thunderbit’s secret weapons is the Field AI Prompt feature. For any column, you can add a custom instruction to:

• Label or Categorize: “Read the product description and categorize as Electronics, Appliance, or Other.”
• Summarize: “Summarize this review in one sentence.”
• Format: “Convert date to YYYY-MM-DD.” “Extract numeric price and convert to USD.”
• Combine Fields: “Combine First Name and Last Name into Full Name.”
• Translate: “Translate product title to English.”
• Sentiment Analysis: “Label review as Positive, Neutral, or Negative.”

This means your data comes out not just raw, but ready to use—cleaned, labeled, and enriched, all in one pass. No need for extra scripts or Excel formulas.

Thunderbit’s Natural Language Simplicity: No Coding Required

What really sets Thunderbit apart is its natural language, no-code workflow. You don’t need to know a single line of code. Just describe what you want, click a couple of buttons, and let the AI do the rest. The learning curve is almost flat—if you can use a browser, you can use Thunderbit.

Non-technical users love it. One reviewer put it best: “Thunderbit stands out as the only one that genuinely leverages artificial intelligence effectively. I only have to click two buttons, and the data is ready in no time.” ()

Step-by-Step Guide: Building Your First Web Scraper with Thunderbit

Ready to give it a try? Here’s a step-by-step tutorial for beginners:

1. Install Thunderbit Chrome Extension:
   and sign up for a free account.

2. Open Your Target Website:
   Navigate to the page you want to scrape. Log in if needed.

3. Launch Thunderbit:
   Click the Thunderbit icon in your Chrome toolbar.

4. Click “AI Suggest Fields”:
   Let Thunderbit’s AI scan the page and suggest columns. Review and adjust as needed.

5. (Optional) Add Field AI Prompts:
   For advanced labeling, formatting, or translation, add custom prompts to any field.

6. Click “Scrape”:
   Thunderbit grabs all the data, including from subpages or paginated results.

7. Review and Export:
   Check your table, then export to Excel, Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion, or download as CSV/JSON.

Troubleshooting Tips:

• If some data is missing, try refining your field names or prompts.
• For tricky sites (with lots of pop-ups or anti-bot measures), switch to cloud mode.
• Need recurring data? Use Thunderbit’s scheduler to automate regular scrapes.

For more tips and advanced guides, check out the or our .

Conclusion & Key Takeaways

Web scraping has gone from a developer’s side project to a must-have business skill. But building a web scraper by hand is often more trouble than it’s worth—coding, maintenance, anti-bot headaches, and endless debugging. With AI-powered tools like Thunderbit, anyone can extract structured web data in just two clicks—no code, no fuss.

Key takeaways:

• Web data is gold for sales, marketing, and ops teams—driving real ROI.
• Manual scraping is complex and time-consuming—even for developers.
• Thunderbit makes web scraping accessible to everyone with AI, natural language, and a no-code workflow.
• Custom Field AI Prompts let you label, format, and enrich data as you scrape.
• Getting started is easy: install the extension, pick your site, click “AI Suggest Fields,” and you’re off to the races.

Ready to try it yourself? and see how much time (and sanity) you can save on your next data project. And if you want to dive deeper, check out these resources:

Happy scraping—and may your spreadsheets always be clean, structured, and ready for action.

FAQs

1. What is a web scraper, and do I need to know how to code to use one?
A web scraper is a tool that automatically extracts information from websites and turns it into structured data (like a spreadsheet). With modern AI-powered tools like Thunderbit, you don’t need any coding skills—just basic web browsing.

2. What are the main challenges of building a web scraper manually?
Manual scraping requires programming, understanding HTML, handling cookies/sessions, dealing with dynamic content, and constant maintenance. Even small website changes can break your code, making it time-consuming and frustrating.

3. How does Thunderbit simplify web scraping for beginners?
Thunderbit uses AI to scan web pages, suggest fields to extract, and handle complex layouts, subpages, and pagination. You just click “AI Suggest Fields,” review, and click “Scrape.” No coding or setup required.

4. What is the Field AI Prompt feature in Thunderbit?
Field AI Prompt lets you add custom instructions to any data field—such as labeling, formatting, categorizing, or translating data as it’s scraped. This means your exported data is clean, labeled, and ready to use.

5. Can Thunderbit handle dynamic sites, pop-ups, or sites with anti-bot measures?
Yes. Thunderbit operates in your browser (or cloud), so it sees the page as you do—including dynamic content and pop-ups. For sites with strong anti-bot defenses, Thunderbit’s cloud mode uses advanced techniques to avoid blocks.

Ready to build your first web scraper? and experience the difference for yourself.