I Scraped 10,000 Websites in N8N: Here's What Actually Works

N8N just became your secret weapon for web scraping. After testing all nine scraping methods across 10,000 websites, here's what actually works in the real world. Most people think web scraping is either impossible or requires expensive third-party tools. The truth? N8N handles 90% of scraping tasks with built-in nodes, but only if you know which method to use when. Pick the wrong approach and you'll hit rate limits, get blocked, or waste hours debugging JavaScript rendering issues. Nico Hartwell breaks down each method with real examples and shows you exactly when to use HTTP requests versus browser automation. You'll discover why 80% of static sites work perfectly with simple HTTP calls, while JavaScript-heavy platforms need Puppeteer or Playwright. Plus, the rate limiting strategies that keep you under the radar. In This Episode: > HTTP Request node for basic scraping (works on 8 out of 10 sites) > Browser automation for JavaScript sites (10x resource cost but necessary) > Rate limiting techniques to avoid getting blocked > When to use APIs instead of scraping > Real examples from e-commerce, news, and SaaS platforms Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: Why most scraping fails 01:30 HTTP Request method breakdown 03:15 Browser automation: Puppeteer vs Playwright 05:20 Rate limiting strategies that actually work 07:45 JavaScript rendering solutions 09:30 API alternatives to scraping 11:00 Wrap-up and key takeaways The difference between a blocked scraper and a successful one often comes down to choosing the right method upfront. These nine approaches give you options for any website architecture. Follow The Value Engine for daily episodes on AI automation that actually generates ROI. Nico drops new content every day with real implementations and proven results. More episodes available at The Value Engine -------- Keywords: ai workflows, automation podcast, business automation, business process automation, business ai, automation strategies, process optimization, ai implementation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices