# Gumtree South Africa New Listing Alerts by Category Page (`accountable_eel/gumtree-za-new-listing-alert`) Actor

New and price-changed Gumtree South Africa listings from any category page, with a monitoring mode that only returns and bills for ads new since your last run.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/accountable_eel/gumtree-za-new-listing-alert.md
- **Developed by:** [Adriana Voss](https://apify.com/accountable_eel) (community)
- **Categories:** E-commerce, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $1.00 / 1,000 listing returneds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Gumtree South Africa New Listing Alerts by Category Page

**Get the newest Gumtree South Africa listings from any category page, and on a schedule only the ads that are new or re-priced since your last run.**
Give it category page URLs such as Cars & Bakkies or Flats & Houses. Each listing comes back as one row with title, price in rand, suburb, posted time, image and the category's own attributes (year, fuel, transmission and so on). Turn on monitoring and run it hourly or daily: you are charged per listing returned and nothing on a quiet day.

**Who uses it:** car and bakkie dealers watching for fresh stock, property agents tracking new rentals, resellers hunting a category for underpriced ads, and anyone who wants a new-listing alert for Gumtree South Africa without opening the site.

**Price:** pay per listing returned, $2 per 1,000 listings at the free tier and $1.50 per 1,000 at the Gold tier, plus a $0.003 start fee per run. A page with no listings, and a monitoring run with nothing new, cost nothing beyond the start fee.

**Scope:** category pages only. Gumtree's robots.txt closes keyword (`q=`), sort and location-filter URLs, so this actor cannot run a keyword search; narrow with the price bounds, `includeKeywords` and `excludeKeywords` after the page is read instead. Seller names, phone numbers and other contact details are never read or returned.

### How to use

1. **In the Apify Console.** Open the actor page and click **Start** — the `categoryUrls` field is already pre-filled with a working example. Results land in the run's dataset as soon as each item is found.
2. **Via the API.** Call it directly with a POST request — no Console needed once you have an API token:
   ```bash
   curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/accountable_eel~gumtree-za-new-listing-alert/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=<YOUR_TOKEN>" \
     -X POST \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"categoryUrls":["https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1"]}'
   ```
3. **On a schedule.** Save this actor as an Apify **Task** with the input you want, then add a **Schedule** (hourly, daily, weekly) so it runs on its own — no server of your own required.

### Input

```json
{
  "categoryUrls": [
    "https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1"
  ]
}
```

One Gumtree South Africa category page per line, for example https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1. Category paths only: Gumtree's robots.txt closes keyword (q=), sort and location-filter URLs, so those are not accepted. Accepted formats: https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1, https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-flats-houses/v1c9073p1.

One run reads up to 5 category URLs and up to 5 pages of each (about 32 listings a page, newest first after any promoted tiles). `includeKeywords` and `excludeKeywords` filter on the listing text, `minPriceZar` and `maxPriceZar` on the price (ads with no price are kept). With `onlyNewSinceLastRun` on, an ad id not seen before is returned as `changeType: "new"` and an ad id seen at a different price as `"price-changed"` with `previousPriceZar`. The first monitoring run returns what is on the page and remembers it. Memory lives in a key-value store of this actor named `gumtree-za-new-listing-alert-delta`, one record per watchlist, ads forgotten after 60 days.

### Output

One row per listing, for example:

| query | found | status | searchSummary | listingCount | truncated | monitorStatus | listings | adId | title | priceZar | priceText | priceType | location | categoryId | postedAt | imageUrl | attributes | listingUrl | changeType | previousPriceZar | isNew | firstSeenAt | scrapedAt |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1 | true | OK | <search run> | <listings returned> | <more results were available> | <monitoring status> | \<all listings (full list)> | <ad id> | <listing title> | \<price (zar)> | <price as shown> | <price type> | \<location (suburb)> | <category id> | <posted at> | <main image> | <ad attributes> | <listing page> | <change type> | \<previous price (zar)> | \<is this listing new or changed?> | <first seen on a run> | 1970-01-01T00:00:00.000Z |

A miss comes back as a row with `"found": false` and is never charged. `priceZar` is `null` for "make an offer" and other priceless ads, never `0`; `postedAt` and `attributes` are `null` on promoted gallery tiles that do not carry them.

### Pricing

Pay-per-event. A flat per-run fee covers session/proxy warmup; you're billed
per item only when data is actually found and returned — see
`.actor/pay_per_event.json` for exact prices. A miss is never charged.

### Example runs

Paste any of these into the Input tab and press Start. All three run with no key, no login and no account beyond Apify.

