# Hreflang Tags Extractor (`benthepythondev/hreflang-tags-extractor`) Actor
Extract hreflang alternate tags from international SEO pages.
- **URL**: https://apify.com/benthepythondev/hreflang-tags-extractor.md
- **Developed by:** [Ben](https://apify.com/benthepythondev) (community)
- **Categories:** SEO tools, Marketing, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet
## Pricing
from $1.50 / 1,000 results
This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event
## What's an Apify Actor?
Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases.
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.
Actors are written with capital "A".
## 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.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.
In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md):
```bash
npm install apify-client
```
In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md):
```bash
pip install apify-client
```
In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md):
````bash
# MacOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash
# Windows
irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex
```bash
In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md).
If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).
For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.
For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).
# README
## Hreflang Tags Extractor - International SEO Audit Data
Extract hreflang alternate tags from public web pages and return a clean international SEO dataset. The actor finds `` tags, resolves relative URLs, counts languages, detects `x-default`, and returns one structured result per input URL. Export to JSON/CSV/Excel, run on a schedule, call via API, or connect to Make, Zapier or n8n.
### What is the Hreflang Tags Extractor?
The Hreflang Tags Extractor is a focused SEO utility for websites that serve multiple languages, regions, or country-specific versions. Hreflang mistakes are common: missing alternates, wrong language codes, broken regional URLs, duplicate declarations, or missing `x-default`. This actor gives SEO teams and agencies a quick way to collect the raw hreflang map from any URL list so it can be checked, compared, enriched, or monitored.
The actor uses direct HTTP requests and parses the returned HTML. It does not need a browser, account, proxy, or external API key. That makes it fast and suitable for scheduled audits across many landing pages, localized product pages, documentation hubs, and international homepages.
The output keeps the complete list of alternate URLs together with each audited page. That makes it easy to compare declared markets against your expected language matrix, check whether regional versions point at the right URLs, and detect whether important markets are missing from templates.
#### What data does it extract?
- Input URL and final redirected URL
- Domain and HTTP status code
- Total hreflang tag count
- Unique language and regional codes
- Whether `x-default` exists
- Full list of hreflang declarations
- Absolute resolved href for each alternate URL
### Input
| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `urls` | array | Pages to scan for hreflang alternate link tags. |
#### Example input
```json
{
"urls": [
"https://www.apple.com/",
"https://www.example.com/de/"
]
}
````
### Output
```json
{
"input": "https://www.apple.com/",
"url": "https://www.apple.com/",
"final_url": "https://www.apple.com/",
"domain": "www.apple.com",
"status_code": 200,
"hreflang_count": 137,
"languages": ["ar-AE", "de-DE", "en-US", "x-default"],
"hreflang_tags": [
{
"hreflang": "en-US",
"href": "https://www.apple.com/"
}
],
"has_x_default": true
}
```
### Use cases
- International SEO audits: collect hreflang declarations from all important country and language pages.
- Migration QA: verify hreflang tags before and after a redesign, domain move, or CMS migration.
- Agency reporting: export language coverage for clients without manually opening every page.
- Monitoring: schedule recurring checks so missing alternate links are caught quickly.
### Practical tips
Run the actor against representative pages from each template type: homepage, category pages, product pages, blog pages, documentation pages, and major landing pages. Many sites implement hreflang correctly on one template but forget it on another. The `languages`, `hreflang_count`, and `has_x_default` fields give a quick first-pass signal, while `hreflang_tags` provides the full evidence for deeper QA.
For larger audits, combine this actor with a sitemap extractor. First collect the URLs from XML sitemaps, then sample or filter the list and run this actor against the pages where hreflang matters most. Export the dataset to CSV and compare it with your expected country and language matrix.
The actor is also useful for competitor research. Run it against major competitors' international pages to see which markets they target, how they structure regional URLs, and whether their fallback experience differs from yours. That information is often useful before expanding into a new language or country.
### Reliability and performance
The actor is intentionally lightweight: it fetches public HTML, follows redirects, parses `` tags, and resolves relative URLs. It does not render JavaScript, which is usually the right tradeoff for hreflang because search engines expect these tags to be available in crawlable HTML or sitemaps.
### FAQ
**Does it validate language codes?** The actor extracts and normalizes the declarations. You can validate codes downstream or compare them with your expected market list.
**Does it find hreflang tags in sitemaps?** This actor scans page HTML. Use a sitemap actor first if you need to discover URLs.
**Does it use a browser?** No. It uses direct HTTP for speed and reliability.
**Will it work on JavaScript-rendered tags?** Only if the tags are present in the HTML response. Most SEO-critical hreflang tags are server-rendered.
