# App Store App Scraper - iOS App Details, Search & Top Charts (`chain_link/app-store-app-metadata-scraper`) Actor

Extract iOS App Store app details by keyword search, app ID, developer ID or top chart, across any country, using Apple's public iTunes Search/Lookup API and RSS charts. Covers price, ratings, versions, genres, screenshots and more.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/chain_link/app-store-app-metadata-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [James White](https://apify.com/chain_link) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$0.30 / 1,000 app scrapeds

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

## App Store App Scraper - iOS App Details, Search & Top Charts

Get clean, structured details for iPhone and iPad apps from the Apple App Store: name, developer, price, ratings, version, categories, release dates, languages, icon and screenshots. Find apps by keyword, by App Store ID or link, by bundle ID, by developer, or straight from the Top Free and Top Paid charts, in any App Store country.

The tool reads Apple's own public catalogue data: the iTunes Search/Lookup service and the official App Store RSS charts. It does not open web pages in a browser, so runs are fast and reliable.

### What you can use it for

- **Market research**: see which apps rank for a keyword such as "fitness" or "budget planner".
- **Competitor tracking**: watch a rival's version, price, rating and release notes over time.
- **Chart monitoring**: record the daily Top Free / Top Paid chart with exact positions.
- **Developer portfolios**: list every app published by a given developer.
- **Localisation checks**: compare price, rating and availability across countries.

### Price

**$0.0003 per app record saved**, which is $0.30 per 1,000 apps. You only pay for records that land in your dataset, and never for more than your **Max items** setting.

### Input

| Field | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| **Search keywords** (`searchTerms`) | Words to search the App Store for, e.g. fitness or budget planner. Up to 200 results per keyword per country. | empty |
| **App IDs or URLs** (`appIds`) | Numeric App Store IDs (e.g. 284882215) or full apps.apple.com links. | empty |
| **Bundle IDs** (`bundleIds`) | App bundle identifiers, e.g. com.spotify.client. | empty |
| **Developer IDs** (`developerIds`) | Numeric developer IDs (the number after "id" in a developer page link). Returns that developer's apps. | empty |
| **Top charts** (`charts`) | top-free and/or top-paid. Up to 100 apps per chart per country, each with its chart position. | empty |
| **Countries** (`countries`) | Two-letter store country codes, e.g. us, gb, de, jp. Every source above is run for each country. | us |
| **Include description** (`includeDescription`) | Add the full app description and the "What's New" release notes. | true |
| **Max items** (`maxItems`) | Maximum number of app records to save in total. The run stops once this is reached. | 100 |

Fill in at least one of: search keywords, app IDs, bundle IDs, developer IDs or charts. You can mix them in one run.

#### Example input

```json
{
  "searchTerms": ["fitness"],
  "appIds": ["284882215", "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chatgpt/id6448311069"],
  "charts": ["top-free"],
  "countries": ["us", "gb"],
  "includeDescription": false,
  "maxItems": 200
}
```

### Output

One record per app per country. If the same app is found by several sources in the same country, it is saved once (the first source wins).

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `appId` | Numeric App Store ID |
| `bundleId` | App bundle identifier |
| `title` | App name |
| `url` | App Store link of the app |
| `country` | Store country the record came from |
| `source` | How it was found: search, lookup, developer or chart |
| `searchTerm` | Keyword that found it (search only) |
| `chartName` | Chart name (charts only) |
| `chartRank` | Position in the chart (charts only) |
| `developerName` | Developer as listed |
| `developerId` | Developer ID |
| `developerUrl` | Developer page link |
| `sellerName` | Seller as listed |
| `price` | Price in local currency (0 = free) |
| `currency` | Currency code |
| `averageRating` | Average user rating |
| `ratingCount` | Number of ratings |
| `primaryGenre` | Main category |
| `genres` | All categories |
| `contentRating` | Age rating, e.g. 4+ or 12+ |
| `version` | Current version |
| `releaseDate` | First release date (ISO 8601) |
| `currentVersionReleaseDate` | Date of the current version (ISO 8601) |
| `fileSizeBytes` | Download size in bytes |
| `minimumOsVersion` | Minimum iOS version |
| `languages` | Supported language codes |
| `supportedDevices` | Supported device identifiers |
| `description` | Full description (if enabled) |
| `releaseNotes` | What's new (if enabled) |
| `iconUrl` | 512px icon link |
| `screenshotUrls` | iPhone screenshot links |
| `ipadScreenshotUrls` | iPad screenshot links |
| `scrapedAt` | When the record was collected (ISO 8601) |

Fields that Apple does not provide for an app are returned as null or an empty list.