**Newest cars and bakkies, first page.** The default shape.

```json
{
  "categoryUrls": ["https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1"],
  "maxResults": 30
}
```

**Two categories, three pages each, only listings under R150,000.**

```json
{
  "categoryUrls": [
    "https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1",
    "https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-flats-houses/v1c9073p1"
  ],
  "maxPages": 3,
  "maxPriceZar": 150000,
  "maxResults": 100
}
```

**New-listing alert for bakkies with monitoring on.** Schedule it; later runs return only new or re-priced ads.

```json
{
  "categoryUrls": ["https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1"],
  "includeKeywords": ["hilux", "ranger"],
  "onlyNewSinceLastRun": true,
  "deltaName": "bakkies-hilux-ranger"
}
```

### Use it from Clay, n8n, Make, or an AI agent

This actor runs synchronously over plain HTTP — call it directly from a script, a workflow tool, or an AI agent, no Apify Console needed once you have an API token.

```bash
curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/accountable_eel~gumtree-za-new-listing-alert/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=<YOUR_TOKEN>" \
  -X POST \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"categoryUrls":["https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1"]}'
```

**n8n.** Add an HTTP Request node: Method `POST`, URL `https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/accountable_eel~gumtree-za-new-listing-alert/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=<YOUR_TOKEN>`, Body Content Type `JSON`, JSON Body `{"categoryUrls":["https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1"]}` (swap in an expression from an earlier node for a real value).

**Clay.** Add an "HTTP API" column: Method `POST`, URL `https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/accountable_eel~gumtree-za-new-listing-alert/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=<YOUR_TOKEN>`, Body `{"categoryUrls":["{{search}}"]}`, mapping the row's search into the `categoryUrls` array.

**MCP.** In Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client with the Apify MCP server, ask for "gumtree south africa scraper" — the agent will find and run this actor.

# Actor input Schema

## `categoryUrls` (type: `array`):

One Gumtree South Africa category page per line, for example https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1. Category paths only: Gumtree's robots.txt closes keyword (q=), sort and location-filter URLs, so those are not accepted. Accepted formats: https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1, https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-flats-houses/v1c9073p1. You're only charged for the ones we actually find — a miss costs nothing.

## `maxPages` (type: `integer`):

How many result pages to read per category URL (about 32 listings each, newest first after any promoted tiles). 1 to 5.

## `testRun` (type: `boolean`):

Turn this on to test your input on a small sample before running the full list. Turn it off to process everything.

## `onlyFound` (type: `boolean`):

Only keep rows where something was actually found. Misses are always free, whether or not you show them here.

## `includeKeywords` (type: `array`):

Optional. Only keep results that mention at least one of these words (e.g. a job title, a city, a product name). Leave empty to keep everything.

## `excludeKeywords` (type: `array`):

Optional. Drop any result that mentions one of these words. Leave empty to skip nothing.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Up to 500. Caps how many listings you get (and pay for) in one run.

## `minPriceZar` (type: `integer`):

Optional. Keep listings priced at or above this. Listings with no price are kept.

## `maxPriceZar` (type: `integer`):

Optional. Keep listings priced at or below this. Listings with no price are kept.

## `onlyNewSinceLastRun` (type: `boolean`):

On: only ad ids not seen on your last run, or seen at a different price, are returned and charged for. Run this on a schedule as a new-listing alert. Off: every matching listing is returned every time. The first monitoring run returns the current listings and remembers them.

## `deltaName` (type: `string`):

Optional. Name this search's monitoring memory so you can tell two schedules of this actor apart, or keep one memory across an input change. Leave empty to auto-derive one from your categories and filters.

## `columns` (type: `array`):

Choose which pieces of information to include in each result row. All are included by default.

## `expandRows` (type: `boolean`):

When on, each listing found gets its own row instead of being grouped under its search. You're still only charged once per search, no matter how many rows it produces.

## `maxConcurrency` (type: `integer`):

Parallel requests. Keep conservative — this target has no browser fallback, so getting blocked costs more than slow-and-steady.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Apify Proxy config. Residential recommended for anti-bot-sensitive targets.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "categoryUrls": [
    "https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1"
  ],
  "maxPages": 1,
  "testRun": false,
  "onlyFound": false,
  "includeKeywords": [],
  "excludeKeywords": [],
  "maxResults": 30,
  "onlyNewSinceLastRun": false,
  "deltaName": "",
  "columns": [
    "searchSummary",
    "listingCount",
    "truncated",
    "monitorStatus",
    "listings",
    "adId",
    "title",
    "priceZar",
    "priceText",
    "priceType",
    "location",
    "categoryId",
    "postedAt",
    "imageUrl",
    "attributes",
    "listingUrl",
    "changeType",
    "previousPriceZar",
    "isNew",
    "firstSeenAt"
  ],
  "expandRows": true,
  "maxConcurrency": 1,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "categoryUrls": [
        "https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1"
    ],
    "includeKeywords": [],
    "excludeKeywords": []
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("accountable_eel/gumtree-za-new-listing-alert").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "categoryUrls": ["https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1"],
    "includeKeywords": [],
    "excludeKeywords": [],
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("accountable_eel/gumtree-za-new-listing-alert").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "categoryUrls": [
    "https://www.gumtree.co.za/s-cars-bakkies/v1c9077p1"
  ],
  "includeKeywords": [],
  "excludeKeywords": []
}' |
apify call accountable_eel/gumtree-za-new-listing-alert --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,accountable_eel/gumtree-za-new-listing-alert"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/nrkw7q4DLamxOj2Uz/builds/N6h2LiS5FRvIoBQvt/openapi.json