**Can I audit many pages?** Yes. Paste a URL list or call the actor via API.
**What is `x-default`?** It is a fallback alternate used when no language or region-specific page is the best match.
**Is it legal?** The actor reads public HTML. You are responsible for respecting website terms, robots directives, and applicable rules.
**How is billing calculated?** Pay-per-event billing charges per URL result pushed to the dataset.
**Can I export to spreadsheets?** Yes. Apify datasets export to JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, and RSS.
**Does it check reciprocal hreflang links?** This actor extracts declarations from each input URL. You can verify reciprocal relationships downstream by joining the output by URL.
**Does it check canonical tags too?** No. Use a meta tags or canonical URL actor for canonical checks.
**Can agencies use this for client reporting?** Yes. The output is structured and easy to export, making it useful for recurring technical SEO reports.
### You might also like
- Sitemap URL Extractor
- Robots Sitemap Analyzer
- Meta Tags Extractor
- Schema Markup Extractor
- Website Status Checker
**Keywords:** hreflang extractor, hreflang checker, international SEO audit, alternate language tags, x-default checker, hreflang scraper, SEO automation, localized pages audit, multilingual SEO, canonical hreflang, Apify SEO tool, page audit, technical SEO, website monitoring, no code SEO scraper
# Actor input Schema
## `urls` (type: `array`):
Pages to scan for alternate hreflang link tags.
## Actor input object example
```json
{
"urls": [
"https://www.apple.com/"
]
}
```
# 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 '' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
token: '',
});
// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
"urls": [
"https://www.apple.com/"
]
};
// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("benthepythondev/hreflang-tags-extractor").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 '' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("")
# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "urls": ["https://www.apple.com/"] }
# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("benthepythondev/hreflang-tags-extractor").call(run_input=run_input)
# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
print(item)
# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start
```
## CLI example
```bash
echo '{
"urls": [
"https://www.apple.com/"
]
}' |
apify call benthepythondev/hreflang-tags-extractor --silent --output-dataset
```
## MCP server setup
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"apify": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"mcp-remote",
"https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=benthepythondev/hreflang-tags-extractor",
"--header",
"Authorization: Bearer "
]
}
}
}
```
## OpenAPI specification
```json
{
"openapi": "3.0.1",
"info": {
"title": "Hreflang Tags Extractor",
"description": "Extract hreflang alternate tags from international SEO pages.",
"version": "1.0",
"x-build-id": "9KcLBjKbZrPcNnjZT"
},
"servers": [
{
"url": "https://api.apify.com/v2"
}
],
"paths": {
"/acts/benthepythondev~hreflang-tags-extractor/run-sync-get-dataset-items": {
"post": {
"operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-benthepythondev-hreflang-tags-extractor",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK"
}
}
}
},
"/acts/benthepythondev~hreflang-tags-extractor/runs": {
"post": {
"operationId": "runs-sync-benthepythondev-hreflang-tags-extractor",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK",
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema"
}
}
}
}
}
}
},
"/acts/benthepythondev~hreflang-tags-extractor/run-sync": {
"post": {
"operationId": "run-sync-benthepythondev-hreflang-tags-extractor",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK"
}
}
}
}
},
"components": {
"schemas": {
"inputSchema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"urls": {
"title": "URLs",
"type": "array",
"description": "Pages to scan for alternate hreflang link tags.",
"default": [
"https://www.apple.com/"
],
"items": {
"type": "string"
}
}
}
},
"runsResponseSchema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"data": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"id": {
"type": "string"
},
"actId": {
"type": "string"
},
"userId": {
"type": "string"
},
"startedAt": {
"type": "string",
"format": "date-time",
"example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
},
"finishedAt": {
"type": "string",
"format": "date-time",
"example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
},
"status": {
"type": "string",
"example": "READY"
},
"meta": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"origin": {
"type": "string",
"example": "API"
},
"userAgent": {
"type": "string"
}
}
},
"stats": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"inputBodyLen": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 2000
},
"rebootCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"restartCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"resurrectCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"computeUnits": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
},
"options": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"build": {
"type": "string",
"example": "latest"
},
"timeoutSecs": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 300
},
"memoryMbytes": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 1024
},
"diskMbytes": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 2048
}
}
},
"buildId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultKeyValueStoreId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultDatasetId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultRequestQueueId": {
"type": "string"
},
"buildNumber": {
"type": "string",
"example": "1.0.0"
},
"containerUrl": {
"type": "string"
},
"usage": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 1
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_SERPS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
},
"usageTotalUsd": {
"type": "number",
"example": 0.00005
},
"usageUsd": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
"type": "number",
"example": 0.00005
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_SERPS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
```