IANAL, but to keep your expenses low and get traction sooner, here's my advice: Unless you're going against obvious warnings for each site, then scrape first,

IANAL, but to keep your expenses low and get traction sooner, here's my advice: Unless you're going against obvious warnings for each site, then scrape first, make it free, and ask questions later. IF you're successful quick enough, you will be a force in itself and your marketplace will be one where everyone wants to remain listed. Speed & adoption wins, stay under the radar as long as you can. you want people to love your product so it doesn't get pulled and/or makes people want it back. When you get notified, respond immediately. Very important: PROFIT LATER. Once you are taking payments, some could say you are making money off of their data, and they'll want a piece of that money. If it's a free service, less feathers to ruffle, less of a target. Cease & desist will stop you from pulling THEIR data. Getting sued for the money you brought in will ultimately stop you from pulling ANY data. >a link would lead directly to the original website. Track this heavily, this is the value you are adding to the data providers you are scraping from. If they see business growth coming from your space, they'll support you. Get allies early. The innocent 'I wanted to build a tool to reduce headaches to help the community' is best defense here. (So don't post online anywhere stating otherwise...) Trying to get approval from a large enough 'chunk' of the data providers without some numbers behind you is a waste of precious time. Good Luck!