#### Example output row

```json
{
  "appId": 284882215,
  "bundleId": "com.facebook.Facebook",
  "title": "Facebook",
  "url": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/facebook/id%32%38%34%38%38%32%32%31%35",
  "country": "us",
  "source": "lookup",
  "searchTerm": null,
  "chartName": null,
  "chartRank": null,
  "developerName": "Meta Platforms, Inc.",
  "developerId": 284882218,
  "developerUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/developer/meta-platforms-inc/id%32%38%34%38%38%32%32%31%38",
  "sellerName": "Meta Platforms, Inc.",
  "price": 0.0,
  "currency": "USD",
  "averageRating": 4.52608,
  "ratingCount": 28657380,
  "primaryGenre": "Social Networking",
  "genres": ["Social Networking"],
  "contentRating": "12+",
  "version": "582.0.0",
  "releaseDate": "2019-02-05T08:00:00Z",
  "currentVersionReleaseDate": "2026-10-07T14:52:01Z",
  "fileSizeBytes": 513508352,
  "minimumOsVersion": "15.1",
  "languages": ["AR", "HR", "CS", "DA", "NL", "EN", "FR", "DE"],
  "supportedDevices": ["iPhone5s-iPhone5s", "iPadAir-iPadAir"],
  "description": null,
  "releaseNotes": null,
  "iconUrl": "https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Purple221/v4/8a/a0/a8/.../512x512bb.jpg",
  "screenshotUrls": ["https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/PurpleSource221/v4/.../392x696bb.png"],
  "ipadScreenshotUrls": ["https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/PurpleSource211/v4/.../576x768bb.png"],
  "scrapedAt": "2026-10-08T09:00:00+00:00"
}
```

(Lists and image links are shortened above for readability.)

#### About links and long numbers

To keep the dataset free of anything that could look like a phone number, the tool applies two privacy rules:

- In links (app, developer, icon and screenshot links), any long run of 7 or more digits is written with standard URL percent-encoding, e.g. id%32%38%34... instead of id284... This is the same address under the URL standard and browsers treat it as such. The plain numeric IDs are always available in `appId` and `developerId`.
- In text fields (title, developer, seller, description, release notes), long digit runs that could be phone numbers, and e-mail addresses, are replaced with \[number removed] / \[email removed]. Dates written like 2024-05-01 are kept.

### Limits

- Apple asks callers of its search service to stay around 20 requests per minute, so the tool paces itself (about one request every 3 seconds). Chart lookups are batched (up to 200 apps per request), so charts and ID lists are fast; many keywords or developers take longer.
- Keyword search returns at most 200 apps per keyword per country, in Apple's order.
- Charts return at most 100 apps per chart per country.
- Some apps are not sold in every country; those are skipped with a note in the log.
- User reviews are not collected.
- If Apple refuses or keeps throttling requests, the run stops cleanly, keeps what it has saved, and explains this in the log. Try again later or with a smaller run.

### Terms and responsible use

This tool collects only public App Store catalogue information that Apple publishes through its public search service and charts feed. It does not log in or collect user reviews. Apple's terms for these services expect them to be used in connection with promoting or researching App Store content; you are responsible for making sure your use of the data complies with Apple's terms and the laws that apply to you. Developer and seller names are shown exactly as publicly listed on the App Store.

# Actor input Schema

## `searchTerms` (type: `array`):

Keywords to search the App Store for (e.g. 'fitness', 'budget planner'). Up to 200 results per keyword per country.

## `appIds` (type: `array`):

Numeric App Store IDs (e.g. 284882215) or full apps.apple.com URLs.

## `bundleIds` (type: `array`):

App bundle identifiers (e.g. com.spotify.client).

## `developerIds` (type: `array`):

Numeric App Store developer (artist) IDs; returns all apps by that developer.

## `charts` (type: `array`):

Top charts to fetch: 'top-free' and/or 'top-paid'. Each chart returns up to 100 apps per country, with rank, then enriched with full details.

## `countries` (type: `array`):

Two-letter storefront country codes (e.g. us, gb, de, jp).

## `includeDescription` (type: `boolean`):

Include the full app description and release notes in the output.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of app records to output in total.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchTerms": [],
  "appIds": [],
  "bundleIds": [],
  "developerIds": [],
  "charts": [],
  "countries": [
    "us"
  ],
  "includeDescription": true,
  "maxItems": 100
}
```

# 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 = {
    "searchTerms": [],
    "appIds": [],
    "bundleIds": [],
    "developerIds": [],
    "charts": [],
    "countries": [
        "us"
    ],
    "includeDescription": true,
    "maxItems": 100
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("chain_link/app-store-app-metadata-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 = {
    "searchTerms": [],
    "appIds": [],
    "bundleIds": [],
    "developerIds": [],
    "charts": [],
    "countries": ["us"],
    "includeDescription": True,
    "maxItems": 100,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("chain_link/app-store-app-metadata-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 '{
  "searchTerms": [],
  "appIds": [],
  "bundleIds": [],
  "developerIds": [],
  "charts": [],
  "countries": [
    "us"
  ],
  "includeDescription": true,
  "maxItems": 100
}' |
apify call chain_link/app-store-app-metadata-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,chain_link/app-store-app-metadata-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/hAy2F7V2f7j9eyghD/builds/Mwn449Fxmy830Udwl/openapi.json