# Google Ads Transparency Scraper: Any Competitor's Ads (`bisketapis/google-ads-transparency-scraper`) Actor

Every Google ad a competitor runs, from the Google Ads Transparency Center. Search by domain, brand name or advertiser ID. Text, image and video ads with first/last shown dates, days running, image URLs, YouTube links and per-country reach. No browser, no login, pay per ad.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/bisketapis/google-ads-transparency-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Chris Lucas](https://apify.com/bisketapis) (community)
- **Categories:** SEO tools, Marketing
- **Security:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$1.50 / 1,000 ads

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/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

## Google Ads Transparency Scraper

See every Google ad a competitor is running. This actor reads the public [Google Ads Transparency Center](https://adstransparency.google.com) and returns one row per ad: Search, Display and YouTube ads, with first and last shown dates, how many days each ad has run, the ad image, the YouTube link, and the countries it ran in.

Search by **domain**, **brand name** or **advertiser ID**. No browser, no login, no Google account.

### What people use it for

- **Competitor research**: what your competitors advertise, in which countries, and which ads they keep running (long-running ads are the ones that work).
- **Agency pitches and audits**: pull a prospect's full Google ad history in a minute.
- **Creative inspiration**: collect image and video ads from a whole category.
- **Monitoring**: schedule a daily run and see new ads as soon as Google shows them.
- **Lead lists**: find businesses that are actively spending on Google Ads.

### Input

| Field | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Domains, brands or advertisers** | One per line. `hubspot.com`, `Nike`, `AR16735076323512287233`, or a Transparency Center advertiser URL. |
| **Country** | Two-letter code (`US`, `GB`, `DE`...) to only get ads shown there. Empty = anywhere. |
| **Ad format** | All, Text (Search), Image (Display) or Video (YouTube). |
| **Max ads per search** | Newest first. Default 100, up to 10,000. |
| **Advertisers per brand name** | Big brands advertise from several accounts (often one per country). Collect from the top N. |
| **Countries and variations** | Adds every country the ad ran in with its last-shown date, the number of variations and the paying account. Free. |
| **Video links and ad copy from previews** | Adds the YouTube URL of video ads and the visible text of Shopping and rich-media ads. Free, a bit slower. |

Brand names are matched to the advertiser account with the most ads, so `Nike` finds **Nike, Inc.**, not a small shop called "Nikey".

### Output

```json
{
  "searchTerm": "hubspot.com",
  "advertiserId": "AR10072600183532683265",
  "advertiserName": "Hubspot, Inc.",
  "creativeId": "CR09256367633480024065",
  "format": "image",
  "domain": "hubspot.com",
  "firstShown": "2026-06-17T15:26:06Z",
  "lastShown": "2026-10-27T17:57:10Z",
  "daysShown": 133,
  "imageUrl": "https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/archive/simgad/17106598880622916302",
  "transparencyUrl": "https://adstransparency.google.com/advertiser/AR10072600183532683265/creative/CR09256367633480024065?region=US",
  "region": "US",
  "regions": [
    {
      "country": "US",
      "lastShown": "2026-10-27"
    },
    {
      "country": "CA",
      "lastShown": "2026-10-27"
    }
  ],
  "variations": 3,
  "videoUrl": null
}
```

Download as JSON, CSV, Excel or HTML, or read it through the API. The **Run summary** record shows what each search matched and how many ads it returned.

Google publishes Search text ads as an image of the ad, so for `format: "text"` the ad copy is in `imageUrl`. HTML5 and video ads have a `previewUrl` instead. `domain` is filled when Google lists it for the ad (about half of ads).

### Pricing

**$1.50 per 1,000 ads** ($0.0015 per ad). Proxy and platform usage are included, and the country and preview options cost nothing extra. A search that matches no advertiser costs nothing.

| Ads | Cost |
|---|---|
| 100 | $0.15 |
| 1,000 | $1.50 |
| 10,000 | $15.00 |

### Tips

- Use the **domain** when you know it. It catches every advertiser account that points to that site.
- Long `daysShown` with a recent `lastShown` = an ad the advertiser keeps paying for.
- Set a spending limit on the run to cap cost; the actor stops cleanly when it is reached.

### FAQ

**Is this legal?** It reads data Google publishes for public transparency. No login, no private data.

**Why does a brand return few ads?** It may advertise from another account. Raise *Advertisers per brand name* or search the domain.

**Does it get ad spend or impressions?** Google only publishes those for political ads in some regions, so no.

### Not affiliated with Google

Independent tool. Google and Google Ads are trademarks of Google LLC.

# Actor input Schema

## `searches` (type: `array`):

One per line. A domain (nike.com), a brand or company name (Nike), an advertiser ID (AR16735076323512287233) or a Transparency Center advertiser URL. Names are matched to the advertiser with the most ads.

## `region` (type: `string`):

Two-letter country code (US, GB, DE...) to only get ads shown there. Leave empty for ads shown anywhere.

## `adFormat` (type: `string`):

Only return one format. Text = Google Search ads.

## `maxAdsPerSearch` (type: `integer`):

Newest ads come first.

## `advertisersPerName` (type: `integer`):

A brand often runs ads from several advertiser accounts (one per country). Raise this to collect from the top N matching accounts. Domains and IDs ignore it.

## `includeDetails` (type: `boolean`):

Add the countries each ad ran in (with last-shown date per country), the number of variations and the paying account. One extra request per ad, no extra charge.

## `includePreviewContent` (type: `boolean`):

Open each ad's preview to add the YouTube URL (video ads) and visible text (Shopping and rich media ads). Slower. No extra charge.

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

How many searches run at the same time.

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

Apify Proxy is included in the price.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searches": [
    "hubspot.com",
    "Nike"
  ],
  "region": "",
  "adFormat": "all",
  "maxAdsPerSearch": 100,
  "advertisersPerName": 1,
  "includeDetails": false,
  "includePreviewContent": false,
  "maxConcurrency": 4,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "RESIDENTIAL"
    ]
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

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

One row per ad.

## `runSummary` (type: `string`):

Per search: what it matched, ads found, status. Request stats.

# 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 = {
    "searches": [
        "hubspot.com",
        "Nike"
    ],
    "proxyConfiguration": {
        "useApifyProxy": true,
        "apifyProxyGroups": [
            "RESIDENTIAL"
        ]
    }
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("bisketapis/google-ads-transparency-scraper").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 = {
    "searches": [
        "hubspot.com",
        "Nike",
    ],
    "proxyConfiguration": {
        "useApifyProxy": True,
        "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"],
    },
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("bisketapis/google-ads-transparency-scraper").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 '{
  "searches": [
    "hubspot.com",
    "Nike"
  ],
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "RESIDENTIAL"
    ]
  }
}' |
apify call bisketapis/google-ads-transparency-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,bisketapis/google-ads-transparency-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

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/KiQ8zByZwJPLrDj8M/builds/12sasuwhMKIX5UAjb/openapi.json