Apify, the world’s largest marketplace for web data and automation tools, today announced the Apify $1M Challenge, a global competition with a $1 million prize pool for developers who build automation tools that fill critical gaps in AI workflows. Running through January 31, 2026, the challenge aims to accelerate the development of tools for data extraction, workflow automation, and AI agents that are currently missing from the market.
AI agents can write code and summarize documents, but they often lack access to real-time web data, niche APIs, and specialized automation tools needed for production applications. Apify is betting that independent developers will build this missing layer as “Actors”, cloud-based programs on the Apify platform that automate data extraction, SaaS integrations, and AI workflows.
“AI is doing more work than ever, but the tools are still missing. We believe thousands of useful automation tools, data extractors, and AI integrations that should exist still don’t. Independent developers can move fast to fill these gaps,” said Jan Curn, founder and CEO of Apify.
Multiple ways to win
Developers can earn rewards in several ways:
- Actor usage rewards: $2 per monthly active user, from a minimum of $100 (50 users) to a maximum of $2,000 (1,000 users) per Actor. Developers can earn up to $10,000 across five Actors.
- Grand prizes: $30,000 for first place, $20,000 for second, and $10,000 for third, awarded by jury after the challenge concludes
- Weekly spotlight prizes: $2,000 awarded each week for exceptional code quality, innovative concepts, or outstanding user experience
- Ongoing revenue: Developers continue earning from their Actors long after the challenge ends
The first five Actors each developer publishes after registering are automatically entered into the challenge and they have until the end of January to attract users.
What to build
The challenge welcomes a wide range of automation tools, including web scrapers and crawlers, wrappers for open-source tools and SaaS APIs, MCP servers and tools for AI agents, as well as other innovative automation solutions.
Proven revenue model
Since launching Apify Store, the company has paid out more than $4 million to independent developers. In September 2025 alone, Apify distributed over $563,000 to community developers who publish and maintain Actors on the platform, 6x more than the previous year.
“We know our marketplace model works. Last month alone, we paid developers over half a million dollars for tools they built on the Apify Store. Now we’re putting $1M on the table to prove it can scale,” said Curn.
Apify has a strong presence in emerging markets, where developers use the platform to monetize their software globally. The company has sponsored developer community events, including PyCon Africa and PyCons in Nigeria, Kenya, and Malaysia, and sees the challenge as an opportunity to support talent in regions where traditional tech employment options are limited.
Apify Store hosts over 8,000 Actors and developers earn passive income whenever customers use their Actors. The platform serves 25,000 customers worldwide, including Siemens, Intercom, Microsoft, T-Mobile, and Accenture.
The Apify $1M Challenge coincides with the company’s recent 10th anniversary and its goal of reaching 10,000 Actors on Apify Store before 2026.
Registration is now open at apify.com/challenge. The challenge runs from November 3, 2025, through January 31, 2026.
