Thunderbit alternative: Lection vs Thunderbit
Thunderbit and Lection are both AI web scrapers you can add to Chrome, and both export to Google Sheets, Airtable and Notion. They differ mostly in pricing model and extras: Thunderbit meters usage in credits per output row and offers a CLI, API and web app; Lection has a free extension and free one-click tools, scheduled cloud runs with webhook, n8n, Make, Zapier and Pipedream delivery, and an MCP server.
TL;DR
Thunderbit and Lection are both AI web scrapers you can add to Chrome, and both export to Google Sheets, Airtable and Notion. They differ mostly in pricing model and extras: Thunderbit meters usage in credits per output row and offers a CLI, API and web app; Lection has a free extension and free one-click tools, scheduled cloud runs with webhook, n8n, Make, Zapier and Pipedream delivery, and an MCP server.
When to choose Thunderbit
- You want its pre-built templates for specific sites, or its CLI, API or web app.
- You prefer a per-row credit model and its AI enrichment options (summaries, categorization, translation).
- You already use it and it fits your volume and budget.
When to choose Lection
- You want the extension itself to be free, with a free plan for cloud runs.
- You want free one-click exporters for Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Maps, YouTube, HTML tables and more.
- You want scheduled cloud runs delivered to Sheets, Airtable, Notion, email or webhooks (n8n, Make, Zapier, Pipedream), depending on plan.
- You want a 30-day free trial of the Standard plan before paying.
Feature and pricing comparison
Entries marked Not verified are things we could not confirm from the vendor's own pages.
| Feature | Lection | Thunderbit |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Chrome extension, web dashboard, MCP server | Chrome and Edge extensions, web app, API, CLI, MCP server |
| How you describe data | Plain-English description of the fields | One-click AI extraction; AI field processing (summaries, categories, translation) |
| Free option | Free extension and tools; Free plan with 5 cloud credits/month | Free tier (6 pages/month per its blog) |
| Entry paid price | Standard $24/mo billed yearly, $29 monthly; 30-day free trial | Starter $15/mo monthly for 500 credits (per its blog); yearly price not verified |
| Usage unit | Cloud credits (Standard 300/mo, Pro 1,500/mo) | Credits (Starter 500/mo, Pro 3,000/mo per its blog) |
| Pagination and detail pages | Yes | Not verified |
| Logged-in pages | Yes, in your own browser | Not verified |
| Scheduled runs | Yes | Not verified |
| Destinations | Email on Free; Google Sheets and webhooks on Standard; all destinations on Pro (Airtable, Notion, n8n, Make, Zapier, Pipedream) | Excel, Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion |
| AI assistant (MCP) | MCP server for Claude and ChatGPT | MCP server listed on its homepage |
Switch in 5 minutes
- Install the Lection Chrome extension and sign in.
- Open the page you were scraping with Thunderbit.
- Type the fields you want in plain English and run the extraction.
- Enable pagination or detail pages if your old setup used subpage scraping.
- Export to CSV, or connect Google Sheets, Airtable or Notion as the destination.
- Re-create any recurring jobs as scheduled runs, then retire the old ones once the first run looks right.
Get the Lection Chrome extension. Using Claude or ChatGPT? Connect the MCP server at https://www.lection.app/mcp.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lection cheaper than Thunderbit?
It depends on volume. Both have free options and entry plans in the tens of dollars per month, and both meter usage in credits, but a credit is not the same unit in each product, so compare against your own page counts. Check both pricing pages before deciding.
Does Lection integrate with Google Sheets, Airtable and Notion?
Yes. Scheduled runs can deliver to Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion, email, and webhooks, including n8n, Make, Zapier and Pipedream. Which destinations are available depends on your plan; see the pricing page.
Can I try Lection before paying?
Yes. The extension and one-click tools are free, the Free plan includes 5 cloud credits per month, and the Standard plan has a 30-day free trial.
Does Thunderbit have an MCP server too?
Its homepage lists an MCP server. Lection also offers one at https://www.lection.app/mcp for Claude and ChatGPT.
Sources
Try it on your own page.
The extension and one-click tools are free. Standard has a 30-day free trial.